Have you ever used a keyword in your Google Search? If your answer is no, you just told yourself a lie. In fact, every single person who landed on this page used a keyword one way or another. Simply put, you need a keyword or a string of keywords to surf around the internet. It's how Google knows what to show you when you type in your question. Now you might be asking: what is a keyword? A keyword is a word or term used when searching for something online. Chances are the keyword you were searching for was "What is a keyword" or maybe something like "What is a long-tail keyword"? Let me know down below in the comment section if I was right.
What is a Keyword? Taking a Deeper Dive
In order to use the right keywords in your writing, you need to understand what a keyword is. We briefly touched upon this topic above but let's go a little further. A keyword or long-tail keyword is a sequence of words used to search the internet. Anyone can do a search on your computer, phone, tablet, or any other device that is connected to the internet. These words or word helps Google (or whatever search engine you are using) figure out exactly what you are trying to search for. The search engine will then give you the most accurate results based on the information for that specific keyword.
What's the difference between a keyword and a long-tail keyword? Put simply, a keyword is one singular word, and a long-tail keyword is multiple. Let's take a look at a couple of examples with the keywords being bolded:
- What is a keyword?
- How can I tie my shoe?
- What is an alligator's typical meal?
- Animals
- Paintbrush
- What is the cooking temperature of pork?
How to Choose Your Keywords
It would be best if you were specific. When determining how to use your keyword, you need to think about the subject your audience is looking up.
Let's say you own a tire shop. You might say, well, "tires" is my keyword for everything. No matter what, as long as someone searches tires, then my shop will pop up, and I'll get visitors. This couldn't be farther from the truth. First off, keywords need research. Below, I will list a couple of my favorite tools to use while conducting keyword research. Second off, you will have loads of competition for that specific key term. So what should you do? Get specific and use long-tail keywords to your advantage. If you search "what is a tire" vs. "how to change a tire," you will get a completely different set of web pages. This is the power of using specific keywords. And the result is amazing: you help Google understand your website's information.
How To Find The Best Keyword
Finding the perfect keyword can be the difference between having thousands of customers land on your website or having absolutely no one find your website. I use a few tools to help determine what the best keywords for a specific topic are. These tools help me identify how many people search these keywords a month, how hard it will be to rank for these words, and what similar keywords I can also try to rank for. Here are a few of the best tools on the market to help you take your keyword game to the next level:
All of these platforms vary in price and what they can do. But each of them will allow you to track your keywords and how well they are performing. You can even find tools that offer advice on how to increase your website traffic and what other keywords you should target.
Where to Place Your Keyword Within Your Content
Crafting your content and knowing where to place your keyword is just as important as picking the right keyword. This section will quickly go over where you should display your keyword and how often you should be using it within your writing.
Within the SEO Title: Your keyword needs to be within your SEO Title. Preferably at the front.
Within Subheadings: Some of your subheadings should contain the keyword.
Every Few Paragraphs: Make sure you add your keyword every so often. A good rule is every two-three paragraphs.
Do Not Over-Optimize: Do not get keyword happy. Many novice writers make the mistake of overoptimizing and tossing in keywords left and right. This worked in the early days of Google. But now, with all the advancements Google has made to its search engine algorithm, it'll quickly sniff out any overoptimizing.
Note*: This is a general rule of thumb, everyone's writing style may be different, and if you have a style that works for you, then you should stick to it.
If You Still Need Help, We Are Here For You
If you still need more help figuring out what a keyword is and how it can help your business feel free to schedule a call. Our marketing and SEO professionals will gladly help you understand how using keywords can benefit your business. We will also suggest performing an SEO audit on your website to identify better and understand your current weaknesses.
We look forward to chatting with you in the near future.
