In the SEO activity, the definition of the keyword is as follows: word or series of words typed or dictated by a user to perform a search on Google.
- As a user, when you search, you type in a key phrase consisting of one or more words depending on the results you want to get from Google.
- As a publisher or website owner, your goal is to appear high in Google’s results when a user types in a key phrase to find you.
Choosing the right keyword is therefore crucial in order to attract Internet users who are looking for you. To achieve this, it is essential to know the habits of Internet users in order to find the right keywords.
What are your Google search habits?
According to a study carried out in 2016 on the search habits of Internet users, you type on average 3.5 words per query and queries made up of a single word now represent only 2.4% of queries.
Below, the number of words per query:
- 1 word: 2.4% of requests,
- 2 words: 22.9%
- 3 words: 34.1%
- 4 words: 22%
- 5 words: 10.8%
- 6 words: 4.6%
- 7 words: 1.9%
- more than 7 words: 1.2%
This study is based on a database of 100 million keywords (key phrases) representing 6.3 billion monthly searches on Google. In particular, it highlights the potential of key phrases made up of several words.
We call a query made up of several words the long tail, it represents more than 80% of the queries typed on the search engines.
You use a long-tail query when for example you need an answer to the question: what is a keyword?
Long-tail keywords are also used when looking for a business near you. You then type a request of the type: store + type of store + name of the city. These are so-called geo-located searches and use local referencing techniques.
The use of long-tail queries will certainly increase with the development of voice search, on the contrary, generic keyphrases (1 or 2 words) will be used less. This parameter must be taken into account when choosing the right keywords.
What is a good keyword?
The answer is simple: a good keyword is one that brings you qualified traffic.
Unfortunately, in reality, it is not all that simple, a good keyword can be very competitive and your chances of appearing in a good position on Google will be very limited. The competition and popularity of a keyword are criteria to be taken into account when making choices.
- To summarize, a good keyword must meet the following criteria:
- The relevance: or keywords should best describe your business and be used by your customers.
- The potential: the keyword must generate qualified traffic on your site. If it is never tapped on Google, its potential will be zero.
- The competition: if the competition is too strong on a keyword, it will consider finding an alternative and exploit the long tail.
Gone are the days when it was enough to fill in the meta tag “keywords” with lots of keywords. In addition, the arrival of artificial intelligence with the rank brain algorithm adds an unknown in the search for good key expressions.
In the search for the right key phrase, you must above all put yourself in the place of the Internet user who is looking for your products and services.
How to choose the right keywords?
To find the “right keyword” to value the content of a web page, there are many techniques. The first of these is to use your intuition coupled with knowledge of the habits of your customers.
If, however you have doubts about your intuition, do not hesitate to ask your customers to be sure to take the right direction. An error in the choice of your keywords can prove disastrous for your visibility.
This first step will allow you to draw up the first list of keywords. This list should be supplemented with other techniques and other tools.
- The techniques used range from analyzing your competitors’ sites to using keyword generators. These techniques are to be adapted on a case-by-case basis.
- Tools such as SEMrush rely on databases of several million key expressions. They allow you to find new keywords and synonyms in your topic. They also give indications on the competition and the potential of each keyword.
Know-how and experience are also essential to make the most of these tools. To conclude, finding the right keywords is an essential step in an SEO strategy. If you neglect this work, you are likely to be invisible on Google.
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