What are Seed Keywords?

What are Seed Keywords?

When deciding to optimize your website, so it ranks better on search engines, you are presented with the daunting task that is keyword research. Choosing the right set of terms you want to target within your site can be exhausting. The number of terms available can be overwhelming for some niches, and there are many factors to consider when deciding on the few that will make your site stand out. Targeting the right ones will be crucial for your site’s rankings.

The first step of keyword research is to identify your seed keywords. Also known as primary keywords, these are the foundation of the whole process and the backbone of SEO. They typically consist of one or two words and are fundamental to understand the context of your niche. For example, if you specialize in the weight loss, you seed keywords should look like ‘diet,’ ‘fitness,’ ‘lifestyle,’ etc.

Choosing your primary keywords will pave the way to identifying your long-tail keywords. Each seed keyword can generate 50 or more long-tail keywords. These are more specific to your site’s content and offer less competition when it comes to search volume.

Why are seed keywords important?

Deciding a content marketing strategy can be a challenging task. It’s much more than picking a topic and start writing about it. You need to consider your competitors within that industry, what they offer, and how you can match and exceed that offer providing content that’s fresh and original.

Carefully and thoughtfully choosing your target keywords is paramount in your SEO and content marketing campaigns. Compiling a list of extensive seed keywords is the first step you need to take to make that happen. They are the stepping stones to successfully ranking your site.

However, it’s not about envisioning what you want your website to look like among a specific niche. It’s about learning about your competitors’ keywords and how they are using them. Think of it is as drawing a map of an area you are not very familiar with but are getting ready to explore. Seed keywords will paint the picture for you and help you understand your niche thoroughly.