A Definitive Guide on Why Keywords are still Important in SEO

Keywords are the foundation of a good Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. How else are you to drive traffic through search engine results if not through keywords?

The importance of keywords to SEO might already be obvious to the seasoned digital marketer. But to many business owners, the significance of the right keywords might be missed altogether.

In this article, we’ll give you a quick rundown on the importance of keywords and keyword research to crafting a lucrative SEO strategy. Take note that this blog aims to provide only a gist of the topic at hand.

Should you have any other concerns about keywords not discussed here, feel free to message ITWorks Global Solutions on any of our official channels. We’re a digital outsourcing company in the Philippines composed of expert marketers ready to help you with all things SEO.

What are keywords anyway?

To the uninitiated, keywords are just that- words. Technically, they’re right. But keywords hold more power than they might think.

Essentially, keywords are like pins on a map- they mark webpages that are relevant to a user’s search query. From a user’s perspective, search engines are platforms they can use to look for specific information.

A quick example of keyword usage:

For example, a user looking for a dog bed to buy might search just that: ‘dog beds.’ But if the user is still looking for the most appropriate dog bed to buy for their pet, they might search something more specific like: ‘dog beds for senior dogs.’

For dog bed sellers, it’s crucial that their content (like blogs or ads) appear on top of the first page the search results- or at least on the first page. It’s highly unlikely that user’s going to scan the second page because the first results page actually features the articles or listings most relevant to their query.

Sure, it takes a lot more than the right keywords to end up on the first page of SERPs (Search Engine Results Page). But having well-researched keywords and using them expertly in your content gives you an edge over companies who fail to do those things.

How do search engines use keywords?

Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo have crawlers- think of them as digital robots scanning your content. These crawlers decide whether your website deserves the top spot in the SERPs.

Keywords tell crawlers what your content is about. Don’t think for a second that keywords usage should only apply to the body of your article or listing- that’s mistake number one.

Search engine crawlers look at everything in your site- from your URL, headings, and even alt text on images. After the crawlers inspect your pages, they index your webpages in a huge digital library from which search engines retrieve content for their SERPs.

2 quick keyword tips to improve SEO in a jiffy

We won’t finish this article without a couple of tips to help you get grounded on keyword usage. The two below are the most basic ones so don’t expect in depth takes. But rest assured they’re informative enough to give you an idea on how to use keywords properly.

1. Keyword research is imperative
   You might think that whatever describes your product as it is can be a good keyword.

   Although being as descriptive and specific is great, deciding which keywords to use should not be done in a reckless manner. Because search engines use scientific and data-driven methods to index your pages, you should be ready to undertake virtually the same level of dedication to choosing the right words.

   To maximize the benefits of your content in driving organic traffic, you should be ready to undertake a thorough keyword research. This process uses online tools that scour the Internet for viable keywords for your content.

   Keyword research includes checking high-ranking listings, common search queries, and even competitor pages. Basically, your chosen keyword tool studies the best keywords that have previously proven to be relevant to users. It then provides you a list with a corresponding SEO score for each keyword.

   Remember- not all keywords are equal. Some are more relevant to users than others. That’s why it’s better to rely on scientific methods of determining keywords. Guesswork can only take you so far!

2. Keyword stuffing- don’t do it
   Now that you’ve discovered the importance of keywords to SEO and driving traffic, you might be tempted to just fill your content with keywords. That’s not advisable.

   Keyword stuffing or is inserting tons of keywords into your web content (including alt text and tags). Though at first glance this might seem the best idea to boost your chances of being deemed relevant by search engines, crawlers have actually been innovated to spot this.

   Instead of ranking high through relevant keywords, you’re likely to rank low because search engine crawlers will interpret your keyword stuffing practice as an attempt to spam. You’re lucky if you only rank low. Keyword stuffing can actually lead to penalties like the removal of your site or pages from search engines.

   And anyway, for users, it would not be easy on the eyes to see words randomly or inorganically placed in the content. Not only would the content look confusing, it would also fail to convey what the users visited the page for.

   Remember that at the core of SEO is actually user experience. If your audience doesn’t find your pages useful, they’re unlikely to visit your site again- leading to less traffic and in turn, less conversions.

Not sure where to start? Let us help you!

As you’ve seen, this blog is as simple as it gets. We’ve left out the other technical stuff that might confuse SEO or digital marketing newbies.

If you’ve got questions or concerns not addressed here- don’t fret. You can always reach us through a message on any of our channels. We’ve got an awesome customer service team that’s ready to streamline your queries and refer you to the appropriate departments.