When it comes to SEO, “keywords” are the heart of the matter. They are essential for helping your content get discovered on search engines. But how do you choose SEO keywords effectively? In this guide, I’ll walk you through the fundamentals of keywords, including analysis techniques and common pitfalls, to help your content rank higher and reach your target audience.
How to Choose SEO Keywords
What Are Keywords, and Why Are They Important for SEO?
A keyword is a word or phrase that users type into a search engine like Google when they’re looking for information, products, or services. Examples include “cafe near me,” “how to bake a cake,” or “buy mobile phone online.” Keywords act as a bridge connecting a user’s Search Intent with the content you create.
The Role of Keywords in SEO
Keywords play a crucial role in SEO because they tell Google what your content is about. When a user searches for a term related to the keywords in your content, Google is more likely to display your website in the search results. Using the right keywords increases your visibility and attracts quality traffic to your site.
Types of Keywords
For content creators focused on SEO, there are two fundamental types of keywords to understand:
- Primary Keyword: This is the main, core term that your content revolves around. Each page should have only one primary keyword.
- Secondary Keywords: These are related terms that support the primary keyword. They help make your content more comprehensive and answer a wider range of user queries.
Why is Choosing SEO Keywords So Important?
- It Affects Your Google Ranking: Choosing keywords that align with user search behavior makes it easier for your content to rank.
- It Defines Your Content Direction: The keywords you select determine what topics you should write about and which audience you should target.
- It Attracts the Right Audience: It helps bring visitors who are searching for those specific terms to your website, increasing the chances of converting them into customers.
How to Choose SEO Keywords for Your Business and Content
1. Analyze Search Volume
Search Volume is the number of times a keyword is searched for, typically per month. When choosing keywords, you should aim for a search volume that aligns with your brand’s goals. Keywords with extremely high search volume are often highly competitive and difficult to rank for, while those with very low volume might not be worth the SEO investment.
A technique I often use, and one that’s common among SEO professionals, is to target Long-Tail Keywords. These are longer, more specific phrases. For example, if you’re doing SEO for a running shoe brand, the keyword “running shoes” might have a high search volume and fierce competition. Instead, you could target “running shoes for women” or “running shoes for flat feet.” These have lower search volume but a higher chance of ranking, and they attract a more specific, high-intent audience.
2. Consider Keyword Difficulty
The difficulty of an SEO keyword primarily depends on its level of competition. Most keyword research tools, like Ahrefs or SEMrush, provide a difficulty score.
- High-Competition Keywords: These are terms that many businesses want to rank for. The top-ranking websites usually have high Domain Authority and a wealth of quality content. Competing for these keywords requires significant time and resources.
- Low-Competition Keywords: These present a great opportunity, especially for new websites or small businesses. These keywords are easier to rank for and require fewer resources.
Your decision to target high or low-difficulty keywords should depend on your SEO strategy. Are you aiming to be number one for a major search term, or are you focused on building your presence from the ground up?
3. Choose Keywords Based on Business Relevance
The keywords you choose must align with the products or services you offer. If you sell clothes, you shouldn’t target keywords related to food just to get traffic. This will only attract visitors who have no interest in what you’re selling.
Beyond product keywords, consider keywords that solve your customers’ problems. For example, “how to measure shirt size at home” or “how to choose a shirt color for your skin tone.” Content like this builds trust and positions you as an expert.
It’s also crucial that your keywords cover every stage of the Customer Journey: Awareness, Consideration, and Decision. This allows you to connect with customers at every step of their decision-making process. In other words, no matter where your customer is on their journey, you should have content that matches their intent.
4. Analyze Your Competitors
A great strategy is to find gaps in the market. Study the keywords your competitors are ranking for to identify relevant terms that they haven’t targeted yet. This can give you an edge and help you secure top positions for those keywords.
5. Choose Keywords Your Website Hasn’t Ranked For Yet
Targeting new keywords opens up opportunities to create diverse and interesting content. It keeps your website fresh and allows you to meet a broader range of user needs. However, these new keywords must still be relevant to your business. Otherwise, you risk wasting time and resources on SEO efforts that don’t contribute to your goals. I recommend creating a Content Pillar plan to guide your content creation alongside your keyword selection.
Other Techniques for Keyword Selection in SEO
- Categorize Keywords: Group keywords by Search Intent, such as Informational (looking for information), Transactional (ready to buy), or Navigational (searching for a specific brand). This helps you create content that addresses different stages of the customer journey.
- Choose Keywords that Drive Conversions: Don’t just focus on keywords that increase traffic. Prioritize keywords that have the potential to generate conversions. Otherwise, you might get visitors, but not customers.
- Create a Keyword Map: Keyword mapping is the process of assigning specific keywords to each page on your website. This practice prevents keyword cannibalization and creates a clear site structure, where each page has a specific role in meeting user needs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing SEO Keywords
Using Keywords That Are Too Broad
Broad keywords are highly competitive and lack specificity. This makes them difficult to rank for and often results in low-quality traffic. Choosing more specific keywords will yield better results.
Choosing Keywords That Don’t Match the Content
Using irrelevant keywords to attract traffic is a bad practice. Not only will it disappoint users who don’t find what they’re looking for, but Google is also unlikely to rank your content well for those terms.
Using Redundant Keywords (Keyword Cannibalization)
Keyword Cannibalization occurs when multiple pages on your website compete for the same keyword. This confuses Google about which page to show in search results and can negatively impact the rankings of both pages.
Conclusion on Choosing SEO Keywords
Choosing the right keywords isn’t about picking words that sound good. It’s a strategic process that can significantly increase your chances of reaching customers and driving real conversions. By understanding your customers’ behavior and using data-driven tools, you can build an effective SEO plan that achieves your business goals.
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Originally in Thai. Translated to English with the help of Gemini.
