What are keywords?

Keywords are words and phrases that users type into a search engine when looking for information, products, or services. They are the foundation of SEO and content marketing strategies — they connect what users are searching for with what you offer on your website.

Identifying and optimizing for the right keywords allows you to create content that answers real user queries and has a chance of ranking highly in SERP. A practical guide to this process can be found in the article how to research keywords.

Types of keywords

By length

Short-tail (generic) — 1–2 words, e.g. "SEO," "marketing." High search volume, high competition, low intent precision
Mid-tail — 2–3 words, e.g. "SEO agency Warsaw." Moderate volume, moderate competition
Long-tail — 4+ words, e.g. "how much does SEO cost for a small business." Low volume, low competition, precise intent, high conversion

Long-tail keywords account for approximately 70% of all Google searches — while individually they generate less traffic, combined they bring more visits and convert better.

By search intent

Informational — "what is SEO," "how does link building work" — the user seeks knowledge
Navigational — "Google Search Console login," "Ahrefs pricing" — the user looks for a specific page
Commercial — "best SEO tools comparison," "SEO agency reviews" — the user is researching options
Transactional — "order SEO audit," "SEO services pricing" — the user is ready to act

Understanding search intent is crucial — content must match what the user is looking for, not merely contain the keyword.

Why are keywords important?

Keywords are the bridge between user needs and the content on your website. Without keyword research, content creation is shooting in the dark — you may write about topics nobody searches for, or miss queries with enormous potential.

Proper use of keywords allows you to:

Create content matched to demand — write about what potential customers are searching for
Build topical authority — systematically covering keyword clusters builds thematic authority
Optimize conversion — transactional keywords attract users ready to take action
Prioritize SEO efforts — focus on keywords with the highest business potential

How to research keywords?

Keyword research (keyword research) is a systematic process:

1. Generating ideas

Brainstorming — what questions do your customers ask? What problems do you solve?
Google Autocomplete — search suggestions show popular queries
People Also Ask — the "People also asked" section in Google
Competitive analysis — what keywords do competitors rank for? (Content gap analysis)

2. Analyzing metrics

For each keyword, check key metrics:

Search volume — how many times per month the keyword is searched
Keyword Difficulty (KD) — how hard it is to rank for (0–100)
CPC — cost per click in ads, an indicator of commercial value
Search intent — informational, commercial, transactional
SERP features — what elements Google displays (featured snippets, rich snippets, AI Overviews)

3. Keyword research tools

Google Keyword Planner — free volume data (requires a Google Ads account)
Ahrefs Keywords Explorer — the most comprehensive data, KD, SERP analysis
Semrush Keyword Magic Tool — extensive keyword database with filters
Google Search Console — keywords your site already appears for
Senuto — a Polish tool with data for the Polish market
AnswerThePublic — visualization of questions asked around a topic

4. Clustering and prioritization

Group keywords into thematic clusters and assign them to pages:

Pillar page — the main topic keyword, a broad article
Cluster content — supporting keywords, detailed articles
Priority — start with keywords that have the highest business potential and moderate competition

How to use keywords on a page?

Optimizing for keywords (on-page SEO) requires naturally placing them in key page elements:

Title tag — the main keyword at the beginning of the title
Meta description — the keyword in the page description
H1 heading — the main keyword in the page heading
H2–H3 headings — supporting keywords and variants
First paragraph — the main keyword within the first 100 words
Image alt text — descriptive keywords in alt attributes
URL — the keyword in the page address (slug)
Body content — natural use of keywords and synonyms throughout

Avoid keyword stuffing — excessive repetition of keywords. Google understands synonyms and semantic context; content should be written for people, not for the algorithm. More about the right approach to content optimization in SEO basics.

Related terms

Keyword research — the keyword research process
Long-tail keyword — long-tail keywords with high conversion
Search intent — the search intent behind a query
On-page SEO — on-page optimization for keywords
Content gap — analysis of missing keywords in a content strategy
Topical authority — thematic authority built by covering keyword clusters

Keywords