Keywords like bread crumbs

Google is the first stop in online searches – we enter the Google address almost automatically, both on mobile phones and when using desktop computers. The Google search engine is constantly changing, but the basis of its searches is still the word.

Keyword – a phrase consisting of one or more words, leading users to the materials they are looking for. In other words, “keywords” are used to describe all the terms that users enter into the search engine window.

In simple search engines, e.g. searches on store pages, the code fragment responsible for this element focuses on searching for a string of characters that creates a given phrase. More advanced search engines, such as Google, Bing or Yandex, use complex algorithms to deliver the best results. Search complexities are related to the amount of data processed by search engines that sort content from all over the Internet. In a situation where the results for even the most complex terms are displayed on several thousand pages, searching for a string and presenting the results in an alphabetical manner would not be very effective.

Keywords – types and varieties

Search engine marketing – in a nutshell – is based on selecting the right keywords and strategically placing them within the website. However, before we start looking for an answer to the question “how to find keywords” and move on to research, it is worth taking a look at the basic types of phrases that we will be looking for:

A. short-tail keywords – the so-called “general keywords”. These types of phrases consist of one or two words and are characterized by very high searchability, and thus – also by competition. Another special feature is their quite generality, which is rather not conducive to conversions – after all, it is difficult to find the skirt model of your dreams, guided only by the results related to the slogan “skirt”. It is similar with wildcard phrases – depending on the search context, the user’s goal may be completely different.

Short general phrases may seem attractive, but the cost of bringing the page to the top of the search results may not be worth the results – i.e. not translating into website traffic, contact or purchases.

B. long-tail keywords – a type of phrase that consists of at least three words. Characteristics? Less frequency of searches, but also – usually – less competition. Longer phrases are more specific and it is much easier to determine the purpose for which it was entered in the search engine. The phrase “red pleated midi skirt” allows you to define the specific features of the desired model – color, type of decorations and length.

Accurate definition of longer key phrases allows you to successfully target the needs of search engine users and significantly facilitate conversion. The cost of positioning long tail phrases will vary between industries – some are still undeveloped, and in others – competition is as fierce as it is on general phrases.

C. brand keywords – words related to the brand. These types of phrases usually contain all or part of your company name. Brand phrases also include entries containing a fragment of the website. If your company name is original, in most cases branded phrases will return results from your domain. In the event that the name of the activity has common features with the names of competitors, it is worth taking care of additional promotion and optimizing the website taking into account interesting brand phrases.

Note – positioning yourself on the name of the competition is not a good solution. In order for the optimization to be effective, it is necessary to place the selected brand phrase within the website, which may lead not only to information chaos and doubts on the part of potential customers, but also to unpleasantness on the part of the competition.

The above division of keywords is one of the most frequently used. It is not perfect – key phrases can be divided in several other ways, for example … according to the “use by date” – into “short-term” (fresh) and “evergreen”. The first one can certainly include phrases based on the current trend.

The ideal solution is to find keywords from each of the groups – this type of diversification allows you to reach various groups of recipients. Appearing various types of phrases in the search results also allows you to increase your reach and raise brand awareness. If the user has received satisfactory answers at the first contact with our brand, there is a chance that he will also choose our link on the next occasion.

How do you find the right keywords for your website?

He can search for keywords with the help of many available online tools. However, before we start using the available software, let’s take a moment to a less technical look at keyword research.

As in the case of setting up a website, when searching for keywords, it is worth defining the GOAL that guides our activities. If the purpose of creating the website was to sell, you should focus on the phrases under which customers will search for products. In a situation where the website is to strengthen our position as an expert in a given niche, the phrases we will focus on will allow us to present our knowledge on a given topic.

A website can simultaneously fulfill various types of purposes, e.g. sell products and be a source of industry advice. This is how DIY stores or bookstores that are also cultural portals. It is also worth remembering that the purpose of the website may change after several months or years of operation. Change is a constant element of running a business, and its intensity and frequency depends on the industry and users’ expectations.

The second important issue is the NICHE ANALYSIS. The analysis of industry activities on the Internet is as important for new businesses as for older ones that are just “entering the Internet”. Marketing online and engaging with customers are different from traditional marketing efforts and require a different set of skills and tools.

It is worth starting to analyze the Internet version of your industry on forums and groups associating people interested in our subject, e.g. on Facebook.

