WHAT IS KEYWORD IN SEO?
At Lillian Purge, we specialise in local SEO services, helping businesses improve their visibility in search results and attract more local customers. One of the most important elements of any SEO strategy is the keyword. Understanding what keywords are and how to use them effectively is essential for ranking higher on Google and connecting with the right audience.
When I speak to business owners about SEO I often find that keywords are the one topic most people have heard of yet very few understand in any meaningful way. Many know they should be using keywords and they know keywords have something to do with Google rankings, but when I ask them what a keyword actually is or how they should choose the right ones, most feel unsure. In my opinion this gap in understanding is one of the biggest barriers to effective SEO because keywords form the foundation of every strategic decision you make. Without understanding them properly your content becomes unfocused, your pages compete against each other, and your website often fails to connect with the customers you want to attract.
A keyword in SEO is any word or phrase someone types into Google when they are looking for information, a product, or a service. That might be a simple term such as “accountant” or it might be an entire question like “how long does probate take in the UK”. Keywords represent real human behaviour. They show what people want to know, what problems they are trying to solve, how urgent their needs are, and what kind of language they use to express those needs. When you understand that a keyword is not just a string of words but a signal of human intention, you begin to see why keyword research and keyword usage play such an important role in SEO.
This article explains everything you need to know about keywords. I will cover what they are, why they matter, how Google interprets them, how to identify different types of keywords, how to choose the right ones, how to use them naturally, how to avoid keyword mistakes, and how to build a well structured keyword strategy that supports your rankings and conversions. My aim is to create a complete guide that is genuinely useful for beginners and small businesses who want to build a strong SEO foundation without unnecessary jargon or complication.
What a Keyword Actually Is and Why It Matters
A keyword is essentially a search phrase. It is the text a user enters into Google when they want something. This might sound overly simple but the idea becomes more powerful when you realise that every keyword reflects a need, desire or question. When someone searches for “probate solicitor Bedford” they are probably dealing with a stressful legal situation and want help soon. When someone searches “how to fix boiler pressure” they may be troubleshooting a household issue and are looking for step by step guidance. When someone searches “best restaurants Milton Keynes” they are comparing options before making a decision. Keywords therefore communicate far more than the words themselves. They tell you what stage a person is at in their decision making process.
The reason keywords matter so much in SEO is because search engines like Google match these phrases with web pages that appear to answer or satisfy them. When your content uses keywords in a natural and meaningful way Google can understand your page more easily and build confidence that your content is relevant. This confidence increases the likelihood that your website will appear for those searches. In my opinion keywords are the bridge between your business and the customers who are already looking for you. If you choose them well you attract the right people. If you ignore them or choose poorly you attract the wrong audience or no audience at all.
Why Keywords Are Essential for SEO Success
Keywords are essential because they influence nearly every aspect of SEO. They guide your content creation, they help Google understand your topic, they influence your website structure, and they shape the overall search experience for your future customers. Keywords allow you to create a website that aligns with real search behaviour rather than assumptions. If you have ever written a page that you expected to rank but it never gained visibility, the reason is often that the page did not match the real keywords people were using.
Keywords matter for several reasons. They help you understand what customers want. They help you create content that addresses their needs. They help you choose which pages are worth building. They help you prioritise time and resources. They help you understand how competitive certain topics are. They help you identify quick wins. They help you create a more cohesive website that Google trusts. When you look at SEO this way it becomes clear why keywords sit at the centre of everything. Without them SEO becomes guesswork. With them it becomes a strategic system.
The Different Types of Keywords and Why They Matter
Not all keywords carry the same meaning or purpose. A person searching “solicitor” is at a very different stage compared to someone searching “book will writing appointment”. Because of this, SEO professionals categorise keywords into types to help businesses understand how to use them properly. Below are the most important keyword types you need to know.
Short tail keywords are very broad phrases such as “gym” or “plumber”. These have high search volumes but very high competition and vague intent. They rarely convert well because they do not reveal what the user wants specifically. In my opinion these are good for understanding broad demand but not good for targeting.
