SEO Articles

27 Types of SEO Keywords: Examples and Use Cases

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a crucial aspect of digital marketing, and its core aspect is the strategic use of keywords. You will find a list of various SEO keywords on this page. This comprehensive list includes types of SEO keywords, their examples, and specific use cases to help you optimize your content strategy.

Each type of keyword carries its advantages and disadvantages when implemented. To guide you, we’ve outlined the pros and cons of each keyword below.

Types of SEO Keywords

1. Seed Keywords

Seed keywords are foundational or head keywords that enclose the core idea of the topics in your content or marketing strategy.

ExamplesUse Cases
Travel, Fitness, Real Estate, Technology, Recipes, ParentingUsed to find other types of keywords, define content topics, improve SEO, reach a broader audience in ads, and identify market trends.

 Pros:

  • Useful to find relevant keywords in keyword research.
  • Useful for attracting diverse audiences.
  • Helpful in spotting emerging trends in your industry.
  • Helpful in generating content ideas on common queries.

Cons:

  • Highly competitive, making it challenging to rank your content in search engine results pages (SERPs).
  • Lack of specificity in user intent, thus impacting traffic quality.
  • Lack of conversions for leads and sales.
  • Time-consuming in generating long-tail keywords and relevant content strategies.
  • Risks of over-optimizing content for very broad keywords, leading to poor user experience.

2. Short-tail Keywords

Short-tail keywords, also known as head terms, are brief, general search terms consisting of one to two words.

ExamplesUse Cases
Shoes, Digital Marketing, Weight Loss, Mobile Phones, AppleOften used for building brand awareness, ideal for homepage optimization, useful for targeting a broad audience

Pros:

  • High search volume
  • Easier to incorporate into your content

Cons:

  • Highly competitive
  • Lower conversion rates because of their broad intent nature

3. Mid-tail Keywords

Mid-tail keywords are phrases that typically consist of two to three words and sit between short-tail keywords (broad phrases) and long-tail keywords (more specific phrases).

ExamplesUse Cases
Budget travel tips, Luxury real estate listings, Latest tech gadgets, Healthy dinner recipes, Positive parenting strategiesHelpful in creating targeted content, improving search engine rankings, increasing ROI in PPC campaigns, identifying and segmenting audiences, and aligning content with audience motivations.

 Pros:

  • Usually low competitive than short-tail keywords, making it easier to rank for them.
  • Higher conversion rates compared to broader terms.
  • Relevant to user intent.
  • Potentials for steady traffic growth over time.
  • Easy to diversify your content offerings, addressing various questions and topics of the audience.

Cons:

  • Lower search volume than short keywords.
  • Time-consuming to research, analyze and optimize.
  • May have a saturated market, making it challenging to stand out.
  • May be ambiguous if the content does not adequately address visitors’ needs.

4. Long-tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are more specific phrases than mid-tail keywords, typically consisting of four or more words.

ExamplesUse Cases
Best running shoes for flat feet, How to create an email marketing strategy, Healthy weight loss tips for womenUsed in targeting niche audiences, optimizing product pages, creating informative blog posts

Pros:

  • Less competition to rank in search engines
  • Higher conversion rates because of specific user intent
  • Better alignment of your content with user intent

Cons:

  • Lower search volume
  • More effort to research and implement

5. Geo-targeted Keywords

Geo-targeted keywords include location-specific terms to attract local customers.

ExamplesUse Cases
Dentist in New York City, Best Italian restaurant in India, Emergency health centre near meLocal SEO strategies, optimizing Google My Business listings, creating location-specific landing pages

Pros:

  • Highly relevant to local businesses
  • Improved local search visibility
  • Better conversion rates for location-based services

Cons:

  • Limited to specific geographic areas, not for those who target a larger coverage
  • May have a lower search volume if you work in a smaller market

6. Informational Keywords

Informational keywords are a type of phrase used by searchers who are looking for answers, knowledge, or guidance.

ExamplesUse Cases
How to use ChatGPT, What is information technology, Early symptoms of diabetesCreating educational content, developing FAQ pages, writing how-to guides and tutorials

Pros:

  • Allowing establishing authority in your field
  • Potential for featured snippets in search results
  • Can lead to increased dwell time on your site
  • Useful to drive visitors to your products or services

Cons:

  • May not directly lead to sales or leads
  • Requires consistent content creation for returning visitors

7. Navigational Keywords

Navigational keywords are a kind of search query used when searchers are looking for a specific page of a website.

