Keywords for SEO: How I Find the Ones That Actually Drive Traffic
What Are Keywords for Search Engine Optimisation?
Keywords are the words and phrases people type into search engines when they're looking for something. When you optimize your content around the right keywords, you're essentially telling Google: "This page is exactly what those searchers need".
The reason keywords matter so much comes down to intent. A page that targets a vague, high-competition term like "cloud services" is almost certainly going to be buried. But a page targeting something like "managed cloud services for small businesses Ireland" has a much clearer intent, a more defined audience, and a realistic shot at ranking.
Keywords also feed into every other part of your SEO strategy - your on-page content, your metadata, your internal linking, and even your backlink strategy. Getting them right early saves a lot of reworks later.
Types of Keywords for Search Engine Optimisation
Before jumping into tools and tactics, it's worth understanding the main keyword categories I work with.
Short-Tail Keywords
These are broad, one or two word terms like "cloud computing" or "SEO tips". They have massive search volumes but brutal competition. Unless you're a well-established domain, ranking this is a long game.
Long-Tail Keywords
These are longer, more specific phrases - usually three words or more. Think "how to migrate to cloud storage for a small business". They have lower search volumes individually, but they're easier to rank for and tend to attract visitors who are further along in the decision-making process. This is where I spend most of my time on newer or mid-authority sites.
LSI Keywords (Latent Semantic Indexing)
These are terms closely related to your main keyword. For a page about cloud computing, LSI keywords might include "server infrastructure", "scalability", or "IaaS". Google uses these signals to understand the depth and relevance of your content - so naturally weaving them in helps.
Here's the process I follow when building out keyword targets for a new page or article.
Step 1: Start With a Seed Keyword
I begin with a broad topic and use it as a seed. For a cloud consulting business, that might be "cloud migration" or "managed IT services". If I plug in the keyword 'backlinks' into a tool like SE Ranking or Google Keyword Planner to generate a list of keywords like 'backlink'.
Step 2: Filter by Search Volume and Difficulty
Not every keyword is worth pursuing. I look for terms with a realistic balance between monthly search volume and keyword difficulty (KD). A keyword with 200 monthly searches and a KD of 20 is more valuable than one with 10,000 monthly and KD of 80 - especially in the early stages of building domain authority.
Step 3: Check Search Intent
This is the step people skip and then wonder why they're not ranking. I look at the top results for a keyword before committing to it. If the SERP is full of product pages and I'm writing a blog post, the intent doesn't match and I'll struggle to rank regardless of how the content is.
Step 4: Group and Priorise
Once I've got a solid list, I group keywords by topic cluster. Related keywords get targeted together across supporting content, all linking back to a central pillar page. This structure signals topical authority to Google and helps the whole cluster rank better over time.
How to Use Keywords for Search Engine Optimisation on a Page
Finding the right keywords is only half of the process. Once you have chosen a target keyword, you need to place it strategically throughout your content.
I typically include the primary keyword in:
- The page title
- The H1 heading
- The opening paragraph
- At least one H2 heading
- The meta description
- Image alt text where relevant
- The page URL
The goal is not to force the keyword into every sentence. Search engines are sophisticated enough to understand context and related phrases. Instead, focus on writing naturally while ensuring your target keyword and supporting terms appear in important locations.
For example, if my target keyword is "keywords for search engine optimisation", I would naturally include related phrases such as "keyword research", "search intent", "keyword difficulty", and "organic traffic" throughout the page. This helps search engines understand the topic more completely and improves the overall relevance of the content.
Where Backlinks Fit into Your Keyword Strategy
Here's something worth understanding keywords and backlinks don't operate in isolation. Your keyword strategy influences the type of backlinks you attract, and your backlinks influence which keywords you can realistically rank for.
When other reputable sites link to your content using keyword-rich anchor text, it sends a signal to Google that your page is a credible resource for that topic. If you're targeting "cloud security solutions Ireland" and you earn a backlink from a well-regarded tech publication using that phrase as the anchor, you've just given that a page a meaningful boost.
This is why I always think about link ability when choosing keywords. Content that targets informational, high-value search terms - guides, tutorials, data-driven posts - tends to attract far more natural backlinks than thin product pages. So, if your keyword strategy leans into useful, in-depth content, your link-building becomes more organic over time.
Tools for Finding Keywords for Search Engine Optimisation
- SE Ranking - My go-to for tracking keyword positions and finding competitor keyword gaps. The keyword research module is solid and the pricing is reasonable.
- Google Keyword Planner - Free and reliable for volume estimates, especially useful when you're starting out.
- Google Search Console - Underused by most people. Once you have traffic coming in, GSC shows you exactly which queries are triggering impressions for your pages. Great for finding quick-win optimization opportunities.
- Answer The Public - Excellent for discovering question-based long-tail keywords your audience is actually asking.
Common Mistakes When Choosing Keywords for Search Engine Optimisation
Targeting keywords with no commercial relevance. High traffic is useless if the visitors have no interest in what you offer. Always check your keywords against your actual business goals.
Ignoring local intent. For Irish businesses, adding geographic qualifiers ("Ireland", "Dublin", "Cork") to keywords can dramatically improve relevance and ranking potential in local search results.
Keyword stuffing. Forcing a keyword into every sentence doesn't just read badly - Google has been smart enough to penalize over-optimization for years. Write naturally, use your keywords where they make sense, and let the LSI terms do the rest.
Never revisit your keyword strategy. Search behavior evolves. I revisit keyword targets every quarter, especially for pillar pages. What ranked well eighteen months ago might be getting squeezed out by new competitors or shifting search trends.
Final Thoughts
Getting your keywords for search engine optimization right isn't a one-time task - it's an ongoing process of research, testing, and refinement. Search behaviour changes, competitors enter the market, and new opportunities emerge all the time.
When your keyword strategy is built around search intent, realistic competition levels, and valuable content, every other part of SEO becomes more effective. Your pages become easier to rank, your content attracts more relevant visitors, and your website gains greater visibility in search results.
Investing time in finding and targeting the right keywords for search engine optimisation remains one of the highest-impact activities any business can undertake to improve long-term organic search performance.