No matter how awesome your content is, it can only rank higher on Google if you are using the right and optimized keywords.
Keywords can evolve according to new trends, but they are still important.
Introduction to Keywords in SEO
Keywords are words or phrases used to boost search traffic on a website and reach the target audience. Many new search and content marketers wonder about the importance of keywords in ranking well on Google and reaching the target audience. However, there's no easy answer. To understand how important keywords are for Google, read this article to the end.
Importance of Keywords in SEO
When you search on Google, you enter a keyword (or query) to find something. Due to the keywords used in SEO, the specific page that matches your keywords (along with other ranking factors) is likely to appear at the top of the search results.
Keywords come in various types, including branded and non-branded, local and global, and branded keyword focusing on geography or branded keywords product.
How Do Keywords Help Brands?
Keywords are known as 'directional' elements as they help us find the content we're searching for. However, there can still be a difference between what a user wants and what they're asking for in a search. That's why Google employs advanced query expansion AI to understand user intent and show relevant results. Timestamps setting in search results also help Google identify the latest trends.
Brands Use Keywords to Find Quick Wins
When a user searches for something (e.g., PayPal fee calculator in USD) and your website ranks on Google for that keyword, it means you can achieve quick wins in terms of search exposure.
Finding the Right Target Audience with Keywords
Using the right keywords can help you reach your target audience. For example, you want to rank for “House Loans” but your website isn’t finding the right audience even if you are doing things right. Upon analyzing the competitor websites, you might find that these websites have “House Financing” in their page title that is helping them rank on Google. Loans and financing are not similar words but users are searching for ‘financing’ instead of loans. So, when you use “financing” in your title page, you will hit the right audience (and likely their intent).
Drive Traffic with Keywords
Keywords are crucial for driving traffic to your website. Page one of Google receives the most traffic, with the top result alone capturing 28.5% of total traffic.
Tracking Keywords: Is this Still Important?
The simple answer is yes, tracking keywords is still important. Keywords drive traffic, enhance visibility, and attract customers to your website.
How to Find the Right Keywords?
Even though there are a variety of keywords search tools available, the first thing you need to evaluate is what is the purpose of your website and how am I going to provide the content that will reach the right audience. The first thing is definitely knowing your audience and their preferences. Once you are on the right path, use paid search data or historical paid search data to find out which keywords are helping you in conversion and sales.
You can also use tools like Google Keyword Planner, KW Finder, Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, Moz Keywords Explorer and Long Tail Pro. All these tools offer a wide variety of keywords that are best for website rankings. The main goal should be gaining a lot of sales because what is the point of traffic if you are not getting any customers.
When do Keywords Have no Use?
Some SEO gurus are still working on keyword density but nowadays it has no importance. So, even if you are using a lot of keywords in your content and stuffing them up, there will be no use if your main keyword has less than 10% KD. Just focus on writing the content that will answer the users’ queries and provide complete and best information about what the users are looking for.
Using anchor text is also not a good idea to add in your links. The anchor text of your website should be made with brand as well as non-brand keywords.
Conclusion:
So now you know the importance of keywords in SEO and the techniques needed to rank your website on Google. Always use keywords wisely, as they can make or break a website.
Read next: 100 Fascinating Facts About Google From Revenue to Advertising Insights (infographic)
