What are keywords and why are they important for SEO?
Keywords in SEO refer to the words and phrases users type into search engines (mainly Google) when looking for information, products, or services.
Adding relevant keywords to your website’s content helps search engines understand what your pages are about and rank them (make them appear) in search results.
Why are keywords important for SEO?
Keywords are the foundation of both SEO and pay-per-click (PPC).
If implemented correctly, you can use keyword-optimized content to put your website’s pages in front of users when they are ready to make a purchase.
If you want to drive organic traffic to your website, the keywords you create content about and optimize your pages for will determine how users find you through search.
You can use PPC to get your site featured above the organic results.
Google Ads works with advertisers bidding to appear at the top of search results for specific keywords.
How to find keywords
Start by understanding your target audience, their interests, needs, and pain points.
Consider what your customers might search for when looking for products or services you provide.
Use keyword research tools
You can use keyword research tools to find keywords you want to target.
These tools will provide the monthly volume of people searching for any given query and also how difficult it is to ‘rank’ (appear on Google) for.
Keyword research tools include:
Google Keyword Planner
SEMrush
Ahrefs
Moz Keyword Explorer
Ubersuggest
KeywordTool.io
Look for long tail keywords
Longer tail keywords (more specific phrases that typically have lower search volume) will be easier to rank for.
You must pay attention to the search intent behind each keyword.
Are users looking for information, products to buy, local businesses, or other types of content?
Tailor your keyword strategy to match the intent of your target audience.
Analyze competitors
Analyze your competitors’ websites to see what keywords they are targeting and then produce better content to outrank them.
TRAFCK can do all the heavy lifting for you.
Look for trends
Monitor search and social media trends relevant to your industry.
You can use Google Trends for this or the ‘trending’ section on social media apps such as TikTok or X.
Regularly review and update your content
Keyword research is an ongoing process.
You should be regularly reviewing and updating your keyword strategy based on changes in trends, user behaviour, and your website’s performance.
Where to use keywords
Keyword placement is a key part of on-page SEO and is one of the core three pillars of SEO – the other two being off-page SEO (mainly building links) and technical SEO.
The key areas that you should place your keywords on your page include:
URL
A URL is the web address for your page and will show up in the search results.
URLs should be created so they are easy to read and include your target keywords.
Title tags
Title tags show up in the search results and should be written for humans and optimized for robots.
Meta description
Meta descriptions are displayed in the search results.
Include a unique meta description for each page and make sure to include your target keywords.
Page title (H1)
The page title will display once a user has clicked on your page.
H1s also demonstrate topic relevance to robots.
Subheadings (H2)
Headings not only help users navigate your content but also help search engines understand what your content is about.
Your content should naturally (empathises on naturally) include the keywords you’re targeting.
Don’t just throw keywords on your page.
Image alt attributes
Image alt text is often overlooked by website owners but provides value to visitors unable to view images, and can have the additional benefit through providing robots context for your pictures.
TRAFCK’s team of SEO experts have over 10 years of industry experience ranking some of the world’s biggest websites for competitive keywords.
TRAFCK can do all of the heavy lifting – get in touch here or at hello@trafck.co.uk.
