Yes, Keywords Are Still Crucial for SEO

Yes, Keywords Are Still Crucial for SEO

Yes, Keywords Are Still Crucial for SEO

Yes, Keywords Still Matter

Keywords are not dead, far from it. Despite the rise of AI, semantic search and entity optimisation, keywords remain the cornerstone of most successful SEO strategies.

I covered this topic in the recent SEO in 2025 Series for Majestic, but there were a few themes here that need a deeper explanation. But you can of course get the TL;DR by watching the video below courtesy of Majestic’s #SEOIn2025 series.

Why Some Say Keywords Are Dead

This was a rhetoric (and quite a dangerous one) that I saw floating around several social platforms in 2024, and I thought it important to dispel it. As is often the case with SEO, there is an element of logic to the concept, but applying this to all SEO strategies would just be wrong.

“There’s been chatter about keywords being dead, possibly spurred by AI developments,” I explained.

“The argument stems from Google’s focus on entities and ranking ‘things, not strings’ and the Knowledge Graph. While entity based optimisation is the way forward for a lot of campaigns, keywords remain critical in areas where Google’s entity understanding is limited or undeveloped.”

For sectors with lower search volumes or ambiguous terms, such the “work wear,” example below, keywords help bridge gaps in Google’s understanding. Google’s mixed SERPs on such terms prove it still struggles with intent. This can often be due to over or incorrect optimisation by SEOs and marketing teams; keywords guide optimisation efforts where there is this ambiguity in such entities.

mixed intent

So, for super high volume sectors where the entities and knowledge graph are strong, there is some mileage in the concept of abandoning keyword optimisation and just looking at entity SEO, but for many verticals this would come with risks.

The Role of Keywords in 2025

Understanding Search Intent

Search intent, what users aim to accomplish when searching, has replaced mere keyword density as the priority. “You need to think beyond keywords as strings of text. By focusing on search intent, you ensure your content aligns with user expectations (and needs), whether transactional, informational, navigational, etc.”

Enhancing Content Relevance

Keywords still signal content themes to search engines and tell us as SEOs exactly what the user wants, especially as we delve into the long tail and even zero-click results.

Strategically placing keywords in titles, meta descriptions, headers, and content still reinforces relevance even if they aren’t direct rankings factors. We need to stop thinking ranking factors and think about creating content the users want, and maintaining relevancy by constantly evolving this based on current trends and demand.

“Don’t stuff keywords; instead, cluster them by intent and meaning. This ensures your pages are optimised while maintaining readability and avoiding keyword cannibalisation.”

Educating Google About Your Entity

Pragmatic keyword optimisation can help with entity SEO. “By creating compelling content around keywords, you’re educating Google about your entity. Linking content to authoritative sources and complementing with structured data, like sameAs schema, helps Google better understand and reward your content.”

How To Optimise for Keywords in 2025

Keyword Research

This is still the starting point but goes much further than just downloading some terms from Google Ads. We use a blend of tools and traditional research: “We combine data from Google Keyword Planner, AlsoAsked, Ahrefs, and AI-powered clustering tools like Keyword Insights. This holistic approach identifies keywords and clusters that allow us to optimise for the correct user intent.”

people also asked

On-Page Optimisation

“Ensure primary keywords appear in titles, URLs and prominently in your content, but focus on your clusters, not stuffing the same money keyword continually.” Again, not obsessing over ranking factors but by using the data to create exactly what your users are searching for and structuring this logically.

Use synonyms and related terms for semantic reinforcement and apply schema markup for improved contextual understanding.

Content Quality & Relevance

High quality, user-centric content is non-negotiable. “Engage users by answering their questions comprehensively. Incorporate multimedia elements like videos or other rich media to enhance engagement and meet Google’s criteria for experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).”

Keyword Clustering & Cannibalisation

Clustering also prevents cannibalisation. By grouping related keywords into clusters (based on what Google is currently returning in the SERPs), you ensure each cluster has its own landing page, avoiding overlap and ensuring your content doesn’t compete with itself.”

keyword clustering

Tracking SEO Performance Using Keywords

Keyword performance remains a leading indicator of SEO success. “Rank tracking is invaluable. Tools like Advanced Web Ranking help gauge impact, monitor competitors, and identify shifts in market share.”

advanced web ranking

User Engagement

Monitoring onsite behaviour can provide insights into keyword effectiveness. “Traffic without conversions is vanity. Track how visitors interact with your content to refine your strategy.” You can then also refresh or eliminate stale content and determine which landing pages and articles have good dwell times, and why.

Avoid These Keyword Optimisation Mistakes

Misusing Keywords

Avoid overloading pages with irrelevant o spammy keywords. Focus on clustering by intent rather than sprinkling every variation of your money keywords onto your landing pages.

Relying Solely on AI Content

“Robots can’t resonate with users the way humans can. Use AI for efficiency but maintain a human touch for authenticity.”

Ignoring Low Volume Keywords

“Clusters of lower volume keywords can drive significant traffic cumulatively.”

The Future of Keywords for SEO

The way we use keywords is evolving, but currently the foundational role of keywords remains significant. As Google advances in entity understanding and semantic search, keywords will be key to holistic SEO strategies, complementing other optimisation efforts.

“Keywords are not dead, we’ve just had to get a bit smarter in terms of how we utilise them,” I concluded.

“By aligning them with search intent and creating best-in-class content, you not only optimise for search engines but also provide real value to users.”

In 2025 and beyond, successful SEO requires balancing emerging trends and techniques with classic SEO disciplines, and keywords are absolutely still one of those.

Keywords, complemented by entity optimisation, search intent analysis and highly engaging content, will still be vital to staying competitive organically in 2025 and beyond.

Are you embarking in a career in SEO in 2025? If so, read our guide to navigating this successfully here.

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