Keyword: What marketers target. Search Term: The real words users type (may include variations, typos, etc.).
I know the world of SEO can feel like a confusing maze of jargon. It’s easy to feel lost when people start throwing around terms like “keyword” and “search term.” But do not worry, I am here to clear things up and give you some seriously useful, simple tips!
I have been doing this for 15 years, and I promise that by the end of this article, you will feel much more confident. Understanding the difference between these two is a superpower for boosting your website’s traffic. Let’s dive in and finally answer: What is Search Term vs Keyword?
What is Search Term vs Keyword? The Simple Truth
Think of it this way: a keyword is what a marketer or website owner targets on their page. I choose this word or phrase because I think it describes my content best. For example, my target keyword might be “best organic dog food.”
A search term is what a person actually types into Google, or Bing, or any search bar. This is the real, raw query from a user. Someone might search for “good healthy food for my puppy” or “top rated natural dog food to buy.”
The core difference is simple: I target keywords, and users type search terms. Both are important for me to understand to get my website to rank high.
Why Does This Difference Matter for SEO?
I use keywords to plan my content and optimize my pages. These are my strategic guesses about what people want. However, I use the actual search terms users type to truly understand their intent.
Real user search terms help me discover new, valuable variations I missed. By seeing the actual queries, I can refine my keywords and make my content even better. This deep knowledge helps me bridge the gap between what I think I offer and what people are really looking for.
CMS Platforms and Search Term vs Keyword
The platform I build my website on changes how I apply this knowledge. No matter which one I use, the concepts of search terms and keywords remain vital. I just use different tools or settings within each platform to implement my strategy.
WordPress
With WordPress, I rely heavily on SEO plugins like Yoast or Rank Math. I input my target keyword into the plugin to check my on-page optimization. I then use tools like Google Search Console to see the actual user search terms driving traffic to my site. This lets me go back and easily tweak my existing articles to include those new, relevant search terms.
Shopify (for Ecommerce)
For my Shopify store, the product pages are where the magic happens. My product titles and descriptions are optimized for my target keywords, like “leather handbag.” I check my analytics to see the exact search terms shoppers used to find that specific product. If I see people searching for “small brown crossbody bag,” I make sure to include that exact phrase in my description.
Wix and Webflow
Wix and Webflow are great for building visually stunning sites, but I still need to be SEO smart. I manually set my keywords in the page’s SEO settings, meta titles, and descriptions. I must remember to regularly analyze my traffic reports for new user search terms that show up in the results. This allows me to adapt my content for better ranking opportunities.
Custom CMS
When I work with a custom system, I have complete control, which is both a blessing and a curse. I have to build the fields for my target keywords myself, often into a backend database. Crucially, I must ensure my analytics are set up perfectly to capture and report the valuable user search terms clearly. This demands careful planning, but the payoff is a perfectly tailored SEO structure.
Industry Impact of Search Term vs Keyword
How I use this knowledge changes based on the type of business I am running. The user’s intent behind their search is the main difference I look for.
Ecommerce
In ecommerce, my keywords are often product names or categories, such as “running shoes sale.” The valuable search terms are very specific, showing buying intent, like “Nike Pegasus 40 size 10 blue.” I use these specific search terms to create highly focused product filters and collections on my site.
Local Businesses
For a local business, my target keyword is likely “plumber in Chicago.” The user’s search terms often include local variations or emergencies, such as “broken pipe fix near me right now.” I make sure my Google Business Profile and service pages use these specific local phrases to capture nearby customers.
SaaS (Software as a Service)
My SaaS business targets keywords that solve a specific problem, like “project management software.” User search terms often reveal pain points, such as “software to stop missed deadlines” or “cheap Trello alternative.” I use these pain points to write blog posts and create landing pages that speak directly to those problems.
Blogs
My blog focuses on informational keywords, such as “how to bake sourdough bread.” The search terms I see often become the perfect H3 subheadings for my articles, like “why is my sourdough starter not bubbly.” I use these actual queries to ensure I answer every single question a reader might have.
FAQ Section
Q: How can I find the actual search terms people use?
I use a free tool called Google Search Console (GSC), which is provided by Google. In GSC, I look at the “Performance Report,” which clearly shows the exact queries, or search terms, that drove clicks and impressions to my website.
Q: Should I put every search term I find on my page?
No, I should not cram every term onto the page; this is called “keyword stuffing” and it harms my SEO. I only need to naturally incorporate the most relevant search terms into my content where they make sense and help the reader.
Q: If my keyword is “red apples,” but the search term is “sweet apples,” what should I do?
I should update my page to include the word “sweet” naturally within the product description or a paragraph. This signal tells Google that my content is a good match for people searching for sweet apples, improving my chance of ranking.
