In digital marketing and PR, creating content that resonates with your audience is crucial. Making sure your content matches what people are searching for is essential, otherwise your message may be lost.
Google processes billions of searches daily, with users seeking answers, information, and recommendations. Ensuring your content includes the right keyword, i.e. the specific terms and phrases your audience is entering into the search bar, can help you connect with them more effectively. It’s important to remember that what you think people are searching for to find your brand, products or services may not actually be what they input into the search.
And that’s where we come in – matching your audience’s needs with your content. Google’s search algorithms prioritise relevance, authority, and user experience, which means your content needs to align with real search intent.
Understanding search intent
Search intent refers to the purpose behind a user's query. It could be to find information, a product, a service, or a local business. Matching your content with search intent is the first motivator.
Here are a few examples if we look at Belle PR’s business goals.
Informational searches (e.g., "How does PR help a business?") require blog posts, guides, and FAQs.
Navigational searches (e.g., "Belle PR website") mean your brand needs a strong online presence across multiple digital channels.
Transactional searches (e.g., "PR agency in Cambridge") highlight the importance of targeted service pages and local SEO (search engine optimisation).
Google continually refines its search algorithm to prioritise high-quality content that aligns with user expectations, so aligning your keywords with search terms is not a ‘once-and-done’ type of thing. You need to constantly refresh your content to match what users are searching for today, and having us run a quick website audit and assessing trending keywords on your behalf is a great starting point.
Here are a few other trends to consider when considering how your content can better align with search terms and intent.
Voice search – With more people using voice search via Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa, natural, question-based queries like “What’s the best PR agency near me?” are gaining traction.
Long-tail keywords – These longer, more specific phrases (e.g., “best PR strategy for startups in New Zealand”) often have lower competition and higher conversion rates. We recently provided a list of short- and long-tail keywords to a client to match some topical issues currently impacting their sector.
AI and semantic search – Google now understands context better than ever. Instead of just targeting exact-match keywords, it's important to create content that fits broad match too, so if there is some variation to what the individual has searched for, they’ll still find your content. For example, “Crisis communications planning” versus “Crisis communications support”, or “Bell PR” instead of “Belle PR”, which picks up mistakes or typos.
Local SEO and ‘near me’ searches – If you want to attract local clients, optimising for location-based searches is essential. Include your location on your online platforms to support this.
SEO-friendly writing will help you rank higher and get noticed by the right people. If your content isn’t getting the visibility it deserves, let us help you.
