Search keywords, or simply keywords, are the terms people enter when searching for information in search engines like Google. The search engine looks for websites that might be relevant to the inquiry based on these entered terms. Some keywords are more popular than others and can even be quite competitive; these search terms are used by many other websites to describe their site content.
The internet holds an endless wealth of information accessible with the tap of a button - the search function. Search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo are most popular; they help users find information by looking for websites with content that is relevant to the keyword being searched.
For this reason, most companies work to craft the right mix of keywords into their content so that search engines will bring visitors to their website. Search keywords can be a single word or a combination of multiple words that address a more specific topic - these are referred to as long-tail keywords.
The goal of search engines is to provide the most relevant websites for each query in the search results. To do this, they use sophisticated algorithms that scan websites for relevant content in order to come up with the best matches. This means content relevance, as regarded by the algorithm, is heavily influenced by the placement and density of the search keywords chosen - and in turn, heavily influences the amount of traffic a site will get.
Many companies spend a great deal of time and effort researching search keywords that have the right mix of two factors 1) little competition and 2) high search volume. If the website is built such that its content and website data properly include the right keywords people are searching for, it will show up in search engine results for those terms. More traffic from search engines means more potential customers.
Search engines scan websites for keywords in order to better index and find relevant information. To increase the visibility of your content on search engines, it is important to select the right keywords for your online marketing campaign and include those that are relevant to your topic. It is important to identify not only the right keywords, but to also place them in the right places in your page text.
Since each search engine's exact algorithm is unknown, it's impossible to know for sure where to place keywords and how often to use them. Always use the most accurate words to describe the content on a page, and use them in headers, titles, and in the metadata of the site.
Something many experts warn website owners to be cautious of, however, is using a keyword density that is gratuitously high. Google regards this as “keyword stuffing” and it could lead to penalizations of the website.
Keywords are also relevant to paid advertising, since ads are also based on search keywords. Search keyword advertising is therefore an important part of the online marketing portfolio for many companies. When users search for a word or phrase, sometimes ads appear within the results. Then, when users click on the ad, the company pays a certain fee. This is called Pay-Per-Click advertising.
To find the right keywords for your content, there are several tools at your disposal. For example, Google Adwords is a paid advertising platform used by businesses to promote their products and services online. It also offers a free keyword planner - this tool helps you find the right search keywords for your business goals and compile a keyword list.
For website owners who want to perform well in search engine rankings, understanding and executing optimal search keyword tactics is a must. Search engines use keywords to determine the most relevant content for each query, and the determined relevance of your particular website will depend on your content being well-placed, intentionally designed, and dense (but not too dense) with search keywords.