Not All Keywords Are Created Equal - Keyword Intent Explained

By Perry Stevens, Blend Local Search Marketing | May 2026

Key Stat: Long-tail keywords have an average conversion rate of 36% compared to just 11.45% for head terms. And 70% of all search queries are long-tail keywords. (Source: Backlinko, "Long-Tail Keywords Study", 2024; Ahrefs, "Keyword Research Statistics", 2025)

TL;DR

• Not all keywords are equal — "money" keywords (e.g. "orthodontist near me") convert far better than informational queries (e.g. "do braces hurt?").
• Long-tail keywords convert at 36% on average versus 11.45% for broad head terms — they are laser-targeted and less competitive.
• Ranking for your own name is rarely worth it — patients searching for you specifically will find you anyway through directory listings.
• Start with long-tail, move to competitive terms — build authority and revenue first, then reinvest to rank for broader keywords.
• Always evaluate keyword intent — ask what the searcher wants; if it is not to become a patient, deprioritise it.

Even with the constant changes in Google's search engine algorithms, keywords remain as one of the main focal points to building a successful SEO campaign. Targeting the right keywords is what allows your website to be found by the right prospects. It helps your business show up for searches that are relevant to the problems, needs, and wants of your target audience.

But choosing the right keywords is not as easy as it seems. You need to have a good amount of experience to really understand what kind of keyword phrases you should be targeting for your SEO campaign. The terms you choose also play into your marketing strategy. For example, a landing page for keywords where prospects are looking for specific information should be different from a landing page for keywords where prospects are ready to make a purchase.

Keywords will also determine how you move forward with your SEO campaign. You need to have a strong idea of what keywords to prioritise and how to utilise your limited resources between the list of keywords you are targeting. This is one of the things that separate businesses that see huge growth from SEO and businesses that struggle for meagre results.

Not All Keywords Are Created Equal

If you are an orthodontist and conducting research for your SEO campaign, you will be faced with a large list of keyword phrases you can target. This is where it is important to understand that some keywords are better than others.

For example, the keywords "braces" and "orthodontist" with local search terms are the keywords that will generate the best results for your practice. These are the kind of "money" keywords that convert leads to patients.

In contrast, keyword searches like "does getting braces hurt?" and "do I really need braces?" are related to what you do, but they probably will not convert into patients. These are searches made by people that are early in the research phase and are not specifically looking for an orthodontist. Even if some of these keywords are easier to rank for, you will find that it is a waste of resources to target them due to the lack of patient conversions.

Is It Important to Rank for Your Own Name?

Many orthodontists think that it is critical to rank for their own names. In most cases, ranking for your own name is not important. There are several reasons for this. First, searches for names usually receive very small search volumes which basically translates to little to no traffic. In addition, most doctors tend to rank naturally for their own names if they have done some SEO. In even in the rare cases they do not, the ranking would not really help all that much.

Second, if a patient is looking for your specific name in your city, they will eventually find you. This is because sites like Zocdocs, Healthgrades, and other medical listing sites occupy many of the top results for these name based searches. Once the patient lands on these sites, it is very easy for them to clarify their search and find you through your name and specialty.

It is more important to focus on keywords that will bring in new patients into your practice. Ranking in the top results of the search engines for keywords that do not bring in patients are a waste of time, money and resources. The only instance when ranking for your name might be important is if there is another competing orthodontist with the exact same name and is located in the exact same city as you.

Should You Go for the Most Competitive Keywords?

Another thing you have to consider with your keyword strategy is to figure out which keywords to go for early in your campaign.

As you know, the "money" orthodontist keyword phrases that generate the bulk of traffic volume will be very competitive. As a result, it can take quite a long time to rank for these keyword searches. This is not ideal if you are looking to generate clients quickly from your SEO campaign.

That is why it is a good idea to start by going after long-tail keywords first. These are keywords that tend to be longer (as their name suggests) and less competitive than the most competitive searches. An example keyword would be "orthodontists in Austin that offer free consultations." Even if these keywords tend to receive a lot less searches than the shorter "money" keywords, they are laser targeted and tend to convert very well. In fact, securing top rankings for multiple long-tail keywords can generate a lot of revenue for your practice.

Of course, this does not mean that you should abandon the most competitive keywords. The idea here is to secure the top rankings for less competitive keywords first and then slowly move your way up towards the competitive terms. This approach will help you generate revenue more quickly from your SEO campaign. It will also help you cover the costs of your campaign early on so that you can reinvest the profits back into growing your SEO campaign.

And once you start ranking for these long tail keywords, it becomes easier to rank for the most competitive keywords. The reason for this is because you are building domain authority, page rank, link value that you can pass to your other pages, and some search reputation which can be leveraged to generate more incoming links.

Focus on Keyword Intent When Evaluating Keywords

Overall, the most important thing you have to focus on when evaluating keyword phrases is to look at intent. Ask yourself: What is going on in the mind of the people who are entering this search phrase in Google? If the intent is to eventually find a trustworthy orthodontist in their area, then you want to target it. If the intent is to conduct research that most likely will not lead to an appointment, you want to dismiss it.

If you need help with your keyword strategy or need an experienced team of professionals to overlook your entire SEO campaign, give us a call. Blend Local Search Marketing has been helping leading orthodontists build winning SEO campaigns for over a decade with targeted search for their office locations.

FAQ

What are "money" keywords in SEO?

Money keywords are search terms that indicate high purchase intent. For orthodontists, examples include "braces near me", "orthodontist [city]", and "Invisalign consultation [city]". These terms are searched by people actively looking to book an appointment, making them far more valuable than informational queries like "what are braces made of". Businesses targeting money keywords typically see 3-5x higher conversion rates than those focusing on top-of-funnel content alone.

Why do long-tail keywords convert better than short keywords?

Long-tail keywords are more specific, which means the searcher knows exactly what they want. Someone searching "affordable Invisalign for teens in Austin" has a much clearer intent than someone searching "Invisalign". This specificity filters out casual browsers and attracts visitors who are ready to take action. Long-tail keywords also face less competition, making them easier and faster to rank for, especially for newer or smaller websites.

Should I ever target informational keywords?

Yes, but strategically. Informational keywords build topical authority and can attract backlinks, which strengthen your overall domain. The key is to use them as part of a funnel: answer the informational query, then guide the reader toward your services with internal links and clear calls-to-action. Do not pour your primary SEO budget into them if your goal is immediate patient acquisition.

How many keywords should an orthodontist target?

Start with 10-15 core keywords per location or service area. This should include a mix of 3-5 high-competition "money" keywords, 5-8 mid-competition service keywords, and 3-5 long-tail variations. As your site gains authority, expand to 30-50+ keywords. Quality and relevance matter more than quantity — it is better to rank #1 for 10 profitable terms than page 3 for 100 irrelevant ones.

How do I know if a keyword has the right intent?

Search the keyword yourself and study the results. If the top results are service pages, location pages, and "book now" buttons, the intent is commercial. If the top results are blog posts, Wikipedia entries, and how-to guides, the intent is informational. Use this as your guide: match your page type to the dominant intent. Also look for action words like "buy", "book", "near me", or "consultation" in the query itself.

About the Author

Perry Stevens is the founder and CEO of Blend Local Search Marketing, a Singapore-based agency helping local businesses dominate search through conversion-focused content and SEO. With over 15 years in digital marketing, he has helped hundreds of businesses turn their blogs into lead-generation machines. He is a tea drinker, cocoa grower and a frequent traveller. Connect with Perry on LinkedIn.