Tips for Selecting and Using Keywords

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Keywords are the bread and butter of all search engine optimisation strategies. They are the words and phrases that internet users will browse with when they look for something online.

Since keywords are denoting the subject matter of a webpage, they are the means by which Google and other search engines will filter said webpages. While the theory may be easy to comprehend, the art of selecting the right keywords isn’t so simple to master.

An SEO agency specialises in researching and implementing keywords so that their clients can maximise their online visibility. They use keywords in clever ways and in conjunction with other tactics in order to improve Google rankings.

The following will discuss some of the best methods for choosing and utilising keywords in your next digital marketing campaign.

Words VS Phrases

Many people tend to misunderstand what keywords can do for them and how they should be targeted. The term “keywords” can be misleading because more often than not the best strategy will be to target specific, long-tail sets that users may type into Google.

Above all, keywords should explain the product or service you are offering as well as its unique benefits. Just like any advertising copy, those benefits need to be well-defined.

Avoid being too general

Basic, one-word keywords that simply describe the product or service are unlikely to perform well for a business trying to get exposure. For example, a business that sells clothing is not going to benefit much from targeting keywords like “clothing” or “clothes”.

This is because those very general and broad keywords are going to be dominated by market leaders who have had more time to generate their domain authority. Major retailers who have been the industry for a while are favoured by Google for these general search terms.

Therefore a business looking to expand its visibility should try and target features unique to them. Using keywords that take advantage of a geographic or categorical niche are good places to start.

Repeating terms

According to SEO Shark  the SEO agency any reputable SEO firm will typically understand how and when to repeat keywords. This repetition is not simply using the same keyword over and over again, but using it in different combinations.

Using the clothing example again; combinations like clothing shop and clothing store are functionally similar and should not be used together. However, combinations like clothing sizes and clothing styles are sufficiently different enough to imply that their content will be different.

Despite the fear of using too many keywords or “keyword stuffing”, the Google algorithm is sufficiently advanced enough to differentiate between when content is being lazily repeated and when it’s varied.

Weaving into content

When writing articles, product page copy or anything else, the keywords you are targeting need to be present within the text. Only using them in the headings is too sparse and littering them throughout the content is too much.

There is a goldilocks zone when it comes to keyword usage that takes some practise to get right. Ideally you will use equivalent terms for your keywords where you are not planning to use them.

For example, a business selling clothing may use the term “garments” sporadically to avoid overusing their core keyword. This is an important tool in avoiding the dreaded “keyword stuffing” that SEO’s fear.

Ideally, the target keyword should be used in the heading, introduction, body and conclusion of the content in order to maximise its effectiveness. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to this, only general guidelines as it will greatly depend on the length of the keyword and its subject matter.

Using keywords correctly can be difficult for the untrained and that’s why so many businesses rely on an SEO agency to use its experts instead.