Why Keywords Are Important to Your Website

Let’s talk about keywords — those little words and phrases that make a big difference in whether people can find your website (meaning your company or product) or not. Think of them as signposts on a busy street, pointing potential customers straight to your business. These are the words people type into search engines when they’re looking for something. If you want to be found online, you’ve got to use the right keywords the right way in the right places. This is how you get noticed in search results and attract clients. So let's find out why keyword research is important for companies who expect to get customers from the web.

A Few Basics About Keywords

As we've mentioned before, keywords are the requests or questions people put into the search string of a search engine when they’re looking for something — whether it’s information, products, services, contacts, media or just answers to their questions. Search engines like Google take these keywords and match them with webpages that seem the most helpful and relevant. They do this by analyzing how well a page aligns with the search query — looking for keywords, context, content quality, and how long people stay on the page. For example, if one searches for "cactus delivery in Texas," Google scans its database and shows pages with similar keywords like "cactus," "Texas," and "delivery." If a website doesn't contain any of those words — customers will never find it on the web. That's why keywords are important for online promotion. 

There are several types of keywords:

• Short-tail keywords: Simple, short and broad, like "ducks" or "photography."
• Long-tail keywords: More specific, like "where to buy a giant rubber duck" or "how to photograph a UFO sighting."
• LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords: Related words that add context, like "alien spacecraft" or "camera lens tips."

In other way, keywords can be broadly divided into commercial and informational keywords:

• Commercial keywords: These are used to target users who are ready to take action, such as making a purchase. Examples include "buy banana costumes online," "order penguin-shaped soap," or "affordable pet iguana care services."
• Informational keywords: These are used to target users looking for knowledge or solutions. Examples include "how to teach a parrot to sing opera" or "why am I such an idiot."

For instance, a circus supply store might use keywords like "clown shoes for sale" or "giant inflatable animals," while a tech consultant might go with "cloud migration services" or "small business IT solutions." These keywords help search engines figure out what your website is all about, and that is why the keywords are important to the website.

How Keywords Affect Your Site's Visibility

Search engines analyze keywords to figure out how relevant your site is to a search query. When you place the right keywords in your website’s titles, descriptions, and content, you’re more likely to pop up in search results.

The key is to be relevant. Imagine someone searching for "custom birthday cakes" but landing on a page about cookie recipes. They’re going to leave right away, right? By focusing on what people are really looking for and matching their intent, you’ll keep visitors on your site longer and get better results. That's all about the importance of keyword research in SEO.

Using the right keywords also makes your website more visible to the people who matter. For example, a boutique travel agency specializing in quirky adventure trips uses the keyword "glowworm cave tours" to attract thrill-seekers looking for unique and unexpected experiences. By focusing on this specific phrase, they manage to attract a loyal audience and significantly boost their visibility online. 

The more specific and relevant your keywords are, the more likely you’ll connect with people who are actively searching for your services. And that’s not just more traffic—it’s better traffic and higher conversion. You’re attracting visitors who are more likely to buy what you’re selling.

What More Your Keywords Might Do for You

Get Inside Your Customers' Heads

Would you like to know what your customers are thinking? You don’t need to get zapped like Mel Gibson’s character in "What Women Want." Keyword research can do that for you — it'll give you a sneak peek into what your customers are thinking and wanting. Generally, people search for different things based on their goals:

• Informational searches: Things like "how to knit a sweater for a cat" or "what is moon gardening."
• Transactional searches: Keywords like "buy glow-in-the-dark paint" or "order gourmet cricket snacks."
• Navigational searches: Stuff like "login to alien enthusiast forum" or "contact Bigfoot research team."

If you understand these different search types and consider the importance of keywords in content writing, you can create content that helps people at every stage of their customer journey. This, by the way, might be a journey from an informational search to transactional search, and further on to a transaction itself. For example, a fitness store might post an article on "5 Benefits of Resistance Bands" for informational searches and have a product page targeting "buy resistance bands with handles" for transactional ones. A savvy owner will naturally include a link to the second page within the content of the first one.

Beat the Competition

Smart keyword research can help you outshine your competitors. Let’s say you run a coffee shop. Instead of targeting a crowded term like "coffee shop," you could use a niche keyword like "coffee brewed with ancient Viking techniques." This way, you attract people specifically looking for something unique and high-quality.

By focusing on niche keywords — those that are less competitive but still highly relevant — you can find your place in a crowded market. For example, instead of "fitness equipment," a small brand might target "compact home gym equipment for apartments."

Creating Content That Clicks

Keywords are your guide when creating content. If you’re writing a blog post for a skincare company, using a keyword like "best anti-aging skincare routine" can help you write something your audience actually wants to read. Here’s an example:

"A good anti-aging skincare routine includes daily sunscreen, gentle exfoliation, and hydrating serums. Finding the best products for your skin type is key to keeping your skin healthy and glowing."

But don’t overdo it. If you cram too many keywords into your content, it’ll sound robotic and unnatural. Like this:

"The best anti-aging skincare routine includes anti-aging products. Use anti-aging products daily to see results from anti-aging products."

Disgusting, isn't it? Instead, keep it natural and focus on creating something genuinely helpful.

Keywords in Paid Advertising

Keywords aren’t just for organic traffic — they’re a key to paid ads. For instance, if you’re running Google Ads for a boutique hotel, using "luxury hotel in downtown Chicago" as a keyword can ensure your ad reaches travelers searching for premium stays.

Tools like Google Ads can help you find high-performing keywords and track how well they’re working. Pay attention to metrics like click-through rates (CTR) and conversions, balancing readability with SEO. This ensures your content is engaging while also performing well in search results. rates (CTR) and conversions to see which keywords are bringing in the most value.

Tools to Find the Best Keywords

There are lots of tools out there to help you discover great keywords:

• Google Keyword Planner: Great for finding search volumes and new ideas.
• Ahrefs: Helps to analyze competitors and uncover opportunities.
• SEMrush: Offers trends, rankings, and lots of insights.

When you’re choosing keywords, look for a balance: terms that have decent search volume but aren’t super competitive. Also, don’t forget to check out what your competitors are doing. You might find gaps they’ve missed.

Common Keyword Mistakes

Watch out for these common missteps:

• Keyword stuffing: Using a keyword too many times can hurt your rankings and annoy your readers.
• Ignoring long-tail keywords: These often have less competition and attract more conversional traffic.
• Not updating your keywords: Search trends change, so it’s important to keep your strategy fresh.

Revisit your keywords every few months to stay competitive. Look at what’s working, what’s not, and adjust as needed. This keeps your strategy sharp and your website relevant.

Keywords are like the keys to unlocking your website’s potential. They help people find you, connect with your audience, and drive real results. By understanding how keywords work and using them effectively, you can make your site stand out in a crowded digital world.

So, take the time to research your audience, choose keywords that match their needs, and create valuable content around those keywords. A solid keyword strategy can be the difference between being invisible online and building a thriving presence.