In the world of SEO, keywords are the building blocks of your content strategy. They help search engines understand what your pages are about and match them to relevant user queries. But how many keywords you should focus on for each page? Let's dive in.
The One Keyword Myth (And Why It's Outdated)
You might have heard the advice to focus on just one keyword per page regarding how many keywords you should focus on for each page. While this was a common practice in the past, it's not the most effective approach in today's SEO landscape. Search engines have become much smarter and can now understand the semantic relationships between words and phrases.
The Sweet Spot: Primary Keyword + Secondary Keywords
A more modern approach is targeting a primary keyword along with several secondary or related terms. This allows you to:
Capture a Wider Range of Search Queries: By including variations of your primary keyword and related terms, you increase the chances of your page appearing in search results for a broader range of user queries.
Create More Comprehensive Content: Focusing on a cluster of related keywords encourages you to create more in-depth and informative content that covers various aspects of a topic. This can lead to higher engagement and longer time spent on the page, which are positive signals for search engines.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing: By naturally incorporating various related terms, you avoid the outdated practice of keyword stuffing, which can hurt your rankings.
How to Choose Your Keywords
Relevance: Your primary and secondary keywords should be highly relevant to your page's topic.
Search Volume: Choose keywords with decent search volume, indicating that people are actively searching for these terms.
Competition: Consider the competitiveness of your chosen keywords. If you're a new website, ranking for less competitive, long-tail keywords might be easier.
Tips for Implementing Your Keywords
Title Tag: Include your primary keyword in your title tag.
Header Tags (H1, H2, H3): Use your primary and secondary keywords naturally in your header tags to structure your content.
Body Content: Incorporate your keywords organically throughout your content, aiming for a 1-2% keyword density.
Meta Description: Include your primary keyword in your meta description to entice users to click on your page in search results.
Image Alt Text: Use relevant keywords in your image alt text to help search engines understand the content of your images.
Conclusion
There's no magic number regarding the number of keywords you should target per page. However, by focusing on a primary keyword and a handful of relevant secondary keywords, you can create more comprehensive and engaging content that ranks well in search engines and attracts your target audience.
Need Help with Your SEO Strategy?
At RAB Consulting, we specialize in helping businesses optimize their websites and content for search engines. Contact us today for a free consultation!