Keywords, keywords, keywords. We hear the same word bandied around everytime we talk about websites, online traffic and SEO (search engine optimisation). So why is it that there is still so much mystery surrounding the elusive word, ‘keyword’? Today we want to try and demystify what are these confusing keywords, why they are so important and how to use them effectively.
What are Keywords?
Keywords are the words that customers are entering into the online search engines, when they are looking for a specific service or product. Those keywords are a crucial indication, to businesses, of what people are looking for and how they are looking. Keywords are the language that your customers are using to find businesses like you, so understanding the key words and phrases that your target market is using, is crucial to the success of your business.
Businesses therefore need to be structuring website content around the keywords and phrases that your potential clients are using for searching whilst trying to find companies like yours. Using the the most searched words that your clients are using will position your company well for new business and will rank you better in the search engines. So it is crucial that you are talking in the same language as your clients and are mirroring the way people are searching for businesses just like yours.
Types of Keywords
There are two main types of keyword. Firstly you have your broad match keyword. These are words and phrases that may apply to your business, but they will also apply to other companies in your sector. Words like marketing, flowers and funding will be relevant to you but will not do much to make you stand out from your competition when it comes to positioning and higher ranking on the search engines.
The other type is the long tail keywords. These are much more specific and are generally longer phrases rather than words. These long tail keywords offer benefits to smaller, more niche businesses and offer a much more focused search and a stronger point of difference for the business. Examples of a long tail keyword would be; ‘integrated small business marketing solutions’, ‘local flower delivery specialists’ and ‘minority business grants’. The downside to these types of keywords is that they have a much lower search volume, however they also offer less competition which is very advantageous.
Balancing This Up
So with the pros and cons of both type of keywords it is not always easy to know how to go about using them. To create a healthy balance between these two types of keyword takes time and patience to get right. However, all businesses, as a priority, should be focusing on providing valuable content. Good, solid, informative and compelling content is the most important element of any website, of which keywords should revolve around, not vice versa. So where keyword search becomes confusing, the drive to produce quality online content should take over and should always be at the driving force of creating and sustaining any successful online business.
