Imagine you are going fishing in a large ocean. To catch a specific fish, you need the right bait. In the world of SEO, Keywords are your bait.
When someone goes to Google and types something into the search bar, the words they use are called “Keywords.”
For example, if you type “how to make pizza” into Google, that entire phrase is a keyword. Google looks at that phrase and searches its massive library to find websites that match those exact words. If your website contains those words, Google is more likely to show your site to that person.
Why are Keywords so important?
If you write an article but do not use the words that people are actually searching for, nobody will ever find your content. It is like speaking a language that your customers do not understand.
To be successful, you need to think like your customer. What are they typing? What words are they using?
The Two Main Types of Keywords
To keep things simple, we can divide keywords into two groups:
- Short-tail Keywords: These are short, general terms. Usually one or two words.
- Example: “Shoes”
- These are very hard to rank for because millions of websites are competing for them.
- Long-tail Keywords: These are longer, more specific phrases. Usually three or more words.
- Example: “Best red running shoes for men”
- These are much better for beginners. There is less competition, and the people searching for them know exactly what they want.
In our next lesson, we will learn exactly how to find these profitable “Long-tail Keywords” using free tools.