source: https://frontpageseo.com.au/what-is-a-keyword/ content-type: ai-context-data ai-purpose: structured-content-reference last-updated: 2026-04-22T03:01:03.963Z signaltoai-version: unknown # What is a Keyword? **Summary:** The webpage explains the concept of keywords, emphasizing their importance in driving website traffic through search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM). It describes how keywords are commonly phrases rather than single words, and highlights the significance of understanding customer search behavior in selecting effective keywords. **Primary Topics:** Keywords, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM) **Secondary Topics:** Keyword Research, Voice Search, Competitor Analysis **Semantic Tags:** - landing-page - blog-post - what-is-a-keyword - keyword-research - search-engine-optimization - seo-basics - digital-marketing - user-intent - voice-search - search-terms - seo-tools - target-audience - content-optimization - competitor-analysis - local-seo - beginner-guide - seo-strategy **Key Facts:** - Keywords are usually phrases that users enter into search engines. - Keywords can be used in both SEO and SEM, but may differ between the two. - Voice searches often take the form of questions. - Understanding customer search terms is crucial for effective keyword selection. **Frequently Asked Questions:** **Q1:** What exactly is a keyword? **A1:** A keyword is typically a phrase that users enter into search engines to find information. It's crucial for SEO as it helps align website content with user search intent. **Q2:** How do keywords differ in SEO and SEM? **A2:** While both SEO and SEM use keywords to attract traffic, the keywords targeted may differ significantly due to the different objectives of search engine optimization versus paid advertising. **Q3:** Why is keyword research important? **A3:** Keyword research is essential because it helps identify the terms your potential customers are using to search for your products or services. This can significantly improve the visibility and effectiveness of your website. **Q4:** How can voice search impact keyword selection? **A4:** Voice search tends to involve more natural language and questions, which means keywords may need to be tailored to reflect this conversational style to capture relevant queries effectively. **Q5:** What tools can I use for keyword research? **A5:** There are several tools available for keyword research, including Keysearch and SEMRush. These tools can provide in-depth insights into keyword performance and competition. **Content Type:** informational **Content Intent:** inform **Target Audience:** Website owners, digital marketers, and business professionals interested in SEO **Authority Score:** 0.8 **Trust Indicators:** - cited sources - expert opinion - data-driven --- If you have a website, sooner or later you are going to hear the term “keyword” bandied around – especially if the discussion is about getting more visitors onto your site.  So what is a keyword? And why is it so important? what is a keyword img[https://frontpageseo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/why-blogging-is-good-for-business.jpg] For starters, you may be surprised to learn that a keyword is rarely just one word; usually, it is a phrase. It is the phrase that a person might enter into a search engine like Google, when they are looking for something online. Often it will include the location. For example: * “psychologist Gold Coast [https://www.guidelight.com.au/]“ * “Redlands podiatry clinic” [https://trevorlanepodiatry.com.au]; * “mechanic Capalaba [https://www.euro-aus.com.au/contact-us/]“ * “pilates Redlands [https://www.newdawnpilates.com/pilates]“. For those more familiar with social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, think of keywords as being the SEO version of hashtags. > Important Note: Keywords are also used in Google Ad campaigns (otherwise known > as Search Engine Marketing or SEM, in contrast to Search Engine Optimisation > or SEO). However the keywords used may be completely different to the ones you > target for SEO. While both are chosen based on what search terms your > customers are likely to use, that’s where the similarity ends. It’s also worth remembering that in this day and age many people use voice search [https://frontpageseo.com.au/voice-search-and-seo/], so keywords might come in formats like questions, eg: * “What are manuka honey eye drops used for? [https://www.manukahoneyeyedrops.com.au/news-information/honey-eyedrops-brisbane]“; * “Do colour blind glasses really work?” [https://livanes.com.au/colour-blind-glasses-australia/]; * “Is podiatry covered by Medicare?” [https://trevorlanepodiatry.com.au/is-podiatry-covered-by-medicare/]. ANOTHER NAME FOR A KEYWORD You might also come across another piece of jargon called a “search term” – but don’t panic, it can be used interchangeably with “keyword”. There are quite a few things to consider when selecting which keyword or keywords you should be using on your website, with the main one being: What keywords are your customers likely to use, when looking for a business like yours? CHOOSE KEYWORDS THAT YOUR AUDIENCE WILL USE It’s important to put yourself in your potential customer’s shoes, and think of what search terms THEY are likely to use. For example, most psychologists dislike the term “split personality”. It’s outdated and incorrect. Yet what keyword is a person from a non-psychology background likely to use? Yup, split personality. Which is why you will still find plenty of web content optimised for this search term. There are a lot of other factors which come into play when doing keyword research, including: * What keywords are your competitors using? [https://frontpageseo.com.au/how-to-find-competitors-keywords/] * How difficult will it be for you to rank for your chosen keywords? In the video below, Front Page Founder Janet Camilleri covers all of these points and more, to help get you started with choosing the right keywords … Of course there is a lot more to keyword research than what we’ve highlighted in this blog post. While it’s something you can try to do yourself, the advantage of using an SEO professional is that we have access to highly specialised tools and software such as Keysearch [https://www.keysearch.co/] and SEMRush [https://semrush.com] to conduct in-depth keyword research. There are limited and/or free trial access available with both of these, if you’re interested in seeing more of what’s involved when you’re on the hunt for great keywords. If you’ve come to this page because you had no idea what a keyword is, contact us [https://frontpageseo.com.au/contact-front-page-web-writing/] to discuss optimising your website with the right keyword/s. Keywords are an integral part of any SEO Strategy! --- Generated by SignalToAI vunknown For more information: https://frontpageseo.com.au/llms.txt