Yoasie was asked:
Confused about keyphrases and where to put them
Dear Yoasie, I’m confused about the differences between title tags, focus keyphrases, slugs, and meta descriptions. There are so many places that all seem to be asking for the same keyphrase. Can you explain the differences?
Dear Brian, Hoo-hoo! Thanks for joining our webinar and asking such a wise question. Let’s spread our wings and fly into the world of SEO jargon together!
While keywords and keyphrases are like two feathers of the same wing, there’s a whole flock of SEO elements that each have their own special role. Here’s the lowdown:
Title Tag
Sometimes called the SEO Title, this tag is located in the “” of your document (which means it’s not seen on the page itself — it’s mostly used by the search engines to create the blue link/clickable part of your search engine result.) Think of the title tag as the headline of your story—the one that catches everyone’s eye in search results. It’s crucial for both SEO and grabbing attention. Including your focus keyphrase here helps search engines understand what your page is all about.
Example: “10 Tips for Wise SEO”Focus Keyphrase
This is your “trophy” phrase—the main term you want your page to rank for. Yoast SEO guides you to optimize your content around this keyphrase, keeping your content sharp and on target.
Example: “Wise SEO tips”Slugs
The slug is the part of your URL that’s easy to read and remember, much like a friendly owl’s hoot. Including your keyphrase in the slug helps search engines and visitors get the gist of your page instantly.
Example: In the URL, https://yoast.com/wordpress-seo/ the slug is /wordpress-seo/.Meta Descriptions
The meta description is your page’s teaser in search results. It doesn’t directly impact rankings, but a catchy, keyphrase-rich meta description can boost your click-through rates.
Example: “Discover 10 wise SEO tips to boost your site’s visibility and traffic.”Each of these elements is like a feather in your SEO cap. When you weave them together with your focus keyphrase, you create a complete picture that search engines will hoot about. It’s all about reinforcing your page’s relevance and making it irresistible to searchers.
Hope this clears things up! Keep soaring high with your SEO efforts, Brian!
Tot ziens (see you later), Yoasie 🦉
Ask Yoasie
This blog post stems from a previously asked question, do you want your question answered too?
