Online marketing has always been fairly keyword-centric, and not without reason. While it is certainly possible to overuse keywords, or to use them in a way that’s not strategically sound, having some good, solid keywords can provide direction for your content creation. It can also ensure that the content you develop is properly categorized and qualified by the search engine algorithms. Meanwhile, when it comes to PPC advertising, keyword research is essentially mandatory. The bottom line: If you’re thinking about digital marketing, you have to be discerning in terms of keywords.

As far as keywords go, though, there are a number of key questions worth asking. How many keywords should you use in your content? How should they be positioned? These are relevant queries, but there’s a more basic one still: What kinds of keywords should you be targeting?

Categories of Keywords

Keywords can be placed into a few different categories, and it’s worth taking a moment to understand what these categories are and the value they can deliver.

Market-defining keywords. These are the words and phrases that customers might use when talking, in broad terms, about your business, industry, or niche. They are sufficiently generic that ranking for them can often be difficult, but they are important nevertheless. You’ve got to have some of these broad terms on your website to define the category your business falls under, and to kick start further content creation.

Customer-defining keywords. These are the terms that your customers might use to identify themselves. What do your clients call themselves? What words would they use to describe their values and their pain points? These keywords can help you define your target audience and connect with those who might be interested in your brand.

Product keywords. These are the terms that describe what you’re selling. Here, both general and specific keywords are useful. For example, you might use keywords like used cars or pre-owned SUVS but also Toyota Highlander or used Cadillacs. These terms can be helpful for tapping into product enthusiasts within your audience segments.

Thought leader keywords. Knowing the names of the big movers and shakers within your industry—including those who wield a lot of influence on Twitter or on LinkedIn—can be helpful for outreach and for establishing your own thought leadership. You may not use these terms on your home page, but you should at least be aware of what some of them might be.

Competitor keywords. These are simply the names of your competitors. Again, you won’t use them on your own home page, most likely, but you may use them to help you do research and to see what you’re going up against.

Geotargeted keywords. Finally, these are the keywords that are anchored to specific cities, communities, or neighborhoods—keywords that can be vital for attracting local search traffic. Words of this nature are invaluable for those who have brick-and-mortar businesses or narrowly demarcated service areas.

Hopefully this quick primer will offer you some new ways to think about keywords, and to understand how different keyword categories can guide your content creation. To talk further about keywords and their place within an integrated marketing strategy, we invite you to contact our team at enCOMPASS Agency at your convenience.