If you're unsure about which SEO keywords to use, this chapter can give you a comprehensive keyword strategy, including latent semantic indexing.
Search Intent
To drive relevant search engine traffic, it is essential to identify specific keywords used by your target audience and understand the intent behind search queries.
There are generally five primary types of search intent:
Informational intent:
Users seek information or answers to questions ("Queries like "why, what, when, who, how")
Navigational intent:
Users often use to find a specific page, brand, or website ("Queries like "brand" + "keyword")
Commercial intent:
Users research a product or service before making a decision (Queries like "best laptop 2024" or edmonton storage unit review")
Transactional intent:
Users intend to make a purchase or a transaction (Queries like "buy iPhone 15" or "book flight to China")
Local intent:
Users seek local business, services, or events ("fried chicken near me" or "plumber in[city]")
Danny Sullivan, Co-Founder of Search Engine Land::
“SEO isn’t about ‘how do I get keywords into Google,’ it’s about understanding how many people search for information and finding a way to get in front of them.”
Ignore Head Terms (Short Term)
Head terms are short keywords (1-2 words) with high competition and search volume.
Head terms do not convert well. Instead, you should focus on profitable long-tail keywords.
However, head terms do not convert well. Instead, you should focus on profitable long-tail keywords.
Choose Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are search phrases containing three or more words. Conversion rates are 2.5 times higher than for head keywords.
Long-tail keywords have less competition, aiding higher search engine rankings. Ideal for new or niche websites.
Specific long-tail keywords attract qualified traffic, increasing conversion rates.
Long-tail keywords facilitate rapid ranking for new pages, even with low website authority.
Highly specific long-tail keywords provide accurate and relevant results, enhancing user experience.
Long-tail keywords improve content visibility on search engines, making your content stand out.
Using a combination of head-term and long-tail keywords enables simultaneous ranking for broader and targeted search terms.
Google Autocomplete
When you're unsure where to begin with your keyword planning, use Google Autocomplete.
Whatever you live, it’s useful to add a location to your keyword. For instance, I live in Edmonton.
Type your business including “your city” in Google address bar.
In the Autocomplete Suggestion, Google reveals three related keywords and five “competitor” keywords in your location. Most of the suggestions are highly relevant to you. You may not be aware, but you can rank competitor keywords on your website.
Here’s what happen if you add an underscore character to the beginning of your keyword:
You can also use the underscore character “_” to have Google complete any part of the phrase. You have many potential keywords here.
The Plurals vs. Non-Plurals often show different keywords than non-plurals.:
In addition, you should check out the Related Searches section at the bottom of the search result page. It includes synonyms and semantic search terms you can use on your website.
Google disclosed some keywords that are useful while keeping others hidden.
Be The Customer
To better understand your target customers and their needs, it's important to know where they spend their time and what they're talking about.
By analyzing their comments and threads on popular platforms like Facebook, subReddits, and Quora, you can gain valuable insights into their interests and preferences.
Product keywords refer to the words and phrases people use to search for products online. For instance, if you sell shoes, some of your product keywords could be:
You can target potential customers who are looking for a specific type of shoe by using more specific product keywords.
black leather running shoes for men
women's hiking boots with good ankle support
kids' dress shoes for special occasions
Keyword Density
Keyword density measures how frequently a keyword appears on a webpage in comparison to the total number of words. It's a crucial aspect of content optimization.
For instance, in an article comprising 2000 words and featuring 20 keywords, be they primary or secondary, the keyword density would be calculated at 1%.
The Role Of Search Volume
A search volume metric measures how many people search for a particular query.
Neil Patel, Entrepreneur, Analytics expert, and Investor::
“As a digital marketing expert, I won’t be looking for SEO. I’ll be interested in “SEO trends,” “SEO brand success stories,” and other long-tail keywords.”
Voice Search Optimization
A voice search is a type of search that is performed by speaking into a device instead of typing keywords into a search engine.
By Sam H Mah, 10+ Years Search Engine Optimization & Website Design Experience
