SEO: The ultimate guide to the types of keywords and how to use them

Why keywords are important in SEO

If you're thinking about improving your online presence, there's probably no better starting point than focusing on the right keywords. Using the right terms on your pages leads to higher positions in the SERP (Search Engine Results Page), thus improving your traffic. The SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is not just a "technical solution"; it is a comprehensive approach that governs every detail of your content, structure and web strategy.

Choosing keywords that have a high search volume and relevance to your subject matter ensures that it will bring to your pages those who are really interested in what you offer. The art lies in the balance between word competitiveness (or keyword difficulty) and relativity. Even the "big" keywords or those considered "short tail" can have immense competition. On the other hand, the long-tail keywords often attract fewer searches, but tend to have a more targeted audience and less competition.

In the following sections we will look in detail at the types of keywords: informational, navigational, transactional and commercial, how to choose them and how to integrate them naturally in order to strengthen your overall strategy in the content marketing.

The Four Main Categories of Keywords

According to the standardization that has prevailed in the field of SEO, there are four main types of keywords. This distinction is mainly based on the user's search intent, i.e. search intent. By understanding their specificities, you will be able to better organise and enrich your content, achieving more targeted visits and higher conversion rate (if you are seeking sales or registrations).

1. Informational Keywords (Informational keywords)

Informative keywords are used by information seekers. Typical examples are questions such as "how to do...", "what is...", "definition of..." etc. These keywords usually include nouns, interrogative phrases and complex searches for information purposes.

The user is rarely in the purchase phase when typing these searches. They are mainly looking for information, advice or explanations. For marketers, informational keywords are an excellent opportunity to build credibility and trust with their audience. For example, if your goal is to attract readers to your company's blog, these keywords can bring steady and growing organic traffic.

Example:

• "How to choose the right software for e-shop"
• "What is on-page SEO optimization"
• "How digital marketing works"

Even if people are not ready to buy, if they find useful information on your website, there is a good chance they will remember your name and return when they are in the buying phase.

2. Navigational Keywords (Navigational keywords)

Navigational keywords refer to users searching for specific websites or brands. If someone wants to go to a company's official website, they rarely type the entire URL in the address bar. Instead, they simply search for the company name in the Google search and click on the first result that appears. So, queries like "Facebook login", "Twitter", "Amazon laptop section" etc. belong to this category.

The more recognizable the brand is, the higher the searches for these navigable keywords. If your brand is well-known, try to ensure that you rank first in searches related to your name and services. This is made possible with proper site structure, understandable URLs and of course proper site markup. A good meta description combined with brand authority signals can help you remain the "owner" of the first organic results, preventing competitors or any misleading pages from usurping your brand name.

Example:

• "Nike official site"
• "Meta description blog Amazon"
• "SEMrush login page"

3. Transactional Keywords (Transactional Keywords)

Transactional keywords refer to users who are very close to completing a purchase or an action that has a financial, subscription or generally "commercial" character. When someone types in phrases such as "buy online", "compare prices", "shoe offers", they are probably interested in making a transaction directly.

This kind of keywords have great value for e-shops and any online store. It is important, when targeting these words, to also incorporate calls to action (CTAs) in the content. For example, imagine you have a tech store and you want to attract shoppers. Keywords such as "bluetooth headset deals", "buy mobile phones online", etc. should direct to pages where the user can complete the transaction without any special complications.

At the same time, Google (and other search engines) "reward" pages that accurately match the user's search intent. If someone wants to buy, they will expect a product page or a list of offers. So it's important to set up your content to reduce unnecessary clicks, making the shopping process easier.

4. Commercial Keywords (Commercial Keywords)

Finally, we have the commercial keywords. Here users are in the pre-purchase research stage; they are looking for which product or service would suit them best. They want to compare brands, see reviews, find out about features and check the price-performance ratio. When someone types in phrases like "best smartphones for photography", "laptop comparisons 2025", "reviews for hosting services", they are classified as commercial searches because they focus on the research that precedes a purchase.

Practically, commercial keywords are a stage before transactional ones. People searching for them are looking to get a final confirmation or find more information before they click the "Buy" or "Subscribe" button. In this particular phase, as a businessman or as a content marketers, it is crucial to offer high-value content: comparative articles, detailed reviews, market guides, etc. In this way, you form a positive image of your credibility and facilitate the users' buying decision.

The importance of Search Intent

As we have seen, the types of keywords are largely defined by the so-called search intent, i.e. the intention of the user. Google and other search engines have evolved to such an extent that they "understand" with increasing accuracy what the user is looking for. This means that if your page does not match the reason someone is doing a search, Google will understand that your content is not relevant and will downrank you.

Your goal is to cover each type of search intent in the most organic and comprehensive way possible. This also translates into an improved user experience (UX). For example, a good beta strategy will tell you which pages of your site are worth targeting for informational searches, which for transactional searches and so on.

