A keyword is the word or phrase people type into Google when they're searching - like 'emergency plumber near me.' Knowing the keywords your customers use is the starting point for getting found.
Also known as: Search term, keyphrase, search query
In plain English
Keywords are the actual phrases people type into search engines. "Emergency plumber Austin," "how to fix WordPress login," "best CRM for small business." SEO starts with knowing which of these your customers use and building pages that answer them.
Why it matters for your business
You can't rank for a search you haven't targeted. Keyword research tells you what your customers actually search for - including the longer, more specific phrases (long-tail keywords) that are easier to win and often convert better.
When you'll run into it
When planning content, optimizing pages, or diagnosing why a page isn't ranking. Keywords belong in titles, headings, content, URLs, and meta descriptions - naturally, not stuffed.
Run into this on your site?
Speed Optimization