How to Choose the Best Keywords for SEO

Knowing how to choose the best keywords for SEO is one of the most important parts of any successful SEO campaign.

Many businesses assume the best keywords are simply the ones with the highest search volumes. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case.

The reality is that the keywords generating the most searches often have the highest competition and don’t always attract visitors who are ready to become customers.

Good keyword selection isn’t about chasing the biggest numbers. It’s about finding the keywords that are most relevant to your business, your audience and your goals.

Before choosing your keywords, it’s worth making sure you’ve completed proper research first. If you haven’t already, our Keyword Research Guide explains how to build a strong list of keyword opportunities before deciding which ones to target.

Understand the Different Types of Keywords

One useful way to think about keywords is to break them down into different categories.

The most general keywords are often referred to as umbrella keywords, while the most specific are known as long-tail keywords.

Long-tail keywords usually have lower search volumes because they are much more specific. However, they often convert better because the searcher knows exactly what they’re looking for.

Between these sit branded keywords, where people are searching for a particular manufacturer, business or product.

Each type of keyword can also be divided into commercial and informational searches.

The thinking behind this classification is simple.

People search differently depending on where they are in the buying journey.

Someone searching for “gas cookers” is probably starting their research.

Someone searching for “6 ring Smeg gas cooker” is much closer to making a purchase.

The more specific the search, the easier it usually becomes to understand what the customer actually wants.

Think About Search Intent

Search intent should always influence the keywords you choose.

Ask yourself why someone is searching for that phrase.

Are they looking to buy something?

Are they researching a product?

Are they trying to solve a problem?

Understanding this intent helps you create content that answers the right questions rather than simply repeating keywords throughout a page.

Modern search engines are much better at understanding context than exact keyword matches. That’s one of the reasons SEO has evolved beyond simply targeting individual phrases. If you’d like to understand this in more detail, read our guide on Why We Should Focus on Topics, Not Keywords.

Don’t Choose Keywords Based on Search Volume Alone

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is choosing keywords purely because they have a high monthly search volume.

Large search volumes often come with fierce competition.

More importantly, they don’t always attract visitors who are ready to become customers.

A keyword receiving 100 highly targeted searches every month may generate more enquiries than one receiving 10,000 broad searches.

That’s why it’s important to balance search volume with relevance, competition and commercial intent.

It’s also worth remembering that some excellent opportunities don’t appear to have much search volume at all. Our guide on Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Zero Search Volume Keywords explains why these highly specific searches can often produce excellent results.

Consider Competition

Not every keyword is worth pursuing immediately.

Highly competitive keywords often require significant time, authority and investment before you have a realistic chance of ranking.

That doesn’t mean you should ignore them forever.

Instead, build a balanced strategy.

Target some ambitious keywords for the future while also including lower competition opportunities that can begin driving traffic much sooner.

Growing your website’s authority over time will naturally improve your ability to compete for broader search terms.

Speak to Your Customers

Keyword tools are useful, but they don’t tell you everything.

Some of the best keyword ideas come directly from your customers.

Think about the questions they ask.

Look through your emails.

Speak to your sales team.

Review your live chat conversations.

Read your customer reviews.

Very often you’ll discover valuable search terms that don’t appear in keyword research tools at all.

Your customers will usually tell you exactly how they describe your products and services. That language is often far more valuable than relying solely on software.

Build Your Website Around Your Keywords

If your website only targets broad umbrella terms, you’ll probably struggle to stand out.

Likewise, if every page only targets highly specific long-tail keywords, you may miss the opportunity to educate customers earlier in their buying journey.

The strongest websites contain content covering every stage of the customer journey.

Some pages answer broad questions.

Some compare products.

Some explain common problems.

Others target highly specific buying searches.

Your website structure should reflect this natural hierarchy, making it easy for both visitors and search engines to understand how your content fits together.

Review and Refine Your Keyword Strategy

Choosing the best keywords for SEO isn’t something you do once and forget.

Search behaviour changes.

Your business changes.

New competitors enter the market.

Google evolves.

Review your keyword strategy regularly to identify new opportunities and understand which keywords are actually driving enquiries rather than simply increasing traffic.

Don’t be afraid to adjust your priorities as your business grows.

Looking Beyond Rankings

Ultimately, choosing the best keywords isn’t about ranking number one for the biggest search term.

It’s about attracting the right visitors.

The people most likely to become customers.

A carefully selected group of relevant keywords will almost always outperform a huge list of generic phrases that generate traffic but little else.

Focus on understanding your audience, selecting keywords that match their needs and creating genuinely helpful content around those searches.

If you’d like help identifying the best keyword opportunities for your business, take a look at our SEO services or get in touch for a chat.