Understanding keywords and how to use them

by Breayana Bennett June 25, 2020

Keywords and SEO

Keywords are terms or phrases used to search the web and are used within content to target a preferred audience. SEO is the practice of optimizing content and web pages; the purpose of SEO is to help businesses increase their ranking on search engine result pages (SERP) and to increase the quality and quantity of traffic on their site.

How can my business benefit from using keywords?

Any business looking to increase conversions as well as the quality and quantity of traffic on their site or social channels can benefit from utilizing keywords. Lots of businesses are already utilizing keywords but haven’t refined their keyword strategy. Some businesses create blogs to market to current and potential customers while others focus on platform specific channels such as Instagram (IG), Facebook (FB), Twitter, or LinkedIn. Whichever method of approach you decide to use (blog, social platforms, or all combined) for your business keep in mind that utilizing the correct keywords can positively impact your reach and boost conversions. Take your time to plan out the hashtags (keywords) you’re using on your post as this drives a certain type of user to your content the same applies for content you create for your blog.

I’m using keywords but I see no change in traffic or conversions

Most businesses believe that if they are using keywords specific to their industry that they will be able to boost and bolster traffic. This is not the case, companies need to make sure they are providing information at every stage of the buyer’s journey. To provide information at every stage of the buyer’s journey you need to put yourself in their shoes and consider what terms you’d be searching for at the awareness stage, the consideration stage and the decision stage. To learn more about the different stages of the marketing funnel and metrics you can associate with each stage of the funnel download our FREE guide.

Types of keywords and types of traffic

There are three types of keywords - short-tail, middle and long-tail keywords. Short-tail keywords are typically generic and have a high search volume. Most of the time short-tail keywords are harder to rank for because larger organizations with big marketing budgets are competing for them. Middle keywords add descriptors, but are not as specific as long-tail keywords and they are often hard to rank for due to high competition. Long-tail keywords are easier to rank for, more action specific and have higher rates of conversion. During the awareness stage of the funnel you’ll want to focus on issue/problem identifying keywords. During the awareness stage users are trying to put a name to the problem. During the consideration stage you’ll want to use language that implies a solution to said problem and during the decision stage you’ll want to highlight reviews so that your potential customer can see how well you were able to remedy the problem. To learn how to re-engage previous customer and encourage referrals you can download our free resource guide.

Keyword Examples

Short-tail keyword: savings account

Middle keyword: free savings account

Long-tail keywords: savings account for college students with no monthly fees

Short-tail keywords: body scrub

Middle keyword: natural ingredients body scrub

Long-tail keywords: body scrub made with Buie Black Seed Oil and raw sugar.

Keyword comparison graph (short-tail, middle, and long-tail keywords)
Graph provided by Inbound Law Marketing

Key Takeaways

Understand that people who visit your site or social media page(s) are in different stages of their buying journey so you want to ensure you’re meeting them where they are and have diverse content for each stage.
Don’t get caught up on the search volume of a keyword - focus on user intent.
Have a keyword strategy for blog posts as well as for social media posts.