Keyword Research: It Doesn't Take a Locksmith

Keywords are ideas and topics that define what content is about. In terms of SEO, Search Engine Optimization, they're the words and phrases that searchers enter into search engines. If you boil everything on your page down to simple words and phrases, they would serve as your primary keywords.

There are two types of keywords: short tail keywords and long tail keywords.

• Short-Tail Keywords are generally broad. They are one or two words that don't exactly specify what someone might be looking for. (ex. Glasses, eyeglasses, discount glasses).
• Long-Tail Keywords are short phrases that specify almost exactly what your audience is looking for. (ex. Discount glasses for men, red discount eyeglass frames, red discount eyeglass frames for women.)

When writing content for a website, brands want to make sure that your keywords and key-phrases match the same jargon your target audience will be using to search online. If the content on a website does not match visitors search queries closely, your website will not show up high in their rankings on search engines.

• Local Listings
• Off Page SEO
• Keyword Research
• Website Ranking
• On-Page SEO
  

Why are Keywords Important?

Keywords are important because they serve as the bridge between what your audience is searching for and the content you are creating on your website. The goal in ranking on search engine result pages (SERP) is achieved by developing a strong keyword strategy based on the topics your target audience is seeking. For example, if you own an orchard, you might want to rank for “apple” — but if you aren’t careful, you might end up attracting traffic for people looking for the latest Apple product instead of your delicious, seasonal apple pies. 

Determine Which Keywords to Rank For

Choose keywords that relate to your brand, products or services. Do your research, get creative, and cover all your bases without getting so specific that you are not generating enough traffic to your website.

How does your audience speak? What phrases do they use when searching for your product or service online? Research the different dialects of the audience you are targeting. For example, does your audience use “pop” or “soda”? Or how about “Uber” instead of “taxi”. The last example is a popular gap you see between generations - another important factor to keep in mind. Does your audience have generation gap that could affect their search queries? This will affect the verbiage used in search engines and the results they find.

Developing Your Search Engine Optimization Strategy

Search engine optimization is an essential part of the lifespan of your web pages. The keywords you choose to optimize your page with should be thoughtful and popularly used by your target audience. The ultimate goal is to assist search engines in finding your content and reach the top of the search engine result list. Your audience is looking for you, don't hide behind the wrong keywords.