Head terms are an integral part of any successful programmatic SEO campaign. They can be the powerful foundation on which you can build hundreds of web pages. Get it right and you can see major waves of new traffic on your website. Get it wrong and you may see no new faces, or worse yet, hurt your site’s existing SEO.
If you're new to pSEO, check out our article explaining why SEO wizards use it to rank on more keywords in less time.
Before we dive into the list, let’s explore the different types of head terms to hopefully inspire you on your programmatic SEO journey.
What Are The Different Types of Head Terms?
Head terms come in various forms and serve different purposes. Understanding the different elements of a head term will get you a long way in understanding programmatic SEO and helping you come up with your own term fit for your business. Let’s start with the broad, overarching types of head terms you’ll typically see.
Different Head Term Types
pSEO head terms don’t all look the same. When you’re on a programmatically generated site, you often won’t notice at first, due to the diverse number of ways they can be structured. In fact, that’s kind of the point. Coming up with a head term right for your business means drilling into your business, figuring out who your customers are and what they’re searching for, and figuring out what they’ll find once they land on your site.
We use placeholders in {curly brackets} to denote head term variables. These are the terms that will change as you generate pages programmatically.
Here are some of the many head term types. You’ll find a tonne more different types in the full list later on.
Comparison Head Terms
- {Bank} vs {Bank} services
- {Software} vs {Software}
- {Material} vs {Material} for {Art Form}
List Head Terms
- Top 10 Things to Do in {City}
- Best Cars of {Year}
- Top 5 {Retreat Type} retreats
Template Head Terms
- {Cuisine} recipes
- {Job Title} interview questions
- {Event} outfit ideas
Product-focused vs. Audience-focused head terms
Until recently, many businesses have focused on product-focused head terms. An example of a product-focused head term is Canva’s “{use case} design template” which is generated from their large template library.
Audience-focused head terms on the other hard target the broader interests of your potential customers. These are queries your target audience might enter on Google, even when they’re not specifically seeking your product.
For instance, Zapier, catering to no-code enthusiasts, might create content like “[Category] no code tools,” replacing “[Category]” with areas such as “Marketing” or “Community.” This approach engages potential customers at different stages of their search journey, broadening your reach beyond immediate product searches.
Single-variable vs. Double-variable head terms
Head terms can also vary based on their complexity. Single-variable head terms contain one interchangeable element, such as “{Job Title} Salary.” Double-variable head terms incorporate two variables, like “{Job Title} Salary in {City}.” These are specific and cater to highly targeted search queries, albeit with typically lower search volumes.
Using your own proprietary data with your head term
Effective pSEO capitalises on unique data sources. Businesses should gather data relevant to their identified keywords to create unique, valuable content for each page. TripAdvisor, for example, uses its extensive ratings data to create unique pages for different cities. Similarly, Glassdoor leverages user-submitted salary data to generate pages for job salaries in various locations.
List of programmatic SEO head terms by industry
Without further ado, here is our list of pSEO head term ideas. Make sure to come back to this because we will be regularly adding to it.
Software as a Service (SaaS) Head Terms
- {Software} vs {Software} (Comparisons)
- {Software} integrations with {Tool} (Integrations)
- {Software} pricing plans (Unique data)
- {Software} for {Industry} (Templates)
- Top 10 {Software} for {Use Case} (Top 10's)
Travel and Tourism Head Terms
- Best things to do in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 hotels in {City} (Top 10's)
- {City} travel guide (Templates)
- {City} vs {City} for vacation (Comparisons)
- Unique experiences in {City} (Unique data)
Employment and Human Resources Head Terms
- {Job Title} salaries in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 companies for {Job Title} (Top 10's)
- {Job Title} interview questions (Templates)
- {Company} vs {Company} work culture (Comparisons)
- {Job Title} career path (Unique data)
Real Estate Head Terms
- Apartments for sale in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 real estate agents in {City} (Top 10's)
- {City} neighbourhood guide (Templates)
- {City} vs {City} for living (Comparisons)
- Average home price in {City} (Unique data)
Food and Beverage Head Terms
- Best restaurants in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 cafes in {City} (Top 10's)
- {Cuisine} recipes (Templates)
- {Restaurant} vs {Restaurant} (Comparisons)
- Unique dishes in {City} (Unique data)
Finance and Personal Finance Head Terms
- Best {Credit Card Type} (Templates)
- Top 10 investment options (Top 10's)
- {Bank} vs {Bank} services (Comparisons)
- Exchange rate for {Currency} to {Currency} (Unique data)
- Financial advisors in {City} (Locations)
Home Services Head Terms
- Top plumbers in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 home renovation companies (Top 10's)
- {Service} cost guide (Templates)
- {Service} vs {Service} comparison (Comparisons)
- Unique home decor ideas (Unique data)
Graphic Design Head Terms
- {Use Case} design template (Templates)
- Top 10 design software (Top 10's)
- {Software} vs {Software} for design (Comparisons)
- Unique design elements (Unique data)
- Design agencies in {City} (Locations)
