Choosing keywords for on-page SEO – why is it important at the audit stage?

Since the inception of its search engine, Google has strived to present the best possible answer to a user’s query. It is constantly refining its search algorithms to best understand the intentions that the person asking about a keyword has. Google evaluates the pages it shows as an answer to users’ searches from the technical point of view (the very operation of the page and the user’s convenience in using it) and the textual layer, i.e. precisely the compatibility with the most common queries.

What is the importance of keywords in SEO?

The natural conclusion that comes to us is that keywords are of great importance in SEO. When optimizing a site so that Google wants to show it to users, we need to consider what questions they are most likely to ask. By doing so, we will be able to adjust our content so that it answers as many queries as possible.

Wanting to achieve high rankings and high organic visibility in a particular topic, we need to do extensive research on keywords that users may be interested in and prepare valuable content that includes them.

We can assume that keywords, and consequently the content in which they appear, are one of the three key factors (in addition to technical optimization and link building) of a site’s success in a search engine.

Choosing keywords for SEO purposes, and SEO strategy

Selecting keywords for SEO is one of the most important elements of SEO strategy. Until a few years ago, SEO strategies were built on the basis of preparing a closed list of keywords, which was unchangeable during the positioning of the site. It was under them that the site was optimized and then link building was carried out only for them.

However, with the development of the algorithm and its increasing understanding of the intent with which a user searches for a given phrase, the approach to selecting keywords for a site has also evolved. First of all, one no longer builds a strategy based on one immutable list of keywords. Nowadays, we focus more on topics that users may be interested in and try to create content concerning them, so that the user has a chance to learn valuable information just from our site.

The form of keywords itself has also changed, short phrases, usually one or two words written in the nominative, have changed into more precise longer queries, due to the tendencies and search habits of Google users. These changes are also influenced by voice searches, which by their very nature are simply longer and more often take the form of whole sentences.

However, in your SEO strategy, it is also worth keeping in mind the other types of keywords, such as the aforementioned short (generic) keywords, which have a high search volume, but due to their high generality can have a much longer conversion path. The third type of keywords that should not be forgotten are, of course, branded phrases, which should also be included in the site content we create.

What tools should you use when analyzing keywords to include on your site?

There are a number of SEO tools that allow us to analyze keywords for use in our positioning process, these include:

• Senuto – a tool that, first of all, allows us to verify the visibility of a given site on keywords, and thus we are able to determine on which words we are visible and on which our competitors are visible. We can thus decide whether the phrases positioned by our competitors should also be included in our strategy. Senuto also has a Keyword Database, where after entering 1 to 5 phrases, we are able to check their searches and receive information about related other phrases and additional information about them.
• SemRush – this is a tool for a very broad analysis of a site’s presence in the search engine in both organic and paid activities. Within its framework, we are able to check, among other things, as in Senuto, for which phrases we are visible, and for which competitors, and get suggestions for additional keywords within the topics of interest.
• Google Keywords Planner – a tool within the Google Ads system that will show us the number of monthly searches for the keywords we are interested in and suggest additional ones we should consider.

Why is it worthwhile to analyze and select keywords already at the stage of SEO audit?

The analysis and selection of keywords at the SEO audit stage are key steps in the process of optimizing a website for search engines. Here are some reasons why you should carry out these activities early on:

• Targeting content to the right audience – choosing keywords helps you understand what questions and topics are important to your target audience. This allows you to tailor the content on your site to their needs and expectations, which increases the chances of attracting the right users.
• Effective optimization – learning about the keywords that are most important to your industry and site, allows you to optimize your content and site structure to be more visible in search results. This improves your chances of achieving higher positions in organic results.
• Competitiveness – keyword analysis allows you to understand what words and phrases are popular among your competitors. You can then adjust your SEO efforts to compete effectively in the market.
• Content planning – keyword selection helps you plan your website content. You can create content around those keywords that are most important to your SEO strategy, which contributes to building your site’s authority and position in search results.

In summary, keyword analysis and selection at the SEO audit stage are essential to effectively optimize your website, tailor it to users’ needs and increase its visibility in search results. This is a key component of an SEO strategy that can contribute to online success.