WordPress SEO in 5 Minutes – Difference between Keyword and Keyphrase

What is the difference between keyword and keyphrase - The CAG

WordPress SEO in 5 Minutes – Difference
between Keyword and Keyphrase

What is the difference between keyword and keyphrase - The CAG

WordPress SEO in 5 Minutes – Difference between
Keyword and Keyphrase

WordPress SEO in 5 Minutes – Difference between Keyword and Keyphrase

What is a Keyword?

A keyword is a specific word that best defines the content of your blog post or page. It is the search term that you would want your page to rank for. To put it simply, when someone searches for these words on search engines, they should find your page or post.

For example, let’s say you are a web development and branding agency, and you’ve written a blog about branding on your site. The keyword will be “branding” for your post or page.

What is a Keyphrase?

Keyphrase is the phrase that best defines the content of your blog post or page and that you would want your page or post to rank for.

From the same example as above, let’s say your web development and branding agency is in Perth, and you have written a post about developing websites for businesses in Perth. Your keyphrase should be something on the lines of “web development for Perth businesses” or “web development agency in Perth”. These phrases describe the content of your post better than, say, “web development”.

Web development - The CAG

So, What’s the Difference?

The difference between them is as simple as you guessed. Keyword and keyphrase both define your page or post best and can be used to rank in search engines. The only difference is keyword is a single word while keyphrases have more than one word.

Why are Keywords and Keyphrases Important?

Both keywords and keyphrases are significant because of the following reasons:

  • Increases organic traffic and conversions rate by reaching out to your targeted customers
  • Helps to create valuable content for your audience
  • Portrays the essence of your web page
  • Help to communicate with search engines so they can understand the content of your page

Keywords vs. Search Queries

Keywords are abstract and can be generalised in multiple search queries. While search queries are the phrases that users enter in search engines with the intention to find some information. Even though the user intent is same the search queries can differ from person to person. They can even have misspellings and grammar mistakes.

To choose effective keywords you need to meet the search intent of the customers and make your focus phrase similar to search queries.

Importance of Keyword & Keyphrase Optimisation

Want to know how and where to use keywords? Read our complete guide on keywords.

Jargon Buster

Organic traffic – Visitors reaching your site from a search engine result and not a paid ad.
Keyword research – A process used by professionals to find and analyse search terms.
Search intent – A term used to define the intent behind a search query. It can be transactional, informational, commercial and Navigational.
Long-tail keyword – A keyword or keyphrase that is more specific and have low search volume.

Article originally published on 06/06/2020
Revised on 05/04/2021
Added new sections:
Keywords vs. Search Queries
Importance of Keyword & Keyphrase Optimisation
Added new terms to Jargon Buster

Monisha | Blog author | Computing Australia

Monisha M M

Monisha is the Creative Coordinator at The Computing Australia Group. She has a wide range of responsibilities including content development & integration, search engine optimisation and custom report creation. Monisha ensures that your content is fully Google optimised while still looking great. Monisha effortlessly juggles her time liaising between the various teams – content, SEO, design, marketing and social media.

Monisha | Blog author | Computing Australia

Monisha M M

Monisha is the Creative Coordinator at The Computing Australia Group. She has a wide range of responsibilities including content development & integration, search engine optimisation and custom report creation. Monisha ensures that your content is fully Google optimised while still looking great. Monisha effortlessly juggles her time liaising between the various teams – content, SEO, design, marketing and social media.