What is a keyword?

A keyword is a specific word or phrase that users type into a search bar to find content, products, or information. In the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), keywords are essential for helping your content get discovered. Whether you're posting on Google, YouTube, Instagram, or any other platform, the right keyword ensures your content appears when people are searching for something relevant to what you're offering.

Why are keywords important?

Keywords act as a bridge between what people are searching for and the content you’ve created. They help search engines, like Google or social platforms like YouTube, understand the subject of your content and match it to user queries. Optimizing your content around relevant keywords increases your content’s visibility, making it easier for potential followers, customers, or readers to find you.

How do keywords work in SEO?

In SEO, keywords play a critical role in determining where your content ranks on search engine results pages (SERPs). If your blog post, video, or social media post contains well-researched and relevant keywords, it has a better chance of appearing in front of your target audience. This applies not just to Google but also to social media platforms like Pinterest, TikTok, and even Instagram, where hashtags often act like keywords, helping people discover content related to their interests.

How do you choose the right keywords?

Selecting the right keywords requires research. You want to find words or phrases that people are actively searching for but aren’t overly competitive. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or even the auto-suggest feature on YouTube can help you identify trending or relevant keywords for your niche. Once you have your keywords, the goal is to naturally incorporate them into your content—whether it’s your website, social posts, or video descriptions.

How do you track keyword performance?

To track how well your keywords are performing, you can use analytics tools like Google Analytics or YouTube Studio. We’ve also compiled a list of the best free SEO tools that can boost your organic rankings on Google and Bing and can lead to immediate gains in your marketing today.

Keywords across different social media platforms

On platforms like Instagram and TikTok, hashtags are essentially keywords, helping users discover content by topic. On YouTube, your video title, description, and even the transcript should include keywords to help users find your videos in search. On blogs or websites, keywords help Google understand your content’s focus and determine when it should appear in search results.