20 Types of Keywords

What are keywords?

Keywords are words or phrases that describe the topic and purpose of a search. In search engine optimization, marketers use keyword research to understand audience demand and create pages that answer relevant queries. In paid search, advertisers select keywords and targeting rules to determine which searches may trigger an ad.

A keyword should not be inserted repeatedly just to influence rankings. Modern search content needs to satisfy the user's intent, cover the topic clearly and provide a useful experience. Keyword research is therefore a planning tool rather than a substitute for strong content.

20 types of keywords and how to use them

Some keyword categories overlap. For example, “best accounting software for freelancers” is a long-tail, customer-defining and commercial-investigation keyword at the same time. Classifying it from several angles can help you select the right page type and campaign strategy.

1. Market segment keywords

Market segment keywords describe a broad industry or category. Examples include “running shoes,” “project management software” and “commercial cleaning.” They can introduce a site to a large audience, but they are often competitive and may represent several possible intentions.

Use these terms for category pages, industry guides and high-level website architecture. Support them with more specific keywords that clarify the audience or use case.

2. Customer-defining keywords

Customer-defining keywords identify the person or organization using a product. Examples include “running shoes for beginners,” “accounting software for freelancers” and “CRM for small nonprofits.”

These phrases help marketers create targeted landing pages and messages. Use language customers apply to themselves, and avoid labels that are vague, insensitive or unsupported by research.

3. Product-defining keywords

Product-defining keywords describe what an offering is or does. Examples include “waterproof hiking backpack,” “AI presentation maker” and “cloud payroll platform.” They are useful for product pages because they connect concrete features with a recognizable product category.

Review your catalog and customer language when selecting these terms. A technically correct description may not work if buyers use a different phrase.

4. Branded product keywords

Branded keywords combine a company, product or model name with another term. Examples include “[brand] pricing,” “[product] tutorial” and “[model] replacement battery.” Searchers already know the brand, so these queries often indicate stronger familiarity or purchase intent.

Create accurate pages for pricing, features, support and comparisons. Monitor branded search results because review sites, resellers and competitors may also target these terms.

5. Competitor keywords

Competitor keywords include another company's brand or product name. Marketers research them to understand positioning, comparison demand and gaps in the market. Examples include “[competitor] alternatives” and “[competitor A] vs. [competitor B].”

Use competitor terms carefully. Comparison content should be accurate, current and fair, and advertising use may be subject to platform rules and trademark considerations.

6. Short-tail keywords

Short-tail, or head, keywords are broad phrases that usually contain one or two words, such as “laptops” or “email marketing.” They can attract high search volume but often have intense competition and ambiguous intent.

Use them to understand a market and define major topic areas. New sites may find it easier to build authority through narrower queries before competing for head terms.

7. Mid-tail keywords

Mid-tail keywords are more descriptive than head terms but less specific than long-tail queries. Examples include “gaming laptops under $1,000” and “email marketing tips.”

They can provide a balance between reach and relevance. Mid-tail terms often work well for subcategory pages, comparison guides and educational articles.

8. Long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are detailed queries that express a narrow need, such as “best lightweight laptop for graduate students” or “how to improve email open rates for a nonprofit.” Individual phrases may have modest search volume, but they can attract highly relevant visitors.

Use long-tail research to answer specific questions, create use-case pages and identify underserved topics. Do not create thin pages for every minor wording variation; group terms that share the same intent.

9. Informational keywords

Informational keywords show that the searcher wants to learn. They often include words such as “what,” “why,” “how,” “guide” or “examples.” A query like “how does compound interest work” is primarily informational.

Serve these searches with tutorials, definitions, checklists, videos or research. The page can introduce a product when relevant, but the main task is answering the question.

10. Navigational keywords

Navigational keywords help users reach a particular site, page or service. Examples include “YouTube Studio login,” “[brand] help center” and “[company] careers.”

Ensure important branded destinations are easy to find and clearly titled. Navigational demand can also reveal common customer tasks, such as account access or support.

11. Commercial investigation keywords

Commercial keywords indicate that a person is comparing options before making a decision. Examples include “best budget projectors,” “[software] reviews” and “[product A] vs. [product B].”

Create comparison pages, buying guides, case studies and transparent review content. Include selection criteria, limitations and evidence rather than relying on unsupported claims.

12. Transactional keywords

Transactional keywords suggest that the searcher is ready to take an action, such as buying, booking, downloading or subscribing. Examples include “buy noise-canceling headphones,” “book airport transfer” and “download invoice template.”

Use focused product or landing pages with clear pricing, availability, trust information and calls to action. Remove unnecessary friction from the conversion path.

13. Local keywords

Local keywords contain a place or imply proximity, such as “dentist in Austin,” “plumber near me” and “Seattle event venue.” Search engines may also infer local intent without an explicit location.

Create accurate location pages, maintain business listings and include genuinely useful local information. Avoid generating near-duplicate pages for places where the business does not operate.

