4 Reasons We Still Need Keywords for SEO

If you’re in the digital marketing business long enough, you’ll hear someone say that keywords are irrelevant nowadays when it comes to SEO. It won’t be the first–or the last–time you hear this, but it’s important to know it’s untrue and usually results from people misunderstanding Google’s updates. Here’s why you still need keywords.

1. Reality

Many companies have a loose strategy, targeting keywords they could never possibly rank for or keywords that are too general and irrelevant to their target audience. Keyword research puts you in touch with reality and helps lay the foundation for the rest of your content.

2. Headlines

It’s hard to write effective headlines without knowing who you’re trying to target. Even if you can’t work the whole phrase into the headline, you can still incorporate relevant individual keywords that will help your content rank for long-tail keywords.

3. Onpage

If you’re creating a website from scratch or just updating your current one, without keywords you won’t be able to outline the kind of content Google appreciates. Keywords are arguably more important now that Google gives websites credit for using related synonyms within the content.

4. Leads

While you may not be able to determine exactly how a keyword converts if Google keeps it hidden, it doesn’t prevent you from defining keywords critical for your landing pages. You can then use analytics and other software to track how those pages convert. Additionally, the keywords you choose for the pages will resonate with other content and help you rank for a number of variations.

Too busy to keep up with the ins and outs of online marketing? We have you covered. At Saba, Inc., our digital marketing experts specialize in San Diego SEO, PPC, and social media marketing. Learn more about how our services can help you reach your target audience by call (858) 277-1717 today. We look forward to hearing from you.