Understanding Keyword Usage to Choose the Best Keywords for SEO

Tips to Understand and Properly Use Keywords

The very foundation to search engine optimization (SEO) success depends on choosing the best keywords and properly using them. Choosing the best keywords for SEO is the single most important aspect of optimization. When choosing keywords, you need to first be able to understand just what they are and how they are used for optimization to increase online exposure. With proper keyword usage, you'll be able to achieve and maintain a high search engine result's page ranking (SERP).


What are Keywords?
Keyword usage allows you to rank high on a search engine because the words and phrases you use provide search engines with the information they need to index webpages. How? Keywords are the words or phrases a person types into a search engine to find information about a topic. For example, a person searching for information about online marketing might type "online marketing tips" or "internet marketing methods." These are keywords.

When correctly used within a webpage, search engines will rank your page according to these words. By using the best keywords, you'll achieve a high SERP ranking as the search engines will index your webpage correctly, providing you with relevant traffic. Each visitor to your webpage is an opportunity to profit from their view. To maximize the views your webpage receives, you want to rank on the first page of a search engine as most internet browsers only view the first results page before trying a different keyword to find the information they need. By choosing the best keywords for SEO, you can easily rank on the first page, increasing your business's success.

How do you choose the best keywords? 
First, you must understand what you'll need to use the ideal keywords for your webpage. You only want to use words and phrases that are relevant to your webpage to ensure your site is indexed correctly and you target the right audience. If your webpage is about dog food you don't want to use keywords for cars or movie reviews. By using relevant keywords, you'll build an authoritative webpage with a high SERP ranking, great traffic and a low bounce rate-all equaling a higher profit potential.

There are a number of types of keywords you'll need to use depending on the niche of your webpage, but there are two types every webpage needs to include: long tail phrases (primary keyword) and short tail keywords (secondary keywords). Long tail phrases are phrases a person might type into a search engine that contain three to five words; whereas, short tail keywords only consist of one or two words. When choosing keywords for SEO, you'll want to use an equal balance of both. However, there are certain places each type will need to be used on a webpage for proper keyword usage.

How do I use keywords?
Your main keyword for your webpage will likely be a long tail phrase. In most cases, it will be used for your webpage's title and as the URL for the page as well. The phrase you chose will need to be used in the first and last paragraph of your page and in the supporting paragraphs as long as you aren't keyword stuffing (over optimizing content). You'll also need to find some short tail keywords to support your webpage too. They will be used throughout the content, but again don't over optimize or you'll be penalized by search engines. All of your keywords will need to be used within the Meta description and the tags section. Never repeat the same keywords and phrases on different webpages because you'll be competing with yourself and it may affect your landing page.

But, how do you know which words and phrases to choose? First, you'll need a good keyword generator tool. There are many free tools online that you can use. You only want to pick keywords that have a low competition level because it will increase the likeliness your site will rank over your competitors. Next, you'll need to determine which keywords will be the best for your site: informational, navigational or transactional. Often, more than one type can be used.

When choosing the best keywords for your site, you need to pick informational keywords. They are the words and phrases that provide information about a certain topic and will allow search engines to index your site correctly. For example, if your webpage is about cooking, your informational keyword might be "best cooking recipes" or "country cooking."

Navigational keywords are just as they sound-they provide a location, such as "Arizona tree cutting services." If you're trying to target a localized or direct audience, you'll need to use navigational keywords to be indexed locally on a search engine.

Finally, if your webpage is about purchasing products or services, you'll need to use transactional keywords, which are used to target people who are looking to spend money. For example, a transactional keyword is "shoe sales."

By taking the time to figure out the best keywords for your website, you'll guarantee your webpage will benefit from search engine optimization. Choosing keywords for SEO shouldn't be done in haste. You need to take the time to carefully choose the best keywords that will be the most beneficial for your webpage. When you're choosing keywords for your webpage, don't forget to keep keyword usage in mind. Don't pick a phrase that's going to be difficult to use or make a webpage sound unnatural. It may sound complicated, but by taking it one step at a time, you'll begin making money with well optimized webpages.

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