A search term is what users key into a search engine when they want to find something specific. A search term can be a single keyword or a combination of words, e.g. “dentist” or “dentist Boston implant”.

A search term, otherwise known as a search query, is the word or phrase someone enters into a search engine, such as Google. A search term often contains (or is itself) a keyword: a word or phrase search marketers bid on in their search campaigns and try to rank for in the organic search results.

What Is a Search Query? A search query is a word or phrase that an internet user types into a search engine's search box to answer an inquiry or question. A query consists of a series of words, a phrase, or full sentence — a “long-tail query.” Queries are often viewed in terms of keywords.