14. Evergreen keywords

Evergreen keywords remain useful over long periods. Examples include “how to write a cover letter” and “basic budgeting methods.” Search volume may change, but the underlying need persists.

Evergreen content can attract traffic consistently. Review it periodically to update examples, links, product details and facts that may have changed.

15. Seasonal and trending keywords

Seasonal keywords peak around predictable events, while trending keywords respond to rapidly developing interests. Examples include “Black Friday laptop deals” and searches related to a newly released product.

Plan seasonal content early enough for discovery and promotion. Treat trends selectively: publish only when the topic is relevant to your audience and you can add useful information.

16. Broad match keywords

Broad match is a paid-search setting that may show ads for searches related to the selected keyword, including searches that do not contain the exact words. It can help advertisers discover demand but may also reach irrelevant queries.

Use conversion tracking, audience signals and search-term reviews when testing broad match. A clear negative-keyword strategy can improve control.

17. Phrase match keywords

Phrase match is a paid-search setting designed to reach searches that include the meaning of a chosen phrase. It offers more control than broad match while still allowing relevant variations.

Use it when you want to capture variations around a core service or product. Review actual search terms because matching behavior can evolve as advertising platforms change.

18. Exact match keywords

Exact match targets searches with the same meaning or intent as the selected keyword. It is more restrictive than phrase or broad match, although it does not necessarily require an identical character-for-character query.

Use exact match for proven, high-value searches that require tighter control. Combine it with other match types when you also need discovery and scale.

19. Negative keywords

Negative keywords prevent ads from appearing for selected terms or meanings. For example, a premium software company might exclude “free,” while a training provider might exclude searches for unrelated jobs.

Build negative lists from real search-term data rather than assumptions alone. Overly broad exclusions can block qualified customers.

20. Semantic keywords and related entities

Semantic keywords are related concepts that help a page cover a topic naturally. An article about electric vehicles might discuss charging, battery range, incentives and maintenance. These are sometimes called “LSI keywords,” but that label is imprecise and does not describe a special list used by modern search engines.

Use related terms to make content complete and understandable, not to repeat variations mechanically. Topic expertise, clear structure and useful evidence matter more than inserting a predetermined number of phrases.

How to choose the right keywords

Start with your audience and goal

Define who you want to reach and what action the page should support. A keyword with large volume is not valuable if it attracts people who are unlikely to benefit from the content or offer.

Identify search intent

Review the current results for a keyword. If search engines mainly show tutorials, a product page may struggle to satisfy the query. Match the format to the dominant intent while looking for ways to provide greater value.

Evaluate relevance and difficulty

Estimate whether your site has the authority, expertise and resources to compete. A lower-volume keyword closely connected to your product may be more valuable than a popular but loosely related term.

Group related queries

Build topic clusters around shared intent. One comprehensive page can often target several close variations, preventing thin or duplicate content.

Measure meaningful outcomes

Track rankings and traffic, but also measure leads, purchases, engagement and assisted conversions. These outcomes reveal whether the keyword attracts the right audience.

Common keyword mistakes

• Repeating exact phrases unnaturally throughout a page

• Selecting keywords only because they have high search volume

• Creating separate pages for minor variations with identical intent

• Ignoring the actual search results and content format

• Using paid-search match types without reviewing search terms

• Allowing outdated pages to rank with inaccurate information

• Measuring traffic without evaluating business or audience value

Turn Keyword Research Into Clear Presentations With Dokie

Marketing teams can use Dokie to transform keyword research, audience insights and content plans into a professional presentation. Its AI presentation workflow helps organize keyword groups, search intent, funnel stages and recommended pages into a narrative that stakeholders can review quickly.

Dokie also supports slide-level editing, consistent visual themes and PowerPoint export. This makes it useful for SEO proposals, campaign reviews and content-planning meetings where complex research needs to become a clear action plan.

Frequently asked questions

What are the four main types of search intent?

The most common categories are informational, navigational, commercial investigation and transactional. A single query may contain signals from more than one category.

Are long-tail keywords better than short-tail keywords?

Neither type is universally better. Long-tail queries are often more specific and attainable, while short-tail terms can provide wider reach. A balanced strategy usually uses both.

How many keywords should one page target?

There is no fixed number. Focus on one primary intent and cover closely related terms naturally. If two keywords require different content formats or answer different needs, separate pages may be appropriate.

What is the difference between SEO keywords and paid-search keywords?

SEO keywords guide organic content and site structure. Paid-search keywords use campaign settings such as match types and bids to help determine when ads may appear.

Are LSI keywords real?

Latent semantic indexing is an older information-retrieval technique, but “LSI keywords” is not a useful description of how modern search engines rank pages. Marketers should focus on relevant concepts, entities and complete topic coverage.

How often should keyword research be updated?

Review strategic keyword sets regularly and whenever products, customer needs or search results change. Fast-moving industries may need more frequent updates than evergreen topics.