What is the difference between search terms and keywords?

Search terms are the words or phrases users actually enter into a search engine; keywords are terms marketers select to plan content or set advertising targets. They may be identical, or they may use different wording to refer to the same topic. The distinction lies not in length but in purpose: search terms show “how users ask,” while keywords define “what a website or ad should target.” A keyword list alone is therefore not enough to understand users’ specific needs.

The same text can play different roles

Search terms, also commonly called search queries, are the exact words or phrases users submit to find information, whether by typing or speaking. Marketers identify topics in these expressions, then use research to choose target keywords.

• From the user’s perspective: When someone searches for “litter box,” that text is a search term.
• From a content planning perspective: When a website selects “litter box” as a content topic, it is a target keyword.

The same text can be both a search term and a keyword, but the words a user actually searches for and the target terms a marketer selects are still distinct concepts.

Keywords establish topics; search terms clarify needs

Semrush’s litter box example shows that, within the same topic, users may be looking for automatic models, sizes suitable for large cats, or products that match their home decor. They may also want to compare different entry designs. These differences in needs are harder to see if you look only at the broad keyword “litter box.”

• Asking which automatic models are available focuses on product options.
• Searching for models suitable for large cats shows the size requirements and which cats the product needs to accommodate.
• Comparing top-entry and open designs calls for an explanation of their differences, rather than just product names.

Keywords are therefore useful for establishing topics, while search terms help determine which questions the content should answer. Both need to be researched together. Some queries may also reflect multiple intentions, so a single topic term should not be taken as evidence that a user is ready to buy.

At Procrustes, we plan, write, and update articles around the questions our clients genuinely care about.

What to focus on in SEO and search advertising

In SEO, keywords are target terms selected through research to keep content focused on relevant topics; search terms help us understand how readers describe their problems. But a page does not have to repeat a query word for word. In its 2024 introduction to Google’s neural matching system, Semrush noted that the system can understand the relationship between a query and a web page even when they use different wording.

In keyword-targeted search advertising, keywords are the matching criteria chosen by advertisers, while search terms are the queries users actually submit. Semrush’s 2021 article used examples to show that a query can match a keyword even when the wording differs. Those examples are used here only to explain the different roles of search terms and keywords, not to infer the detailed matching rules currently used by platforms.

When organizing data, distinguish between “which target terms were selected” and “what users actually searched for,” then check whether the content or ads address those needs. Do not treat a keyword list as users’ exact words.