Especially in transactional and commercial keywords, you need to be extremely aligned with the buying motive. Similarly, for informational, you need to think about the depth and quality of information you're offering. A rushed or weak quality page is not enough, because the audience will find better solutions elsewhere, and Google knows it.

Keyword research: Foundation for a powerful SEO

The keyword research is an indisputable foundation for your SEO strategy. Through it, you identify new opportunities for targeting, discover terms you may not have even imagined, and gain a deeper understanding of user behaviour.

How the Keyword Research is done

1. Brainstorming: Start with a list of possible keyword ideas related to your topics or services. Use common sense, frequently asked questions from clients and friends, and your own findings from the market.
2. Use of Tools: Then you can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs and others SEO tools. There you will find quantitative data on the volume of searches, the degree of competitiveness (keyword difficulty), but also suggestions for related keywords.
3. Grouping of Key Words-Keys: As your list grows, it's a good idea to group keywords based on intent, competition and their likely profitability for your business.
4. Competitive Analysis: Next, look at what keywords your competitors are targeting and how they rank. You may find opportunities vacant that they haven't taken advantage of, or you may find that the competition is too high in certain terms and that it makes sense to turn elsewhere.
5. Confirmation by Testing: Finally, do not forget the importance of testing. Once you have chosen a set of keywords, create pages or articles around them and monitor their performance. Make optimizations, add more relevant phrases or new content to see real results.

Use of Long-Tail keywords

The long-tail keywords are usually more specific, less competitive and may target a narrower but more engaged audience. For example, the phrase "how to set up the transition of a physical store to an e-shop with a WordPress platform" is a long-tail phrase that, although it has a lower search volume, targets very specific needs of a potential customer or reader.

The contribution of these phrases to the SEO is invaluable. On the one hand, due to lower competition, you can more quickly gain higher positions in the SERP. On the other hand, these words usually bring in an audience that is at a more advanced stage of the buying cycle. For example, someone looking for something so specific probably knows exactly what they need and is looking for a targeted solution.

On-Page SEO and keyword integration

After you have chosen the keywords you want to target, the process of on-page SEO, that is the optimization of the individual elements of each page, so that you help both search engines and users.

1. Titles & Subtitles (Headings): Include the keywords in the main headline (H1) and where it makes sense in the other headings (H2, H3 and so on). Make sure their usage is natural and does not go out of context.
2. Main text: Place the keywords in your text, but do not overdo it. Algorithms are becoming increasingly "smart" at detecting content stuffed with keywords solely for ranking purposes (keyword stuffing). Your goal is quality, not just "photographing" a keyword infinitely many times.
3. Meta description: A targeted and clear meta description increases the likelihood that someone will click on your result in the search engine. This improves your CTR (Click-Through Rate), which in turn can positively affect your ranking. Add your main keyword, while remaining consistent.
4. Alternative image text (Alt text): If you use images in your content, it is good to add alt text, where the image is described in a natural way, including a relevant keyword if appropriate.
5. Internal and External Connections: The interconnection between your pages (internal links) contributes to a better navigation of the user and enhances the importance of certain pages. Similarly, links to quality external sources add credibility to your content.
6. URL: Use clean URLs that incorporate your main keyword where it makes sense. For example, instead of "www.example.com/?p=123", go with "www.example.com/agora-eidi-texnologias".

Content Quality and Content Marketing

The content marketing has a dominant role in the success of any SEO strategy. Google is now emphasizing on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), meaning experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness. For this reason, it is not enough to "load" your text with keywords. Content should be well-written, useful and meaningful so that readers spend more time on your page, share it with others and, ideally, interact with you (comments, subscriptions, etc.).

Strategically, it is good to have a strong editorial plan:

• You publish articles on a regular basis.
• You create guides, lists, infographics.
• You listen to the current market trends and the needs of your audience.

In this way, you establish yourself as an authority in your industry. And this quality mark is exactly what search engines appreciate.

SEO Tips for practical application

Below you will find some SEO tips that can make an immediate difference:

1. Website Speed Improvement: A fast page not only offers better UX, but also helps with SEO. Check your hosting, image compression and use of caching plugins.
2. Mobile-Friendly Design: A large percentage of users come from mobile devices. Google has long adopted mobile-first indexing, so make sure your page looks and works flawlessly on smartphones and tablets.
3. Updating Old Content: We often forget to update articles that have been published some time ago. Search engines look favourably on updating and improving existing content.
4. Avoiding Duplicate Content: Copied or repeated content may result in penalties. Use unique product descriptions, write articles from your own perspective and always check for repetition.
5. Image and Video Optimization: Use descriptive file names for your images and, if possible, add subtitles to the videos you upload. Visual search is gaining ground all the time, so invest in it.
6. Analytics and Progress Monitoring: Set up Google Analytics or other measurement tools to track stats, traffic sources, CTR and conversions. Without the right data, you can't know exactly what's performing and what's not.