Long tail keywords are more specific such as “gym with no contract Bedford” or “emergency plumber Milton Keynes”. These have lower competition, clearer intent and higher conversion rates. They are also easier to rank for which is why they are essential for small businesses.
Local keywords include place names or geographic intent such as “electrician Bedford”. These are extremely valuable if your business operates locally because they connect you directly with nearby customers.
Informational keywords include questions and “how to” searches. These are ideal for blog content and authority building because they attract users who want answers.
Commercial keywords include phrases such as “best solicitor for probate UK” or “top accountants in Bedford”. These are perfect for comparison content that guides users towards informed decisions.
Transactional keywords include high intent phrases such as “book conveyancing solicitor” or “buy gym membership Bedford”. These belong on landing pages designed to convert.
When you understand the types of keywords it becomes easier to match the right content to the right keyword. In my opinion this is one of the most powerful ways to improve SEO performance.
How Google Understands Keywords Today
Years ago Google matched keywords literally. If you used the exact phrase you ranked. If you did not use the exact phrase you did not rank. Those days are long gone. Today Google uses semantic search which means it tries to understand meaning rather than exact wording. If someone searches “how to increase protein” Google might show pages titled “ways to add more protein to your diet” even if the exact phrase does not appear word for word. Google understands the topic because it analyses context, synonyms, sentence structure and user behaviour.
This means keyword research is not about stuffing exact phrases but about understanding themes. If your topic is probate law Google expects to see related terms such as executor, estate administration, inheritance, probate process, probate costs, legal requirements and timeframes. Using natural language helps Google understand your content far more than repeating the same phrase repeatedly.
In my opinion this shift to semantic search is a gift for small businesses because it allows you to write naturally without forcing keywords into sentences that feel awkward or artificial.
How to Discover Keywords Your Customers Actually Use
The best way to find keywords is to look at real user behaviour. Several free tools reveal this data.
Google autocomplete gives you instant suggestions based on real searches. When you begin typing your service into Google the dropdown phrases reflect common search queries. This is one of the most accurate insights you can get into how real people think.
People Also Ask shows questions that users commonly ask related to your query. These questions can become blog topics or FAQ content because they directly address customer concerns.
Search Console shows the keywords your website already appears for. Many businesses are surprised to learn they already rank for dozens of queries they never targeted intentionally. These reveal opportunities for optimisation.
AnswerThePublic generates natural language questions that your audience is already asking. These make excellent blog ideas.
SEMrush or Ahrefs provide keyword difficulty scores, competitor keywords and long lists of variations. While paid tools are not essential they do save time and provide deeper insights.
In my experience using a combination of these tools produces the strongest keyword list because you gain a balance of real world demand and structured data.
How to Analyse Keyword Value Properly
Finding keywords is only half the job. You must analyse whether a keyword is worth targeting. Many people focus only on search volume. In my opinion this is a mistake. Volume alone does not tell you whether a keyword will deliver real customers.
Here are the six core metrics to evaluate.
Search volume tells you how many people search the phrase monthly. Lower volume is not a bad thing. Often low volume long tail keywords convert better and rank faster.
Keyword difficulty indicates how competitive the keyword is. If you are a new website you should focus on lower difficulty queries.
Intent determines whether the keyword fits your goal. If the search is informational you create a blog. If it is transactional you create a landing page.
Relevance ensures you are targeting keywords that attract the right audience. You want qualified traffic not random visits.
SERP competition requires checking who already ranks. If large national brands dominate page one it may not be worth targeting early on.
Opportunity score is your personal judgement combining relevance, difficulty and potential value.
When you analyse keywords properly you choose phrases that are achievable and profitable, not just popular.
How to Organise Keywords into Topic Clusters
Google rewards websites that demonstrate clear expertise. One of the best ways to do this is through topic clusters. A topic cluster is a group of related keywords mapped to multiple pieces of content that support one central theme.