ExamplesUse Cases
Facebook login, Amazon customer service, Google Gemini appOptimizing branded search results, creating dedicated landing pages, improving site navigation and structure

Pros:

  • High organic traffic potential for branded searches
  • Opportunity to improve your content around your brand

Cons:

  • Useful only for established brands or well-known entities
  • May not be as relevant for newer businesses

8. Transactional Keywords

Transactional keywords are search terms with the intent of making a purchase or completing an action immediately. They are also known as buyer keywords.

ExamplesUse Cases
Buy iPhone 13 Pro, Book flight to Paris, Subscribe to Amazon PrimeOptimizing product/category pages, creating targeted landing pages, improving CTAs

Pros:

  • High conversion potential
  • Clear user intent of conversions
  • Effective for e-commerce and service-based businesses

Cons:

  • Often highly competitive in search engine results pages
  • May require paid advertising to drive traffic

9. Commercial Keywords

Commercial keywords are also a type of terms and phrases that indicate a strong intent to purchase or engage in a transaction but in the consideration or decision-making stage.

ExamplesUse Cases
Best smartphone deals, Discount wedding dresses, Top-rated laptops for workCreating e-commerce content and marketing campaigns, running PPC campaigns, creating targeted content, local search optimization (if location-specific).

 Pros:

  • Leading to higher conversion rates.
  • Precise targeting in advertising campaigns to reach an audience with clear buying intent.
  • Better returns on investment.
  • Useful for analyzing market demand and consumer preferences.

 Cons:

  • Usually highly competitive to rank in organic search results.
  • Can be expensive in paid ads due to high competition and demand.
  • May require constant monitoring and adaptation of market trends.
  • May attract people who are not fully committed to a purchase if they are broad terms.
  • Mostly dependent on paid ads.

10. Local Keywords

Local keywords are a category of search terms that specify a geographic area, allowing businesses to target local customers more effectively. They usually include the name of a city, region, or neighbourhood along with a relevant service or product.

ExamplesUse Cases
Coffee shops in Seattle, Pharmacies near me, Best Italian restaurant in London, Car washers in MiamiLocal businesses/services, retail, health/wellness, real estate, tourism/hospitality, education, legal, and online businesses to attract local customers.

 Pros:

  • Ranking higher in local search results
  • Attracting visitors looking for products or services in a particular location.
  • Low competition due to specific targeting.
  • Enhancing in Google My Business listing for local pack results.

 Cons:

  • Limited reach if they are too specific to a certain location.
  • Can be highly competitive for new businesses to rank in search results.
  • May require more research and creativity.

11. Seasonal Keywords

Seasonal keywords are terms that have fluctuations in search volume based on time of year, holidays, or events.

ExamplesUse Cases
Valentine’s Day gifts, Summer vacation ideas, Black Friday dealsCreating timely content for seasonal events, planning marketing campaigns, and optimizing content for holiday-specific searches.

Pros:

  • Opportunity to take advantage during trending days
  • Can lead to increased traffic and sales during peak seasons

Cons:

  • Requires careful planning and timing to make it hot
  • Maybe less relevant outside of the specific periods

12. General Keywords

General keywords are broad search terms that reflect a general topic or category.

ExamplesUse Cases
Shoes, Restaurants, FitnessTargeting a broad audience, optimizing for diverse options.

Pros:

  • High search volume.
  • Helpful in building brand awareness.

Cons:

  • Highly competitive due to many competing websites.
  • Low conversion rate because of lack of specific intent.

13. Exact Match Keywords

Exact match keywords are specific search phrases used to find results as exactly as defined. These sorts of keywords are usually enclosed in quotation marks (“”).

ExamplesUse Cases
“best running shoes”, “Italian restaurant near me”, “affordable web hosting”Creating content and ads that exactly match the keywords.

Pros:

  • Driving highly targeted traffic likely to convert.
  • Less competition compared to general keywords.

Cons:

  • Fewer searches compared to broader keywords.
  • May miss variations of the search query that have the same intent.

14. Broad Match Keywords

Broad match keywords are phrases that allow ads to show for other related queries, including synonyms, variations, and related searches. They offer the most flexibility in matching.

ExamplesUse Cases
For “shoes”: “buy shoes online,” “running footwear,” “best sneakers.”Capturing diverse related searches, attracting a broader audience using various keywords for a product/service.

