If you’re wondering whether keywords are still relevant in SEO, the answer is a resounding “yes!” Though Google has made changes to how they rank websites, organic and local keywords are still one of the primary ways to show your site is relevant to a particular search. To rank well in Google today, you need to have a strong keyword strategy in place. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of those SEO strategies and discuss how they may help with your website ranking. 

What Are Keywords?

Keywords are words or phrases targeted in an SEO strategy to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). When someone searches for a term online, Google displays the websites they believe are the most relevant to that query. The better your website ranks for relevant keywords, the more likely potential customers will see you.

Choosing Keywords

When it comes to choosing keywords, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Every business is different and will have different needs when it comes to its keyword strategy. However, some general rules of thumb can help you choose the right keywords:

• Start with your business name and product names. Chances are, you’ll want to target your business name and product names as keywords since people are likely to search for them online.
• Think about what people might search for when looking for your products or services. When brainstorming potential keywords, think about the phrases people might use in a Google search. For example, if you sell shoes, some possible keywords might be “women’s shoes,” “men’s shoes,” “kids’ shoes,” “shoe sale,” etc.
• Use keyword research tools to help you find keywords that are relevant to your business. Several different keyword research tools are available online, such as Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Moz’s Keyword Explorer. These tools can help you find keywords relevant to your business and have a good amount of search traffic.

How To Use Keywords In Your SEO Strategy

Once you’ve chosen the right keywords for your website, you need to start using them in your SEO strategy. Here are some tips for using keywords effectively:

• Use keywords throughout your website. Include them in your website copy, titles, descriptions, and alt tags. This will help Google understand what your website is about and will help you rank higher for relevant keywords.
• Don’t stuff keywords. In the past, some businesses would stuff their website with as many keywords as possible in an attempt to rank higher in Google. However, this is no longer effective and can actually hurt your ranking. Instead of stuffing keywords, use them sparingly and focus on creating quality content.
• Target long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific keyword phrases. They tend to have less search traffic than shorter, more general keywords, but they can be easier to rank for. For example, a long-tail keyword for a shoe store might be “women’s black leather dress shoes.”
• Use keyword variations. In addition to targeting main keywords, you should also target variations of those keywords. This includes singular and plural forms of the keyword, as well as misspellings. For example, if you’re targeting the keyword “shoes,” you should also target “shoe,” “shoes,” and “sho.”

Achieve High Rankings

Though it is more challenging to achieve high rankings than a few years ago, following general rules along with using the right keywords will put any business on the path of better visibility through search engines. SEO analysis tools are available that can help fine-tune a website for an effective SEO strategy, but overall, there is no magic formula for a good SEO strategy. It involves grounded data and experience along with a solid strategy, including relevant content and website marketing. 

Unwired Web Solutions can help businesses make sure they are taking advantage of all aspects of ranking opportunities as well as keeping up with frequent changes made by Google. We offer SEO services, local SEO services, website design, content marketing, and social media marketing. 

At Unwired Web Solutions, we navigate the various decisions you need to make to enjoy excellent SEO on all your web pages, as well as keep up with frequent changes made by Google. Our team of SEO specialists does the leg work necessary to research your industry and relevant search engine strategies used by your competitors. Whether you are looking for local SEO services or help with organic SEO, we can help! Contact us today!