Everything you wanted to know about choosing search keywords (but were afraid to ask)

Posted by Anya Sleezer << back to blog

Last Updated on July 12, 2023

Back in the day (circa 2000s), copywriters and web developers would try to cram as many keywords as possible into their client’s websites.

As you can imagine, the sentences got pretty awkward. Think “our toothpaste is a great toothpaste for brushing your teeth with toothpaste.” Yeah, it was bad.

Problem was, it worked. You see, back search engines prioritized keywords, so the more you could cram in there, the higher your website would rank.

That was then, this is now. “Keyword stuffing” no longer works. Thank goodness for that!

Google and other search engines now prioritize quality content over “keyword stuffing,” but that doesn’t mean keywords don’t matter. After all, Google (and your customers) still need to know what you’re selling, right?

Crafting well-written, compelling content using relevant and high-traffic keywords can boost your website and ads to the top of search engine results, and drive more customers to your site.

So choosing keywords for your digital marketing is critical – and challenging.

How do you do it? Just like your college essays, the best results start with research.

Why you should start with keyword research

Finding out how often a particular keyword is used –and the various ways people use it – is crucial for SEO, and content marketing as a whole.

After all, you’re going to get dramatically different results for “good dentist” versus “best dentist in [your town].”

By understanding how your customers are searching for keywords, you can tailor your content, ads, and marketing strategies to meet their needs and interests.

Relevant keywords don’t just make you money; they can save you money too.

Choosing competitive keywords costs more. Sometimes, a lot more. But if you choose long-tail (i.e. more specific) or niche keywords, you can lower your Cost-Per-Click (CPC) and yield higher conversion rates, resulting in a higher ROI. We’ll talk more about this on step #5 – stay tuned!

“Okay, cool…so how do I know what keywords to choose?”

Glad you asked! Choosing keywords can be overwhelming.

Technically, there are no “right” or “wrong” choices – just “better” and “worse” choices.

“Better” keywords are those that best align with your target audience’s searches and entice them to click. That’s it.

If the keywords you select aren’t working, you can (and should) change them. So don’t get married to any keywords or phrases just yet.

Instead, just relax and enjoy the process. Picking keywords is like working out – there’s a lot of trial and error when you’re just starting out, but the longer you stick with it, and learn from your successes/mistakes, you will see results.

To help you out, we put together this comprehensive, step-by-step guide. Simply enter your information to get our FREE download, Everything you wanted to know about choosing search keywords (but were afraid to ask).

Anya Sleezer

Anya Sleezer is the owner of Levo, a full–service marketing agency, focused on helping companies from all industries who are concerned with their marketing results, traffic, branding, advertising, or websites.

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