It used to be that: nouns like "web design" or "SEO" were the most important keywords. Today we know that verbs like "design," "find," or "optimize" are just as crucial, because they reflect user intent and cater to long-tail search queries.
1. Nouns: Focus on the Topic
Nouns represent the central topic of your content. They show search engines what your page is about. Examples: "landing page", "backlinks", "content marketing". A clear keyword focus using nouns ensures that Google correctly categorizes your page by topic. But nouns alone are no longer enough today—they only set the framework, not the action.
2. Verbs: Recognizing User Intent
Verbs reflect the action or intent of the user. Search engines analyze what people want to do, not just what topic they’re searching for. Examples: "create," "find," "improve." Those who use these verbs strategically align with user intent and increase relevance. This results in content that makes sense for both people and algorithms.
3. Long-tail keywords and natural language
Verbs help form long-tail keywords that face less competition and are often very specific. Examples: "how do I create a landing page" or "SEO optimization for beginners." Such search queries reveal clear user intent. Texts with natural verbs read more fluidly, feel more authentic, and are more reader-friendly—which Google views positively.
4. Modern SEO Takes Context Into Account
Google and other search engines rely on semantic analysis. LSI keywords ("Latent Semantic Indexing") recognize synonyms, verbs, and related terms. As a result, content that combines nouns and verbs is classified as particularly relevant to the topic. SEO has long been more than just keyword stuffing—it’s about context, meaning, and clarity.
5. Practical Tips
- Combine nouns and verbs to cover the main topic and user intent.
- Use verbs in headings, meta tags, and body text.
- Formulate long-tail keywords naturally and in a reader-friendly way.
- Use synonyms and related terms to create semantic depth.
Conclusion
Verbs are just as important as nouns: They show what users want to do, increase relevance for long-tail search queries, and improve the readability of your content. The combination of nouns, verbs, and semantically related terms ensures better rankings, more traffic and stronger user engagement. Those who understand the language of their target audience appeal not only to Google but, above all, to people.
Image: created by the author