Pros:

  • Attracting a larger audience by capturing variations and related terms.
  • Can be effective for discovering new keyword opportunities.

Cons:

  • Potentially attracts irrelevant traffic, leading to lower conversion rates.
  • May not be cost-effective in PPC ads.

15. Question Based Keywords

Question-based keywords are search queries to find information or solutions and typically start with words like “what,” “how,” “why,” “where,” or “when.”

ExamplesUse Cases
What is the best way to learn SEO?, Why is walking good for health?, Why should I have a content calendar?Creating how-to guides, educational content, and content addressing customer inquiries.

Pros:

  • Attracting people looking for specific answers.
  • Ideas to create valuable content, such as FAQ pages, how-to articles, or informative blog posts.
  • Optimizing for voice searches.

Cons:

  • May be highly competitive if they are common queries.
  • Like long-tail keywords, they might have lower search volume compared to more general keywords.

16. Branded Keywords

Branded keywords refer to search terms that include a specific brand name or trademark. They are used by people who are aware of a brand.

ExamplesUse Cases
Nike sneakers, Apple iPhone 15 reviews, SEMRush keyword toolAttracting brand-specific consumers, driving traffic to promotions, and managing brand reputation.

Pros:

  • Higher conversion rates.
  • Helps reinforce brand loyalty by engaging users.
  • Usually less competition in search results.

Cons:

  • Targets only searchers who are already aware of the brand.
  • Newer brands may struggle to gain visibility until they establish recognition.
  • If competitors bid on branded keywords (in paid advertising), they can divert traffic away from the brand’s site.

17. Unbranded Keywords

Unbranded keywords are the sort of search terms without a brand name. These keywords are broader and often describe general products, services, or categories.

ExamplesUse Cases
running shoes, best social media courses, home workout equipmentContent for those seeking options without brand preference, capturing a wider audience for education.

Pros:

  • Attracts a wider audience, including potential customers on different buying journeys.
  • Higher search volume compared to branded keywords.
  • Encourages searchers to explore and compare different products or services, allowing your brand to showcase your offerings.

Cons:

  • Usually high competition, harder to rank well in search results.
  • Lower conversion rates as not specific to a brand.

18. Product Keywords

Product keywords are specific search terms used when looking for a particular product or product category. They typically include the product name, type, or features.

ExamplesUse Cases
4K smart TV, organic green tea, laptop with 16GB RAMOptimizing content for specific product features, writing comparative reviews, and targeting customers actively searching for the product using Google Ads.

Pros:

  • A strong intent to purchase.
  • Matches the exact search queries of potential customers.
  • Enhances a website’s SEO by aligning content with specific terms.

Cons:

  • Can be highly competitive in popular categories.
  • Trends can shift rapidly in the consumer market, causing certain product keywords to lose relevance quickly.

19. Market Segment Keywords (Niche Keywords)

Market segment keywords, often referred to as niche keywords, are the type of specific terms that target a distinct group within a larger market. They represent the unique interests, preferences, or needs of a particular audience, helpful for businesses to connect with a more focused customer base.

ExamplesUse Cases
vegan protein powder for athletes, eco-friendly travel gear for backpackers, sustainable fashion for curvy womenTargeted advertising for unique buyers, creating audience-specific content, and social media engagement with specific groups.

Pros:

  • Less competition to achieve high rankings in search results.
  • Can drive more qualified traffic, leading to increased conversion rates.
  • Develops a deeper connection with your audience.

Cons:

  • Limited audience size due to targeting a small market.
  • Niche markets can be sensitive to shifts in consumer trends or preferences, requiring them to stay agile and update their strategies accordingly.
  • Requires to research and fulfill specific consumer needs.

20. Customer Defining Keywords

Customer-defining keywords reflect the specific characteristics, problems, or solutions that potential customers associate with a product or service. They often include demographic information, emotional drivers, or contextual circumstances that define the kind of searchers.

ExamplesUse Cases
affordable fitness programs for beginners, time management tools for busy professionals, weight loss support for new momsTargeted marketing for audiences with specific problems, creating solution-oriented articles, and audience segmentation.

Pros:

  • Can create more relevant offerings to meet precise demands.
  • Resonates with a target audience’s specific conditions or emotional states, leading to increased engagement and brand loyalty.
  • Improves SEO performance and website search engine rankings.

Cons:

  • Narrow focussed, limiting the breadth of potential customer reach.
  • Customer needs and preferences can shift over time, so shift their keywords.

