A keyword is the word or phrase a user types into a search engine, and also the specific search you want a page on your website, or an ad, to show up for.
Keywords in SEO and in SEM
The term is the same, but you work with it differently:
- In SEO, the keyword is the search you want to rank for in the organic results. You do not pay to appear: you earn it with a page that answers that search better than the rest.
- In SEM, the keyword is what you add to a Google Ads campaign so your ad enters the auction. You pay per click (the CPC), and the match type (broad, phrase or exact) decides which real searches can trigger it.
The two feed each other: conversion data from Google Ads tells you which searches sell, and that helps you prioritise SEO.
Types of keywords
By length: short tail and long tail
- Short tail (head terms): one or two words, like "trainers" or "home insurance". High volume, high competition and ambiguous intent.
- Long tail: longer, more specific phrases, like "waterproof women's trail running shoes". Less volume each, less competition and much clearer intent.
By intent
| Intent | What the user wants | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Informational | Learn something or solve a question | what is a fixed-rate mortgage |
| Commercial | Compare before deciding | best fixed-rate mortgages |
| Transactional | Buy, sign up or request something | apply for fixed-rate mortgage online |
| Navigational | Reach a specific site or brand | bank X customer login |
Intent decides which type of page can rank. We cover it in depth in search intent.
Branded and non-branded
Branded keywords include your name or your products' names ("isocialweb reviews"). Non-branded ones do not ("SEO agency in Barcelona"). Always split them when you analyse results: branded traffic depends mostly on how well known you are, while non-branded traffic shows whether your SEO is capturing new demand.
Metrics for choosing a keyword
- Search volume: average monthly searches. It is an estimate, not an exact figure: Google Ads Keyword Planner rounds and may show ranges, and SEO tools calculate their own numbers with different models. Use it to compare keywords against each other, not as a traffic forecast.
- Difficulty: a 0 to 100 score estimating how hard it is to break into the top 10, usually based on the links pointing to the pages that already rank. Every tool uses its own formula, so do not compare one tool's difficulty with another's.
- CPC: what advertisers pay for a click on that search. A high CPC usually signals commercial value, even if you only do SEO.
- Intent: whether the search matches what your page offers and what you want the user to do.
- Traffic potential: the traffic the current number one page gets across all the searches it ranks for. It is often far higher than the main keyword's volume.
Example: "invoicing software" may have ten times the volume of "invoicing software for freelancers", but if that is exactly what you sell, the second brings visitors more likely to convert and is usually easier to rank for.
How to choose the keyword for a page
- Group by intent: variations that return the same Google results ("kitchen renovation quote", "how much does a kitchen renovation cost") belong on the same page.
- Pick one main keyword per page, the one that best balances volume, intent and difficulty, and treat the rest of the group as related terms.
- Check the SERP to confirm which type of page Google expects and who you are up against.
- Make sure you do not already have another page targeting the same search. If two URLs compete, Google switches between them and neither settles: that is SEO cannibalization.
- Use it where it counts: title, H1, URL, first paragraph and a heading or two, written naturally.
How to track a keyword's rankings
Search Console gives you impressions, clicks and average position for each query. It is the most reliable source for your own data, but position is an average that blends countries, devices and days. A rank tracker checks the same keyword daily or weekly in a fixed country and device, so you can follow the trend and your competitors.
For a quick check there is the Google rank checker, which tells you your position, who holds the top 3 and whether the search shows an AI Overview. Deciding which keywords to prioritise across a whole site is part of building an SEO strategy.
Common mistakes
- Repeating the keyword until the text feels forced. That is keyword stuffing; Google treats it as spam and it hurts readability.
- Chasing volume without checking intent. A keyword with 20,000 searches that does not match your offer brings visitors who do not buy.
- Creating one page per variation. "divorce lawyer London" and "divorce lawyers in London" are the same search and deserve a single page.
- Treating volume as guaranteed traffic. Even in first position, ads and SERP blocks take a share of the clicks.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It is the word or phrase people type into a search engine, such as "women's trail running shoes" or "how to file a tax return". In SEO it is the search you want a page to rank for; in SEM, the search you bid on to show an ad.
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One main keyword per page, plus the variations and related terms that share the same intent. A good page usually ranks for dozens or hundreds of similar searches. What you should avoid is two pages on your site chasing the same search.
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Start with the queries that already bring you impressions in Search Console, move on to Google Ads Keyword Planner or an SEO tool, and round it off with Google's own suggestions (autocomplete, People Also Ask and related searches). Then check the SERP for each candidate to confirm the intent.
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A long, specific search such as "home insurance for a rented flat in London". Each one has little volume, but they tend to face less competition and carry clearer intent, and together they add up to a large share of searches.