Recently we wrote a blog about Google’s Helpful Content Update and its impact on SEO. Basically, this AI update will look at how you use keywords in your content, and if you are using keywords specifically to drive traffic to your site and you are not providing useful content, you will rank lower in searches. This is to prevent “keyword stuffing” where websites are simply using a keyword over and over with no real useful knowledge, simple to climb up the ranks of Google and other search engines.
Does this mean that keywords are no longer important and you shouldn’t use them in your content? The short answer is absolutely NOT! The long answer is, it’s not about whether you should use keywords or not but how you should integrate them into your content. Intelligent keyword selection and placement in your content continues to give you an improved chance of rising up the ranks of search pages, and thus being discovered by your ideal client.
In this blog, we are going to discuss why keywords are important in your marketing content strategy. But first, let’s take a look at what exactly keywords are.
What are Keywords?
Simply put keywords are what audiences use when looking for information about a topic, product, or service using a search engine like Google or Bing. They range from single words to complex phrases (also called “long tail keywords”) and are used to find related content for their inquiries.
Because keywords come from search queries, incorporating them into your content strategy helps search engines rank your website pages and blogs, helps users find your content when looking for it, and increases organic search traffic to your website.
When effectively researched and optimized, keywords act as a gateway to connect your ideal client with your website. Conducting solid keyword research will allow you to find keywords that relate to the topics on your website and create a good SEO strategy.
Types of Keywords
Keywords fall into one of two categories: Short keywords or Long-tail keywords.
Short keywords are made up of one or two words and are broad, so search results may not lead to the specific results you’re looking for. An example of a short keyword search is “fishing rods.” This search will lead to many, many articles and websites that talk about fishing rods. But you may have to wade through pages of results to find what you were looking for.
Long-tail keywords typically contain three or more words and are much more specific. They help weed out search results that don’t address your specific query. Returning to our fishing rods example, a long-tail version might be something like “the best deep sea fishing rods.” Clearly, a search like this will lead you to your intended results more quickly.
Understanding which type of keywords to use on your website content or in your blog requires conducting some research. As you go through the process of keyword research, you will learn to distinguish between choosing a related keyword and writing for a user’s intent.
Why Keywords are Important
Keywords are important because they assist you in understanding what your potential customers are searching for and the content you need to provide to meet their needs. The keywords you select help to plan your content strategy and define what topics to include on your website. This means integrating the most relevant terms to increase your ability to rank and increase traffic to your website.
There are a number of reasons why keywords are still an important part of your marketing strategy. Here are a couple to consider:
- Effective use of keywords make content better – People search with keywords and that’s not changing for the foreseeable future. By comprehending the keywords that people use to search, marketers can create richer content. As Google’s Helpful Content Update illustrates, using outdated techniques of keyword deployment is no longer suitable, but using effective keywords sure is. In fact, it’s more important than ever if you want to be highly ranked in organic searches.
- Keyword rankings are a performance measure – Good keyword usage creates quality lead and demand generation from your website. You can’t generate clicks from search engine results pages (SERPs) if you aren’t ranking well for the right keywords. And, if you’re ranking well for keyword usage but aren’t getting the desired results it could be a sign that your website needs to be updated.
To summarize, keywords are important because they tell search engines about the content of your website’s page.
How Do I Integrate Keywords Into My Site?
After conducting thorough keyword research and selecting your list of keywords to target, you’ll either need to integrate them into your present content or produce new content to bring visitors to your site. Here are five ways you can start increasing your ranking for keywords that matter to you:
- Include Keywords in Page Titles – When your page appears in search results, the page title is the first thing that someone sees. Having the keyword they’re searching for appear in the title lets them know that they’ve found what they’re looking for.
- Include Keywords in Meta Descriptions – Google may not pay attention to meta descriptions but users do. A well-written meta description lets users know they’ve found what they are looking for and encourages them to click through to your site. A higher click-through rate can have a positive impact on your Google ranking.
- Include Keywords in URLs – When adding a new page of content, pay attention to the URL. Try to keep it short and incorporate your keyword whenever possible. A relevant keyword in a URL is another way to tell Google that your page contains information that users are searching for.
- Include Keywords in Content – Providing relevant content that answers questions and assists visitors is vital for working with Google’s Helpful Content Update. Informative and engaging content will draw in visitors and keep them on your page, but you also need to include keywords so that Google can show them your page to begin with. Once you’ve identified a keyword that you want to use, make sure you have created content that addresses that keyword. Incorporate the keyword into your copy in such a way that it doesn’t feel forced, and try to use it in the first 100 words on the page.
- Don’t Overdo It – Over-optimization is a real thing. It can turn off your customers and send you to Google’s dog house. Ask yourself if the chosen keywords help or hurt the user experience. Make your decision based on that answer.
There’s no magic trick to how to get on the first page of Google when it comes to SEO. To rank well on search engines, you need to consistently create rich SEO content and think about how it fits together in the long term. You must also be clear about your content strategy and the keywords you use to guide it.
We’re Here to Help
At Obsessed With Success Keywords and SEO is a language we speak fluently. Hopefully, you are already buzzing with ideas to improve your search results by targeting keywords and creating smart content. If you have any questions about keywords or how to use them, or if you’d like us to help you set up a keyword plan for your business let us know. We’d love to hear from you! We’re available for a free consultation if you need to learn more about getting an SEO-friendly website built or if you want an SEO review of your current website. Click here to schedule a time for us to talk!
