Keyword

What is a keyword?

A keyword, also known as a search term, catchword, keyword or key phrase, generally describes a term entered in the search mask of a search engine. Users of search engines use them to search for information on the Internet. This keyword is then evaluated by the search engines’ algorithms and compared with the respective index. The user then receives a results page, the SERP, which delivers results for this keyword. Keywords are an important factor for SEO optimization and online marketing; they help to optimize content on websites for search queries.

Know different types of keywords

In online marketing, a distinction is made between different types of keywords. This can be used to derive the user’s intention.

Classic SEO is divided into around six keyword types:

• Brand Keyword
• Compound Keyword
• Commercial Keyword
• Informational Keyword
• Navigational Keyword
• Transactional Keyword
• Other Keyword

This classification has become established in the SEO industry

Brand Keywords

SEOs and SEAs speak of a brand keyword when a user specifically searches for a brand that they already know. Keywords that are specifically tailored to a brand are referred to as brand keywords. Brand keywords have a special meaning for Google AdWords. (Example: Coca-Cola, Nutella, Windows, Apple etc.)

Compound keywords

Compound keywords are marketing keywords that fulfill two user intentions at the same time. A user can use brand keywords and money/commercial keywords together in a search query if their intention is to find an item from a specific manufacturer. (Example: buy Apple cheaply, lease Audi)

“Money”/ Commercial Keywords

Moneys or commercial keywords are used by a user when they have a purchase intention and are searching for specific products. The term “Money” is aimed at the intention to buy, but is not limited to this. (Example: commercial website: buy scooter, lease golf)

Informational Keywords

This keyword refers to search terms with which users search for specific information, such as guides or advice, and describes the content and (informational) intention. (Example: non-commercial site: WordPress programming, Münsterland cycle paths)

Navigational Keywords

With these keywords, the user wants to find the desired target page on a specific domain.

Transactional Keywords

This type of keyword is used synonymously with the commercial keyword. Transactional keywords are also used when it comes to non-commercial search queries. (Example: free downloads)

Other keywords

Everything that does not fit into the keywords listed above is referred to as “other”, e.g. comparison portals, further examples would be: click here or read on.

Differentiation between long-tail and short-tail keywords

Google defines user intent rather than keywords. Google seems to prefer to categorize search query types by user intent rather than keywords. It is about whether a website can answer the user’s search query as appropriately as possible. Search phrases and context therefore seem to be playing an increasingly important role in the algorithm.

The distinction can be made clearer with the following example:

• Short-Tail = web analysis
• Mid-Tail = web analysis software
• Long-Tail = software for analyzing a website

Money/commercial, brand and compound keywords can largely be divided into long-tail and short-tail keywords.

Long-tail refers to search queries that are more complex, longer and less frequent than short-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are also closely related to so-called niche keywords. Short-tail keywords are called short keyword phrases. These search queries usually have a relatively high regular search volume.

Pure quality rater guidelines share only four keyword types

The Quality Rater Guidelines refer to Know query, Do query, Website query and Visit-in-person query. But not for keywords with the same name.

• Know-Keyword
• Do keyword
• Go keyword
• Know-Simple-Keyword

Know-Keyword

Know keywords are Google’s counterparts to informational keywords. They are usually formulated in the form of a question. (Example: how do I bake bread, what is an algorithm and similar questions)

Do keyword

Do keywords are also transactional keywords or, synonymously, sometimes money keywords. Google defines these keyword queries as the intention to achieve a certain goal. (e.g. downloads, buying something, subscribing to a newsletter, etc.) However, even interaction with a website or an app can be understood as such a do-goal.

Go keyword

This type of search query is also called a navigational keyword in marketing, SEO and SEA. However, overlaps can also be found with the definition of the brand keyword. The user wants to reach a certain destination, e.g. by entering a brand or a domain.

Know-Simple-Keyword

This refers to requests that are intended to lead to a very specific answer. The answers to these queries are highlighted in the SERPs and also displayed at the top of the results.

Role and importance of keywords in search engine optimization

Keywords provide the basis for search engines to find and retrieve data records. So that these entries can be found, the search categories are created as keywords. The difference is that keywords are a kind of description of the overarching topic. They do not necessarily have to appear in the content. Although “keyword” is sometimes used as an umbrella term for keywords, a keyword does not describe a topic category, but a specific part of the content of a website and is therefore much more precise.

The task of search engine optimization is to positively influence the position of a website in the organic search results. Search engines examine certain areas of websites, so placing relevant keywords in certain places is definitely advantageous and important. The most important keywords should also be placed in prominent positions. You should choose keywords that describe the content of your website as precisely as possible.

Keyword Density/ Keyword Density

Keyword density describes the proportion of keywords in relation to the number of words in the entire text. Google is analysing the meaning of texts in increasing detail and can identify the topic of a text based on synonyms and semantic connections. Covering a topic from as many angles as possible and presenting it as holistically as possible helps, because authors automatically use a wide variety of keyword variations, synonyms and semantically related terms.

Nevertheless, it is important to include the keyword in elementary places such as the headline, the title, the main content or the meta description of a website. Overall, your text should appear legible and natural.

We advise against keyword stuffing, the excessive placement of keywords in a text. Google will see this method as over-optimization and therefore penalize your page in the rankings.