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Keywords explained: finding the words your customers actually search for

Keywords are simply the words people type into Google. Using your customers' words, not your own, is one of the easiest ways to be found. Here's how to find them.

VR Web Devs2 min read
A notebook with handwritten word lists beside a laptop and a cup of chai

A keyword is just a word or phrase someone types into Google. “Kaju katli price”, “diabetes doctor in Faridabad”, “bridal lehenga on rent”. Each is a small window into what a customer wants.

Keyword research sounds technical, but it's really about one question: what words do my customers use when they look for what I sell?

Why your words and theirs differ

Business owners naturally use trade words. Customers use everyday words. For example:

  • You say “confectionery”; customers search “mithai shop”
  • You say “diabetologist”; many search “sugar doctor”
  • You say “ethnic wear”; customers search “kurti for office” or “wedding lehenga”
  • You say “catering services”; customers search “food for 100 people party”

If your website only uses your words, Google may not connect it to their searches.

Simple ways to find your customers' words

1. Listen at the counter

Write down how customers describe what they want, on the phone, on WhatsApp and in person. These are your best keywords.

2. Use Google's own suggestions

Start typing a search, such as “sweet shop for”, and look at what Google suggests. Then scroll to the bottom of the results for related searches. Both show what real people search.

3. Look at “People also ask”

Many results pages show a box of common questions. Each is a keyword and a ready-made topic for a page or a blog post.

4. Check your Search Console

If your website is set up with Google Search Console, it shows the actual searches that led people to you.

5. Read your reviews

Customers describe your business in their own words. Those words are gold.

Types of keywords

  • Short and broad: “sweets”. Lots of searches, very hard to stand out, and often the wrong customers.
  • Specific (long-tail): “sugar-free sweets for diabetics Faridabad”. Fewer searches, but people who know exactly what they want.
  • Local: anything with a place in it, or searched nearby. See local SEO.
  • Questions: “how long does kaju katli last”. Great for helpful blog posts.

Using keywords well

  1. Give each page one main topic and its main keyword
  2. Use the keyword naturally in the page title and description, the main heading and the text
  3. Write for people first. Repeating a word ten times doesn't help, and reads badly
  4. Use the variations customers use: “mithai”, “sweets”, “Indian sweets”

Getting help

Keyword research is the first step of our SEO service. We find the words your customers use and build them into your pages naturally. New to all this? Start with our plain-English guide to what SEO is.

In short

  • Keywords are the words customers type into Google, often different from the words you use.
  • Listen to customers, use Google's suggestions and read your reviews to find them.
  • Specific, local keywords usually bring better customers than broad ones.

Keep reading