A head term is a word or short phrase that represents the central focus of a particular search query. When a user inputs a query into a search engine, the head term is usually the most specific and relevant keyword or phrase within that query. They typically consist of only one or two words.
For example, the owner of a women’s clothing retailer would likely focus on the head term “women’s clothing.” However, they would also want to target subcategories of keywords, such as “women’s fall shoes,” “women’s sundresses,” and “women’s white sneakers.”
Also frequently referred to as a head keyword, a head term drives the majority of the search volume. Consequently, it is an important consideration in SEO strategy. Head terms are characterized by being highly competitive and broad in nature, unlike long-tail keywords, which generally contain three or more words and are highly specific.
Given their high level of competition, achieving a top ranking for head terms can be difficult. One strategy to increase success in this area is to concentrate on search intent. This refers to classifying the type of queries users enter into search engines (i.e., informational, commercial, or navigational).