How to Choose the Right Keywords for Your Business

How to Choose the Right Keywords for Your Business

ByTera Creations

Introduction

Your website may look beautiful, but if it doesn’t show up on Google, it’s invisible. The key to visibility is choosing the right keywords. For Kenyan businesses, this means identifying the exact words customers use when searching for products or services online. In this guide, we’ll explore how to choose the right keywords for your business so that you attract the right audience and drive growth.

Why Choosing the Right Keywords Matters

  1. Visibility: Correct keywords ensure your site appears in relevant searches.
  2. Traffic Quality: Not all traffic is equal—keywords bring in the audience most likely to convert.
  3. Cost Efficiency: Targeting the right keywords reduces wasted effort in both SEO and paid ads.
  4. Competitive Edge: Smart keyword choices allow SMEs to compete against bigger brands.

See related: Keyword Research for Kenyan Businesses: A Complete Guide.

Steps to Choose the Right Keywords

1. Understand Your Audience

Ask yourself: What problems are my customers trying to solve? For example:

  • A law firm → “divorce lawyer Nairobi.”
  • A restaurant → “best nyama choma Westlands.”

2. Focus on Search Intent

Search intent explains why a user typed a keyword. There are three main types:

  • Informational: “What is SEO in Kenya?”
  • Transactional: “SEO pricing in Kenya.”
  • Navigational: “Tera Creations SEO services.”

Match your keywords with the type of content you’re creating.

3. Use Keyword Research Tools

Free and paid tools help validate keyword ideas. Options include:

  • Google Keyword Planner.
  • Ubersuggest.
  • SEMrush or Ahrefs for advanced insights.

See also: Free Keyword Research Tools Every Entrepreneur Should Know.

4. Analyze Competition

Check who currently ranks for your target keyword. If big brands dominate, target more specific long-tail keywords (e.g., “affordable SEO agency in Nairobi”).

5. Localize Your Keywords

Kenyan businesses should include location-based terms:

  • “Digital marketing agency Nairobi.”
  • “Salon in Mombasa CBD.”

Explore further: Local SEO in Kenya.

6. Balance Volume and Difficulty

Don’t just go after high-volume keywords. Balance them with low-competition terms to capture easier wins.

7. Map Keywords to Content

Assign keywords strategically:

  • Service pages → transactional keywords.
  • Blogs → informational and educational queries.
  • Home page → brand + broad keywords.

See: Site Structure for SEO.

8. Track and Refine

SEO is ongoing. Use Google Search Console to monitor which keywords bring traffic, then refine your strategy.

Check out: Step-by-Step Setting Up Google Search Console for Your Website.

Common Mistakes When Choosing Keywords

  • Targeting keywords too broad (“SEO”) instead of focused ones (“SEO agency in Kenya”).
  • Ignoring long-tail opportunities.
  • Overstuffing keywords in content.
  • Not aligning keywords with user intent.

See related: Common SEO Mistakes Kenyan Businesses Make.

Best Practices for Keyword Selection

  • Always prioritize relevance over volume.
  • Use 1 focus keyword + 2–4 supporting keywords per page.
  • Update your keyword list every 3–6 months.
  • Create content clusters around related topics.

How Tera Creations Helps Businesses

At Tera Creations, we specialize in helping businesses build keyword strategies that deliver measurable growth. From keyword mapping and audits to content optimization, we ensure you target the right words for visibility and conversions.

Explore our SEO services:

FAQs: Choosing the Right Keywords

1) How many keywords should I target per page?
One focus keyword plus a handful of related terms.

2) Should I target high-volume or low-volume keywords?
Both. High-volume for visibility, low-volume for easier wins.

3) How often should I change my keywords?
Review every 3–6 months to stay aligned with trends.

4) Do keywords work the same for ads and SEO?
Mostly, but ad campaigns may require broader targeting than organic SEO.

Conclusion

Choosing the right keywords for your business is the foundation of online growth. For Kenyan businesses, this means understanding your audience, focusing on intent, and balancing local and competitive insights. With the right strategy, every keyword becomes a pathway to visibility, leads, and sales.

Ready to target the right keywords? Contact Tera Creations today and let’s build a keyword plan that fuels your business.

Read More Like this.