Do Keywords Still Matter in SEO?

Do Keywords Still Matter in SEO?

People have been saying “keywords are dead” for years. And yet, every SEO campaign still begins with one question: what should we target?

The truth is, keywords still matter in SEO - but how you use them today is very different from how things worked a decade ago. Search engines have moved on. So should your approach.

This article strips out the old advice and breaks down how keywords really fit into modern SEO.

You’ll learn how to use them without overusing them, how to align with search intent, and why keywords still play a vital part in getting results from content.

Article Outline

1. What Is a Keyword and Why Does It Matter in SEO?

2. Are Keywords Still Important for SEO?

3. What’s Changed About Using Keywords?

4. What Is Search Intent and Why Should You Care?

5. Should You Focus on Short-Tail or Long-Tail Keywords?

6. How Do You Actually Do Keyword Research Now?

7. Where Should Keywords Be Placed?

8. How Many Keywords Should You Use?

9. Are Meta Tags Still Worth It?

10. How Do Keywords Fit into Your Content Strategy?

11. Can You Rank Without Focusing on Keywords?

12. What’s the Link Between Keywords and User Experience?

13. What About Keyword Density?

14. Are Keywords Losing Relevance?

15. So, What’s the Best Way to Use Keywords in 2025?

1. What Is a Keyword and Why Does It Matter?

A keyword is just the word or phrase someone types into a search engine. It might be short, like “SEO,” or detailed, like “how to improve SEO for a blog.”

Why does it matter? Because your content needs to match what people are actually searching. If someone types in “best coffee machine under £100” and your page is about luxury machines that cost five times that, it’s not going to show up - because it doesn’t answer the query.

Keywords tell search engines what your content is about. If they don’t see those signals, your page doesn’t rank.

2. So Are Keywords Still Important for SEO?

Yes. Keywords remain essential for SEO, just not in the way people used them in the past.

You used to be able to shove a keyword into a page 30 times and climb the rankings. Not anymore.

Search engines like Google now evaluate context, structure, search intent, and user experience - not just raw mentions.

That doesn’t make keywords irrelevant. It just means your use of them has to be more thoughtful. They’re still part of how search engines decide what shows up for a given query.

3. What’s Changed About Using Keywords?

We’ve moved on from counting how many times a phrase appears.

Search engines are now smart enough to recognise natural language, related terms, and even intent.

So if you’re writing about how to “get better search rankings,” Google understands that this relates to SEO - even if the exact word “SEO” only appears once or twice.

What matters more is:

• How well the page answers the query

• How readable and structured the content is

• Whether it matches the intent behind the search

Today, keyword stuffing gets you penalised. Clarity and relevance get you ranked.

4. What Is Search Intent and Why Should You Care?

You could rank number one for a keyword and still get nothing from it - if you misunderstand the intent.

Search intent is the reason someone types a phrase into a search engine. Are they trying to buy something? Learn something? Compare options?

For example:

• “buy SEO software” = transactional

• “what is SEO” = informational

• “Ahrefs vs SEMrush” = comparative

If you target the right keyword but create the wrong kind of content, it won’t perform. You need to match the page to the intent. That’s where a lot of keyword strategies fall apart.

5. Should You Focus on Short-Tail or Long-Tail Keywords?

Short-tail keywords are broad and competitive - terms like “kitchens” or “SEO tools.” Long-tail keywords are more specific, like “flatpack kitchens for small spaces” or “best SEO tools for agencies.”

Long-tail searches make up most of Google’s traffic. They’re usually easier to rank for and more targeted.

If you're trying to build authority, start with long-tail terms. They let you rank for useful queries while building momentum for the harder ones.

6. How Do You Actually Do Keyword Research Now?

Start with the basics:

• What are people searching?

• What questions are they asking?

• How are competitors ranking?

Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to get ideas, but don’t stop there. Look at what’s already ranking for each keyword. If all you see are blog posts, don’t create a product page. Follow the format that’s already working.

Also look for gaps - places where people are searching but the available content doesn’t fully answer them. That’s where you can win.

7. Where Should Keywords Be Placed?

You don’t need to cram keywords in. But there are still a few places where using them helps:

• Page title – This still carries weight

• Meta description – Affects click-through, not ranking

• First paragraph – Helps confirm the topic quickly

• One or two H2s – Adds clarity and supports structure

• URL – If it makes sense, include it

Use the keyword naturally. Don’t write a headline like “SEO SEO SEO: Best SEO for SEO Professionals.” That’s not helping anyone.

