How to Use Keywords to Improve Marketing: Set Goals Before Planning Content and Ads

Keywords can help marketers understand what audiences want to know, what content they need, and which searches are worth targeting with ads. Before using them, decide whether the goal is to increase visibility, nurture leads, or drive purchases, then distinguish between organic and paid search approaches. The point is not to repeatedly insert popular keywords, but to create pages that meet searchers’ needs and guide them toward the desired action. Traffic and conversion data can then help you assess the results.

Set goals before choosing keywords

People searching for the same product may be at different stages of the decision-making process, so choose keywords based on your goals. The practices described here mainly apply to search engine optimization (SEO) and search advertising, not necessarily to every social media or public relations activity.

• Attract and educate audiences: Use the questions audiences commonly search for to find content topics, answer their questions, and build interest.
• Address purchase intent: Identify searches related to purchasing or pre-purchase research, and ensure pages address those needs.
• Plan search ads: Consider search intent, cost per click, and budget alongside relevance.

Use search intent to choose the content format

Search intent can be categorized as seeking information, navigating to a specific page, researching a purchase, or making a transaction. Examine top-ranking search results or use keyword research tools to assess intent, rather than assuming from the wording alone that a searcher is ready to buy.

A Semrush article uses “how to drive a manual car” as an example: searchers need instructions, so a page that only lists recommended cars does not answer their question. Keywords can therefore help determine whether an article should be a tutorial, a comparison, or another format—not just how to word its title. Include long-tail keywords and specific questions in your research, rather than selecting only broad, popular terms.

As part of our content services at Procrustes, we turn the questions our clients genuinely care about into articles, with ongoing planning, writing, and updates.

Use keywords naturally rather than aiming for a fixed density

An article on Neil Patel’s website states that there is no ideal keyword density for an article. Use the primary keyword naturally in the title, introduction, and body, and add related terms when they genuinely help explain the topic. If fitting in a phrase makes a sentence awkward, reconsider its use.

For example, when discussing organic search traffic in depth, explaining how it differs from paid traffic helps readers understand the subject. Related terms should help explain the topic fully; using them does not guarantee rankings. Semrush also cautions that forcing phrases into content may constitute over-optimization and negatively affect rankings.

Use advertising data to find content topics

If you run both SEO and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, compare the traffic, conversions, and on-site behavior associated with each keyword. In a hypothetical Semrush example, a hiking boot brand finds that ads for “waterproof hiking boots” bring in substantial traffic. The brand could therefore consider creating content around that term, but this is only a clue for choosing a topic—not evidence that doing so will increase sales.

In turn, organic search queries that generate clicks, high-traffic pages, and high-converting pages can inform adjustments to ad copy and bids. When evaluating results, distinguish between people clicking through and people completing a purchase or submitting a form, rather than treating increased traffic as marketing success in itself.