۱۹ Types of Keywords in SEO
As more customers turn to online shopping, businesses can adapt their marketing strategies to reach wider markets. One of the most effective ways companies and marketers can enhance their efforts is by utilizing keywords to strengthen search engine campaigns. If you aim to boost website traffic and increase conversions and leads for your brand, understanding keywords and how to use them effectively is crucial. In this article, we will explore the different types of keywords and how to integrate them into your marketing strategy.
What Are SEO Keywords?
SEO keywords are specific words or phrases that marketers use to optimize their web content and help websites rank higher in search engine results. By strategically placing relevant keywords throughout their content, marketers can improve their website’s visibility in search engines. These keywords are often derived from phrases frequently searched by users on search engines like Google.
As a digital marketer, you can target specific types of keywords to create high-performing content. By effectively using keywords, you can increase website traffic, attract qualified leads, and boost conversions for brands. Keywords allow potential customers to discover your website when searching for specific terms. For instance, if a marketer is building a campaign for running shoes, they might use keywords like “running shoes” to help people find the brand’s website in search engine results.
Here are some common types of SEO keywords you can use in your branding strategy:
۱.Market Segment Keywords (General Keywords)
These keywords are general terms related to a specific brand or industry. They target an audience searching for broad information, although they can also be used for more specialized marketing needs. For example, someone looking to buy running shoes might search for the general term “running shoes” rather than a specific brand.
۲.Customer-Defining Keywords
These keywords are designed for a specific customer segment. For instance, when using these keywords, you might consider the age of your target audience. You can then research their gender, occupation, and location to target a specific group for advertising. Customer-defining keywords can address your target audience directly. For example, if you deal with sportswear products, a customer-defining keyword could be “adult sports enthusiasts.” Try to find customer-defining keywords that reflect the demographics of your brand’s target market.
۳.Product-Defining Keywords
These keywords describe and explain a product. Customers use product-defining keywords for specific search results, such as particular items. Your brand should use product-defining keywords to detail the specific products or services your business offers. Buyers often search for product-defining keywords when they are in the early stages of their purchase journey.
The best way to use these keywords is to first analyze your product list and then provide a detailed description of each product. Afterward, review your product descriptions and select at least two relevant keywords. Use these keywords as your product-defining keywords.
۴.Product Keywords
Product keywords are terms that relate to the offerings of specific brands. These keywords are phrases or terms that directly refer to a company’s services or products. Each brand should identify product keywords for all its services and products to help current and potential customers find their offerings through search. For example, if you search for a term like “printer,” you will likely get results from reputable brands. Any phrase you type will yield results from brands that offer those products or services in the industry.
In another example, the sports industry often uses product keywords because companies in this sector are linked to major sporting events and athletes. A person searching for a prominent athlete will likely encounter a wide array of products from their sponsors on the first search results page, making the athlete’s name act as a product keyword.
۵.Competitor Keywords
These are keywords that your competitors use in their marketing strategies to achieve high rankings in search engines. Conduct keyword research to uncover the competitor keywords that other businesses use to drive traffic to their websites. Identifying the right competitor keywords helps you understand which specific keywords are effective for your competitors. Additionally, it provides opportunities to draft new content and ultimately improve your brand’s ranking in search engine results.
۶.Long-tail keywords
These are typically the longest search terms that target a specific audience or topic. These keywords have lower competition and limited search traffic, which makes ranking for them easier. Since long-tail keywords are more specific than other keywords, they may have a higher conversion rate compared to most keywords. A good example of a long-tail keyword might be “best running shoes for injured knees.”
۷.Short-tail keywords
These keywords are also known as broad keywords. Popular and widely searched keywords lead to high search traffic. This type of keyword usually consists of fewer than two words. Additionally, they have a competitive ranking compared to most keywords. Short-tail keywords are concise, typically comprising one or two phrases. A good example of a short-tail keyword might be “running shoes.”
