Mastering SEO: A Complete Guide to Different Types of Keywords
Table of Contents
-
Introduction
-
Types of Keywords
- Generic Keywords
- Customer Defining Keywords
- Product Keywords
- Branded Keywords
- Competitor Keywords
- Geo-Targeted Keywords
- Keywords by Length
- Short Tail Keywords
- Mid Tail Keywords
- Long Tail Keywords
- On-Site Keywords
- Primary Keywords
- Related or LSI Keywords
-
Google Ads Keywords
- Broad Match Keywords
- Phrase Match Keywords
- Exact Match Keywords
- Negative Keywords
-
Buyer's Keywords
- Informational Keywords
- Navigational Keywords
- Transactional Keywords
-
Conclusion
Types of Keywords: Understanding the Different Categories
Keywords play a crucial role in search engine optimization (SEO) and digital marketing. They are the words or phrases that users enter into search engines to find information, products, or services. Understanding the different types of keywords can help you create targeted content and optimize your website for better visibility. In this article, we will explore the various categories of keywords and how they can be used effectively.
Generic Keywords: Reaching a Broad Audience
When it comes to generic keywords, think of them as terms that are commonly used and apply to a wide range of industries or brands. These keywords are often associated with general information within a specific vertical. For example, "running shoes" and "sunglasses" are generic terms that can be used in various niches. While these keywords have high search traffic, they also have high competition, making it more challenging to rank for them.
Customer Defining Keywords: Targeting a Specific Subset of Customers
Customer defining keywords focus on specific subsets of customers or target audiences. These are search phrases that identify a particular group of customers. For example, "running shoes for women" identifies the target customers as women who are looking for running shoes. Customer defining keywords help to narrow down the audience and provide more relevant search results.
Product Keywords: Highlighting Specific Brands or Offerings
Product keywords are directly related to a company's products or services. They are search phrases that specifically refer to a brand's offerings. Brands should have a keyword strategy for each of their products and services. For instance, "Netflix contract" is a product keyword that targets users searching for information related to Netflix subscriptions. E-commerce businesses can also benefit from using product keywords to attract potential buyers.
Branded Keywords: Promoting Your Brand Name
Branded keywords focus on search phrases that include your brand name or other branded terms. These keywords aim to highlight your brand and its offerings. They may include only the brand name or a combination of the brand name and the product name. For example, "Nike running shoes" is a branded keyword that focuses on both the brand name (Nike) and a specific product (running shoes). Using branded keywords can help increase brand visibility and attract customers who are already familiar with your brand.
Competitor Keywords: Targeting Your Competitors' Audience
Competitor keywords involve targeting the brand names, products, or services of competing businesses. By using competitor keywords, your brand has an opportunity to attract the interested potential buyers of your competitors. For example, if Nike is your brand and Reebok is your competitor, a competitor keyword could be "Reebok running shoes." By targeting this keyword, you can showcase your products as an alternative to your competitor's offerings.
Geo-Targeted Keywords: Focusing on Specific Locations
Geo-targeted keywords are search phrases that identify a specific location. These keywords are based on location-specific searches. For example, if you are searching for a running shoes store in Delhi, you can use the keyword "running shoes store in Delhi." Geo-targeted keywords help businesses target specific areas and reach potential customers who are looking for products or services in those locations.
Keywords by Length: Understanding the Impact of Keyword Length
Keyword length plays a role in keyword strategy. There are three types of keywords based on their length: short tail keywords, mid tail keywords, and long tail keywords.
Short Tail Keywords: High Volume, High Competition
Short tail keywords, also known as head keywords or generic keywords, are short, generic terms that have a high volume of search traffic. These keywords are usually one or two words and are commonly used for general inquiries. For example, "running shoes" is a short tail keyword. While they have high search traffic, short tail keywords are highly competitive, making it more challenging to rank for them.
Mid Tail Keywords: Balancing Volume and Competition
Mid tail keywords fall between short tail keywords and long tail keywords in terms of length. They consist of two to three words and are slightly more descriptive than generic keywords. Mid tail keywords have a smaller volume of traffic but also have less competition. For example, "best running shoes for women" is a mid tail keyword. These keywords strike a balance between search volume and competition, making them a good choice for targeted content creation.
Long Tail Keywords: Highly Specific and Targeted
Long tail keywords are longer search terms that are highly specific and targeted to a particular topic or audience. These keywords usually consist of four or more words. Long tail keywords typically have lower search volume but are easier to rank for because they are more specific. For example, "best running shoes for beginners with arch support" is a long tail keyword. Because they are more specific, long tail keywords have a higher conversion rate compared to short tail and mid tail keywords.
