Understanding Search Query to Ace Marketing

What do you type into the search engine (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.) when you want to find something on the internet?

You’ll say, words, phrases, and even questions to get answers to your doubts. In other words, we use search queries. So, what exactly is a search query? Let’s delve deeper to understand.

What Is A Search Query?

A search query is a word, a phrase containing a few words, or an entire question that you type into your search engine to find relevant web pages or information. And as you hit enter, the search engine then uses these queries to generate a list of results that match the user's intent. It's the foundation of our online journey to find answers and solutions.

Let’s take an example.

Say you’re interested in the newly launched Apple iPhone 14. As a mobile geek, you’d want to research what’s new about the phone.

So you might search “iPhone 14 specifications”, “How is iPhone 14 different from iPhone 13?”, or “what’s new about iPhone 14”, and so on.

Example of a Search Query
Or, say you’re interested in learning digital marketing so you search “where can I learn digital marketing”, and you find:
Example of a Search Query 2

But Then, How Are Search Queries Different from Keywords?

When you think about search queries, you might find them the same as keywords. The words search query and keyword are even used interchangeably, but they are very different from each other.

Let’s understand this with an example.

Let’s say a user types "iPhone 14 features and specs" into Google. This is a complete and specific question or request that the user wants to find information about. This is a search query.

Keywords, on the other hand, are individual words or phrases within the search query that are used by search engines to determine the relevance of web pages. In the example of the search query "iPhone 14 features and specs," "iPhone 14," "features," and "specs" are all keywords.

In fact, search queries can also be like…

A funny example of a search query
Now, to further differentiate between search queries and keywords:
Difference between Search Query and Keywords

So, How Does Search Query Help SEO?

Consider search query to be the protagonist of the user's search journey, guiding them through the vast internet to find the information they're looking for. A well-crafted search query, much like a well-written movie character, can help the user achieve their goals and find the information they need.

In the same way that a movie character can make or break a film, a search query can make or break a user's search experience. A poorly crafted search query, much like a poorly written movie character, can lead to irrelevant or incorrect results, frustrating the user's journey.

Understanding search queries can help businesses:

1. Optimize their content and website for search engines:

By researching popular search queries, businesses can identify keywords and phrases to include in their content, making it easier for customers to find their products or services through search engines.

Let's consider a hypothetical example:

A company sells handmade soap and wants to increase its visibility on search engines. To do this, they research popular search queries related to their products, and they find that many people are searching for "organic soap." They use this information to optimize their website (in terms of its meta tags, and description) and content for search engines.

2. Target their audience:

By analyzing search queries, businesses can get a better understanding of their target audience, including their age, location, interests, and more, which can inform marketing and advertising strategies.

Here's an example to illustrate this:

A women's clothing store wants to reach a new audience. To do this, they research popular search queries related to their products and they find that many people are searching for "workout clothes for women." They use this information to target their audience.

3. Create targeted advertisements:

Search query data can be used to create targeted advertisements that appear in search engine results or on websites related to specific search terms.

Here’s an example to understand this better:

A furniture retailer wants to reach new customers who are in the market for a new couch. To do this, they research popular search queries related to their products and they find that many people are searching for "leather couch." They use this information to create targeted advertisements.

4. Measure the success of marketing campaigns:

By tracking the number of clicks and conversions from specific search queries, businesses can measure the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns and make adjustments as needed.

Here's an example:

A company sells eco-friendly cleaning products and has just launched a new marketing campaign to promote its products. To measure the success of the campaign, the company tracks metrics related to search queries like search volume, click-through rate (CTR), and conversion rate.

To summarize, a search query is…

Search query when compared to a movie character
So, just as movie characters are essential elements of a story, search queries are essential elements of a user's search journey on the internet. Both lead the audience through their respective experiences and shape the outcome of the journey.