۸.Mid-tail keywords
These keywords fall between short-tail and long-tail keywords. Although mid-tail keywords have relatively lower traffic volume, they generally offer a higher conversion rate and less competition compared to other keywords.
۹.Intent targeting keywords
These keywords match the user’s intent when searching for a specific phrase. They are a crucial component of paid search. Marketers can use intent-based keywords to perform targeted marketing. Intent-targeting keywords help marketers drive more traffic to their websites, generate more leads, and attract higher-quality potential customers.
۱۰.LSI keywords
Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) Keywords are conceptual phrases that search engines use to understand the content of a website. For example, if you write an article about “the benefits of eating eggs,” you are targeting an audience interested in the specific advantages of consuming eggs. However, you might forget to mention the term “food” in your article. Many search engines can still recognize and rank your article as relevant to the topic of food, thanks to LSI keywords.
۱۱.Phrase match keywords
These keywords seek an exact match in the search engine parameters to trigger an advertisement. For example, if you search for a site with content like “dentists installing dental veneers,” some ads might appear showcasing dental products. These ads result from a phrase match, which usually occurs in the background. Phrase matching often includes multiple variations to account for synonyms, misspellings, quotes, and implied terms.
۱۲.Exact match keywords
Exact match keywords are similar to short-tail keywords. Marketers often use these keywords to target advertisers whose ads appear when an internet user searches for a specific phrase in a search engine. Advertisers typically bid on these keywords, and search engines use them to target specific audiences with particular ads. Your brand can use these keywords to target individuals searching for specific phrases. Ultimately, these keywords can increase your chances of conversion. Exact match keywords are part of certain paid search services.
۱۳.Negative keywords
These keywords are the opposite of exact match keywords. They prevent ads from appearing when a user searches for a specific phrase, commonly referred to as negative match keywords. Some search engines consider words like “free” as negative keywords. This means that if a user performs a search using this negative keyword, they might not see results from certain businesses.
۱۴.Related vertical keywords
These keywords typically provide a more precise view of your business content. For example, if you have a company specializing in computer hardware sales, “computer hardware vendor” might be a horizontal keyword in this field. Vertical keywords related to this might be something like “printer sales” or “RAM for sale.”
۱۵.Geo Locational keywords
These keywords cover anything related to a specific location. Location-based keywords are very useful for location-based businesses. They might be something like “towing services North Carolina.” Location-based keywords can include words or phrases aimed at showing ads for businesses near the searcher. In this case, a location-based keyword might be something like “towing company near me.”
۱۶.Long-term evergreen keyword
These are keywords that remain perpetually relevant. While search volume may fluctuate, it does not affect these keywords. Evergreen keywords stay relevant for months and even years after publication because people search for content related to these keywords for an extended period. Evergreen keywords typically require minimal updates, perhaps only annually.
۱۷.Informational keywords
Informational keywords are those that customers use when searching for general information about a specific topic, product, or service. Buyers typically use these keywords during the awareness stage of the buying process. They know they want a particular product or solution to a specific problem, so they need relevant information before making a purchase decision. A great example of an informational keyword might be “what is the best fishing rod?”
۱۸.Navigational keywords
These keywords are also known as “navigational keywords.” Individuals use these keywords when they want to navigate to a specific brand’s website. People using navigational keywords already know why they should buy a product and where to get it. Therefore, they use specific buying keywords to find the right place to purchase what they want. For example, a user might enter the navigational keyword “[Brand] running shoes” if they want to buy a particular brand of running shoes.
In this case, the person searching these keywords is looking for running shoes and has decided to purchase them from a specific company. They use navigational keywords to find a site that helps them locate exactly what they need.
۱۹.Transactional keywords
Transactional keywords, also known as “action keywords,” are used by buyers who have already decided to purchase a specific product or service. Buyers use transactional keywords during the decision-making stage of the buying process. For example, when a user is ready to make a purchase, they might search for “buy running shoes online.”