Cybersecurity Head Terms
- {Open Source Vulnerability} (Unique data)
- Top 10 cybersecurity tools (Top 10's)
- {Tool} integration with {Software} (Integrations)
- {Software} vs {Software} for security (Comparisons)
- Cybersecurity firms in {City} (Locations)
Customer Service Head Terms
- Best live chat apps for {Platform} (Templates)
- Top 10 customer service software (Top 10's)
- {Software} vs {Software} for customer service (Comparisons)
- Unique customer service tips (Unique data)
- Customer service agencies in {City} (Locations)
Health and Wellness Head Terms
- Best gyms in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 wellness retreats (Top 10's)
- {Diet} meal plan template (Templates)
- {Diet} vs {Diet} (Comparisons)
- Unique fitness routines (Unique data)
E-commerce Head Terms
- Best online stores for {Product} (Templates)
- Top 10 e-commerce platforms (Top 10's)
- {Store} vs {Store} for {Product} (Comparisons)
- Unique {Product} gift ideas (Unique data)
- Online stores in {Country} (Locations)
Education Head Terms
- Best schools in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 online courses for {Subject} (Top 10's)
- {Subject} study guide template (Templates)
- {Course} vs {Course} comparison (Comparisons)
- Unique study techniques (Unique data)
Automotive Head Terms
- Best car dealerships in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 cars for {Year} (Top 10's)
- {Car Model} maintenance guide (Templates)
- {Car Brand} vs {Car Brand} (Comparisons)
- Unique car features (Unique data)
Fashion and Beauty Head Terms
- Best boutiques in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 fashion trends for {Year} (Top 10's)
- {Event} outfit ideas (Templates)
- {Brand} vs {Brand} for {Product} (Comparisons)
- Unique beauty hacks (Unique data)
Technology and Gadgets Head Terms
- Best tech stores in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 gadgets for {Year} (Top 10's)
- {Gadget} setup guide (Templates)
- {Gadget} vs {Gadget} comparison (Comparisons)
- Unique tech innovations (Unique data)
Pets and Animals Head Terms
- Best pet stores in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 dog breeds (Top 10's)
- {Pet} care guide template (Templates)
- {Pet Food Brand} vs {Pet Food Brand} (Comparisons)
- Unique pet toys (Unique data)
Entertainment and Media Head Terms
- Best cinemas in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 {Genre} movies (Top 10's)
- {Event} planning template (Templates)
- {Movie} vs {Movie} review (Comparisons)
- Unique streaming services (Unique data)
Sports and Recreation Head Terms
- Best sports clubs in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 {Sport} players (Top 10's)
- {Sport} training plan template (Templates)
- {Team} vs {Team} analysis (Comparisons)
- Unique outdoor activities (Unique data)
Arts and Crafts Head Terms
- Best art galleries in {City} (Locations)
- Top 10 {Art Form} artists (Top 10's)
- {Art Form} tutorial template (Templates)
- {Material} vs {Material} for {Art Form} (Comparisons)
- Unique crafting ideas (Unique data)
How-To Guides (e.g., DIY Blogs) Head Terms
- How to optimise {Software} for {Use Case}
- How to choose the best {Product} for {Occasion}
- How to prepare for {Event}
Industry Trends (e.g., Market Research Firms) Head Terms
- {Year} trends in {Industry}
- Emerging technologies in {Field}
- Future of {Industry}
Reviews and Ratings (e.g., Consumer Reports) Head Terms
- {Product} reviews and ratings
- User reviews of {Software}
- {Brand} customer reviews
Best Practices (e.g., Consulting Firms) Head Terms
- Best practices for {Activity}
- {Industry} standards and best practices
- How to implement best practices in {Field}
Case Studies (e.g., B2B Companies) Head Terms
- {Company} case study on {Topic}
- Real-world applications of {Product/Service}
- Success stories using {Software}
FAQs (e.g., Customer Service Pages) Head Terms
- {Product/Service} FAQs
- Common questions about {Topic}
- {Software} troubleshooting FAQs
Pros and Cons (e.g., Review Sites) Head Terms
- Pros and cons of {Product}
- Advantages and disadvantages of {Service}
- {Software} features: Pros and Cons
Checklists (e.g., Event Planners) Head Terms
- {Event} planning checklist
- {Activity} preparation checklist
- {Task} completion checklist
Expert Opinions (e.g., Industry Blogs) Head Terms
- Expert advice on {Topic}
- {Field} experts weigh in on {Issue}
- Professional tips for {Activity}
Cost Estimates (e.g., Service Providers) Head Terms
- Cost of {Service} in {Location}
- {Product} pricing guide
- How much does {Service} cost?
Beginner's Guides (e.g., Educational Websites) Head Terms
- Beginner's guide to {Topic}
- Introduction to {Field}
- Getting started with {Software}
Seasonal Topics (e.g., Retailers) Head Terms
- {Season} fashion trends
- Best {Product} for {Holiday}
- Seasonal activities in {Location}
Localised Services (e.g., Local Businesses) Head Terms
- {Service} available in {Location}
- Local {Product} shops in {City}
- {Business Type} near {Landmark}
Testimonials (e.g., B2C Companies) Head Terms
- {Product} customer testimonials
- Real experiences with {Service}
- What users are saying about {Software}
Resource Lists (e.g., Educational Platforms) Head Terms
- Top resources for learning {Skill}
- Essential tools for {Activity}
- Recommended books on {Topic}
Help with discovering your head term
With the Findable Concierge package, we’ll work closely with your team to analyse any of your existing data, consider which head terms will be most effective for your business, and help you implement your pSEO strategy all in one.
We know the power of programmatic SEO for your business’ online presence and want to help you get your name in search listings all around the internet. If you’re interested in learning more about our easy pSEO solution, get in touch.
