A short, broad keyword used as the starting point for keyword research.

The Starting Line: How to Choose the Perfect Seed Keyword for SEO

Every fantastic website you see started with one tiny, essential idea that guided its entire success. I want to show you how to find that core idea for your own site.

We are going to explore the simple yet powerful concept of What is the Seed Keyword? and I will give you the expert process for choosing the right one. Getting this step right is the foundation for all the traffic you will earn later.

What is the Seed Keyword?

Think of a Seed Keyword as the basic, single-word or short-phrase term that defines your entire business or content theme. It is the starting point you drop into a keyword tool to generate thousands of more specific ideas.

For example, if I sell workout gear, my seed keywords might be “fitness,” “yoga,” or “supplements.” They are usually broad, have high search volume, and high competition.

Crucially, I do not expect to rank for the seed keyword itself; I use it to find the easier-to-rank long-tail keywords.

Seed Keywords and Different CMS Platforms

The choice of your initial seed keyword guides the entire structure of your website, which is important regardless of the platform you use.

WordPress

For a WordPress site, the seed keywords often become the main categories or “Pillar Pages” in your site architecture. I use my seed list to plan the topics for the blog section and the overall navigation menu.

The structure I create based on these terms tells Google exactly what my website is about.

Shopify

On Shopify, the main seed keywords usually become my top-level product categories, like “Men’s Shoes” or “Kitchen Appliances.” I make sure the corresponding product pages and collection titles reflect those foundational seed terms.

This structure helps me organize my huge product inventory in a way that is easy for both customers and search engines to navigate.

Wix and Webflow

When starting a Wix or Webflow site, I use my seed keywords to map out the primary pages of the website. For example, the seed “photography” leads to pages like “Wedding Photography” and “Portrait Photography.”

This early mapping ensures the site’s design naturally supports the most important topics from day one.

Custom CMS

With a custom CMS, I have the power to define the site structure exactly how I want, guided by the seed list. I ensure the top-level URLs and main site navigation are built directly around the core seed concepts.

This approach gives me the best possible foundation for long-term topical authority.

Seed Keywords Across Industries

A good seed keyword makes keyword research efficient and ensures your content is always relevant to your core audience.

Ecommerce

In e-commerce, the seed keywords are the broadest product types, like “jeans,” “dresses,” or “t-shirts.” I use them to find specific, high-intent product variations like “slim-fit dark wash jeans.”

This process ensures I am capturing shoppers at every stage, from general browsing to ready-to-buy.

Local Businesses

Local businesses use seed keywords combined with a location to find long-tail service terms. For example, “plumber” + “Denver” leads to “24-hour emergency plumbing service Denver.”

This method helps me prioritize content that will bring in actual service requests right away.

SaaS (Software as a Service)

For SaaS, seed keywords are the core function of the software, like “project management” or “accounting software.” I then expand this to find customer-problem queries, such as “how to track employee hours.”

This strategy allows me to create tutorials and guides that position my product as the perfect solution.

Blogs and Content Sites

A content site uses a broad seed, like “gardening,” to uncover entire content clusters, such as “organic vegetable growing” or “winter plant care.” I use these clusters to create a comprehensive editorial calendar.

This ensures my blog covers the topic deeply, making it a reliable resource for readers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I use more than one seed keyword?

Yes, absolutely! I recommend using 3 to 5 highly relevant seed keywords to start. Each seed represents a different primary category of your business, which helps you cover all your main offerings.

How do I find a good seed keyword list?

Start with a simple brainstorming session of what your business does. Then, check your competitors’ high-ranking pages and look at the categories they use. Finally, plug your ideas into a keyword tool to see the search volume.

Should I optimize a page just for the seed keyword?

I would advise against it because seed keywords are too competitive. Instead, use the seed keyword to create a broad “pillar page,” and then create several detailed articles for the longer, easier-to-rank long-tail keywords that come from that seed.