In search engine optimization, SEO, a keyword is a word or phrase that describes what the web page or website is about. Keywords sum up the contents of a page and are part of a web page’s metadata that helps search engines match pages to search queries. Whilst they are still essential, they are not now the only factor in SEO, as they have been overused and created in misleading ways as people attempt to get ranked highly in all kinds of searches. The search engines have therefore evolved to consider other factors and be on high alert for actions such as ‘keyword stuffing’ where the keywords are overused.
For example, if you run a flower shop in Melbourne, you will want your website to have high-quality SEO Melbourne using all the right keywords. Apart from having your business name, address, and local phone number, you will want plenty of articles about flowers and related subjects, which include your main keywords. These keywords will be things like ‘flower shop Melbourne’ or ‘flower arrangers Australia.’ If you offer nationwide delivery, mentioning Australia a few times is a good idea. In contrast, if you only sell within Melbourne, you will want to focus more on local districts. It’s mainly down to common sense so far as content is concerned, as the website should be attractive and related to the business for visitors whilst also incorporating the right keywords and phrases.
So far, we’ve only mentioned the content, but keywords should also be used behind the scenes. Within the code of your website, you can place the keywords you think (or know) people will search for to find your website. Many website-building platforms make this stage easier for you by having simple fields in which you can put your keywords. This is the so-called metadata, which also affects getting noticed by search engines. Remember, however, that keywords are simply part of an effective SEO strategy and cannot be solely relied upon to do everything you need.
