Keyword ResearchKeywordSEO

What is a Main Keyword?

Nils Knäpper1/9/2026

We reveal to you the basics of the main keyword as well as 10 SEO tools for practical application

Table of contents
  1. What is a main keyword?
  2. How do you find suitable main keywords?
  3. How do you use main keywords on your website?
  4. How do you optimize your website for main keywords?
A small term, but a big impact if you deal with it properly. SEO has been an important channel for getting customers, traffic, reach and the like for years. But as time progresses - and on the internet it feels faster than real time - the Google algorithm and its updates become more complex. So you always have to stay up to date. However, what the main keyword is and what impact it has on your website is one of the basics.
We explain to you what the main keyword can do, how you find your matching main keywords and which mistakes you should avoid in this context.

What is a main keyword?

As the name already suggests, the main keyword plays a superior role when it comes to keywords for SEO. The term focus keyword or alternatively keyword focus is often synonymously used. This means the keyword that shows a search engine what the basic theme of a post or a page is.
A main keyword can also consist of several words, for example "SEO Tools". So the combination is the main keyword.

How do you find suitable main keywords?

Superficially seen, you can derive the main keyword from the topic of your post or your page. If you want to write a blog post on "corporate management", that's exactly your focus keyword. Afterwards you check the search volume and how it is used by competing websites using SEO tool,.
Just don't exaggerate the use of the main keyword. This only harms your site. It's better to use the main keyword in different forms.
So, the 3 checks on how to find the perfect main keyword are as follows:
  • Define the topic to which the post or page is to be found.
  • Use SEO tool for keyword research to check competition and search volume.
  • Use different forms of the main keyword in the text (e.g. the plural or a synonym).
Which SEO tools do you use best for main keyword research?
To find the suitable main keyword and the secondary keywords for a complete keyword set, you use best SEO tools,. The amount of softwares you find on the net is enormous. That's why our comparison platform OMR Reviews will make your life easier. There you will find SEO tools rated by other users and their experience reports.
Keep in mind that not every SEO tool automatically masters a keyword research. In SEO, extremely many features are used, which is why there is hardly an SEO software that masters everything. Therefore, SEO managers often use two, three tools with different focuses. Good News: There are also free SEO tools,.

How do you use main keywords on your website?

While secondary keywords act as a supplement in the text, a main keyword is placed in meta-title and description as well as in the custom-URL and headline - for example "What is a main keyword?". Nowadays, it is also advisable to perpetuate the focus keyword in the ALT description, as Google uses this as a reference to better understand images in posts.
ALT is the abbreviation for alternative text. This describes pictures so that visually impaired people can have the ALT text read out by software. Accessibility is a big topic in search engine optimization.

How do you optimize your website for main keywords?

The inflationary use of a main keyword is not desired. Rather, the main keyword sets the direction: If the main keyword is shoe, you can expect several 100,000 search queries. To specify it, you look at which secondary keywords go with it. If your site is about customizable sneakers, for instance, a search engine will quickly be able to specify for the user what pushes you in the search results - provided the quality of the SEO text, and other criteria are met. Just stick to the WDF*IDF method.
What common mistakes can you avoid?
  • Keyword stuffing: This refers to the excessive use of a keywords. This method is penalized by search engines and would lead to the wrong goal for you: zero reach!
  • Not one and only: Using only the main keyword for a page also leads to the wrong direction. With a thorough keyword research, you will get an entire keyword tree that derives from the main keyword. This will make Google measure the added value of your site more positively and understand the relevance for readers.
  • Keyword cannibalism: Never let multiple pages on your site rank for the same keywords. The same main keyword yes, entire identical keyword sets no!

