What is a keyword?

A keyword is the phrase people type into Google: “boiler service”, “best running shoes” or “dentist price london”. In SEO you use keywords to define which searches you want a page to appear for. The exact phrase a user typed is also called a query; Search Console shows real queries, while keyword tools show estimated searches.

#Why it matters

Choosing the right keyword brings the right audience. A very broad keyword is hard to rank for and its visitors may not be ready to buy. A very narrow one may have nobody searching for it. Picking one main keyword and a few close variations for every important page keeps the content, the title and the internal links pointed at the same goal.

#Where you see it in SEOAsist

The Keywords page has three tabs. Search Console lists the queries your site actually gets clicks and impressions for. Tracking shows the daily Google position, volume, KD and intent of keywords you choose. Research finds new keyword ideas from a seed. See Keyword tracking for how to use it.

#Example

For a dental clinic, “teeth whitening” is the main keyword. “teeth whitening cost”, “in-office teeth whitening” and “is teeth whitening safe” are close keywords that can be covered on the same page or in supporting blog posts.

#Common mistakes

• Targeting the same keyword with several pages, so they compete with each other (cannibalization).
• Stuffing the keyword into the text unnaturally.
• Looking only at high-volume keywords and ignoring intent and difficulty.
• Building a list from estimates without checking real queries in Search Console.