Keyword Targeting

So you’ve done your research and decided on some keywords, but how do you make your website appear on the search engine results for the right terms? (If you need some help with keyword research, then click here) In this blog, we’re going to look at how to target keywords.

To recap, keywords or key phrases are the terms that users type into search engines in order to find the information they need. Good use of a keyword lets search engines know what your page is about and which search terms it should rank for. If you want more information about keywords, then we have a blog post all about them.

In order for your page to rank for a certain keyword, it must be clear to search engines which phrase you’re trying to target. It is important to include your keyword throughout your page content. Ideally, your keyword should appear in the page title, subheadings, meta descriptions, image alt text, and in the main body of text. If a search engine sees a phrase repeated throughout a page, then it will better understand what your page is about and where it should appear on the results page. Using your keyword in headings and subheadings also emphasises its importance. Again, this helps search engines to understand your page.

Keyword Stuffing

On the other hand, it is also important to avoid ‘keyword stuffing’. This is when keywords are used excessively on a page at the expense of correct grammar and good readability. This used to be an effective way to make your page rank but search engines now understand that this isn’t what users want from a website. Search engines now take into account user experience when determining rankings. This means they prioritise well-written, informative content over repeated use of keywords. As a guide, keywords should make up about 1 – 2% of your page content. This is enough for search engines to know what you want to rank for without sacrificing a good user experience.

How many keywords should you target?

Generally, you should only target one keyword per page. This will avoid any confusion over what your page is about. It is, however, a good idea to include variations and synonyms of your keyword. This is especially important if you’re targeting a long-tail keyword as repeated use of the same phrase will make your page difficult to read. Variety will make your page nicer to read and luckily, search engines have gotten better at understanding synonyms and variations. Another benefit of using variations, is that your page may end up ranking for some of the variations as well as the main keyword you are targeting.

To conclude, the most important thing to consider when creating page content is your website users. After all, it’s no good being number 1 on Google if everyone who clicks on your website leaves dissatisfied because they can’t find the information they want. Search engines are getting better at understanding what people want from websites and a good user experience is important. Effective use of keywords will enhance your website’s content and search engine rankings.

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If you’d like some help with identifying and targeting keywords, or any other SEO services, then just email us at chat@pretzelled.co.uk