Keywords
Keywords are a fundamental element of search engine optimisation (SEO). To be successful, we must carefully select keywords and apply them correctly in both Onsite SEO and Offsite SEO.
Effective keyword selection requires a deep understanding of our audience – our consumers and readers. We need to think from their perspective and incorporate words and phrases into our content that they are likely to search for on a given topic. Collecting, analysing, and continuously updating these keywords is a challenging but essential task in achieving our goals.
Keywords play a crucial role in two ways. First, they help users find relevant content. Second, they influence SEO rankings, as search engines like Google assess and rank websites based on keywords. Using them correctly can help our site rank higher in search results, attracting more visitors and increasing click-through rates.
Where Should You Use These Keywords?
Basically, everywhere. Let’s look at some examples of where you should display keywords on your own site, specifically in the context of onsite SEO.
Title Tag
The title tag informs both readers and search engines about the content of the page. This is why it is important to use words relevant to the topic. If possible, include keywords in the title tag—placing the most important keyword at the beginning, while the rest can appear later in the title.
Meta Description
In the search results list, under the title tag of your website, Google may display a meta description, if it deems it relevant. The purpose of the meta description is to summarise the content of the page in a few sentences. It serves as a specific marketing message, aiming to attract users searching for a particular topic. The goal is to capture their attention and encourage them to click on your site instead of others. Additionally, the meta description provides search engines with an indication of what the page is about. This is why it is important to include relevant keywords in the meta description. Visitors are more likely to click on a page if they see the terms they were searching for, and a well-crafted description also helps search engines better understand the page’s content.
Paragraph Titles
Paragraph titles are also important. Many users don’t read every word but instead scroll through the page, using paragraph titles to decide whether to stay and read further. Including keywords in paragraph titles helps both readers and search engines understand the structure and relevance of the content.
URL
Don’t forget to include keywords in your URLs!
Keywords in URLs benefit readers by clearly indicating the content of the landing page, helping them understand where they will be directed when they click a link. At the same time, well-structured URLs improve search engine optimisation, making it easier for Google to index and rank the page.
Link Anchor Texts
An anchor text is a piece of text that, when clicked, directs the browser to a URL. In other words, it is the clickable text of a hyperlink. When choosing anchor text, it should refer to the content of the page it links to while including a keyword, if possible. This helps both users and search engines understand the relevance of the link.
ALT Text
The ALT text is a description of the images used in pages and articles. It is essential because search engines cannot interpret images on their own; instead, they rely on ALT text to identify and rank images. ALT text should clearly describe what is in the image while incorporating relevant keywords to improve search engine rankings and accessibility.
Content
It is a good idea to naturally include important keywords and phrases throughout your content, but be careful not to overuse them.
While keywords are crucial for SEO, quality content should always come first. A text overloaded with keywords can feel unnatural and lose its value both for readers and search engines. In fact, Google penalises keyword stuffing, so attempting to rank higher this way will do more harm than good.
If a word or phrase doesn’t fit naturally into the text, don’t force it in just to increase its frequency. Instead, focus on creating valuable and informative content. When writing high-quality, useful material, you will naturally include a sufficient number of keywords without overdoing it.