For example:
Topic cluster: Probate
Pages might include:
what is probate
how long does probate take
probate fees explained
probate solicitor Bedford
what happens after probate is granted
Each of these pages links to each other and to a central overview page. This tells Google that your website covers the topic in depth. In my experience topic clusters dramatically improve rankings because they help Google understand that you are an authority on the subject.
Organising keywords this way also keeps your content strategy structured. Instead of creating random blogs you build content that supports your core services and strengthens your credibility.
How to Use Keywords in Your Content Without Stuffing
Once you know your keywords the next step is using them naturally. Keyword stuffing harms SEO because it looks manipulative and damages readability. Instead, aim to place your primary keyword in strategic locations such as:
your page title
your H1
your meta description
your opening paragraph
one or two headings
naturally within the content
Then support your content with secondary keywords which relate to the same topic. These create context and help Google understand semantic relevance.
I believe the best rule is this. If a sentence feels awkward when you read it aloud the keyword placement is wrong. Always choose clarity over forced optimisation.
Why Keywords Are Critical for Local SEO
Local SEO relies heavily on geographic keywords because people search for services near them. A strong local keyword strategy includes:
service + location keywords
location pages
local comparisons
content referencing your area
Google Business Profile keyword alignment
For example a plumber in Bedford should have pages such as:
boiler repair Bedford
emergency plumber Bedford
bathroom installation Bedford
Using these keywords naturally within your content helps Google understand your geographic relevance. This improves your chances of appearing in the map pack and on local search results.
In my opinion local keyword strategy produces some of the fastest SEO wins because smaller geographic areas have lower competition and higher purchasing intent.
Advanced Keyword Techniques for Stronger Rankings
Once you understand the fundamentals you can move into advanced techniques that improve both ranking speed and content performance.
Keyword gap analysis helps you discover keywords your competitors rank for but you do not. This allows you to target quick wins.
SERP feature optimisation helps you design content to win features such as snippets, People Also Ask and video placements.
Long tail expansion involves turning your primary keyword into dozens of related questions and phrases that help you own the entire topic.
Seasonality analysis helps you target keywords during peak demand such as tax season for accountants or winter boiler repair for plumbers.
Customer language analysis means you study reviews, emails and enquiries to see how customers describe their problems. These phrases often become powerful keywords.
In my opinion advanced techniques are where you begin to outperform competitors significantly because you understand demand better than they do.
Keyword Mistakes That Damage Rankings
Several keyword mistakes can harm your SEO.
choosing keywords only by volume
ignoring search intent
targeting phrases that are too competitive
keyword stuffing
using the same keyword on multiple pages
neglecting long tail keywords
not updating keyword research
These mistakes weaken your content and confuse Google. Fixing them can lead to immediate improvements.
How Often You Should Update Your Keyword Research
Keyword research is not a one time task. Search behaviour changes. Competitors publish new content. Trends evolve. In my opinion you should refresh your keyword research every six to twelve months or whenever you launch a new service or location.
A simple update involves:
checking new queries in Search Console
revisiting autocomplete suggestions
analysing competitor updates
finding new long tail opportunities
Regular updates keep your SEO aligned with real user behaviour.
Bringing Everything Together
When I look at everything involved in SEO I believe understanding keywords is the most important foundation any business can build. Keywords reveal what people want, how they think and what problems they need solved. They help you structure your content, target the right audience and build trust with Google. If you choose the right keywords and use them naturally your website becomes a powerful tool for visibility and enquiries. If you ignore keywords or select them based on guesswork you will struggle to gain organic traction no matter how much content you create.
In my opinion keyword strategy is not complicated once you understand the logic behind it. It is about matching your content to real searches, not imagined ones. It is about choosing the right battles. It is about building authority step by step. When you do keyword research correctly your website grows in a controlled and predictable way because your content aligns perfectly with what your audience is looking for.
If you want your website to rank higher and attract more customers, get in touch today.
We have also written in depth articles on What are Long Tail Keywords? Long Tail Keyword Examples and How to build a content strategy around target keywords as well as our Keywords Hub to give you further guidance.