What Is A Target Keyword And How Do You Choose One?

Story-Based Question

Imagine you’re helping a local coffee shop improve its online presence. The shop has just launched a new coffee bean subscription service, but the website isn’t getting much traffic. After some research, you realize that one of the key things missing is a clear target keyword strategy. You’re tasked with choosing the right target keyword for their new service page to boost its visibility in search results. How do you go about selecting the right target keyword for this page?

Exact Answer

A target keyword is the primary keyword you focus on to optimize a webpage for search engines. You choose a target keyword based on its relevance to the content, search volume, competition, and user intent.

Explanation

Choosing a target keyword is one of the most important steps in optimizing a webpage for SEO. The target keyword should reflect what your audience is searching for and be closely related to your content.

Here’s a simple process to help you select the right target keyword:

1. Relevance: Make sure the keyword matches the content on your page. If you’re optimizing a page about coffee bean subscriptions, then a keyword like “coffee bean subscription” or “coffee delivery service” is more relevant than something unrelated like “coffee mugs.”
2. Search Volume: Choose keywords that people are actively searching for. Tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs can give you insights into how often certain keywords are searched each month.
3. Competition: If the keyword is highly competitive (like “coffee”), it might be tough to rank for it, especially if you’re just starting out. Consider using longer, more specific phrases, like “best coffee bean subscription service.”
4. User Intent: Understand the intent behind the keyword. Are users looking for information, or are they looking to make a purchase? For example, someone searching for “best coffee bean subscription” is likely closer to a purchase decision than someone searching for “coffee beans benefits.”
5. Long-Tail Keywords: These are longer, more specific phrases that are easier to rank for and often show higher conversion rates. For example, “monthly coffee bean subscription” could be a great long-tail keyword.

Examples

Let’s go back to that coffee shop’s new subscription service. If you were tasked with selecting a target keyword for their page, here’s how you’d apply these principles:

1. Relevance: The keyword “coffee bean subscription” is highly relevant because it matches the service being offered. It’s specific to what the page is about.
2. Search Volume: You find using a keyword tool that “coffee subscription” gets about 1,000 searches per month, but the phrase “coffee bean subscription” gets 300 searches. Both are decent, but “coffee subscription” has more traffic.
3. Competition: While “coffee subscription” has high competition from large brands, the more specific “coffee bean subscription” may have lower competition, making it easier to rank for.
4. User Intent: People searching for “coffee bean subscription” are likely looking to make a purchase or learn about subscription services, which aligns well with the content of the page.
5. Long-Tail: A long-tail keyword like “best coffee bean subscription for home delivery” might also be a great choice. It’s specific, with lower competition, and it speaks directly to users who are looking for recommendations.