How Many Keywords Can a Website Have for SEO
“Quick Overview” Keywords and SEO are akin to the parallel circuits in digital marketing. However, if they lack equilibrium, they can wreak havoc on your website’s SEO and SERP ranking.
To achieve harmony between them, the foremost question to address is: How many keywords should I use for SEO? Curious about unraveling this mystery? Hold on! Delve into the following to ascertain keyword density and some intriguing SEO strategies.
But before delving into your query, let’s comprehend what keywords are and their significance.
Overview of Keywords
Technically, keywords are words or phrases that internet users enter into search engines to find information. They can range from two to several words in length. Broadly speaking, there are two main types of keywords: short-tail keywords, which consist of one to three words, and long-tail keywords, which contain three or more words. Additionally, there are various other types of keywords in SEO, such as LSIs.
Keywords are commonly used in website content, blogs, meta descriptions, product descriptions, advertisements, and other forms of content. If you’re a marketer or writer, you’re likely familiar with the concept of keyword stuffing. For those who are not, here’s an example to illustrate:
Imagine you’re a marketing executive working for a clothing brand, aiming to attract potential leads and boost sales. Your primary objective is to identify relevant keywords and determine how to incorporate them effectively.
Initially, you would analyze your competitors to identify relevant keywords specific to your industry. These keywords would then be integrated into various elements such as product/service pages, blogs, advertisements, meta descriptions, and other relevant content.
Ultimately, when users search for terms like “clothing brand near me,” your content will appear in the search results if it includes the same or related keywords.
Why are Keywords Important in SEO?
If we were to summarize in a single line, it would be striving to attain a specific objective aligned with your business objectives and defined parameters. As previously mentioned, incorporating relevant keywords into your content puts you ahead in the game.
The search algorithm interprets the user’s search queries and the phrases within your content. If your content contains the appropriate search terms and high-quality material, it will rank higher in the SERPs.
How Many Keywords For SEO Should Be Used?
Determining the perfect number of keywords for SEO is incredibly challenging due to the multitude of factors involved. These factors include your goals, the length of your content, geographic targeting, audience demographics, subject matter, and any advertising campaigns.
Even after considering these factors, determining the optimal keyword density remains elusive. It’s important to avoid keyword stuffing, as search engines like Google prefer naturally integrated keywords. Additionally, the expense of purchasing keywords can be substantial.
Hubspot suggests that using 1 or 2 keywords for every 100 words of content can constitute good keyword density. Some search engines may respond favorably to a keyword density as low as 0.5%.
To identify the volume of keywords, you can leverage certain tools such as:
- Keyword Density Checker
- SEOBook Keyword Density Analyzer
- Copywritely Keyword Density Checker
- Semrush’s On-Page SEO Checker
Now that you know how many keywords to use for SEO, we shall move forward to the density of keywords for each page.
How Many Keywords Should You Focus On Per Page?
Previously, we delved into the significance of keywords and their optimal utilization for SEO purposes. Now, let’s shift our focus to additional facets concerning keywords per page.
1. Keyword Density Per Page
As mentioned earlier, fixating on a predetermined number of keywords is impractical. Instead, you must take into account various other factors to determine the appropriate volume. Marketers commonly categorize keywords into two groups: one primary or main keyword (the target keyword), and others as secondary keyphrases.
For example, let’s consider the primary keyword “luxurious cars in Dubai,” with secondary keywords such as “luxurious cars,” “cars in Dubai,” “top cars in Dubai,” and so forth. While these keywords may appear similar, they vary in terms of search variation and volume.
Furthermore, employing a keyword formula can assist in identifying the requisite density.
Formula:
10 (keywords in the content) / 1000 (words in the content) = .001
Now, multiply this answer by 100 to get the exact density.
.001 x 100 = 1%.
This means you need 1% of keyword stuffing in 1000 words of content. Similarly, you can use this formula to define the volume of keywords for other content.
2. What is Keyword Stuffing
Keyword stuffing is the practice of excessively repeating specific phrases or words within content. Often, multiple keywords are crammed in to enhance visibility and manipulate search engine results, but instead, it tends to render the content less visible.
3. Can a Website Have Too Many Keywords?
Absolutely not! The keyword density should always be balanced, neither excessive nor lacking. Overloading your content with keywords can have a detrimental impact on your website or page’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). It’s crucial to incorporate keywords naturally and seamlessly within your content.
4. How Keyword Stuffing Can Impact Your Growth
Overloading a site or page with excessive keywords has a detrimental effect. This leads visitors to quickly navigate away once they realize that the content offers little to no value relevant to their search query. This outdated tactic not only hampers user experience but also violates search engine regulations and SEO best practices.
