Trefwoord

Trefwoord is a term used in Dutch to denote a keyword or indexing term assigned to a document, dataset, or web page. It serves to describe the content in a concise, searchable form, enabling users and systems to locate related material. Trefwoorden are typically chosen for their relevance to the subject, scope, and context of the resource.

In libraries, archives, and databases, trefwoorden are used in metadata to facilitate retrieval. They may come from controlled vocabularies or be created ad hoc, but the goal is consistency: different resources about the same topic should share the same trefwoorden. Often they appear in a dedicated field or tag alongside the title and abstract, and they may be organized in thesauri or subject-heading lists to support hierarchical search and filtering.

In digital content and search engine optimization, trefwoorden help indexers and algorithms understand what a page is about. While users perform free-form searches with zoekwoorden, the resource's trefwoorden influence ranking and discovery. The relationship between trefwoorden and zoekwoorden is complementary: clear, relevant trefwoorden improve findability for people who use related search terms.

Best practices include selecting a small, focused set of terms, preferably noun forms, that capture core concepts without redundancy. Prefer terms from a controlled vocabulary when available, and document decisions to add or remove trefwoorden. Regular review ensures they remain accurate as the content evolves.