As technology develops, it is becoming easier for people to search for things via the internet. Just enter keywords in the Google search engine, then you can find the amount of information you want.
Unfortunately, many people still don't understand the use of keywords. As a result, when looking for something on the internet, the information obtained is too general so it cannot answer the question.
So, what are keywords? So what are the types of keywords? Read the complete discussion in this article.
Understanding Keywords
Keywords are words or phrases used to represent information. Not just one keyword, but also more to describe information in detail.
According to the online Big Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI), keywords are words or expressions that represent concepts or ideas that mark an era or group. Apart from that, keywords can also be interpreted as words that represent the concepts that have been mentioned.
Quoting the book Online Business SMK/MAK Class XII by Windu Mahmud, S.Pd, a keyword is a word or phrase that describes a product or service whose function is to help determine when and where an advertisement can appear.
Use of Keywords in SEO
In recent years, keywords have played an important role in Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Reported by the book WordPress SEO Tips, Be Concise, Don't Use Small talk by Maddie Suyadi, using keywords in SEO can develop a website even better, especially in terms of traffic.
So, a site that places keywords correctly and is directly related to its content will be more easily indexed in search engines. That way, the website and its content can occupy the top position on the first page of Google, which can increase website visitor traffic.
Types of Keywords
Please note, there are two types of keywords that are commonly used in SEO. Quoting the book Most Wanted Tips of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) by Ridwan Sanjaya, the following are the types of keywords.
1. Main Keyword
Main keywords or main keywords are keywords that are usually applied to articles and blogs, by placing them in the title or content of the article. The main keyword must be short, concise and clear. In other words, it shouldn't be wordy or too long.
There are several things that must be considered when placing keywords in SEO, namely that they must be easy to understand and often searched for by many people. Not only that, keywords must also be simple, simple and right on target.
Therefore, the simpler the keywords used, the greater the chance of being ranked at the top and the search results will also be greater.
2. Phrased Keywords (Long Tail Keywords)
Phrased keywords or long tail keywords are a development of the main keyword. So, these keywords are displayed more clearly and in sufficient detail in search engines. This is so that the information obtained is more appropriate and can answer a question.
What are the Related Keywords?
Related keywords are words or phrases that are closely related to the main keyword you are targeting. It doesn't have to be a synonym, but a term that is similar or in the same context as your main keyword.
Search engines use related keywords to understand the content and context of web pages. Finding and optimizing related keywords can help you create content that ranks well for a large number of keywords—putting you in front of more potential customers.
This article discusses how to find related keywords and how to use them for your SEO strategy.
Tip: Create a free SEMrush account (no credit card required) to follow the steps in this guide.
How do Find Related Keywords
Let's look at five ways to find related keywords. And dive into the tactics you can use to avoid missing important opportunities.
Note: You should already have a list of seed keywords (broad keywords that describe the topics you want to rank for). If not, start by brainstorming a number of terms that are closely related to your business.
1. Do Keyword Research
One of the easiest and fastest ways to find related keywords is to do keyword research using the Semrush Keyword Magic Tool.
Enter your initial keyword, select a country, and click “ Search”
You will immediately see a list of related keywords and their most important metrics.
Here's what each means:
- Broad match shows variations of your seed keywords in any order
- Phrase match displays keywords with the exact starting keyword in any order
- Exact match returns keywords with the exact starting keyword in the exact order
- Related shows keywords that are similar to your seed keyword, based on similar search engine results
- For example, if you select “Related” you will see a list of similar keywords. And a “ % Related” column that measures how closely the keyword is related to your seed keyword.
The higher the percentage, the more relevant it is.
You can also click the “Questions” button to filter for question-based keywords that contain your seed keyword.
This helps you find related keywords that are easy to rank for and have informational search intent (meaning the user wants to learn more about something).
2. Analyze Your Competitors
Another tactic for finding related search terms is to conduct competitor research. And search engine results pages (SERPs) are a great place to start. First, run a quick Google search to see which pages are currently ranking for the query you want to target.
