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What keywords are, why they matter for SEO, and the difference between short-tail and long-tail keywords.

You've probably heard the word "keywords" when people talk about SEO. But what does it actually mean, and why does it matter for your website?

This guide explains keywords in plain terms — no jargon, no guesswork.

Quick summary

Keywords are the words and phrases people type into Google when they're searching. Your job in SEO is to understand which keywords your potential customers use, and make sure your website clearly answers those searches. You don't need to stuff keywords into your text — you need to write genuinely helpful content about the right topics.

What is a keyword?

A keyword is any word or phrase someone types into a search engine. It could be:

A single word: "plumber"
A short phrase: "emergency plumber"
A full question: "how much does an emergency plumber cost in Chicago"

Every time someone searches, they're using keywords. Your website ranks for keywords — meaning Google decides which of your pages are relevant to which searches, and shows them (or doesn't) accordingly.

Short-tail vs long-tail keywords

Keywords are often described as short-tail or long-tail:

Type	Example	Search volume	Competition
Short-tail	"shoes"	Highest	Highest
Mid-tail	"running shoes"	Lower	Lower
Long-tail	"best running shoes for flat feet women"	Lowest	Lowest

The volume and competition columns are relative, not absolute. Real numbers vary by country, by season, and by tool, so check them in a keyword tool for your own market rather than trusting a figure in an article.

Short-tail keywords are broad. They get the most search volume, and they are also the most competitive. A small business trying to rank for "shoes" is up against national retailers and every other shoe seller on the web.

Long-tail keywords are more specific. They get fewer searches, but each search tells you much more about what the person actually wants — which usually makes them easier to write a genuinely useful page for, and more achievable for a smaller site.

Where to focus

For most small and medium businesses, long-tail keywords are the more realistic place to start. A specific, relevant phrase has fewer pages competing for it than a broad one, so a well-written page has a better chance of being the best answer to it.

Search intent: what does the searcher actually want?

Every keyword has an intent — the reason behind the search. Understanding intent is just as important as knowing the keyword itself.

Google doesn't publish an official list of intent types, but SEO tools and marketers usually sort searches into four rough buckets:

Informational: "how does SEO work" — the person wants to learn something
Navigational: "Facebook login" — they want to go to a specific site
Commercial: "best accounting software for small business" — they're researching before buying
Transactional: "buy QuickBooks online" — they're ready to purchase

Treat these as a thinking tool, not a Google rule.

When you write a page, you need to match the intent. If someone searches "how to care for orchids," they want an informative how-to guide — not a page trying to sell them fertilizer.

How keywords relate to your website

Every page on your website can target a keyword or a small cluster of related keywords. For example:

Your homepage might target your business name and your core service
A service page might target "wedding photography Chicago"
A blog post might target "what to wear for engagement photos"

The goal is not to squeeze keywords into your writing unnaturally. It's to write content that genuinely covers the topic those keywords represent. Google reads your page in context, and it is explicit about the downside of overdoing it: excessively repeating the same words, even in variations, is tiring for readers, and keyword stuffing is against Google's spam policies.

Common questions

How do I know which keywords to target?

Start by thinking about what your customers would search for when they need what you offer. Then use keyword research tools to see actual search volumes and competition levels. We cover this in detail in the keyword research basics guide.

How many keywords should I target per page?

Focus on one primary keyword per page, plus a few closely related variations. Trying to rank a single page for many unrelated keywords is ineffective. Each major topic deserves its own dedicated page.

Should I include keywords in my page titles and headings?

Where it fits naturally, yes. Google's actual advice on titles is that a good title is unique to the page, clear and concise, and accurately describes what's on the page — which usually means the words your customers use end up in there anyway. There's no requirement to place a keyword in a particular element, and Google says the number and order of your headings doesn't matter to Search. So never force it: if it reads awkwardly, rewrite it so it flows.

What are keyword rankings?

Your keyword ranking is your page's position in the search results for a specific keyword. Ranking #1 means you're the topmost result; a position in the twenties means you're well past the first screen of results. Search Console reports this as "average position", where 1 is the topmost position, 2 is the next, and so on — and it averages across every search your page appeared in, so your own position will vary with the searcher's location and history.

Need a hand?

If you're stuck, email support@chykalophia.com and we'll help. Include your website address and a screenshot if you can.

Keywords, explained