In today\u2019s blog post, you will learn what seed keywords are and how to find primary keywords and incorporate them into your SEO strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What are Primary Keywords?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Primary or seed keywords are words\/phrases you can use at the very beginning of a keyword research process to discover more keywords.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perceive them as building blocks of keyword research. For example, if you sell shoes online, then you can use primary keywords like sandals, high heels, footwear, sneakers, boots, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To find relevant primary keywords related to your industry, it’s essential for you to learn how to use Ahrefs to find keyword.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Sign in to your Ahrefs account<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Head to \u201cKeywords Explorer\u201d section<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When you drop these seed keywords into Ahrefs\u2019 Keywords Explorer and navigate to a keyword ideas report, you\u2019ll unlock millions of potential keywords:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Using](\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ahrefs-seed-keywords-1024x590.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAfter finding a few relevant seed keywords for your site, you can build on them with modifiers to come up with more keyword ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But why is it essential to allocate time to developing a good seed keywords list<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why are Primary Keywords Important in Keyword Research?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Nowadays, keywords, especially primary or head keywords, are just as important as they were a couple of years ago. They are everywhere. Whether you are writing articles and outreach emails or creating content for social media posts, using target keywords is a must. Make sure to include your head keywords in blog titles<\/a>, meta descriptions, and meta titles as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, they are not the main factor you should focus on while optimizing your content. You should also improve your website, as well as link-building activities, social signals, site navigation, and schema markup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, doing keyword research is the initial step to effective content optimization and understanding the search intent of your target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But how do primary keywords help your SEO efforts?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Primary keywords in SEO play a vital role since they have the highest search volume within a specific cluster of keywords that a page is aiming to target and potentially rank for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Besides, these keywords help search engines understand the relevance of your content to specific user queries. When you add relevant keywords to your article, you increase the chances of your website appearing in search results for those particular words\/phrases. This allows you to attract more organic traffic and improve your search engine rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pro Tip: Don\u2019t overdo it! Make sure you\u2019re adding keywords naturally into your content to avoid keyword stuffing and improve keyword ranking. Learn how to avoid keyword stuffing<\/a> to maintain readability and SEO effectiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Primary keywords in SEO are also beneficial in terms of blog post ideation. Sometimes, it is challenging to find content ideas<\/a>, but when you have a huge list of seed words\/phrases related to your industry, coming up with blog titles becomes much easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last but not least, using primary keywords in your website content can also enhance your site\u2019s click-through rates<\/a>. When people see search results that match their query and contain the specific keywords they searched for, they are more motivated to click on those results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Difference Between Primary Keywords and Secondary Keywords<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Along with primary keywords, there are also secondary keywords. So, what\u2019s the difference between them?
I\u2019m glad you asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBoth primary and secondary keywords matter when it comes to writing website content. However, there are a few differences you should take into consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Primary keywords<\/i> are keywords that represent the core topic or theme. They reflect the main purpose of your content.
Secondary keywords<\/i>, on the other hand, are related terms that support and complement the primary keyword. Unlike primary keywords, these are more specific and provide additional context and relevance to the content. A key distinction to note is the difference between long tail vs short tail keywords<\/a>. While primary keywords are generally short tail, secondary keywords tend to be more long tail, offering specific and targeted search phrases.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAn example of a primary keyword can be the word \u201crestaurant.\u201d Secondary keywords for this primary keyword can be \u201crestaurants near me,\u201d \u201cfine dining restaurants,\u201d and \u201cethnic restaurants.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Find Primary Keywords for Your Content in 5 Ways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now that you know what primary keyword variations<\/a> or head terms are and why they play a significant role in keyword research, it is time to unveil how to find primary keywords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep reading!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make a List of Variations for Your Target Keyword<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to keyword research and finding head keywords, it is highly recommended to make up a list of obvious variations and synonyms of the head terms you are researching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SEO tools like Ahrefs can help you to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For instance, if you drop \u201csummer t-shirt\u201d into Ahrefs\u2019 Keywords Explorer, then you\u2019re not going to see keyword ideas for the plural \u201csummer t-shirts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Look for other niche terms in your search for seed keywords. When using Ahrefs, you might have come across the \u201cAlso talk about\u201d tab (under Related terms report).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Using](\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ahrefs-keywords-1024x460.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nUse this tab, as it can be highly useful for finding other niche head terms. You can discover keywords that the current top-ranking pages use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then simply use that URL in Ahrefs\u2019 Site Explorer. This way, you can review the page ranks and then look for other potential seed keywords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Based on these methods, if you sell summer t-shirts online, then you can generate words and phrases like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[summer tees]
[summer shirts]
[summer t shirts]<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you have no clue about your niche, it might be challenging to try out the above-mentioned methods. However, you can check out competitors to grab some ideas. Ahrefs not only allows users to learn competitor backlinks<\/a> but also learn what keywords they are ranking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So if you are still not familiar with this tool, it’s high time to explore how to use Ahrefs to find keyword and backlink opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Study Your Competitors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
So, as we have already said, it is recommended that you do an SEO competitor analysis if you are not familiar with the niche enough and need some ideas. While you can get started with a simple content gap analysis<\/a>, it’s important to also get insights on keyword tactics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When using Ahrefs\u2019 Site Explorer to discover head terms, use the Organic keywords report and the Top Pages report.
Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\nWondering how to find seed keywords? Use Ahref\u2019s organic keyword data.
For instance, let\u2019s say you want to research the topic \u201csunglasses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe first thing you will need to do is choose a site related to that topic. For the purpose of this example, we\u2019ll go with Ray-Ban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Open Ahrefs <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Head to \u201cSite explorer\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Enter https:\/\/www.ray-ban.com\/<\/a> into Site Explorer<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Click on \u201cKeywords\u201d under \u201cOrganic Search\u201d to explore the keywords the website is ranking for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When looking at organic keywords it is ranking for, we can see \u201cwayfarer sunglasses,\u201d which is a head term that might not come to your mind when thinking about keywords connected with sunglasses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Organic](\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ahrefs-organic-keywords-1024x781.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSo, why should you do this? Because you want to discover potential head keywords you may miss, and this is an amazing way to speed that up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is a great way to analyze your competitors<\/a>, as they have already done the research for you, which saves you a lot of time. Besides, if you lack fresh ideas, you can use Ahrefs to find more competitors and see what keywords they are ranking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use the SERPs to Find Primary Keywords<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, Ahrefs is great when it comes to keyword research, as well as monitoring your backlink profile<\/a>, analyzing your competitors, and assessing your website’s SEO performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, relying solely on this tool won\u2019t help you find primary keywords and use them in your blog for better ranking and traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are curious about how to find primary or seed keywords, you should try different approaches, and using the SERPs is a method worth trying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SERPs are a great source of information even though they lack important information like search volume and traffic insights. However, you can always use Ahreds to easily get this data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But how to get started?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, download Ahref\u2019s SEO toolbar<\/a> extension. It provides useful information about important SEO metrics, such as search volume and keyword difficulty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next, write your website’s main topic in the Google search bar. You’ll find a bunch of related keywords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tool allows you to export the results in an Excel file, which is amazing, as you can have all the information in one place.
If you don\u2019t want to use an SEO tool, you can do it manually, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis is when the People Also Ask section comes in handy. Actually, about 8% of search queries<\/a> are question keywords. So, don\u2019t ignore this section, as it allows you to find popular questions that people want to find answers to. Although questions are more suitable for long-tail keyword phrases, they can still provide valuable insights into broader topics that can be used as a starting point for seed keywords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep in mind that your keyword clustering<\/a> is going to revolve around the primary keywords you choose. So, whether you choose this method or another one, choose your seed keywords strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Using](\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/seed-keywords-on-google-1024x689.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAt the bottom of the SERP, you can also find Related searches. This section not only provides additional seed keywords but also gives you ideas for modifiers you can add to your primary keywords to make them more specific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Using](\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/related-searches-keywords-1024x739.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nGoogle autocomplete suggestions are also great when it comes to generating ideas for primary keywords. It suggests keyword modifiers you can add to the primary keywords you research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if you type in \u201cprotein bar,\u201d Google suggests \u201cprotein bar recipe\u201d and \u201cprotein calories.\u201d To further enhance your SEO strategy, reviewing Google AI overviews<\/a> can provide you with valuable insights into how artificial intelligence is reshaping keyword research and offering more accurate, data-driven recommendations for content optimization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Using](\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/google-suggest-keywords-1024x502.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLook for Primary Keywords in Google Search Console<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Google Search Console can also help you find your most important search queries. It enables you to see which keywords your content is ranking for in search engine rankings. And can use this information to identify even more seed keywords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Click on \u201cKeywords\u201d under \u201cOrganic Search\u201d to explore the keywords the website is ranking for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"Using](\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/search-console-long-tail-keyword-1024x479.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n