Like this:
Then, run each of the top 10 ranking URLs through SEMrush's Organic Research tool. One by one.
Here's how:
- Enter the URL, select a country, and click “ Search”
- On the next page, select “Exact URL” from the dropdown menu at the top.
- Now, click on the “ Position ” tab. And you'll see the keywords the page ranks for.
- Do this for each of the top 10 ranking URLs. And you can compile a long list of related keywords.
3. Leverage Content Creation Tools
There are tons of content creation tools out there. While their primary purpose may be different, some can help find related keywords.
For example the Semrush SEO Content Template. Start by adding your target keywords and click “Create content template.”
This tool will analyze your top 10 ranking competitors and share recommendations. Includes a list of semantically related keywords.
This means the keywords are not necessarily synonymous. But they are closely related. They give context to your content. And help users and search engines understand the overall topic of your page.
To analyze existing content, copy and paste the text into the SEMRush SEO Writing Assistant. You will see an “SEO” widget on the right that lists recommended keywords.
These are related keywords that you can add to your pages to get better SEO results.
4. Evaluate Your Content Performance
Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool that can help you understand your site's performance in Google searches.
This shows you which keywords your page is currently ranking for. This means it can help you find related keywords that you can add to your content.
5. Use Google Autocomplete and Related Searches
You can also find related keywords using Google. Autocomplete is a feature within Google that predicts what you will search for once you start typing. And all of these search terms are related keywords.
For example, you might type “off-page SEO” into Google if you write an article on that topic.
Like this:
All of these predictions are related search terms that you can add to your content. After all, it reflects real searches people do on Google.
You can also use another Google feature called “related searches.”
If you search for “off page SEO” again, scroll down to the bottom. And you will see blocks with related keywords.
These are keywords that Google thinks are highly related to your search term.
How to Use Related Keywords to Optimize Content
Once you've identified related keywords, here's how to use them in your content.
1. Build Topic Clusters
Topic clusters are groups of pages that are strategically related to each other and focus on a specific subject.
They help search engines understand the structure of your site. And can help validate your authority around a particular topic. And they are structured according to three components:
- A central “pillar” page that focuses on your main topic
- A “cluster” of pages that includes related keywords
- Internal links between pages
Basically, your pillar page will focus on your main keyword and mention your related keywords. And your clusters will cover variations of those keywords in greater depth.
Using related keywords in this way helps you cover your topic more comprehensively. And allows you to build topical authority and position yourself as an expert.
2. Add Relevance to Existing Content
Search engines like Google use keywords and context to determine whether a page is relevant to a particular topic. This means that it contains information that answers the searcher's request. And relevance is one of Google's main ranking factors.
Their system will look to see if you have used your main keyword in the headline, title, and body. But Google also looks for relevance in other ways—including images, videos, and related keywords.
Which mean:
If your content doesn't include related keywords, Google may consider your page to be irrelevant to the main keyword.
So, use related keywords (that sound natural and make sense) throughout your copy when optimizing content.
3. Use Your Keywords Effectively
Once you have identified and used related keywords, it is time to move further. And that means constantly analyzing your keyword usage and optimizing your content.
You can easily do this with a tool like On Page SEO Checker.
Configure the tool for your priority pages and target keywords. And you'll get tons of on-page SEO ideas, so you can optimize your pages..
To see the secondary keywords you should add, click the number next to “Semantic Ideas.”
You'll see a table of pages that could benefit from having more related keywords—which you can easily sort by priority.
(Prioritization helps you understand which pages you should optimize first to get the best results).
Click the “ # Ideas ” button in the “Semantics” column.
This tool will take you to the “Semantics” row in the “Optimization Ideas” tab. You will see the exact keywords you should add to the page to improve its quality. And make it more relevant to searchers.
Do this for all pages in the report, and you will see better performance.
Closing
So that's how to use Semrush. Now you can make better plans and strategies for marketing and improve the performance of your website with the help of Semrush.
However, remember, increasing website traffic is not only from optimal SEO. There are many other factors that influence the traffic and performance of your website.