Since the internet’s inception, search engines have helped people find content among a vast series of websites and domains. As time has passed, people have adapted their use of search engines, but the nature of search engines still revolves around users entering various relevant keywords and phrases to find content they desire.

Keywords are a critical component of search engine optimization. Search engine algorithms utilize keywords to determine meaning and context, further helping to present the most accurate and relevant results to users. However, each page and post should have in mind a single focus keyword that ranks above all else.

What are focus keywords and what should you know about them? Keep reading to find out.

What Are Focus Keywords?

With plenty of keywords to target in both your keyword research and content creation, it can be easy to forget about the concept of focus keywords. But what exactly are focus keywords and what is the point of utilizing them?

In short, a focus keyword is the keyword or phrase that you’re pinging search engines with as your most desired SEO-related term. In other words, your focus keyword is the keyword that you want to rank for the most for a particular page or post. Focus keywords can be numerous across a particular website, but there can be only one per post or page.

Why Focus Keywords Are Important

Understanding the importance of focus keywords is essential because they ultimately provide multiple benefits to brands. Whether it be tactical or pragmatic, focus keywords can be great for those struggling with both SEO and content strategy.

First and foremost, focus keywords are vital because they help indicate to search engines the true context of the post or page in question. While you may incorporate numerous keywords throughout a piece of content, the focus keyword will be utilized in such a way that search engines notice its usage. It’s crucial to remember that simply spamming a keyword over and over does not mean it becomes an effective focus keyword, however.

Focus keywords also offer a practical benefit: they help guide your broader content strategy. When writing a particular post or creating a form of content such as video, it can become easy to drift from one tangent to another. Keeping the idea of your focus keyword close to your heart can help guide content creation one effort at a time, focusing your energy on the relevant topic(s).

How to Select the Right Focus Keywords

Now that you know what a focus keyword is and how it can benefit you, what should you do in terms of selecting one?

First and foremost, look for focus keywords that are in demand. Niches and SERPs that are currently growing are prime initial opportunities and can make excellent focus keywords. Once you have a list of potential candidates, refine this list further by pinging search engines for indicators of search volume: too much volume and you may not be able to rank, while too little may not be worth the effort.

There you have it: focus keywords are a really simple and necessary component of content creation and SEO. Put these simple tips to work for you and it’ll be incredibly easy to refine your content strategy into a well-honed virtual machine.