Are Keywords Still Relevant in SEO?

Keywords have always mattered in SEO. But the role they play has changed.

In 2025, keywords no longer drive strategy on their own. They sit within a larger ecosystem that includes machine learning, user behavior, content quality, and AI-powered search. They’re still useful, just not in the way they used to be.

From Keywords to Context

Early SEO relied on repetition. If you wanted to rank, you added your target keyword to a page as many times as possible. That ended when Google started interpreting queries as ideas, not meaningless strings of words. 

• In 2012, Google went after spammy websites with the Penguin update, which aimed to decrease rankings for sites doing black hat SEO tactics like keyword stuffing.
• In 2013, Hummingbird introduced semantic understanding, which placed greater emphasis on natural language searches and put weight on context and meaning over individual keywords.
• In 2015, RankBrain added a machine learning component to Google’s algorithm. Through machine learning, Google can determine the most relevant results for a search based on things like user location, personalization, and keywords in the query.
• In 2019, Google made one of its biggest advancements yet with BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers). BERT is a “neural network-based technique for natural language processing (NLP) pre-training” (Google), and it enabled Google to better understand the meaning and intent behind searches.
• In 2022, the Helpful Content Update sought to prioritize content written for humans over low-value, spammy content.
• In 2024, the March core update was designed to show “less content that feels like it was made to attract clicks, and more content that people find useful” (Google).

These updates didn’t kill keywords. They changed how Google evaluates relevance. Language started to matter. So did intent. So did user behavior.

The Keyword-Optimized Writing Is on the Wall

I recently heard another person in the industry say that writing for SEO is outdated. I initially rolled my eyes as my mind jumped to all the “SEO is dead, AI is king” snake oil salespeople out there. But then I realized that this person wasn’t wrong. Writing for SEO and building your content around keywords is outdated. And it has been for a long time. 

There’s a pretty obvious throughline when you look at many of the updates Google has been making over the last 10-20 years: write for people, not for algorithms. Google is actively de-ranking low-value, generic, and AI-spun content. It rewards pages that are useful, original, and well-structured.

How Keywords Are Outdated

Conversational Searches

For the most part, people use search engines to answer questions. As Google’s natural language processing capabilities have improved, as users have conversations with AI agents, the verbiage used to ask those questions can be longer, more detailed, and more conversational. A hundred different people could ask the same question in a hundred different ways and get the same results. 

Being Intentional

Now we’ve got a hundred different keywords, and in 2025, we don’t need to optimize a page for a hundred variations of a keyword. In 2025, we look at that single result so that we can understand the purpose of those hundred searches. By focusing more on why they’re searching and less on what they’re searching, we’re able to create quality, useful content.

Tracking Limitations

Tracking clicks and keywords in 2025 has become significantly more difficult than in the past due to changes in how search engines operate and how users interact with results. The rise of zero-click searches means users often get answers directly on the search results page without ever clicking through to a website. 

Even when your content is being sourced in those results, that visibility often isn’t reflected in your analytics. In Search Console, Google is now providing less query-level transparency, often grouping long-tail queries under “other” or hiding low-volume terms altogether. 

Search has also expanded beyond traditional browsers to include voice assistants, smart displays, and visual search tools, many of which don’t send standard referral data or keyword attribution. 

As a result, tracking performance through clicks and keyword rankings alone no longer captures the full picture. Modern SEO measurement requires a broader view that includes engagement, visibility, and on-page behavior.

Are Keywords Still Relevant?

Yes, as tools to gain insights into your audience. But not as the purpose of your writing, or as KPIs.

Keywords reflect what people are searching for. They reveal questions, needs, and problems. Used properly, they give you a direct line to your audience’s thinking.

You’re not optimizing for a word. You’re optimizing for the meaning behind it.

Keywords still matter. But context, clarity, and content quality matter just as much.

How to Approach SEO in 2025

1. Focus on Topics, Not Just Terms

Successful SEO in 2025 starts with understanding the difference between targeting keywords and building around topics. Keywords are signals. Topics are strategy.

Rather than chasing isolated keywords, build content around broader subject areas that connect directly to your business goals and audience needs. 

The result is a strategy rooted in topic authority, not keyword repetition. By clustering content around meaningful themes—and supporting it with internal links, clear hierarchy, and consistent value—you signal to search engines and users alike that you’re the best resource on the subject.

2. Find Your Keywords

Now we get to talk about how keywords are definitely not dead but actually very useful. After defining your core topics, the next step is identifying how people actually search for them. Keyword research reveals real queries your audience uses and helps you prioritize what to target based on volume, intent, and competitiveness.

The goal is not just to find popular terms. It’s to build a keyword strategy that reflects how your audience thinks and searches, while identifying areas where your site can realistically perform well.

Group related keywords into thematic clusters. For example, one group might include “horse gifts” and “horse shirts,” while another focuses on “custom saddles” or “horse halters.” These clusters will help you structure your product pages, gift guides, or blog content more strategically.

A well-researched keyword list helps ensure you’re not just guessing at what to write. Instead, you’re building content around how people actually search and identifying the best opportunities for visibility.

3. Match Search Intent

Identifying potential keywords and reviewing their search results is a great way to understand what a user is expecting when they are searching for something. You’ve listed “horse gifts” as a potential focus, but when you search it, you realize, based on the results, that people who search this are looking for gift options for horse lovers. Your article topic is about gifts for horses. So this isn’t going to work. The intents don’t align. Mark it off the list.  

Choosing the right keyword is only part of the equation. To earn visibility in search, your content also needs to match what users are actually trying to do when they type in that keyword.

Intent research helps ensure that your planned content aligns with both the query and the user’s purpose. Even if a keyword has strong search volume, it won’t perform if your content doesn’t fit the intent behind it.

4. Optimize for Experience

Even the best content will fall short if the experience around it is poor. Google places significant weight on how users interact with your site. Factors like load time, design clarity, and mobile responsiveness can influence both your rankings and your ability to keep visitors engaged. 

• Improve page speed. 
• Ensure mobile responsiveness. 
• Use clear and consistent headings.
• Follow accessibility best practices. 
• Make navigation intuitive. 

5. Use AI to Scale, Not Replace

AI tools can help you ideate, draft, and refine content. But human input is non-negotiable. Google doesn’t penalize AI by default. It penalizes low-quality content. If you’re putting together something AI can create by itself, why are you producing it in the first place?

What Else Is Changing in Search

I discussed the evolution of search recently in “SEO vs GEO vs AEO vs LLMO: Shifting Strategies, Not Names” so I’m not going to harp on it too much here.

SGE and AI Overviews Are Shaping the Experience

Search Generative Experience and similar AI features are changing how results appear. In many cases, users now get answers without clicking through to a website.

To stay visible, write clearly and structure content so it can be featured. That means direct answers, clean formatting, and schema where appropriate.

Organic KPIs Need to Adapt

Outdated metrics like keyword rankings and raw traffic don’t tell the whole story anymore. Shift your measurement approach to reflect modern search behavior and make sure you align with business goals.

Visual and Voice Search Are Growing

Search is no longer limited to text. People search with voice, images, and even video.

Optimize images with descriptive alt text. Use filenames that make sense. Keep language conversational to align with voice queries. 

The Bottom Line

Keywords still matter. But they only work when they serve a larger goal: connecting with your audience in a way that’s helpful, clear, and credible.

The best SEO strategies are rooted in understanding people, not trying to game the algorithms. That means using keywords as a starting point, not a finish line.