What to look for? It is worth taking a look at what people interested in our subject talk about, what questions are asked there (it’s also a great place to get inspiration for blog texts!) And what language they use. Research should also be supplemented with competition analysis – check how they communicate with customers on the website and on their social media profiles. Additional information may also be provided by reading the comments – in the case of unsuccessful ideas, users of social networks do not have problems with criticizing the actions taken by the company.

Defining the GOAL of our activities and finding out about effective methods in our NICHE will allow us to set the direction in which we should follow when searching for keywords. The preliminary analysis will make it easier to select the main keywords – terms with a greater degree of generality, which will be the basis for further keyword searches. By specifying this basis, it will be easier to use tools to help you find key phrases.

How do I find keywords? Choose your tools!

The correct selection of keywords is the basis for optimization and the entire process of website positioning. Focusing on the phrases that will convert is one of the elements of success that seo activities are aimed at. The tools available on the Internet will help you find words that will be consistent with your goal.

By using the previously specified keywords, we can expand our database of phrases with new related terms.

The Google search engine aims to provide its users with the best possible answers to the questions they are looking for. For this purpose, it uses, among others hints to help you formulate relevant queries.

Autocomplete is based on the popularity and similarity of the phrases entered by the user. The search engine puts a lot of emphasis on personalizing the content served to its users, hence some of the hints will be based on the search history on our account. More universal prompts will appear when using incognito mode.

Keyword suggestions are not the only way to find attractive phrases using search engine data.

KEYWORD PLANNER – the planner is a tool dedicated to Google Ads campaigns. However, you can successfully use it when searching for keywords for positioning. How to find keywords that will suit our needs?

Start by going to the keyword planner page and log in to your Google Account.

Do you remember your main keywords? Based on them, you can define subsequent phrases that will better reflect your business. When using the tool, remember to select the language and country to which you want to direct your services.

You should review your keyword ideas in terms of the number of searches. Note – the “competitiveness” of these phrases is counted for Google Ads, while searching for phrases for positioning, it is not necessary to include the data collected in this column.

How do I find… even more keywords?

The evolution of the keyword base for our website is inevitable, especially if we plan to further increase our visibility within the Google search engine. For this purpose, it is worth taking a look at the phrases on which our website ranks – i.e. the password under which users are displayed.

For this purpose, it is worth visiting the Google Search Console, the EFFECTIVENESS tab.

The data collected in GSC is especially useful when we want to squeeze as much as possible from pages that already exist and are included in the Google index. Perhaps these slogans include those that we did not take into account before, and which have a great potential to increase the number of users on our website? The tool shows us not only the average position of our website – after clicking on the password, we will also get the address of the subpage that ranks it and the type of device.

Additional information may also be provided by the analysis of the search terms – if we place one on our website. This type of data is successfully collected by Google Analytics.

And more and more and more… we don’t need any more

When searching for keywords, moderation and matching their quantity to the size of the website is essential. The amount of space in the key points of each subpage (title, headers) is limited, as is the possibility of processing information by network robots and the user.

When creating lists of key phrases, it is worth planning their placement in a way that allows for optimization in accordance with Google’s requirements, ie without stuffing keywords “by force”. The development of the keyword database does not have to be hampered by this – just take care of expanding the content layer through a blog or news section. In the case of stores, other tricks can also be used – for example, creating various types of unconventional product categories that can be decorated with occasional texts. And the rest … Your clients will tell you what they need – just watch them for a while!

Why this content?

Before we get to know the guidelines for all kinds of content placed on websites, at the beginning it is worth considering why we need them at all. They help increase both the number of search impressions and sales.

We can distinguish two reasons why content is created.

The first of these is values flowing to users. We should remember that online stores are run primarily for customers, so it is worth encouraging them to familiarize themselves with the offer. The home page is a showcase of the company, we should present our business on it and show the user why shopping on our website is worth it. Not without significance is the writing style, which should be properly selected for the target group. Content is therefore a great way to build a lasting relationship with the user. Very often, however, it turns out that when entering our site, the user knows what to expect from it. For this reason, the content is placed at the bottom of the page so that the most important categories or products for users can be in the foreground.

The second purpose for which content should be placed on the page is Google value. The inclusion of relevant keywords that will show the search engine what we do will prove to be significant in achieving high positions in the serpentine. For this to happen, we must also take into account the uniqueness of the texts and their naturalness. This type of content will definitely be rewarded by Google, which is much more willing to show in the search results valuable pages that provide the most information, especially those valuable to users.

Properly constructed content is a key element on the site that is supposed to inspire the trust of both users and search engine robots.

