Keyword modifiers improve your rankings and help you reach more relevant buyers. That means greater visibility, higher click-through rate and more conversions. Here's everything you need to know about keyword modifiers and how to use them.
What is a keyword modifier?
A keyword modifier is a word - or group of words - that you add to your core keyword to make it more specific and targeted. By doing that, you increase your chances of ranking in the search engine results pages (SERPs), attracting more relevant prospects, and making more sales.
They fall into different categories, such as adjectives, geographical and price-based keyword modifiers. Some even map onto the buyers' journey and you target bottom-of-funnel, purchase-ready prospects.
Why use a keyword modifier?
There are three main reasons to use keyword modifiers in your keywords.
Increase the likelihood of ranking in SERPs
Ranking in the SERPs is tough. You have to aim for the front page because - according to Backlinko's analysis of 5 million Google searches - only 0.78% of visitors click on a page 2 search result. Using keyword modifiers makes you more likely to hit one of those all-important top spots.
Reach a more relevant audience
Keyword modifiers help you reach a more relevant audience. And that increases your likelihood that someone will click through to your website. Imagine someone is looking for a tartan dog blanket for a medium-sized pooch. If you target the keywords 'mid-size tartan dog blanket', you're more likely to get a click-through than you would for a page targeting the more general keyword, 'dog blanket'.
Target purchase-ready prospects
Keyword modifiers also give you a clue about how close your prospects are to buying. By using keyword modifiers that indicate 'buying intent', you're likely to attract people in the decision stage of the buyers' journey. That means they're more likely to convert and make a purchase.
How keyword modifiers help you rank in SERPs
By adding additional words to the keywords you're targeting, they become long-tail keywords. And long-tail keywords tend to be easier to rank for.
Here's an example from my article explaining content marketing and the customer journey. It explores the searches performed by Nihal as he gets kitted out for his first camping trip.
At the time of writing, this was the search volume (SV) and keyword difficulty (KD) for the following keywords:
Sleeping bags - 329,000 SV / 48 KD
Best budget sleeping bags for backpacking - 1800 SV / 28 KD
You'll see that the search volume for the keyword 'sleeping bag' is much higher than the volume for the more specific long-tail keyword. But unless you have amazing domain authority, you're very unlikely to rank on the first page of Google for a keyword with a difficulty of 48.
However, a keyword difficulty of 28? That's doable. Not only that, but people searching for 'best budget sleeping bags for backpacking' are ready to buy. It's like they're waving a flag saying 'Hey. I'm here. Sell to me.' And they're looking for EXACTLY what you're selling.
So - even though you might reach a smaller audience with a long-tail keyword and keyword modifiers - they're super interested and ready to buy. And isn't that who you want to reach?!
Types of keyword modifier
There are lots of different types of keyword modifiers. They'll differ depending on what you sell and who you're targeting. But here's a few to get you thinking.
Adjective keyword modifiers
These are words that describe something. They help to narrow down a search to deliver more specific results. They might relate to features such as colour, style, size and quality.
Blue tops
Best mountain bikes
Sturdy office chairs
Skinny jeans
Usage keyword modifiers
These specify who will be the user of the product or service being researched. For example:
Blue tops for kids
Best holidays for families
SEO for beginners
Sleeping bags for tall people
Geographical keyword modifiers
The keyword modifiers are used to find products or services in specific places. Like:
Hairdressers near me
Copywriters in Newcastle
Rural holiday homes
City breaks near the sea
Size modifiers
These modifiers help users find the right product based on size. Whether that's their size or the size of the item.
Petite wedding dresses
Plus-size trousers
8-yard skip
10-gallon planters
Price/purchase modifiers
Everyone wants a bargain - especially when they're shopping online. Price modifiers appeal to purchase-ready savvy shoppers.
Cheapest wellington boots
Best-value cooking stoves
Lowest price UPVC doors
Discount code for Xbrand pushchairs
See a list of more keyword modifiers by type at the end of this article.
Using keyword modifiers to create long-tail keywords
Now you know some of the different types of keyword modifiers, let's put them together to create some rank-improving, SEO-friendly long-tail keywords.
Cute blue tops for teenage girls
Cheapest office chairs for everyday use
Mens' hairdressers near me
Best dog groomers in Swansea
Plus-size floral maxi dresses
If you have access to a keyword research tool, try typing those in and checking out the search volume and keyword difficulty.
You should find they're easier to rank for than more general keywords like 'blue tops', 'office chairs' and 'dog groomers'.
Keyword modifiers for different stages of the buyers' journey
Keyword modifiers are also valuable because they indicate:
where someone is in the buyers' journey
the strength of their buying intent
Generally speaking, the more keyword modifiers in a search term:
the further through the buyers' journey they are
the closer they are to making a purchase
Assuming you create content for the four different stages of the buyers' journey, you can use this knowledge to choose the most appropriate keyword modifiers.
Awareness stage keyword modifiers
At awareness stage, your prospect doesn't really know what they need. They're not searching specifically for your product or service. They just know they have a problem. Keyword modifiers at this stage are often phrased as questions and include keyword modifiers like:
How to
Where to
What is
Why do
Examples
Consideration stage keyword modifiers
At consideration stage, you often see keyword modifiers related to finding, assessing and comparing specific products or services.
Provider
Solution
Software
Services
Best
Compare
Pros and cons
Versus
Reviews
Decision stage keyword modifiers
In the decision stage - also known as the 'conversion' stage - you get keyword modifiers about making a purchase. Often these related to price, availability, or location.
Offers
Discounts
Deals
Near me
Best price
Stockists
Where to buy
Promo code
Ratings
Reviews
50+ keyword modifiers for inspiration
Adjective keyword modifiers
Best
Top
Rated
Fastest
Quality
Popular
Reliable
Child-friendly
Wheelchair friendly
Accessible
Recycled / recyclable
Eco-friendly
Weatherproof
Lightweight
Cute
Fashionable
On-trend
Colours - blue, red, green etc
Usage keyword modifiers
For him
For her
For men
For women
Unisex
For kids
For teens
For adults
For older people
Ages eg for age 6+
For beginners
For experts
For [specific event or season eg Christmas]
For left-handed people
For creative types
For working parents
Geographical keyword modifiers
Near me
Near here
By the coast
In the country
In [specific place name]
Within [distance] of [specific place name]
Size modifiers
Extra-small
Small
Medium
Large
Extra large
Petite
Plus-size
Big-and-tall
Specific measurements - eg 6x6 fence panels
Price/purchase modifiers
Cheap
Bargain
Best value
Best price
Promo code
Offers
Discounts
Deals
Under £XX
Stockists
Where to buy
Ratings
Reviews
Compare
I hope this article has given you a strong understanding of what a keyword modifier is and why SEO-savvy businesses use them. There's more on my site about keyword research, long-tail keywords, and the buyers' journey, so take a look if you want to learn more.