According to Google’s quality guidelines, “Excessive keyword or number stuffing on pages can result in a negative user experience and may also impact your site’s ranking.”
Nevertheless, there’s no need to feel disadvantaged. The search algorithm may either overlook keyword stuffing or classify the webpage as over-optimized.
5. Why Drafting Relevant And High-Quality Content Is Important?
To rank well on SERPs, it’s crucial to craft relevant and top-notch content. Instead of cramming in excessive keywords, prioritize creating content that engages readers and fulfills their needs when they visit your site or page.
This principle isn’t just our recommendation; Google itself endorses it. Google has issued a clear directive: “Focus on crafting useful, information-rich content that incorporates keywords appropriately and within context.”
Adhering to this guideline can significantly enhance your site or page’s ranking on SERPs. Google recognizes and indexes content that aligns with its established standards.
Now that you understand the importance of the number of keywords per page, the next step is to consider factors when determining the keywords.
Factors to Consider When Determining the Keywords Density
1. Size & Searches
This point hinges entirely on the size of your site and the frequency of daily search queries it receives. Firstly, let’s address the issue of size. For a small site consisting of around 12-15 pages, targeting multiple keywords can pose challenges. In such cases, we recommend focusing on fewer yet relevant, competitive, and high-density keywords.
However, if you have a larger site with 100 or more pages, the scope for targeting multiple keywords expands. To effectively target keywords, it’s wise to prioritize gathering a variety of relevant keywords.
The effectiveness of keyword targeting also relies on the nature of search queries. For example, if you run a salon website offering various services but fail to clearly define those services, and you’re not targeting multiple keywords despite significant search queries, adjustments are needed.
So, what’s the solution?
It’s advisable to distinctly outline your services by creating multiple pages, targeting pertinent keywords, and incorporating them into your content. This approach will not only attract your desired audience but also enhance your site’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).
2. Niche & Target Audience
The second most crucial aspect in determining keywords is understanding your niche. In this context, ‘niche’ refers to identifying keywords that are directly relevant to your business or industry. These keywords can also be termed as industry-specific keywords.
These particular keywords pose a challenge in terms of both identification and ranking, as they are tailored to specific industries, unlike more mainstream, trendy keywords that are easier to come by and rank for.
Typically, these keywords are strategically chosen to prompt users to take action, particularly towards making a purchase. Let’s illustrate this with an example: suppose you operate a website selling sports shoes. A user has made up their mind to buy new shoes online and enters a specific search query like “Black Puma sports shoes near me”.
However, if this precise keyword isn’t present on your site, such as including generic terms like ‘footwear near me’, ‘shoes’, or ‘brand new shoes’ rather than those directly related to your niche, your site won’t show up in the search results.
If your business operates within a specific niche, it’s advisable to focus on targeting industry-specific keywords.
Moreover, understanding your target audience is another critical factor in keyword identification. Defining your target audience helps in discerning who exactly is searching for the keywords that could potentially lead them to your website.
For instance, let’s consider a scenario where you’re a tattoo artist, and your target audience consists of individuals interested in or frequenting tattoos. If, however, you mistakenly target a broader audience uninterested in tattoos, it would yield no positive outcomes. You won’t attract new customers to your studio, and you’ll end up squandering resources.
We recommend gaining a comprehensive understanding of your target audience’s demographics, preferences, and other relevant factors to determine the most effective keywords that will drive them to avail your tattoo services.
3. Competitor Analysis
Competitor analysis stands as the final, yet crucial, primary factor in keyword research. Such analyses represent a strategic method for uncovering the keywords utilized by competitors on their respective websites. The ultimate aim of this endeavor is to pinpoint pertinent keywords within content and surpass competitors in search rankings.
Imagine operating a toy store; in such a scenario, examining competitors becomes imperative to discern the keywords they employ and the level of traction they generate. By scrutinizing keyword density, one can determine the optimal frequency of relevant keywords within content to gain a competitive edge. This process ensures a harmonious balance in keyword density overall.
Thus, this elucidates our perspective on emphasizing keyword density. Now, let’s transition to the subsequent topic — Keyword strategies.
4 Sure-shot Keyword Strategies to Advance in SEO
1. Focus on Keyword Research & Analysis
As previously mentioned, there exists a strong correlation between keywords and SEO. In order to rank well on search engine results pages (SERPs), it is crucial to utilize the appropriate and pertinent keywords. Simply publishing content devoid of keywords serves no purpose, as these phrases play a pivotal role in the expansion of your business and in achieving desired outcomes.