8. How Many Keywords Should You Use?

There’s no fixed number. Forget the old rules about “3–5% keyword density.” Search engines now focus on meaning and topic coverage, not repetition.

If your page is clearly about “keyword research tools,” that will be obvious even if you only use the exact phrase a few times. What matters more is that the content answers the question properly and includes related language.

Overusing keywords can actually reduce performance. It clutters your writing and sends spammy signals.

9. Are Meta Tags Still Worth It?

Meta titles still matter. They’re often the first thing users see in the search results, and they help Google understand what the page is about.

Meta descriptions aren’t a ranking factor, but they influence whether someone clicks your result. Including a keyword helps reinforce relevance.

Think of meta tags as signposts. They won’t rank your content by themselves, but they support visibility and improve the way your content is presented.

10. How Do Keywords Fit into Your Content Strategy?

Start with your core topics. Then research what real people are searching for around those topics. That’s your keyword base.

From there:

• Build pages around transactional keywords

• Write blog content for informational ones

• Group keywords by intent and theme

• Prioritise the ones that align with your goals

This makes your SEO content more strategic. Instead of writing for the sake of writing, you’re publishing content with purpose - content that matches demand.

11. Can You Rank Without Focusing on Keywords?

Sometimes, yes - but it’s not a plan.

You might get lucky and rank for something you didn’t target. But most of the time, content that performs well is built with keyword research behind it.

That doesn’t mean forcing phrases into every paragraph. It means understanding what people are trying to find and making your page the one that answers it best.

Good SEO content doesn’t just “include keywords.” It serves a purpose, lines up with the search query, and adds real value.

12. What’s the Link Between Keywords and User Experience?

When done right, keywords help guide the user. They confirm that the page they’ve landed on matches what they were looking for.

Overdoing it, though, breaks that experience. Pages that repeat the same phrase over and over are annoying to read. They look like they were written for a robot.

Modern SEO has a user-first focus. If you’re writing clearly, your keywords will naturally appear in the right places. You don’t need to push it.

13. What About Keyword Density?

It’s a relic of the past.

Yes, some SEOs still talk about it. But it’s not something you need to measure. Google no longer works that way.

Instead, write with depth and clarity. Cover the topic. Use related terms. That shows search engines the context.

If you’re worried about whether you’ve “used the keyword enough,” you’re probably asking the wrong question. Focus on whether the content answers the query well. That’s what Google is really evaluating.

14. Are Keywords Losing Relevance?

No, but they are becoming part of a bigger picture.

SEO today includes so many other signals - backlinks, site structure, mobile performance, speed, intent, content quality - that keywords alone won’t get you far.

But they still matter. You still need to know what people search, match the format, and include those terms in your writing.

So while you can’t rely on them like you could in 2010, you can’t ignore them either. Keywords remain a building block in a much broader SEO strategy.

15. So, What’s the Best Way to Use Keywords in 2025?

Here’s how to get it right:

• Choose keywords that reflect real searches and clear intent

• Match each keyword to a specific type of content

• Place the keyword in the title, meta, intro, and a subheading if it fits

• Avoid keyword stuffing - write for people, not just search engines

• Update your keyword strategy regularly based on performance

• Use keywords to shape your content structure, not dominate it

The role of keywords has shifted. It’s less about gaming the system and more about relevance, clarity, and usefulness.

Key Takeaways

• Keywords are still relevant in SEO - but how you use them has changed

• Search intent matters more than exact matches

• You don’t need keyword density; you need clear, focused content

• Meta titles still help with visibility and clicks

• Long-tail keywords are easier to rank for and often convert better

• Good keyword placement supports clarity, not just rankings

• Keyword research is still the foundation of a strong content plan

• Avoid keyword stuffing - it harms both SEO and user experience

• Use keywords naturally to guide search engines and readers

• Keywords remain a key part of modern SEO, just not the only part

If you want your SEO to bring in consistent traffic and actually work, focus on strategy, not hacks. At SEOJet, we help you use keywords the right way - backed by experience, not guesswork. Talk to us about how we can improve your search performance without making it complicated.