Are keywords or topics more important in SEO? The simple answer? Both! Topics are composed of related and highly relevant keywords. You should marry the two to improve your SEO strategy. Let’s dig into why using both strategies can help your website’s organic search results.
Google is constantly updating its algorithm to make sure searches are relevant to consumers. That’s key here – it’s all about solving for what searchers are looking for when they’re using search engines. Keywords are the words or phrases that consumers are using to get to your business. For example, “flower shop near me,” “flower delivery,” or “local florists.” If you’re running paid search campaigns, these are the phrases you’re bidding on to appear at the top of a page as a paid advertisement.
Keywords + SEO
In SEO, your keywords are determining the structure of your website and the copy you write to appear in organic search results. Why is that important? Because you can get up to 89% more clicks when your website appears as both an organic and paid result on page one. With a keyword strategy, you’re likely creating various landing pages based on each keyword and creating content around that individual phrase.
Topic Strategy
Search engines find single words or synonyms to determine if your content is relevant. With a topic strategy, you’re compiling multiple highly relevant keywords into one grouping. The topic strategy suggests creating a main, overarching page around each keyword or phrase instead of spreading your keywords across your website. This main page will target multiple keywords versus one. Why does that matter? First, you’re having to create a lot less content. And second, you’re able to present more accurate, detailed information about your products and services that consumers and search engines will find useful.
Keywords are still important in SEO, especially when it comes to building a strategy that is relevant to your business and to searchers, so don’t throw in the towel on your existing strategy. By marrying keywords with the topics strategy, you can establish an effective SEO strategy that makes your website easier to navigate and find on search engines.
