What are Keywords, and Why Do I Need Them?

If you have been in the online space for any amount of time, you have probably heard of keywords. Everyone says you need to do keyword research, boost your SEO, get your settings right, and drive traffic… 

It can all be a bit overwhelming, especially if you are not even sure what keywords are and why they are important.

Today, we’ll explain a keyword definition in simple terms, explain what makes a good keyword, and why you need them on your website. (We’ll address in a later post where exactly you need to put them.)

What are keywords?

In the simplest terms, keywords are signs that tell the traffic where to go. Some platforms call them “focus keywords.” You want to drive certain kinds of people to your website, and good keywords help them find you.

Each post and page on your website should have a keyword (sometimes a short phrase) associated with it. Here are the primary characteristics of focus keywords:

• The keyword explains very specifically the main point of that post or page.
• It is a word or phrase that people are searching for on search engines.
• It is relevant to your business or niche (so it will attract the kind of people you are trying to attract).

There is a little bit of nuance to finding a good keyword. It could meet the above criteria and still not drive the kind of traffic you want. So let’s dive a little deeper.

What makes a GOOD keyword?

Remember, we said that your keyword should be something people are searching for on search engines. But there is a little more to it than that. 

Here are some things that make a good keyword that brings the people you are looking for:

• Think of how your audience would phrase what they are looking for. 

Example: You might sell a resource called “The Anxiety Workbook,” containing devotionals and Bible verses to help those with anxiety. But nobody searches for that phrase. What they DO search for is things like “Bible verses for anxiety,” so this would be a better choice for a keyword phrase.

PRO TIP: Start typing words that relate to your topic or post and see how Google finishes the phrase. These phrase suggestions come from things people type into the search box, and may give you keyword ideas.

• Choose a keyword that is relevant to your business or niche. 

Example: I was doing keyword research for a client for an article with the word “sidelined” in the title. The article was about having to take a 2 month break from life because of illness. When I tried to include the word “sidelined” in my keyword research, however, only sports references came up. It would have been a mistake to use that as part of her keyword, because sports fans were not the right audience she wanted to attract. 

PRO TIP: Google the title you have come up with for an article, and see what kinds of things your wording brings up in the results. If it is related to your topic, you are on the right track.

• Look for a search term or phrase with good search volume. 

Here is where you will need a keyword research tool that will give you the statistics you need. If you type in the keyword you think you want and it says that 0-50ish people are searching for it, that is not good search volume. If it says that 200 to a few thousand are searching for it, that is good search volume for most niches. 

PRO TIP: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Learning how to choose a good keyword takes practice and sometimes a little advice and guidance. A virtual assistant who is familiar with keyword research can be a valuable resource.

You want people to find you in your online space. And here’s where we get to the whole point of all this.

What is the purpose of a keyword?

Your message matters. Everything you have spent time writing, planning, sharing, publishing… it all matters, and there are people who need it or want it. Your website is one way to make sure they find it. 

If you build a website and put a bunch of content on it but never set good keywords for your posts and pages, it is a bit like building a brick-and-mortar store but never putting signs up to say what you sell. 

The purpose of a keyword is to tell the search engines who to send to your site. A good keyword answers what people are typing into search boxes. You want to put up these “signs,” because your message and your content matters.