Digital marketing is becoming an increasingly complex discipline. Social media platforms are more important than ever, and each one of them is evolving in separate directions. But despite all these changes, one basic truth remains: Keywords are the cornerstone of your digital marketing strategy.
What Are Keywords in Digital Marketing?
Simply put, keywords are the terms that people type into a search engine (such as Google or Yahoo!) to find a product or service.
For example, if you had a bookstore, some of the basic keywords you would want your website to have include “bookstore,” “bookstore in [name of your city],” “books,” “books in [name of your city].”
However, you’ll also need more specific keywords. Let’s say that your bookstore focuses on vintage Sci-Fi. Then you’d also have to include “Sci-Fi bookstore in [name of your city],” “Sci-Fi books in [name of your city],” “Vintage Sci-Fi books in [name of your city].”
As mentioned above, the most common application of keywords is optimizing your content to make it rank higher on search engine results. However, keywords apply to everything, from your online ads to your social media copy.
Two Types of Keywords
There are two types of keywords: long-tail keywords and short-tail keywords.
Short-tail keywords are terms made up of no more than three words that have a very broad meaning, for example, “sneakers,” “social media,” or “blue suede shoes.”
Since these keywords are so general, they have a high search volume, meaning that a lot of people type them into search engines for different reasons. For example, a person typing “blue suede shoes” may want to buy shoes, but may also be looking up the lyrics of the classic Carl Perkins’ song.
Long-tail keywords, on the other hand, are more specific keywords that may contain more than three terms. These keywords have a lower search volume compared to short-tail keywords but usually lead to more conversions due to their highly specific nature.
Some examples of long-tail keywords include “buy blue suede shoes in Los Angeles,” “Comfortable and durable jeans for women,” or “women’s checkered shirts with collar.”
Basic Keyword Mistakes to Avoid
While keywords may seem pretty straightforward in theory, there are many pitfalls you should make sure to avoid. These are some of the most common keyword mistakes:
- Failing to research the words people are actually using to search for your product or service (you can do your research using tools like Google Keyword Planner or Google Trends).
- Not taking a look at the keywords your competitors rank for.
- Dismissing long-tail keywords.
- Creating low-quality content just for the sake of filling it with keywords.
- Incurring in “keyword stuffing,” which can actually lead search engines to penalize your site.
Contact the Experts in Digital Marketing!
Our team of digital marketing experts at Uniko Biz Solutions stand ready to help you take your business to the next level.
Let’s work together! Contact us today by email, telephone, or social media, and let us create a marketing mix with your specific needs in mind.