Recommended SEO Tools

You can find more recommended tools SEO-Tools on OMR Reviews and compare them. In total, we have listed over 150 SEO tools (as of December 2023) that can help you increase your organic traffic in the long term. So take a look and compare the software with the help of the verified user reviews:



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Nils ist Senior SEO-Texter bei OMR Reviews und darüber hinaus ein echter KI-Enthusiast. Und als solcher ist er immer auf der Suche nach Anwendungsfällen und Workflows, die sich mit Hilfe von künstlicher Intelligenz (teil-)automatisieren lassen – egal, ob im Alltag oder auf der Arbeit. Nur bei einer Sache lässt er sich nicht von KI unter die Arme greifen: nämlich dann, wenn er in Ableton Live seinem liebsten Hobby nachgeht und Techno produziert.

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Keyword Research
Keyword research tools help companies in researching important keywords that should be used on the company's website to achieve keyword rankings and to be found in organic searches for these keywords. Through comprehensive keyword research, one can align their content with the right search queries and thereby achieve higher visibility in the search engine results. Keyword research tools can help to identify the relevant keywords and phrases associated with a particular topic or niche. These tools can provide information on search volume, competition, and related keywords. Some of the best-known keyword research tools are Sistrix, Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz Keyword Explorer.
Keyword
SEO keyword tools are tools that assist in the research and optimization of keywords for search engine optimization (SEO). These tools offer various features that help in identifying relevant keywords and monitoring their performance in search engines. Here are some use cases of SEO keyword tools: * Keyword Research: An important step in the SEO strategy is keyword research. This involves identifying keywords that are searched by your target audience in search engines. SEO keyword tools such as Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, Moz Keyword Explorer, and Keywordtool.io can help in searching for relevant keywords by providing information such as search volume, competition, and related keywords. * Keyword Tracking: After selecting keywords, it is important to monitor their performance in search engines. Keyword tracking tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz can help to keep track of the keyword rankings in search engines and monitor how many clicks, impressions and conversions these keywords generate. * Competitive Analysis: SEO keyword tools can also be used to monitor the keywords of the competition. By analyzing the keywords of the competition, you can gain valuable insights and improve your own SEO strategy. Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs offer features for analyzing the keywords of the competition. * Content Optimization: Optimizing content for search engines requires the integration of keywords into the content. SEO keyword tools can help to monitor the keyword density and the placement of the keywords in the content. SEMrush and Moz offer content analysis features that can help you to improve the optimization of your content. In summary, SEO keyword tools are important tools for identifying relevant keywords, monitoring the performance of keywords, and improving the SEO strategy.
SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) software is used to improve the so-called natural or organic visibility of a website on the results page of a search engine (usually Google) or to provide clues and suggestions for improvement. In other words, to make a website, a location on Maps, or a photo in the image search more findable without having to pay for it, you need optimization work, insights, metrics, and orientation. The listed tools enable these SEO insights and analyses by showing, for example, the development of a website's visibility over time, competitive data, important keywords, trend data or hints at technical starting points for improvement. Among the SEO tools, there are specialized tools for individual functions as well as all-in-one solutions that depict (almost) all SEO functions and sometimes even provide solutions for other areas. For example, (almost) all SEO tools focus on the identification of relevant Keywords, there is overlap with Search Advertising Software. All products listed in the SEO category must cover at least one of the following areas: SEO Monitoring & Tracking, Keyword Research, Content or Onpage Optimization, Crawling and/or Offpage SEO. With SEO Monitoring & Tracking tools, keywords can be tracked and thus SEO performance monitored. With the help of Keyword Research Tools, content gaps can be identified. SEO Content Tools help with content creation and optimization. Crawler and log file tools test your own website for technical SEO and create log file analyses. For the inspection, monitoring, and identification of (potential) backlinks, there are Backlink Tools. Do you want to further your education in SEO and learn from experts? Then the OMR Beginners Guide to SEO and the OMR Professional Guide to SEO are just right for you! More than 100 pages of expert knowledge await you in the reports, and even real SEO pros will learn something new! For those who prefer to learn in a flexible e-learning format, we also offer an OMR SEO Pro Deep Dive Webinar and an OMR Academy SEO Fundamentals E-Learning Course.

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