You will come across some very important terms once you start looking into SEO or any form of internet marketing. You will see numerous articles referencing keywords but may still find yourself asking exactly what they are.
Defining Keywords
Keywords are topics or phrases that are the definition of your brand’s content. When you take everything on your site and filter it down to its key components and main themes, you should have your keywords. Take your copy, images, and video, and boil it all down to simple words and phrases. These are the keywords or terms you need for SEO. When you are working up content for your page, you want relevant keywords so the people searching will find their way to your site.
More importantly, keyword also applies to the potential clients that type into search pages to discover you, your products, or your services.
Why Are Keywords Important?
Keywords are important for several reasons. First of all, they help the various search engines find their way to your site. Better use of keywords helps your site rank high in searches. Without good rankings, it will be difficult for potential clients to find you.
Google uses a formula to rank sites according to how well their content answers people’s searches. It is a complex formula but has to do with factors like keyword searches, your content, relevance, authority, performance, and quality of information on your pages.
Keyword Variations
Keyword stemming or other variations of your keyword are excellent ways of enriching your content. For instance, if your keywords are “dog grooming,” some variations would be “dog groomer,” “dog groomers,” “dog grooms,” etc. Building your content with keyword variations throughout helps the search engines get people to your site. It also helps you keep your content focused.
Long-tail Keywords
Another important type of keyword is the long-tail keyword. These are much more specific and have more words within the overall phrase. Long-tail keywords are convenient because they tend to have less competition due to the fact that they are more specific. Simply contrast keywords like “best organic dog food for a puppy” and “puppy food.” The first would be a long-tailed keyword with less competition than the second, which is more general.
How to Use Keywords in SEO
Once you choose your keywords, create content using them. Remember not to overstuff the keywords because this will take authority away from your information while also hurting readability. You should also make it a point to use unique keywords on various pages of your website. This way, you won’t compete with yourself, and you increase the chances that searchers find your content relevant.
It’s also smart to incorporate your keyword into your URL. While you are at it, use keywords in alt attributes of images, meta descriptions, and at least one H1 tag, if not other headings as well.
Conclusion
With a better understanding of keywords and how to use them, you can boost your website’s search engine ranking and bring in more clients.
Sources:
https://moz.com/learn/seo/what-are-keywords
https://www.venveo.com/blog/all-about-keywords-what-they-are-why-they-matter-and-how-to-use-them
