Understanding Keywords

What Are Keywords?

They are the critical terms and ideas that readers would intentionally search for and use when trying to find information about that subject.

Keywords signify both to search engines and readers what your content is about. For example, if you were writing a blog post about running shoes for marathon training, some keywords would be:

• Running shoes
• Marathon shoes
• Sneakers
• Athletic shoes

These relevant words and multi-word phrases are what a reader interested specifically in running shoes for marathons would likely type into Google or another search engine when hunting for insights on the topic.

Why Keywords are Important

Boost Visibility and SEO

Using keywords strategically throughout your writing signals to search engines like Google that your content should rank highly in results for searches on those terms. The careful placement and frequency of keywords optimize your content for search engine discoverability.

Attract Targeted Readers

With keyword research and analysis, writers can better understand what terminology and phrases their target readers are using when discussing or searching for a given topic. Writers can then directly cater their content to those high-value keywords, naturally attracting qualified, interested readers.

Clarify Topic Focus

Relying on relevant, well-researched keywords keeps your writing tightly centered on a cohesive topic that is clearly defined by the keywords themselves. Both you as the writer and your readers will stay focused on the core subject at hand.

Allow Niche Targeting

Using long-tail keywords (longer, multi-word keyword phrases) in your writing allows you to zero in on writing about very specific subtopics within a broader theme. You can niche down into the precise issues your audience cares about.

The Importance of Keywords by Content Type

Keywords are crucial for almost every type of writing and content. Here are some examples of how they are used in different formats:

Blog Posts

Blog headlines and body content need to contain the primary keywords and phrases that readers would search for on that topic. This allows them to find the post and quickly determine if it addresses their interests.

Website Copy

Websites need to incorporate keywords throughout page content and meta data. This helps search engines understand what each page is about and who it should serve up the page to in results.

Social Media

Social media posts should be optimized for relevant hashtags by using keyword research to determine which are most popular on each platform for your niche.

PPC Ads

Keyword research determines the terms and phrases to directly target bids on in pay-per-click ads. The ads can then hyper-focus on those profitable keywords.

SEO Content

Long-form content, like eBooks and guides, should be built around keyword-focused titles and headers throughout the piece for discoverability and user experience.

Product Descriptions

The keywords shoppers use to search for specific product features and benefits should be woven into product page descriptions and titles to aid in being found.

Keywords in Writing Process

How can you integrate keywords into your actual writing process to maximize their value? Here are some best practices:

• Start with keyword research using tools like Google Keyword Planner to build a master list of terms. Look for keyword difficulty, volume, and competitiveness.
• Determine which keyword phrases are most relevant to your existing or upcoming piece of content. These will naturally become your core topics and themes.
• Outline the content with your primary keywords in mind, including them in headers where it fits organically.
• Avoid keyword stuffing by using keywords thoughtfully in a way that contributes to the user experience.
• Include keywords in the opening and closing paragraphs of a piece for additional exposure.
• Use keyword synonyms and related phrases so you don’t repeat the exact same term over and over.
• Check that keywords appear in appropriate frequency for search engines without sacrificing readability.
• Insert relevant long-tail keyword phrases where possible to target less competitive searches.

Following these best practices will help you craft optimized, keyword-rich content that drives substantial value. Just remember that readability should always remain the top priority over-keyword volume.

Optimize Your Keywords

Once you’ve selected your target keyword list, you need to optimize your web pages for those terms:

• Place keywords in strategic places like page titles, headers, image names,
  and content.
• Create unique, useful content focused on your core keywords.
• Include keyword synonyms and related phrases in your content.
• Use keywords in URLs for specific pages where it makes sense.