Have you done with conducting a thorough keyword research? So far, so good! How many keywords should I use for SEO content, and how should I apply them…you might think next?
Well, there is no direct answer to this since various factors take place and could modify the actual number you’ll need ultimately. As a general rule, it is essential to strike a balance between incorporating enough relevant terms to rank for various search queries while ensuring your content remains high-quality and user-friendly.
So, let’s break it down and speak precisely.
Keyword Research: The Game Starter
Working on researching the ideal keyphrases that will boost your content to rank well in search engines it’s the first step you should go for. Those with great search volume and relatively low competition should be your target.
How Many SEO Keywords Should I Utilize on each page/topic?
Your content structure plays a critical role in ranking factors and avoiding spam techniques. Focus on your goals and set them appropriately, while considering using all types of SEO keywords as presented below.
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Primary Keyword (Target Keyword)
Each page should target only one primary keyword, which is the main term that best represents the page’s content. This should reflect the topic or theme of the page and is the most important one you want to rank for. For example, if your page is about “digital marketing strategies,” your primary term could be “digital marketing strategies.”
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Secondary Keywords
In addition to the target phrase, you can include a few (2-3) secondary keywords that are related to the primary topic. These should be closely related and provide additional context to your content. For instance, if you target “digital marketing strategies,” secondary keywords might include “online marketing tactics” or “internet advertising techniques.”
Sometimes, it’s daunting to identify which one to assign as primary and secondary. Try to focus on your topic and choose the one that resonates with your goal the most even if it has a lower search volume from the second.
Let’s see an example of how to prioritize and pick your SEO keywords
Scenario: I want to write an article about the “best digital marketing strategies for small B2C businesses.”
After keyword research, you came out with the following outcome:
Keyword 1: “Digital marketing tactics for B2C business“
➡ Search Volume: 5000/month
➡ Competition: Medium
Keyword 2: “What is the best online marketing strategy for a new B2C business”
➡ Search Volume: 1000/month
➡ Competition: Low
Keyword 3: “How to create an internet marketing strategy for small business”
➡ Search Volume: 1150/month
➡ Competition: Low
Keyword 4: “B2B or B2C: The ultimate guide to create your online strategy”
➡ Search Volume: 280/month
➡ Competition: Low
Keyword 1 seems to be a great opportunity assuming that medium competition level is not a problem for our already established website. 5000 is a great number of searches, but how well does this particular phrase align with our topic?
Since we want to develop informational content that presents answers to readers, keyword 2 appears to be more relevant to our content (even though it has a significantly lower volume), in contrast to choices 3 and 4. “What is the best online marketing strategy for a new B2C business” is a great long-tail keyphrase for our blog content since it aligns perfectly with our topic “best digital marketing strategies for small B2C businesses.”
In that case, we will use keyword 2 as a primary, while 1, 3, and 4 could be a great opportunity to broaden our content topic as secondary options.
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Long-Tail Keywords
Among the different types of keywords in SEO, the most popular are the so-called long-tail. Long-tail keywords are highly specific, longer phrases, typically 3+ words, that are often easier to rank for and can attract more targeted traffic. They should naturally fit into your content. Continuing with the same example, a long-tail example could be “effective social media marketing for small businesses.”
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One last thing to remember when developing your content is the use of Synonyms and Variations.
Instead of using an excessive number of keywords, you can include synonyms and variations of your primary and secondary choices. Search engines are becoming increasingly sophisticated in recognizing the relevance of synonyms. If your primary term is “digital marketing strategies,” you could use “online advertising methods” or “web marketing tactics” as synonyms.
To recap, your ultimate goal is to focus on a primary keyword while using a few secondary choices as subtopics. Focusing on long-tail words and mixing your content with synonyms and variations is the answer to how many SEO keywords you should use on each topic.
However, there is one more query that’s looking for an answer. How should I apply these keywords to my content?
What is the Best Keyword Density?
- The keyword density which is the percentage of times a keyword appears in your content compared to the total number of words, should be kept within a reasonable range (usually around 1-2%). E.g for a 1000-word post, use your keywords 10-20 times. Your target phrase should be applied naturally slightly more than the non-target in a way that makes content engaging.
- The content length also determines how many keywords you can effectively use. Longer, in-depth articles naturally allow for the incorporation of more terms and variations.
Ultimately, remember that the key is to focus on providing valuable, informative content while naturally incorporating keywords relevant to your topic. Always prioritize user experience and readability, as content that feels forced or spammy can negatively impact your SEO efforts.
