Keywords are your secret map to online treasure! Imagine yourself as a pirate who is searching for treasure. You won’t dig randomly, but you need a map that tells you exactly where to look. Similarly, websites are like treasure chests, and keywords are the magical map that leads people to them. You can think of SEO keywords as phrases that people type on Google search to find information, products, and answers online.
There are millions of keywords, but not all of them will help your website to rank. You must pick the right one that brings visitors and helps your business grow. This selection of keywords is called ‘keyword prioritization.’ In this blog, we will learn about
- What is it
- Types of keywords
- How to pick the best one for your website
- Why do some keywords rank better than others
- How to make your website show up when people search online
By the end of this blog, you will be a keyword treasure-hunting pro! So, let’s begin.
What Is SEO Keyword Prioritization?
It is a fancy way of saying, ‘Choose the best keywords for your website.’ The reason why it matters is that –
- Not all keywords are equal. Some keywords can bring more visitors than others.
- Some keywords are super-competitive, i.e., big businesses already dominate them, so they are hard to rank.
- Some keywords turn visitors into customers, which makes them valuable for businesses.
So, instead of wasting time on random words, prioritization will help to make your website stand out from the rest.
Why Does Keyword Prioritization Matter?
Here is a SHOCKING fact: 59% of Google users visit a single page during their search, and only 6% need to visit four or more pages to find an answer. That means if your website is not using the right words, it may get lost in the oceans of web pages that no one visits.
The right keyword will help you get a higher ranking in search results and get more clicks and visitors. It is like trying to be on top of the SERP (search engine results page). But, before we move forward, it is important to know the types of keywords.
Types Of SEO Keywords
A. Short Tail Vs. Long Tail Keywords
| Short tail keywords | Long tail keywords |
| quick and simple (one or two words only) texts | more specific (three or more words) phrase |
| E.g.: sneakers, ballerina shoes, etc. | E.g.: best running shoes for beginners. |
| very competitive | have less competition |
| hard to rank | easier to rank |
Table 1: Difference between short tail and long tail keywords
Bonus Stat: Long-tail keywords make up 91.8% of all searches, so they’re super important.
B. Informational Vs. Transactional Keywords
| Informational keywords | Transactional keywords |
| Searching for answers or learning something | Searching for buying something online |
| E.g.: how to clean vegan leather shoes. | E.g.:buy durable vegan leather shoes |
| attracts visitors who need information, guide, or tutorial | connects directly to sales and purchase |
Table 2: Difference between informational and transactional keywords
Tip: You can prioritize transactional keywords to increase sales and conversion rates.
How To Do Keyword Research And Find The Right Keywords?
You want your website to rank better, but don’t know where to start keyword research. Don’t worry! Here are some super-easy tips you can follow:
1. Brainstorm Like A Detective
Think about what words or phrases people will use online when searching for your product or services. Ask yourself –
- What problem does my business solve?
- What products do I offer?
- What would my customers type into Google?
For example, if you are selling dog treats, your customers may search for –
- Healthy dog treats
- Best dog snacks
- Dog treats for allergies
You can write down every possible keyword that connects to your business.
2. Using Keyword Tools For More Ideas
To shorten this first step above, you can use keyword finder tools offered by online platforms, such as –
Google Keyword Planner (free)
- Ahrefs
- SEMrushs
- Moz Keyword Explorer (Paid)
- Ubersuggest (free for keyword ideas)
- AnswerThePublic (for FAQs)
Did you know 91.54% of global traffic comes from Google? That’s why Google is so important. These tools can help you find keywords that people are searching for, so you don’t have to waste your time making second guesses.
3. Spy On Your Competitor’s Keywords
Find out what your competitor is doing and which keywords are ranking better for them. More than that, see if you can spot gaps so you can stand out. But how to know what keywords your competitor uses? Simply –
- Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush.
- Search your business topic on Google to see which website appears first
- Look for weak spots where competitors are not ranking and fill that gap
For example, if your competitor ranks for ‘best hiking boots,’ you can target ‘best waterproof hiking boots.’
4. Leveraging Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) is a powerful tool that will tell you what people searched for before landing on your website. Cool, right? It is easier to improve keywords you already rank for than to start from scratch. Use GSC to –
- To know which keywords bring traffic to your website
- Improve those keywords for better ranking
- Spot new opportunities to grow
How To Prioritize Keywords For Maximum Impact?
Now that you know your keywords, how to use them to maximize your business growth? Let’s find out.
Search Volume – How Many People Are Searching?
Look for keywords that get plenty of searches so that people can find your site, but ensure they are not highly competitive, as it will become difficult to rank. This way, you can rank faster.