On-Site Keywords: Optimizing Your Website Content
On-site keywords are the organic keywords used to rank your website organically. There are two types of on-site keywords: primary keywords and related or LSI keywords.
Primary Keywords: Main Term for Content Optimization
Primary keywords are the main terms that you target on your web page for content optimization. These keywords tell search engines what your content is about and provide relevancy to the user's search query. Each page of your SEO content should have one primary keyword assigned to it, which you can use in your title, meta description, content body, and URL. For example, if your content is about women's running shoes, "women's running shoes" can be your primary keyword.
Related or LSI Keywords: Contextual Support for Primary Keywords
Related keywords, also known as latent semantic index keywords (LSI keywords), are terms or phrases that are semantically related, have variations, or are synonyms of the primary keyword. They provide additional context to the page and support the primary keyword. Each webpage should be assigned one primary keyword and three to four related keywords. For example, if the primary keyword is "women's running shoes," related keywords could include "running shoe reviews," "best women's running shoes," and "women's running shoe styles."
Google Ads Keywords: Targeting Ad Campaigns
Google Ads keywords are the keywords used to target your advertisement campaigns on the Google Ads platform. They help determine which search terms trigger your ads to be displayed. There are four types of Google Ads keywords: broad match keywords, phrase match keywords, exact match keywords, and negative keywords.
Broad Match Keywords: Reaching a Wider Audience
Broad match keywords target search terms that are variations of the keyword you set in your Google Ads search campaign. These variations can include singular or plural forms, misspellings, synonyms, or other relevant variations. For example, if your keyword is "shoes," your ad may be shown for searches such as "running shoes," "shoe sale," or "footwear stores." Broad match keywords allow your ad to reach a wider audience.
Phrase Match Keywords: Nailing Down Specific Phrases
Phrase match keywords target search queries that include the exact phrase you target in your Google Ads search campaign. The search query may have words that come before or after the targeted phrase, but the exact phrase must be included in the search for your ad to show. For example, if your keyword is "women's running shoes," your ad will show during searches such as "women's shoe sale," "women's shoe store," or "home of women's shoes."
Exact Match Keywords: Precision Targeting
Exact match keywords target search queries that are extremely closely related to the exact keyword you set in your Google Ads search campaign. The searches must match the keyword exactly to trigger your ad. For example, if your keyword is "women's running shoes," your ad will only show if someone searches for "women's running shoes," not for variations like "running shoes for women" or "best shoes for women."
Negative Keywords: Filtering Irrelevant Searches
Negative keywords are used to exclude certain search terms from triggering your ads. For example, if you sell shoes for women, you may use "men" as a negative keyword to prevent your ads from showing when someone searches for "shoes for men." By using negative keywords, you can filter out irrelevant searches and focus on reaching your target audience more effectively.
Buyer's Keywords: Understanding User Intent
Buyer's keywords revolve around understanding the intent behind a user's keyword. When users search using buyer's keywords, they usually fall into one of three categories: informational keywords, navigational keywords, or transactional keywords.
Informational Keywords: Seeking General Information
Informational keywords are used when users want to find general information about a particular topic or subject. These users are in the awareness phase of the purchase funnel and are looking for answers or explanations. For example, "what's the best running shoe" is an informational keyword where users are seeking general information on running shoes.
Navigational Keywords: Searching for Specific Brands or Websites
Navigational keywords are used when users want to visit a specific website or find information related to a specific brand. These users are in the consideration phase of the purchase funnel. For example, "Nike running shoes" is a navigational keyword where users have decided on their brand (Nike) and are looking for specific products or information related to that brand.
Transactional Keywords: Ready to Make a Purchase
Transactional keywords indicate that users are ready to make a purchase or convert. These users are in the conversion phase of the purchase funnel. For example, "best deal on Nike running shoes" is a transactional keyword where users have already decided on the brand (Nike) and are looking for the best deal or offer before making a purchase.
Conclusion
Understanding the different types of keywords is essential for effective SEO and digital marketing strategies. By knowing the characteristics and purposes of each keyword type, you can create targeted content, optimize your website, and target your advertisements more efficiently. By utilizing the right keywords, you can improve your online visibility, reach your target audience, and increase your chances of conversions and sales.
Resources:
