SEO keywords, also known as keyphrases, are terms added to online content to improve search engine rankings for those terms. There are different types of SEO keywords that can be categorized by length, role, target audience, and other attributes. Some of the main types discussed are short-tail, long-tail, and mid-tail keywords defined by their length in words, as well as focus keywords, secondary keywords, and semantic keywords defined by their intended role and relationship to the main topic.

1. Introduction

2. KEYWODS
IN
SEO

3. S E O k e y w o r d s( a l s o k n o w n a s
“ k e y w o r d s ” o r “ k e y p h r a s e s ” )
a r e t e r m s a d d e d
t o o n l i n e c o n t e n t
i n o r d e r t o i m p r o v e s e a r c h
e n g i n e r a n k i n g sf o r t h o s e t e r m s
.
M o s t k e y w o r d sa r e d i s c o v e r e
d d u r i n g t h e k e y w o r d r e s e
a r c h
p r o c e s sa n d a r e c h o s e n b a s e d o
n a c o m b i n a t i o n o f s
What are SEO Keywords?

4. Why are SEO Keywords Important?
When you optimize your content around
words and phrases that people search for,
your website can rank higher for those
terms.

5. Many people struggle with SEO because they
target keywords that are WAY too competitive.
In fact, I’ve had many clients tell me that they
want to rank for super competitive search
queries like “weight loss” and “insurance”.
Is it possible to rank for single-word SEO
keywords like that? Sure.
But even if you do everything right, it can take
years. Which is why I recommend focusing on
long tail keywords.

6. Choosing Keywords
There’s no doubt about it: Keyword research is THE most important part of
SEO.
In fact, keywords are so important that they can make or break your entire SEO
campaign.
In other words:
To succeed with SEO, you need to choose the right keywords.
What are the “right” keywords, exactly? Keep reading…

7. How to Choose a Keyword
From competition to search volume, here’s the exact
process for finding the best keywords for SEO.
Step #1: Create a Keyword List
Your first step is to create a giant list of keywords.
Right now you don’t need to worry about competition, CPC or any of that stuff. The goal
is just to get a bunch of keywords on a list.
(I’ll show you how to pick the best keywords from your list in steps #2-#6.) With
that, here’s exactly how to generate keywords for your Keyword List.

8. Google Keyword Planner
The Google Keyword Planner is technically designed for Google Ad
campaigns.

9. Choose the right SEO keyword for your SEO strategy
We’ve covered 16 of the many types of keywords used for search engine
optimization. They are:
Short-tail keywords
Mid-tail keywords
Long-tail keywords
Focus keywords
Secondary keywords
Semantic keywords
Market-specific keywords
Generic keywords Branded
keywords Product-related
keywords
Customer-defining keywords
Location-specific keywords
Informational keywords
Commercial intent keywords
Transactional keywords
Navigational keywords

10. Types of keywords
3 types of keywords by length
Short-tail keywords
Mid-tail keywords
Long-tail keywords

11. Short-tail keywords are 1-2 words long. They usually represent a broad
topic without much context on what information searchers are looking
for within that topic.
For example, someone types “real estate” into Google. What are they
looking for? It could be real estate news, real estate available to buy,
advice on becoming a real estate agent, and so on.
The broadness of short-tail terms often means there are more websites
competing to rank for them. Search results for these terms are often full
of the same big industry names. And they typically have strong websites
capable of outranking smaller sites.
Short-tail keywords

12. How to use short-tail keywords: Because they tend to be more competitive, short- tail
keywords are best when you already have high domain authority. Domain authority
(DA) or domain rating (DR) in SEO tools is a measure of roughly how authoritative a
website is and, therefore, how easily it can rank for target keywords.
Short-tail keywords can also be good for pillar pages—long, comprehensive pages that
cover all of the subtopics of a broad topic.

13. Mid-tail keywords are 3-4 words long and slightly more
specific than short-tail. Continuing our real estate
example, a phrase like “residential real estate” would
narrow down the search results somewhat. Instead of
general real estate news or residential and commercial
properties for sale, the results would show only residential
real estate-related results.
In many cases, mid-tail keywords can still be fairly
competitive, especially the broader they are.
Mid-tail keywords

14. How to use mid-tail keywords: Mid-tail
keywords—like short-tail—are best to target when
you have a mid to high domain authority.
Or when you plan to create longer,
authoritative content on a topic, as well as
quality content on related subtopics linking
back to it.

15. Finally, long-tail keywords are 5-8 words long and much
more specific about the intent of a searcher. For example,
compared to simply “real estate,” the phrase “how to
become a real estate agent” is a lot clearer about what
information a searcher wants.
In many cases, there are far fewer websites targeting long- tail
keywords than short- or mid-tail. Less competition can mean a
higher ranking probability (when your SEO writing is up to
par).
Long-tail keywords

16. How to use long-tail keywords: Long-tail keywords
(with search results not entirely dominated by
unbeatable high DA websites) can work wonders for
new or low DA sites. Over time, as you’re able to rank
for these less competitive keywords, your domain
authority will rise. You’ll eventually be able to rank
more easily for mid- and short-tail phrases.

17. How to find keywords of different lengths The
most basic way to find keywords is to use the
autocomplete feature on a search engine like Google.
As you type, you’ll see different completions of your
query—long and short.

18. Focus keywords
Secondary keywords
Semantic keywords
3 types of keywords by role

19. Focus keywords
A focus keyword—also known as a
primary keyword—is the main phrase
you want your page to rank for. It’s
the focus of your content and is
typically found in the URL, title,
body, and at least one heading of a
piece of content.

20. How to use focus keywords: You’ll need to choose
a primary keyword for any SEO content or copy
you produce. It should state the main topic of the
page. (Often, it will be higher traffic and more
competitive than your secondary and semantic
keywords.)

21. Secondary keywords
Secondary keywords are phrases that are
closely related to your primary keyword such
as subtopics. They give search engines more
context on what a page is about.
Ultimately, if you cover various aspects of
your topic well, your content is more likely
to rank well in search engine results pages
(SERPs).

22. How to use secondary keywords: These
related words and phrases should be
used naturally throughout the content
you create for your focus keyword.
Include them in H2 and H3 headings
where you can.

23. Semantic keywords
Terms that are closely linked to one another are
called semantic keywords. “Local SEO” and “local
marketing” are semantically related, for example.
But the term “semantics” (in a linguistic context)
has to do with the meaning of words. So, semantic
keywords can also be synonyms. Think of keyword
variations like “small business marketing” and
“marketing for small businesses” that share the
same meaning

24. How to use semantic keywords: Using
different variations of target keywords
is a great way to make content read
more naturally. And it also reinforces
for search engines what your content is
about. As does using semantic
keywords that are related but not
synonymous.

25. 6 types of keywords by target
Market-specific keywords
Generic keyword Branded
keywords
Product-related keywords
Customer-defining keywords
Location-specific keywords

26. Terms and phrases that focus on a specific industry or
kind of business are known as market-specific or
market-defining keywords. “Athletic shoes and
sneakers” is an example of this.
How to use market-specific keywords: Because
they’re fairly broad, keywords of this type work best
for main website pages (as opposed to content that
needs to be more specific such as blog posts).
Market-specific keywords

27. types of seo keywords - definition and example of generic
keywords
How to use generic keywords: Generic keywords are good for
top-of-the-funnel and awareness stage content when
searchers’ queries tend to be less specific to certain brands,
products, etc.
Generic keywords
Usually short-tail and nondescript, generic keywords point to a
broad or general topic. Unlike branded keywords, which we’ll
cover next, generic terms don’t mention a specific brand.
“Tennis shoes” is an example of a generic keyword.

28. In contrast to generic terms, branded keywords do mention a
specific brand. So, for example, “Nike tennis shoes” instead of
just “tennis shoes.”
How to use branded keywords: Especially if your brand name is
fairly unique or your company is well-established, your website
may already rank for some branded keywords. If you have
Google Search Console set up for your domain, you can see them
there. You can then intentionally optimize the pages showing up
most in search results for the branded keywords you want them
to rank for.
Branded keywords

29. Product-related keywords can be specific to a brand (e.g. “nike air
force 1”). Or they can be generic and specific only to a product type
(e.g. “running shoes”).
Of course, you can target keywords related to your products. This
would likely involve writing content on different use cases or for
different user types.
However, you can also use product keywords to be discovered by people
who aren’t directly searching for your products. Keywords like
“[competitor product] alternatives” and “tools like [competitor product]”
work well for this.
Product-related keywords

30. Keywords of this type give context about—you guessed it—the customer. That
context could relate to age bracket, gender, profession, or other demographic and
psychographic characteristics. So, continuing with our example, “tennis shoes for
women” would be customer-defining.
How to use customer-defining keywords: These terms up your chances of being
found in search results by more of the right people. So, identify who needs the
information you’re sharing, or the product or service you’re promoting the most.
Find a relevant customer-specific keyword, and optimize your content for it.
Customer-defining keywords

31. Location-specific keywords are what their name suggests. They mention
a certain locale, city, state, or country (e.g. “nike retailers in atlanta).
How to use location-specific keywords: Trying to attract customers within
your local area (even if you don’t have a physical location they can visit)?
You can optimize your home page for a local keyword or even create
landing pages or service pages specific to each of the areas you serve.
Location-specific keywords

32. How to find SEO keywords by
target
No matter the research tool you
use or the type of keyword you’re
looking for, the method is the
same. Enter a keyword that reflects
the topic and the market, location,
customer, or brand you’re
interested in keywords for.
For instance, I typed a market-
specific keyword (“web design”)
into LowFruits. Then, I used one of
the filters to see customer-defining
keywords (web design-related
keywords for beginners).

33. Informational keywords
Commercial intent keywords
Transactional keywords
Navigational keywords
4 types of keywords by search intent

34. Informational keywords are just what they sound like. They reveal that a
searcher is looking for information on a topic. For example, think of a
keyword like “tips for buying a used car.” Other common modifiers that show
this intent include “how to” and “what is.”
How to use informational keywords: Not surprisingly, informational
keywords are used in educational content meant to teach an audience, as
well as showcase and build trust in your expertise. Teaching and trust-
building are necessary before people will be ready to buy from you, which
is why educational content correlates mainly with the top of the content
marketing funnel.
Informational keywords

35. Commercial intent keywords show that a searcher is heading in the direction of
making a purchase. And, specifically, they’re gathering information to help them
make the best purchase. So, for example, a search like “best used car lots chicago”
would indicate that a person is very interested in and likely to make a used car
purchase in Chicago. But only once they’re confident they’ve found a reputable lot
to buy from.
Besides “best,” other common terms include “top,” “cheap,” “affordable,”
“reviews,” and “vs.” These show that the searcher already has some level of
purchase intent and is looking for or weighing specific products or services.
Commercial intent keywords

36. How to use transactional keywords: These high purchase intent keywords are best for
bottom-of-the-funnel content and the stage where potential customers are ready to buy.
That’s why you’ll see them used mainly on services and product category pages. Or in other
online copy where the main goal is to get visitors to shop, convert, or buy right then. Learn
more about how you can use SEO for lead generation here.
Transactional keywords
Similar to commercial intent keywords, transactional phrases are used by searchers in the
later stages of the customer journey. But now, they’re ready to buy and its shows in their
search queries. They may use terms like “buy” or “for sale.” For example, both “buy used
car online” and “used cars for sale” indicate high purchase intent.

37. How to use navigational keywords: These keywords are especially of interest when doing
local keyword research. They’re often used in local SEO to drive traffic to physical
locations. For example, a used car dealership in Chicago could target the keyword “used
car dealership in chicago” to increase its chances of showing up in search results and
being visited in person by the individuals searching for that term
Navigational keywords
Navigational keywords indicate the searchers want to find something—either online or in-
person. It’s not uncommon for searchers to type a website name or physical location into
Google. Or to use phrases like “store locations” or “near me.” To illustrate, someone
looking for a used car might type in “used car lots near me.”

38. In conclusion, SEO keywords are critical in optimizing your website and
driving traffic to your business. By understanding the different types of
keywords and their benefits, companies can develop a comprehensive SEO
strategy that targets users at various stages of the customer journey.
Whether you are targeting short-tail or long-tail keywords, commercial or
informational queries, or branded or generic terms, balancing your keyword
targeting with a long-term SEO strategy focuses on building authority and
providing value to users.
By consistently optimizing for the right keywords and providing high-
quality content, businesses can improve their search engine rankings,
attract more qualified leads, and ultimately increase revenue.
In Conclusion