What are keywords?

Keywords, also known as key words or search terms, are used to describe the subject or content of a web page. Keywords are necessary to make clear to search engines and visitors exactly what a page is about. This makes it easier to navigate the wide web and easier for search engines like Google to guide users to the right pages. Therefore, the use of keywords for the findability of your website or blog is very important. The right keywords are essential for search engine optimization or SEO. But how do you determine which keywords are appropriate for your website? And how do you apply keywords exactly? 

Definition of keywords 

The free translation of keywords is key words. These words serve as 'keys' to the content of the page. They tell what the page is about, what information it offers, and whether it is of interest to the visitor. It is notable for the use of keywords that they are often not displayed in grammatically correct sentences. This is because people do not enter their search queries that way. They usually use one important keyword and haphazardly add a few extra words to make the search more relevant. For example, instead of 'Convenient baby carrier for 6-month-old', they choose 'Nice baby carrier for 6-month-old'. Short, but powerful. 

When a web page uses one or more of these keywords, Google will put this site in the search results. The more relevant Google considers your site, the higher you will end up in the results. Since most people do not look further than the first two pages, it is important that you end up as high as possible in the search results. 

Long tail and short tail keywords 

We distinguish between two different types of keywords. We refer to them as long tail and short tail keywords. The difference lies in the length of the words. Short tail keywords often involve only one keyword. Long tail keywords are multiple words which often describe what a site or page should be about. Long tail keywords in particular allow you to score extremely high within the search engines. These are much more relevant for the internet user. 

Sometimes, for example, with just one word it is not clear what the user means. If they only search for 'shoes', this could be anything. From children's shoes to special shoes for seniors. When they enter 'women's shoes size 38', the search results will immediately be much more relevant. By using these keywords, you can improve the findability and certainly the relevance of your webpage.