A keyword is just what someone types
Strip away the jargon: a keyword is the phrase a real person types into Google when they need something. 'Emergency plumber Leeds' is a keyword. So is 'how much does a website cost'. SEO, at its simplest, is making sure your pages are the best answer to the phrases your customers type.
Intent matters more than volume
Ten people typing 'roof repair quote Manchester' are worth more to a Manchester roofer than a thousand typing 'roofing history'. One group wants to buy; the other wants to browse. Chasing big numbers instead of buying intent is the most common keyword mistake small businesses make.
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Where keywords actually belong
In the page title, the main heading, the address of the page, and naturally in the text — once or twice, where a human would use them. Google's guidance has been consistent for years: write for people first. If a sentence reads oddly because you forced a phrase in, delete the phrase.
One page, one main topic
A page trying to rank for everything ranks for nothing. Give each service and each topic its own page, focused on one main phrase and its natural variations. A worked example for a plumbing firm: one page built around 'boiler installation', a separate one for 'boiler repair', another for 'bathroom fitting' — each with its own title, heading and content — rather than one page hoping to catch all three. This is exactly how service pages like our SEO services page are built — one clear intent per page.
How to find yours for free
Start typing your service into Google and note the autocomplete suggestions — they're real searches. Check the 'People also ask' box. Ask customers what they'd type. You don't need expensive tools to find the phrases that matter; you need to listen to how people actually talk about what you do.
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