The landscape of SEO is constantly changing, and it can be hard to keep up with all of the latest trends. Keywords are one aspect of SEO that has been around for a long time, and they aren’t going away anytime soon. In this blog post, we will discuss why keywords are still relevant in 2023 and some tips for finding the right ones for your business. Are you ready to learn more?

Why Do Keywords Matter in SEO?

There are 2 types of keywords:

Short-Tail Keywords: 

Short-tail keywords are broad phrases people use in their searches. For example, when you search “Headphones” or “Red Roses”, these are short-tail keywords. Those are keywords made up of 1 or 2 words only.

Long-Tail Keywords: 

Long-tail keywords are considered to be more specific, focusing on a niche, and grabbing a high conversion rate. Long-tail keywords might get fewer search hits, yet people who are looking for such specific terms will check your website. Those keywords are made up of 3 or more words.

Four Ways Keywords Help Brands

Keywords Help Indicate User Intent 

Keywords are directional. In other words, they give you a clue as to what someone is looking for when they type a query into a search engine. Keywords are the words and phrases that people use when they are searching for something on the internet. They are one of the best ways to understand what someone is looking for when they conduct a search. By understanding the intent behind a keyword, you can create content that is more likely to rank on Google and drive traffic to your website. 

There are four main types of user intent:

• Navigational: where the user is searching for a certain website or page.
• Informational: where the user is searching for information on a topic.
• Transactional: where the user is looking to purchase a product or service.
• Commercial Investigation: where the user compares shopping or research for a product before making a purchase.

If you can identify the intent behind a keyword, you can create content that meets the needs of your audience and ranks higher in search engines.

For example, let’s say you own a pet store, and someone searches for “puppies near me.” This is a navigational query because the user is looking for a specific website (yours!) They probably want to buy a puppy, so this is a transactional query as well. By creating a page on your website that is optimized for this keyword, you can drive traffic to your store and make a sale.

Keywords Help Find Striking Distance Opportunities 

By identifying potential new areas for content and products that your audience is interested in. They can help you find new business opportunities that you may not have thought of before. In SEO, “striking distance” refers to the keywords that are similar to your main target keyword but have lower competition. These are the keywords that you should be targeting if you want to rank higher in search engines.

For example, let’s say you sell women’s clothing and your main target keyword is “dresses.” But when you try to rank for this keyword, you find that the competition is too high. However, you notice that there are a lot of searches for “cocktail dresses” and “evening dresses.” These are keywords that are in your “striking distance” because they are similar to your main target keyword but have lower competition. By targeting these keywords, you can increase your chances of ranking higher in search engines and driving traffic to your website.

Keywords Help Identifying the Suitable Target Audience.

Keywords can help you understand who your target audience is and what they are looking for. So that the content you are creating appeals to them. Keep in mind, however, that not all keywords are created equal. Some keywords may be too broad and not help you narrow down your target audience. Other keywords may be too specific and only attract a small number of people. The key is to find a balance between these two.

Keywords Help Drive Traffic

One of the most important things keywords can do is help drive traffic to your website. By optimizing your website for the right keywords, you can attract people who are looking for what you have to offer. This way, you can get more leads and sales. Instead of people randomly stumbling across your website, you can bring them to your website through keywords.

Should We Still Track Keywords?

The answer is YES! You should continue to track keywords so you can identify new business opportunities, understand what your audience is looking for, and create content that appeals to them. They are still relevant and can help you drive traffic, find new opportunities, and understand your target audience. Read more about SEO Ranking Factors.

Tips For Finding The Right Keywords

There are a few things you should keep in mind when finding the right keywords for your business.

First, think like your target audience. Consider what your target audience is looking for. What words or phrases would they use when they are looking for what you have to offer?

Second, consider the intent of the keywords. Are they informational or transactional? Informational keywords are those that indicate someone is looking for information, whereas transactional keywords are those that indicate someone is looking to make a purchase. The intent of keywords should match the intent of your website.

Lastly, consider the competition. Are there a lot of other businesses competing for the same keywords? If so, it may be difficult to rank for those keywords. You may want to consider targeting long-tail keywords, which are more specific and have less competition.

In other words, keep these in mind:

• Relevancy: Choose keywords that are relevant to your business, products, or services.Search Volume: Choose keywords that have a high search volume. This means that people are actually searching for these keywords.
• Competition: Choose keywords that have low competition. This means that there aren’t a lot of other businesses competing for the same keywords.
• Intent: Choose keywords with the right intent. Are people looking to make a purchase or are they just looking for information? Make sure the intent of your keywords matches the intent of your website.

Helpful Tools:

• Use a keyword research tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner or Moz Keyword Explorer to find keywords that are relevant to your business. The tool we personally use is SEMrush for example.
• Think about the words and phrases your target audience would use to find your products or services.
• Brainstorm a list of potential keywords and narrow it down to the most relevant ones.

Mistakes Try to Avoid:

• Keyword Stuffing: This is when you stuff your keywords into your content in an attempt to rank higher in search results. Yet, this makes your content different to read, hence hurting your ranking. Which is definitely not what you are searching for.  
• Not Tracking Keywords: As mentioned before, you should continue to track keywords so you can identify new business opportunities and understand what your audience is looking for.
• Not Targeting the Right Audience: Make sure you are targeting the right audience with your keywords. Consider what your target audience is looking for and choose keywords that appeal to them.

Wrap up!

Keywords are still relevant to SEO and should be a part of your marketing strategy. By targeting the right keywords, you can attract more leads and sales. Keep these tips in mind when finding the right keywords for your business.

Check out our keyword research guide to understand how to find the best words and phrases for your content.