What is the difference between short-tail and long-tail keywords?

Short-tail keywords are broad one or two word phrases with high search volume but intense competition and broad traffic. Long-tail keywords are specific multi-word phrases with lower search volume but more qualified visitors who are closer to making a decision. Most small business keyword wins come from long-tail phrases.

How do I find the right keywords for my business?

Start with your audience - list the questions and phrases your customers use. Then use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to validate search volume and find related opportunities. Prioritize keywords by intent over volume. Include question-based phrases that people ask AI tools - these are increasingly important for AI search visibility alongside traditional rankings.

How often should I update my keyword strategy?

Review your keyword performance at minimum quarterly using Google Search Console. Search behavior evolves constantly - new AI platforms, changing audience language, and new competitors all affect which keywords are worth targeting. Treat keyword strategy as an ongoing discipline, not a one-time setup.

Do keywords affect AI search visibility as well as Google rankings?

Yes - keywords influence AI search visibility significantly. Content built around the specific questions your audience asks - with direct answers early in each section and clear question-based headings - is more likely to be cited in AI-generated responses from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Optimizing for AI search keywords and traditional SEO keywords is largely the same discipline.

What are SEO Keywords and How Do You Find Them?

Q: What are SEO keywords?

SEO keywords are the words and phrases people use when searching for information, products, or services online. When your website content uses the same keywords your audience searches for, search engines recognize your pages as relevant and surface them in results. In 2026, keywords also influence visibility in AI search tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.

Alex Colley
May 31, 2024
3 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

Every piece of content on your website is either helping you get found or it isn't. Keywords are what make the difference.

SEO keywords are the words and phrases your potential customers use when searching for what you offer. When your content uses those same words — in the right context, with the right intent — search engines connect your business to the people looking for it. In 2026 that connection extends beyond Google rankings into AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews, which evaluate keyword relevance and topical authority when deciding what to cite.

Here's what SEO keywords actually are, why they matter, and how to find the right ones for your business.

What Are SEO Keywords?

SEO keywords are the words and phrases people type — or increasingly speak or ask — when looking for information, products, or services online. When you optimize your website content around the right keywords, search engines understand what your pages are about and surface them to people whose searches match.

Keywords range from broad single terms ("SEO") to highly specific phrases ("SEO agency for small businesses in Kansas City"). The broad terms get more searches but face intense competition. The specific terms — called long-tail keywords — get fewer searches but attract more qualified, ready-to-act visitors.

In 2026, keywords also inform how AI tools like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews generate answers. When someone asks "what's the best digital marketing agency in Kansas City," that's a keyword query — and the businesses whose content clearly addresses that question are the ones most likely to be cited.

Why Keywords Matter for Your Business

Keywords are the connection between what your business offers and what your customers are actively looking for. Getting that connection right means more of the right people finding you — and fewer of the wrong ones.

How to Find the Right Keywords for Your Business

Keyword research is less about guessing and more about listening — to your customers, to your competitors, and to the data. Here's a practical six-step process for finding keywords that will actually drive results.

Keywords Are Not a One-Time Task

Keyword strategy requires regular attention — not because the fundamentals change, but because search behavior does. New tools, new competitors, new questions, and new AI platforms all shift how your audience finds information. A keyword that drove strong results twelve months ago may be less effective today. Review your keyword performance in Google Search Console every quarter. Look at which queries are driving impressions versus clicks — a high-impression, low-click keyword often signals that your content is appearing in zero-click features like AI Overviews but not generating direct traffic. That's not necessarily a failure — it may mean your brand is building AI search visibility that compounds over time.

Keywords and AI Search: What Changed in 2026

Traditional keyword research focused on what people type into search boxes. In 2026 you need to think about what people ask AI tools — because those are keywords too. When someone asks ChatGPT "what digital marketing agency should I hire for local SEO in Kansas City," that's a keyword query. When they ask Perplexity "what's the difference between SEO and AEO," that's a keyword query. And the businesses whose content clearly, directly, and authoritatively answers those questions are the ones getting cited in the response.

The good news is that optimizing for AI search keywords and traditional SEO keywords is largely the same discipline. Build content around the specific questions your audience is asking. Use clear, direct answers. Structure your pages with question-based headings. Go deep on topics rather than broad. The businesses doing this well for traditional SEO are already in a strong position for AI search — and the ones who aren't are falling behind on both.