SEO Basics: What is a Keyword?
I know optimizing your website for Google is probably not what you signed up for when you started a business! When I work with clients on SEO, they often feel overwhelmed by how technical the subject can be. That’s where I come in! I spent 2 years as a high school teacher and another 5 years as a software trainer, so breaking down complex subjects into language that’s easy to understand comes naturally to me! Thus begins my series on SEO basics to help you grasp an often overwhelming subject! First up, what is a keyword in SEO?
What is a Keyword in SEO?
In SEO terms, a keyword is a word or phrase that someone may type into a search engine. So if I’m trying to find a place to order takeout from tonight, I might open Google and type in “chinese food in minneapolis” to find a list of options. In this case, “chinese food minneapolis” is my keyword!
Applying Keyword Concepts
When it comes to SEO, you want to try to anticipate what keywords someone may use to find your business or businesses like yours. The key to this (no pun intended!) is to think like the searcher! That means keywords will typically be simple phrases with very simple language. Think about what words an average person would use to search.
One of my best examples of this is for photographers. Many photographers offer “lifestyle sessions,” which is an umbrella term for portrait sessions (often family photos) that are more candid and natural. However, the average person would not use the phrase “lifestyle session.” They would likely search for “family photos” or “family photographers” for that need. Therefore, the volume of people searching for the phrase “lifestyle photographer” is much smaller than the search volume for “family photographer.” Use the language your ideal client would use in order to meet them where they’re at!
How to Use Keywords
Another common question I get from SEO clients is where to “enter” the keyword for their site. The answer to this is more complicated. There is not a specific place on your website or hosting platform to tell Google exactly what keyword you’re targeting. Instead, you strategically use the keyword phrase in specific spots throughout your website to help Google understand what your website is about. Search engines “crawl” your website frequently and take cues from your content to determine what it’s about. Then, it determines whether or not to deliver that content to searchers in their results.
One place to incorporate your keyword that often goes overlooked is in images. Check out my post on image SEO to learn how to optimize images for search engines.