How to handle competition

In the world of digital marketing, competition can be fierce. But instead of fearing or belittling your competitors, see them as a source of information and inspiration. Analyze their pages: what kind of content they produce, what keywords seem to have great success, how their users interact.

If you find gaps or weaknesses in their material, don't hesitate to use it to your advantage. For example, if a popular site covers a topic incompletely, you can create a detailed, valuable guide to that topic by targeting the relevant keywords.

The Power of Integration across Channels

Do not forget that the SEO in itself is not a panacea. You need to combine it with other actions digital marketinge-mail marketing, social media marketing, partnerships with influencers, etc. So when you create a diamond article, share it everywhere and give it the exposure it deserves. The backlinks that result from this process are important "fuel" for increasing your organic rankings.

Deeper Look at Keyword Difficulty

The term keyword difficulty reflects how difficult it is to rank high in search results for a specific keyword. The higher the difficulty, the stiffer the competition, which means that more effort on your part is probably needed (more quality content, stronger backlinks, better user experience). On the other hand, keywords with low difficulty may have less search volume, but they can be "quick wins" in your plan.

At this point, everyone is called upon to make a strategic choice: Do you want to chase the "top" with the very popular keywords, but risk taking a lot of time and resources? Or would you rather target a few more specific words, achieving quick results and bringing to your site an audience that is directly interested in your products or services?

Measure your success

No matter how hard you work on your strategy, if you don't measure your success, you won't know exactly where you are. Some key metrics to track:

1. Organic Traffic: How many visits do you receive from organic search engine results? Is the number increasing or decreasing over time?
2. keyword rankings: Are you targeting the keywords you have targeted? Remain flexible; rankings may have natural variations.
3. Click-through rate (CTR): What percentage of your site's impressions in search results result in clicks? If it's low, perhaps the meta description and your titles.
4. bounce rate: If the abandonment rate is high, users may not find what they expected. This affects Google's "image" of your page.
5. conversion rate: Especially if your goal is sales or registrations, you need to see how many of the visitors eventually convert into customers.

Tips for professional development

To take your results to the next level, it's worth investing in professional tools SEO and experts. A professional SEO consultant can evaluate your website, find technical and content weaknesses, and suggest feasible solutions that will save you time and resources in the long run.

Keep in mind that the SEO is not something static. Algorithms change, trends in the digital marketing Also, what worked a few months ago may need a radical overhaul today. The key lies in constant monitoring and updating.

Consolidation of the types of keywords in the overall strategy

An effective strategy covers the whole spectrum. It is not enough to target only transactional or only informational keywords. Think of it as a "funnel" (sales funnel):

• At the top (ToFu - Top of Funnel) we find informational keywords, which bring a large influx of visitors looking for information.
• In the middle (MoFu - Middle of Funnel) are the commercial and partly navigational keywords, where people are looking at options and exploring products or services.
• At the bottom (BoFu - Bottom of Funnel) we have mainly transactional keywords, where the purchase or registration takes place.

If you really want to have optimal SEO strategy, you need to monitor and coordinate every step of this "journey" that your prospective client takes.

Extra tips & common mistakes

• Inappropriate use of anchor text: When linking internally or externally, make sure the anchor text is descriptive and relevant. Don't use "click here" for everything.
• Lack of Strategy in Social Media: Although the direct impact of social media signals on SEO is still controversial, social media brings extensive visibility and more traffic, which ultimately contributes to overall success.
• Neglect of Technical SEO: Quality content alone is not enough. Your website must be readable by bots, error-free, with a correct sitemap and structured data.
• Excessive Keyword Stuffing: In the past, search engines were not so intelligent, and you could "fool" the system by stuffing the page with keywords. Nowadays, this can incur penalties and completely degrade the content.

Conclusions: SEO harnesses the power of keywords

The bottom line is that the SEO, and in particular the keyword strategy, requires methodicalness, flexibility and continuous development. It is not a process that you do once and let it run "on automatic". It's a cycle of search, analysis, content creation, study and adaptation.

Use the resources offered by the various tools, pay attention to trends and competition, and above all listen to your audience. When people enter your site, what exactly are they looking for? How can you best offer it to them? Answer these questions with clarity and insight, and you'll see your traffic, sales and credibility take off.

Finally, precisely because the SEO and keywords are the bridge that connects your value proposition with the needs of the users, a detailed understanding of the different types of keywords (informational, navigational, transactional, commercial) and their appropriate use leads to a optimal SEO strategy. Feel free to experiment, modify your strategy based on the data and move forward dynamically in the world of digital marketing.

Source: SEMrush - Types of keywords