21. Negative Keywords

Negative keywords are words or phrases used by advertisers to exclude from their pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns to prevent their ads from being displayed for irrelevant searches.

ExamplesUse Cases
cheap, jobs, tutorialIn PPC, use “cheap” as a negative keyword. Use “jobs” to filter out job seekers. A software company may use “tutorial” to exclude searches for instructional content.

Pros:

  • Can increase the relevance of ads.
  • Prevents clicks from searchers who are unlikely to convert, ultimately leading to a more efficient use of the advertising budget.
  • Enhanced targeting to a focused audience.

Cons:

  • Overusing negative keywords can lead to the exclusion of valuable traffic.
  • Constant monitoring is needed as consumer language and behavior can change over time.

22. Evergreen Keywords

Evergreen keywords are a kind of search phrases that maintain consistent relevance and search volume over time. They are typically focused on topics that are foundational and continually sought after, regardless of trends.

ExamplesUse Cases
how to lose weight, gardening tips, best practices for email marketingCreating evergreen content, optimizing for search engines, and establishing long-term authority.

Pros:

  • Steady traffic over time to your website.
  • Potential to provide returns on investment long after it was created, making it a cost-effective strategy.

Cons:

  • Requiring regular updates to remain relevant and useful.
  • May not produce rapid results compared to trendy keywords that capture immediate interest.
  • May not generate much excitement or shareability for social media engagement and virality.

23. Trendy Keywords

Trendy keywords emerge from current events, cultural phenomena, or changing consumer interests. They reflect the latest trends and have short-term spikes in search volume.

ExamplesUse Cases
2025 SEO trends, latest tech gadgets, hot new restaurantsCapturing timely search interest, good for social media engagement, and product promotions.

Pros:

  • High traffic potential during peak interest times.
  • Can generate buzz, shares, and social media engagement.
  • Attracts attention and sparks consumer interest.

Cons:

  • Short lifespan as they quickly lose relevance.
  • May be highly competitive in search results if you are slow to publish your content.
  • Challenging to predict return on investment.

24. Primary (Focus) Keywords

Primary keywords, aka focus keywords, are the main terms or phrases that a piece of content is written to rank for in search engines.

ExamplesUse Cases
digital marketing, SEO strategies, healthy meal planAttracting readers in page titles, used in product pages, and targeting audience intent.

Pros:

  • Clearly defines the content’s primary focus for search engines to help understand and categorize.
  • SEO optimized to improve search engine rankings and organic traffic.
  • Helps in aligning the content with clear intent.

Cons:

  • Often faces intense competition in the SERPs.
  • Focusing too narrowly on a primary keyword may lead to keyword stuffing or unnatural writing.
  • Concentrating solely on one keyword can cause content to miss out on broader related topics.

25. Secondary Keywords

Secondary keywords refer to related phrases or terms that support the primary keyword, providing additional context and capturing a broader audience.

ExamplesUse Cases
“content marketing strategies” (related to “digital marketing”), “trail running shoes” (related to “best running shoes”), “on-page SEO techniques” (related to “SEO strategies”)Content enrichment, increasing ranking opportunities, and internal linking.

Pros:

  • Reinforces the primary keyword and provides additional context to search engines.
  • Captures related search queries to increase traffic and helps to reach searchers with slightly different search intents.
  • Enhanced content quality and comprehensiveness.

Cons:

  • Detracts focus from the primary keyword if overused, confusing search engines about the main topic.
  • May not be relevant to the content and could lead to a poor user experience if not carefully managed.
  • Too many secondary keywords can complicate the narrative.

26. LSI/Semantic Keywords

LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) or semantic keywords are terms contextually related to the primary keyword. They help search engines better understand the content’s context and relevance.

ExamplesUse Cases
“digital strategies” (related to “digital marketing”), “home decoration” (related to “home improvement tips”), “search engine optimization” (related to “SEO strategies”)

Used to enhance SEO by incorporating within the content, to provide deeper insights and capture additional search queries, to improve a more natural flow in writing as they diversify vocabulary without losing focus on the main topic.

Pros:

  • Improves contextual relevance, helping search engines understand the intent behind searches better.
  • Potential for featured snippets in the SERPs.
  • Provides a more natural-sounding narrative, leading to lower bounce rates and higher dwell time.