Where do the content have to go and what are the most important features?

The content should be properly in every place of the online store. So we will place it on the main page, categories, subcategories and products. The rules for formatting text will be the same for all components of our site. However, their content will differ, which should accurately describe what is on a given subpage.

So what should content contain to make it valuable not only for Google, but also for users?

– Headlines
This is a key element that increases the number of entries, which sets the hierarchy of importance of content on the page. The correct structure of the text should contain one H1 heading and two H2 headings. They will show users the most important aspects of their business, and including keywords will help them increase their position on Google. You can read more about headers in our previous post: What are website headers?

– Keywords
If we want to ensure high positions in the SERP, we must not forget that our content contains the right number of key phrases for the main page, category or products. In this regard, attention should also be paid to the appropriate variation and synonyms of the most important words, so that the texts will look more natural. We do not have to worry about Google – his robots perfectly understand numbers, declination or cases. Remember, however, not to overdo it with the number of key phrases, as this may be considered a manipulation, and our site may be subject to a penalty. Content with a length of e.g. 300 words should contain max. 2-3 unchanged keywords matched to a given subpage.

– Text formatting
This is important for customers for whom the content becomes more readable and transparent. It is much easier to read the text, which is divided into paragraphs. This is also appreciated by Google, for whom users and their convenience are the most important. In this case, the use of Black Hat SEO, i.e. hiding content by setting the font in the background color will be severely punished by Google.

– Internal linking
Added in the content will help users navigate our site, and placing links to categories or products in anchors on the appropriate keywords will positively influence the position increase in search results.

Now that we’ve learned the most important features that content should contain in an online store, let’s consider what are the guidelines for the texts on individual subpages:

– Content on the home page
– Content on categories
– Content on products

1. Content on the home page

The content on the home page is designed to provide users with as much information as possible about what our business is about.

– Total text length: 300-500 words.
– The text must be unique – it cannot appear on any of our other subpages (eg in the “about us” tab). It is important that it is also not copied from the competition.
– The aforementioned appropriate text formatting is welcome. The content does not have to be compacted in one block, on the contrary – its division into several paragraphs, located in different places on the main page will look more aesthetically pleasing. However, remember to set appropriate headers ..
– The description should include information about the company and what makes it stand out and what is on offer.
– The content should also use references to individual categories on the page (internal linking).
– Use words that can be used by users who are looking for a given product.
– It’s worth using epithets and synonyms that will expand the words for which the page is displayed in the search engine.

2. Content on categories

The texts on the page of individual categories and subcategories will saturate them with content, which will increase the number of phrases for which they are displayed in search results.

– Total text length: 250-300 words.
– Uniqueness is also very important here – copying from other sites is not recommended.
– In this case, remember also about proper formatting: division of descriptions with headings, placing in them bolds and skews containing the name of the category, their distinguishing features and relevant information for users.
– In the content it is also worth adding internal linking to product pages or other categories.
– The content should contain information about:
a) the category to which it relates (the main keyword will usually be its name),
b) differentiators by which users can search for products in this category,
c) producers of goods in this category (it is worth to name them at least),
d) major products or related categories.

3. Content on products

The content on the products will be created analogous to the category, but they will differ in terms of substance.

– Total text length: 200 words.
– Uniqueness once again. The content should not only be copied from manufacturers’ websites, but also should not be repeated within the store – for similar products of the same brand it is worth using paraphrase.
– It is advisable to divide the content with H2 headings, it may also include a few italics and bolds on the keywords, i.e. usually the name of the product.
– The description should be a combination of user-friendly and search engine-friendly content.
– Remember to link to products from other related categories.
– The content should contain information about:
a) the type of product (what is: boys pants, dress),
b) distinguishing features, after which users can search for the product (color, material, size / size, other characteristics),
c) the producer (it is important that his name appears),
d) the specific model name should also be included.

Duplication of content and uniqueness of texts

Our entire article is mainly based on one simple principle: the content on the page should be unique. In this way, we eliminate content duplication that is severely punished by Google robots. It is also important for users who, once again encountering the same product descriptions, feel frustrated, resulting in leaving our online store. There is also a risk that the text we copy, e.g. from the producer, is covered by copyright, so there will be painful legal problems.

The introduction of properly optimized content on the page is crucial for positioning. The result of adding content to the site is an increase in the number of views in search results, and thus also organic traffic, which also directly translates into the sale of online stores. In this way, we confirmed the thesis that content is king!