Keywords
The Three Types of Keywords
Not all keywords are created equal. To help a small business, you need to target a mix of these:
- Short-Tail Keywords (The "Big Categories"): One or two words with high search volume but massive competition (e.g., "Plumber" or "Coffee Shop"). These are hard to rank for and often too vague to lead to a sale.
- Long-Tail Keywords (The "Specific Solvers"): Phrases with three or more words (e.g., "Emergency drain cleaning in South Russell"). These have lower search volume but much higher conversion rates because the user knows exactly what they want.
- Local Keywords (The "Geographic Anchors"): Keywords that include a city, neighborhood, or the phrase "near me" (e.g., "Best pizza in downtown Cleveland"). For small businesses, these are the most important.
Keyword "Intent" (The 'Why' Behind the Search)
Google’s algorithm has evolved. It doesn't just look for the words; it looks for the intent. They are broken down to these four intents:
- Informational: To learn something or find a guide.
- Navigational: To find a specific brand or site.
- Commercial: To compare options before buying.
- Transactional: To pull out their wallet and pay.
Where Do Keywords Go?
They should be placed strategically so the page feels natural to a human but clear to a robot:
- The H1 Header: The main title of your page.
- The First Paragraph: To tell Google immediately what the page is about.
- Sub-headers (H2s & H3s): To organize your thoughts and capture "related" searches.
- Meta Descriptions: The snippet that shows up on a search results page.
- Image Alt Text: To help Google "see" what your photos are about.