Cons:

  • Often complicated in writing and forced usage of terms that may not fit naturally.
  • Search engines may not always interpret them correctly, leading to fluctuating rankings.
  • May shift focus away from primary and secondary keywords if not used strategically.

27. Competitor Keywords

Competitor keywords refer to terms and phrases targeted by competing websites within your niche or industry.

ExamplesUse Cases
“email marketing software” (competing against a competitor who offers similar software solutions), “affordable home renovation” (targeting budget-conscious consumers who read similar articles), “social media strategies” (related to competitors focusing on digital marketing services)Researching gaps in your content strategy, creating new blog posts, landing pages, or product descriptions to capture similar traffic as competitors do, and researching search terms to ensure that your PPC ads are visible alongside competitor ads.

Pros:

  • Informs valuable keywords that drive demanding traffic to competitors.
  • Opportunities to differentiate your content and capture traffic they may be missing.
  • Opportunities to improve your content strategies on real-world performance and industry trends.

Cons:

  • Requires time and resources to identify your opportunities.
  • Potential brand dilution if focussed too heavily on competitor keywords.
  • Requires constant adaptation and vigilance to remain competitive.

Understanding the different types of SEO keywords and using them effectively is key to crafting a successful SEO strategy. By naturally blending a variety of these keywords into your content, you can boost your website’s visibility, attract the right audience, and increase conversions.

It’s important to carry out detailed keyword research, analyze what users are searching for, and create high-quality content that satisfies both Google and your readers. With a strategic focus on keyword optimization, you can enhance your online presence and achieve your digital marketing ROI.

How to Research Keywords and Identify Their Types

Keyword research helps in understanding what words and phrases people are using to search for content related to your niche. Here’s how to research keywords and identify the types of them:

  • Know Your Niche and Audience: First, understand who your target audience is, their needs, preferences, and pain points.
  • Use Keyword Research Tools: There are popular tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMRush, Ahrefs, Ubbersuggest, etc you can use. Here is a list of the Best Keyword Research Tools (free & paid)
  • Brainstorm Seed Keywords: Start with broad terms related to your niche or industry. For example, if you’re in digital marketing, seed keywords may look like “SEO,” “email marketing,” or “social media.” Search a seed keyword in the keyword tool by selecting a target location and then, look at the suggestions.
  • Analyze and Categorize Keywords: Check the search volume of each keyword. Also, check the keyword difficulty to know how hard it is to rank. You should also try to understand the intent behind each keyword to know why someone is searching for it.

To know the type of a keyword, read the words used in it and try to understand what it means to find (information, products, reviews, etc.). If unable to understand, search it in Google and see what kind of results Google provides. 

Keyword research tools like SEMRush can analyze and categorize the keywords. You can organize them by search volume, keyword difficulty, or type. Group them as you want to facilitate in finding the right keywords for your content creation.

Here is how you can use SEMRush to identify the types of keywords:

Visit their website at www.semrush.com, sign up for a free account, and log in. Open their Keyword Magic Tool from the left sidebar. Then, enter your keyword and search. View the following results for the seed keyword “smartwatches”:

Look at the rectangles in red. Also, see Questions, Broad Match, Phrase Match, Exact Match, and Related. Click on any of them to view keywords of that type. If you want to see keywords based on user intent, click Intent as in the second rectangle and select an intent type to view the results for it. 

Tools & Resources

Keyword research seems easy to most people. However, if they want to find the right, valuable keywords that work for their goals, they need solid skills. To have this expertise, they should learn from experts or even go for a training class. Check out these Keyword Research Books & Courses.

Those in this profession, especially those who earn money with keyword research, use paid tools like Ahrefs or SEMRush. If you are looking for the best affordable alternatives, try AppSumo’s Lifetime Deals on Keyword Research Tools. 

If you are looking for a keyword research expert for your website or blog, Click Here. 

Please share this page with your social media posts to encourage our work. If you have any comments on this list of keywords, please leave them in the comment box below. We are happy to hear your feedback and rectify any errors on this page. 

Disclosure: We are partners or associates of Amazon and other top brands. We may earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without increasing the price. Please read our full affiliate disclosure here.

Related posts:

  1. Keyword Research Tips for Small Businesses in 2024
  2. How to Find YouTube Autocomplete Keywords, Search Volume & Competition
  3. How to Find the Most Profitable Niches Fast
  4. Navigating the Complexities of Keyword Universe
  5. How Keyword Clustering Drives Organic Traffic and Improves SEO
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Published by
Ibochouba Singh

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