For example, if ‘best running shoes’ gets a lot of searches but is super competitive, you can choose ‘best running shoes for beginners’ to rank easily.
Keyword Difficulty (KD) – Is It Too Hard To Rank On Google First Page?
Some keywords are like buried treasures that you need to dig deep to reach them. To find it out, you can use Ahrefs and SEMrush and check for keyword difficulty, i.e., how hard it is to rank for that particular word.
Did you know that 70% of marketers say SEO is more effective than PPC for driving sales? That’s why good SEO keywords are worth it!
Relevance – Do Keywords Match With Your Business?
One of the biggest mistakes people make is choosing keywords that rank better but are not directly related to their business. The keyword must match your business’s product, service, and target audience.
For example –
- If you are selling cat toys, don’t target ‘dog food’ on the same page.
- If you are a bakery owner, then focus on the ‘best chocolate cake recipe’ rather than ‘how to make bread at home.’
Commercial Intent – Will Those Keywords Bring Customers?
User intent = what does a person really want? So, focus on buyer-intent keywords to bring customers and sales.
For example, choose ‘best running shoes’ to target a buyer and ‘how to tie shoes’ to target your blog to inform a potential buyer.
How To Map Keywords To Content Strategy?
Now that you know which keywords to use, it is also important to know how to integrate them to create great content. So let’s understand that in detail:
1. Sprinkle Keywords Naturally
Avoid keyword stuffing! We are no longer in Web 1.0 but in Web 3.0. Google doesn’t like it when you intentionally overuse a keyword to bluff ranking. Google algorithms are getting smarter, and you may get a penalty for stuffing. Instead, you can use keywords smoothly, such as in –
- Headings
- Paragraphs
- Image descriptions
You can think of keywords like seasoning food, you don’t have to overdo it, but just need the right amount to make it delicious.
2. Create Awesome Content
Note that SEO and digital marketing are not just about using keywords. It is strongly correlated to great content. So, make sure your content has these three features –
- Easy to read
- Helpful and informative
- Engaging
Did you know that websites the blog content generate 434% more indexed pages than those without, and companies that have blogs get about 67% more potential customers every month compared to those that don’t?
Blogging helps attract more people!
3. Use Long Tail Keywords
Short keywords (1-2 words) may seem tempting, but they are hard to rank, especially for a new business. So, opt for long tail keywords (3+ words), which are comparatively easier to rank. Long tail keywords attract more specific customers who are willing to buy.
For example, a short keyword like ‘shoes’ is hard to rank, but a long tail keyword like ‘best waterproof running shoes’ is easier to rank.
4. Create Topic Clusters
Now that you have learned how to implement keywords, you can go a step further and group related keywords to boost your ranking.
For example, if you have a fitness website, you can cluster keywords like ‘weight loss tips,’ ‘best exercise for weight loss,’ ‘healthy diet for weight loss,’ and ‘how to lose weight fast.’
5. Optimize For Click-Through Rate (CTR)
We all know that top results on Google SERP get the most clicks, about 22.4% of the click-through rate (CTR) [source: SEMrush]. So, how can you get there? To increase clicks, you can –
- Write engaging titles
- Use correct meta descriptions, rich snippets, and structured data
- Include a site map of your website for the crawler
If you are new to finding keywords, creating relevant and informative content, and doing SEO, you can ask for help from a reputable digital marketing company that handles tasks on your behalf.
How To Know If SEO Keywords Are Working?
You must track and adjust keyword strategy based on output. But how to calculate the output, whether the keywords you have chosen are working or not? Let’s see…
1. Keep An Eye On Google Algorithms
Google keeps updating its algorithms, so you have to adjust your strategy as per the new rules. Opt for tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to track results and improve keywords that are not working well.
2. Check Your Progress
On your Google Search Console dashboard, you can see which keywords bring visitors and which don’t. You can then improve the weak ones and double down on the strong ones.
3. Stay Updated With SEO Trends
SEO is never the same as it evolves with technological advancement. Thus, you must keep up with new trends.
For example, more and more people are using voice searches these days, so you can optimize your keywords with ‘near me’ to rank, especially in local searches.
Did you know 46% of Google searches have local intent?
4. Change The Course If Needed
If the keyword is not working, switch strategies, as SEO is an ongoing process. So keep refining until you start to see results.
Struggling With SEO? Start Prioritizing Keywords Today!
It is evident that focusing on the right keywords is one of the top secrets to making your website stand out. By using the right words, placing them naturally in your content, and grouping related topics together while avoiding overstuffing keywords, you can rank your site higher and make it easier for visitors to find what they need.
So, are you ready to make your website shine like a beacon online? It’s time to turn your keywords into clicks.
