Always wanted to ask this question

Short answer for @roy-- (and good clarification, @MakeMoneyOnline): clicks on a two-word query like "baseball glove" do not automatically or directly raise rankings for the individual words "baseball" or "glove." Google evaluates pages using many signals (content relevance, links, site structure, etc.), and simple click counts for a compound query are noisy and easily gamed, so they are not a reliable standalone ranking signal (How Search Works).

Practical steps that follow the question and replies on this thread:

• Check which queries actually surface and send clicks to a URL via Google Search Console; that reveals what Google already associates with the page (Search Console).
• To target a single token, provide focused content that matches the likely intent for that token: clear titles/H1s, semantic coverage in the body, and internal links using relevant anchor text. The official SEO Starter Guide covers on‑page and structural basics (SEO Starter Guide).
• Build natural, relevant backlinks and internal links that support the single-term relevance rather than relying on manufactured click patterns.

Avoid attempts to artificially inflate clicks — such tactics can be ignored or lead to enforcement per Google’s spam policies (Spam policies). Focusing on content and legitimate signals is the reliable way to improve visibility for individual keywords.