Keyword Planning for SEO – Know About it’s Significance & Importance

What are Keywords?

When we talk about searching anything on the internet, what we actually do is just open the web browser and then type the relevant words or phrases in the search box available in the search engine. These relevant words or phrases that we type in the search box and which enable us to reach the desired results are referred to as keywords, in technical terms. Therefore, it can be said that keywords are those words or phrases that help us to reach to particular links as per the relevance of our requirements.

Importance of keywords-

Keywords are the most fundamental concept to begin with when one starts learning about Search Engine Optimization, i.e., SEO. It holds great importance in optimizing one’s blog or website, thereby increasing the search engine traffic and thus would enable you to make your blog reach heights of success in no time. The only important aspect to be considered here is the use of such words as keywords which will surely and definitely attract web traffic.

Significance of keywords in SEO-

We have been provided with an option of defining target keywords while SEO optimizing our blog post or any web page. This is termed the process of Meta_Keywords. Defining Meta_Keywords was an important aspect when we SEO optimize our blog page or any web page until 2012, but in 2016, it is no more a compulsion, all thanks to the existence of a more smarter search engine that detect the keywords automatically and thereby auto- rank the blog post or the web page.

Google no longer give any consideration to Meta_Keywords when it comes to the selection of particular keywords. This is of great help to those who have recently started with writing blog posts. The Beginners to Blogging or those who have recently started up with article-writing often use a number of keywords in their blog posts or article- writings and hence Google Search considers these new keywords as well.
How the Content is being Ranked-  The algorithm, i.e., the machine language searches for signals that enable it to rank the contents.

Ranking-Meaning- Ranking means positioning of a specific keyword in the search engine.

Three Main Things for Ranking of Blog- The three important things to rank a blog or a web page are discussed as follows:-

Target Keywords-Target keywords are those keywords for which the main search is being carried on over the search engine. These are those keywords for which one is trying to get ranked for.

Position of the Keywords- The other very important aspect with regard to the ranking of the keywords is the positioning of the keywords in the Google search. The main area of focus in this regard is the ranking of the target keywords on the very first page of Google search.

Volume of Search for the Particular Keyword-  This refers to the process of knowing and understanding the search for a particular keyword that has been carried on in a particular month. When people keeps on searching for a particular keyword, be it the same or similar keywords or some related keywords, Google keeps track of each such searches and thus, will enable you to have a knowledge of which particular word to use for a particular search criteria. This is the reason why two keywords of similar nature have a significant difference in the volume for monthly searches.

Types of Keywords-

The concept of types of keywords is very important to have a clear understanding of the concept of keywords and the same can be viewed from various different angles.

On the basis of the number of words included in the Keywords, it can be classified into the following two types-

  1. Short-tail keywords; and
  2. Long-tail keywords.

Whereas on the basis of the relevance of keywords in the search content, it can be of the following four types-

  1. Commercial keywords;
  2. Transactional keywords;
  3. Informational keywords; and
  4. Navigational keywords.

On the basis of the number of words included in the Keywords:-

Short-Tail Keywords- These are keywords which includes only one to three words. For example, CFA Exam Preparation, etc.

Long-Tail Keywords- These are those keywords which includes three or more than three words while searching for a particular aspect. For example, How to prepare for CFA exams?

Long-Tail keywords lead one to gain more profitability due to the simple reason that such keywords attract more targeted traffic, thereby increasing the chances of ranking the same on the first page of Google search.

On the basis of the relevance of keywords in the search content:-

Commercial Keywords- Generally speaking, commercial keywords are the actual keywords that people are generally interested in. It is a broad category among the various types of keywords. Commercial sites generally use commercial keywords

Transactional keywords- Another important kind of keyword is the transactional keyword. Apart from commercial keywords, commercial sites seldom use transactional keywords. These keywords reflects the more targeted group of people who intends to buy a product or service after gathering the concerned information and deciding on buying the same.

Informational keywords- Keywords with great search volume along with the required information are included in this category of keywords. Such keywords need to be avoided due to the lack of commercial viability and its inability to attract revenue.

Navigational Keywords- Another important type of keyword is the navigational keywords and includes the company name or a brand name to gain access to the respective website, i.e., these are the keywords used to navigate to the exact web page of any particular company or brand, etc.

How to Start up with Keyword Research-

After discussing the meaning of keywords, their importance in Search Engine Optimization, i.e., SEO and the various types of keywords on the basis of a number of words or phrases to be used in the same or on the basis of the relevance of the keywords used, the next important aspect to be focussed on is the concept of keyword research. Here, the meaning of keyword research, its importance, and various tools that can be used for keyword research are to be discussed, apart from the various techniques that can be used for keyword researches.

What is Keyword Research?

Keyword research refers to the process by which one gets to know which particular keywords are to be used in the particular niche. It, therefore, refers to the process of finding the correct keyword and understanding the same with reference to the competition and traffic.

Importance of Keyword Research-

This step holds great importance since it enables us to increase our chances of a higher ranking in the Google search, thereby growing the blog or web page quickly resulting in an increased in the amount of earnings from the same. In other words, it helps the website to attract maximum viewers on the search engine so as to enable us to reach a desired level of target audience.

Techniques for Keyword Research-

The techniques that can be used for the purpose of keyword research can be of the following two types-

  1. Content-Centric Keyword Research; and
  2. Keyword-Centric Keyword Research.

Content-Centric Keyword Research– In this, keywords will be a term of related product, service or content that we want to search for. This is the most common type of keyword research.
Keyword-Centric Keyword Research- In keyword- centric research, a particular identified keyword is used for the purpose of keyword research. This is another technique that is being mostly used by many while performing their searches on the search engines.

Keyword Tools for a Great keyword Research-

There are various tools that prove to be a great helping hand while doing keyword researches. Some most common of them are discussed below:-

Semrush-Semrush is a paid, online tool to search for great keywords.

Keyword Planner Tool- Keyword planner tool is another keyword tool to search for keywords which is available free of cost but it is a complex tool as compared to Semrush.

LongTailPro- This keyword search tool can be downloaded on your PC.

Ahrefs – Yet another alternative to Semrush is Ahrefs.

Keywords – Tools from Google

There are two main tools from Google as follows:-

  1. Google Insights; and
  2. Google Trends,

that proves to be of immense help in the areas of creation of content, blogging, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), etc.

Google Insights- This is a very popular tool provided by Google which provides room for comparison among the keywords. Just log on to Google and get to know those keywords which could help you optimize your website or in writing a new blog, etc. by the use of such keywords.

Google Trends- This is yet another tool by Google which is also very useful in providing a good volume of information with regard to the keywords. However, Google Trends is a much simpler tool as compared to Google Insights.

Keyword Density and Keyword Stuffing- Another Important Concept in Keyword Searching

Another important aspect in “keywords search” is keyword density. A bit complex concept, yet keyword density is of immense importance since it is an important criteria to maintain a particular amount of keywords in a blog post or article writing or a web page, etc. keeping in mind that we do not fall in the area of keyword stuffing, i.e., excess use of keywords in the blog post or web page.

Keyword stuffing is an unethical practice since it reflects your blog post or web page as spam and thus, instead of making it popular, keyword stuffing will make your web page or blog post a failure. In fact, you will need to face penalties from Google for keyword stuffing on the ground that it leads to manipulation in the search results.