Keywords are words or phrases entered into search engines by people to locate information, products and services online. Search engines also use them as terms that categorize and rank content online. Selecting and optimizing keywords are essential parts of on-page SEO strategy development for digital marketers.
No matter the purpose, selecting and using appropriate keywords is one of the most essential decisions you can make for your business. Keywords form the backbone of a solid SEO strategy and allow visitors to discover your site or blog.
Keyword is actually an acronym: key term(or keyword). From a marketer’s point of view, its meaning has altered over time as search engines have become better at understanding context. But at its core, keywords you select serve as code that search engines use to understand what your audience wants and needs in order to present relevant results for them.
SEO strategies traditionally focused on selecting and optimizing keywords; however, recent changes to search engine algorithms have made it even more essential that marketers understand what content their audiences are searching for and provide content which meets those needs.
Google’s search engine, for instance, displays multiple results when someone queries “what is an algorithm”, from definitions of the term to articles about specific software companies offering SaaS solutions. This demonstrates how search engines aim to interpret queries accurately and provide relevant responses that meet user intent.
Although many businesses place great effort into selecting appropriate keywords for their website content, many struggle with placing these appropriately throughout it – and this can have a drastic effect on its performance and revenue generation.
Not only should the appropriate keywords appear where needed, it’s also vital that they meet your buyer persona and business goals. If your aim is to reach people in the research phase of their buyer journey looking to learn more about your product or service, an informative blog article may be more effective; while if they’re ready to purchase online then an eCommerce store might be best.
As a rule of thumb, the ideal place for you to include keywords is in the page or post title and meta description of a website or blog post. Furthermore, you may include your keyword within several of the main paragraphs if your article’s theme lends itself. Remember to always prioritize readability over keyword stuffing; overdoing it with keywords could trigger search engines’ warning systems and negatively affect your rankings.