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 SEO keywords on this page. This comprehensive list includes various types of SEO keywords, their examples, and specific use cases to help you optimize your content strategy.
Each type of keywords carries its own advantages and disadvantages when implemented. To guide you, we’ve outlined the pros and cons of each keyword below.
Seed keywords are foundational or head keywords that enclose the core idea of the topics in your content or marketing strategy.
Examples:
Travel
Fitness
Real Estate
Technology
Recipes
Parenting
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Short-tail keywords, also known as head terms, are brief, general search terms consisting of one to two words.
Examples:
shoes
digital marketing
weight loss
mobile phones
apple
Use cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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).
Examples:
Budget travel tips
Luxury real estate listings
Latest tech gadgets
Healthy dinner recipes
Positive parenting strategies
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Long-tail keywords are more specific phrases than mid-tail keywords, typically consisting of four or more words.
Examples:
best running shoes for flat feet
how to create an email marketing strategy
healthy weight loss tips for women
Use cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Geo-targeted keywords include location-specific terms to attract local customers.
Examples:
dentist in New York City
best Italian restaurant in India
emergency health centre near me
Use cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Informational keywords are a type of phrases used by searchers who are looking for answers, knowledge, or guidance.
Examples:
how to use ChatGPT
what is information technology
early symptoms of diabetes
Use cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Navigational keywords are a kind of search queries used when searchers are looking for a specific page of a website.
Examples:
Facebook login
Amazon customer service
Google Gemini app
Use cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Transactional keywords are search terms with the intent of making a purchase or completing an action immediately. They are also known as buyer keywords.
Examples:
buy iPhone 13 Pro
book flight to Paris
subscribe to Amazon Prime
Use cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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.
Examples:
Best smartphone deals
Discount wedding dresses
Top-rated laptops for work
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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.
Examples:
Coffee shops in Seattle
Pharmacies near me
Best Italian restaurant in London
Car washers in Miami
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Seasonal keywords are terms that have fluctuations in search volume based on time of year, holidays, or events.
Examples:
Valentine’s Day gifts
summer vacation ideas
Black Friday deals
Use cases:
Pros:
Cons:
General keywords are broad search terms that reflect a general topic or category.
Examples:
shoes
restaurants
fitness
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Exact match keywords are specific search phrases used to find results as exactly as defined. This sort of keywords are usually enclosed in quotation marks (“”).
Examples:
“best running shoes”
“Italian restaurant near me”
“affordable web hosting”
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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.
Examples:
For the keyword “shoes, ” related searches could include “buy shoes online,” “running footwear,” or “best sneakers.”
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Question-based keywords are search queries to find information or solutions and typically start with words like “what,” “how,” “why,” “where,” or “when.”
Examples:
What is the best way to learn SEO?
Why is walking good for health?
Why should I have a content calendar?
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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.
Examples:
Nike sneakers
Apple iPhone 15 reviews
SEMRush keyword tool
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Unbranded keywords are the sort of search terms without a brand name. These keywords are broader and often describe general products, services, or categories.
Examples:
running shoes
best social media courses
home workout equipment
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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.
Examples:
4K smart TV
organic green tea
laptop with 16GB RAM
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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.
Examples:
vegan protein powder for athletes
eco-friendly travel gear for backpackers
sustainable fashion for curvy women
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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.
Examples:
affordable fitness programs for beginners
time management tools for busy professionals
weight loss support for new moms
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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.
Examples:
cheap
jobs
tutorial
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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.
Examples:
how to lose weight
gardening tips
best practices for email marketing
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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.
Examples:
2024 SEO trends
latest tech gadgets
hot new restaurants
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Primary keywords, aka focus keywords, are the main terms or phrases that a piece of content is written to rank for in search engines.
Examples:
digital marketing
SEO strategies
healthy meal plan
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Secondary keywords refer to related phrases or terms that support the primary keyword, providing additional context and capturing a broader audience.
Examples:
“content marketing strategies” (related to “digital marketing”)
“trail running shoes” (related to “best running shoes”)
“on-page SEO techniques” (related to “SEO strategies”)
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
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.
Examples:
“digital strategies” (related to “digital marketing”)
“home decoration” (related to “home improvement tips”)
“search engine optimization” (related to “SEO strategies”)
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Competitor keywords refer to terms and phrases targeted by competing websites within your niche or industry.
Examples:
“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)
Use Cases:
Pros:
Cons:
Understanding and effectively utilizing the different types of SEO keywords is essential for creating a well-rounded and successful SEO strategy. By incorporating a mix of them naturally in your content, you can increase your website’s visibility, targeted traffic, and conversions.
Conduct thorough keyword research, analyze user intent, and create high-quality content that satisfies both Google and your audience. With a strategic approach to keyword optimization, you can enhance your online presence and achieve your digital marketing goals.
Keywords help 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:
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. You 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.
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.
Ibochouba Singh is a content writer and reviewer with a passion for writing about digital marketing and tech gadgets, including software tools and new tech gadgets. He has over 15 years of experience writing for several consumers and clients, including tech startups, marketing agencies, and software companies. He is writing many articles and product reviews for many websites, including nigcworld.com, buywin.in, medium.com, and quora.com.
When talking about SEO, we frequently say content is king. But it is not just…
Link building is a cornerstone of SEO. It's a strategy that can push your website…
Online marketing can be challenging for beginners to understand the various strategies for building an…
Influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful strategy in the ever-changing digital space. Brands increasingly…
Today, content marketing is one of the most effective strategies for businesses online to reach…
Since its public launch, ChatGPT, an advanced AI by OpenAI, has revolutionized content generation. Now,…