To achieve this, it is imperative to focus on identifying and analyzing the search terms employed by internet users on search engines. For established websites, incorporating high-volume keywords can lead to increased clicks and improved traffic.
Conversely, for newly launched websites, it is advisable to consider low-volume keywords to gain an advantage over competitors. A plethora of exceptional SEO tools are available to assist in this endeavor.
It is essential to note that keyword research and analysis are not one-time endeavors. According to industry experts, revisiting your keyword strategy on a quarterly basis, and at least 3 to 6 months prior to any campaign or promotion, is imperative. Regularly reassessing your keyword strategy ensures that your website remains relevant and up-to-date.
Therefore, emphasizing the importance of keywords is crucial, particularly from an SEO standpoint. This guarantees that you remain competitive and maximize your impact.
2. Prioritize Both Long & Short-tail keywords
In our earlier discussion, we provided an overview of both long and short-tail keywords. Now, we’ll delve into why prioritizing them is essential. While many marketers advocate for focusing on long-tail keywords due to their high search demand curve, we advise an equal emphasis on both types.
It’s crucial for content to incorporate a blend of long and short-tail keywords. This approach not only enhances rankings but also appeals to a wider audience by aligning with their search intent.
Both keywords have their benefits. For instance:
- Long-tail keywords are characterized by their low search volume and competition levels. These phrases are highly specific, catering to niche searches, and often come with a lower cost per click, while delivering a higher conversion rate.
- On the other hand, short-tail keywords boast high search volumes and keyword difficulty. They tend to be less specific in targeting user intent, resulting in higher costs per click and typically lower conversion rates.
As shown in the example above:
- The term “SEO” may have a higher search volume, but its potential for engaging traffic is quite low.
- On the other hand, the term “Website SEO” presents a better opportunity for traffic engagement compared to the shorter keyword.
- Lastly, despite its lower search volume, the keyword “How to do SEO of Website” offers a greater chance of traffic engagement than both short and mid-tail keywords.
This highlights the importance of not disregarding long-tail keywords, even when their search volume is low. Developing a robust keyword strategy aligned with your objectives will ultimately yield consistent and prompt results.
3. Never Disregard Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Keywords
While many people are familiar with primary, secondary, and tertiary keywords, there are still some who are unaware of these three types. Here’s a breakdown:
➔ The primary keyword is considered the main focus of the content. It should be prominently featured in the title, meta description, URL, and the opening lines of the content because it typically has higher conversion rates and search volume.
➔ A secondary keyword serves as a supporting element in the content. It is often paired with the primary keyword to achieve an optimal balance of keyword density and content relevance, thus attracting relevant users.
➔ Tertiary or LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords are essentially synonyms of words or phrases found in the content. For example, when searching for “Instagram,” autocomplete options like “Facebook,” “like,” “follow,” “Twitter,” and similar terms may also appear.
Incorporating these three types of keywords enhances the relevance and visibility of your content in search engine results pages (SERPs), ultimately driving relevant traffic to your website.
4. Work on Keyword Mapping and Silos
Keyword mapping and optimization are fundamental concepts in SEO for effectively managing content on search engines. Keyword mapping involves assigning specific keywords to individual pages on your website based on their topics or key elements. The primary objective of keyword mapping is to strategically target a set of keywords that seamlessly integrate with the content.
Example of a Web Development Company to Understand Keyword Mapping
Siloing is a technique for organizing website content around the keywords’ thematic focus. It establishes a logical hierarchy that facilitates smooth navigation and comprehension of the content. Silos typically concentrate on overarching themes with multiple subtopics.
Utilizing these strategies is crucial for achieving higher rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs) and optimizing website content. This approach enhances relevance and coherence of the content, ultimately improving the overall user experience.
A Golden Rule of SEO
Although we’ve emphasized the significance of keywords in content, it’s important to note that there isn’t a fixed threshold to determine their density. Relying solely on keyword density won’t necessarily yield the desired outcomes.
A prudent approach involves using keywords naturally and integrating them into high-quality, unique, and relevant content. This not only engages readers but also effectively addresses users’ queries, ensuring steady growth in SEO.
Conclusion
SEO is a nuanced strategy within digital marketing. When wielded effectively, it can yield significant results. However, a single misstep can nullify your efforts entirely. Our recommendation is to adhere to SEO best practices diligently. This involves thorough keyword research, the creation of engaging content, and consistent monitoring of your progress. Paying attention to these finer details of SEO will undoubtedly bolster your presence in search engine results pages (SERPs).
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