As nearly 70% of online searches kick off through search engines, nailing search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial. Keywords play a pivotal role in SEO, and if you’re thinking “How many keywords should I employ for SEO?”—you’ve come to the right spot.

Assign keywords to pages- not sites

When choosing how many keywords to use, think about each page separately. There’s no fixed number of keywords that works for the entire website. Instead, make sure each page focuses on one main topic, and use keywords that relate to that topic. Keep it clear and specific for each page.

Quality over Quantity

Before delving into the number of keywords, it’s vital to emphasize that quality should always be the priority rather than quantity. Google’s algorithms have grown increasingly sophisticated, prioritizing content that provides genuine value to users. Even if you stuff your content with keywords, it won’t rank well if it lacks substance or relevance.

Focus on High Search Volume & Low Competition keywords

When selecting keywords to optimize your pages for, aim for keywords that have a high number of searches but are not too competitive. Now, what qualifies as “high search volume” can vary depending on your industry and specific keywords. Don’t get overly fixated on precise numbers, as the tools used to gather this data can have their imperfections. Instead, use these metrics to compare your keywords with each other. If a word has some reported search volume, it could still be a valuable focus for you. Considering the keyword difficulty or competition metric is also beneficial in making your keyword choices. Frequently, keywords with the highest search volumes also face the most competition, making it challenging to achieve a high ranking. Go for a balanced approach by selecting terms that people search for but where competition is less intense.

Keyword Density

Keyword density means the ratio of keywords and the total words in your content. In the past, SEO experts often recommended a specific keyword density (e.g., 2% to 3%) as a rule of thumb. However, this approach is outdated now.

Natural Language and User Intent

Modern SEO is all about natural language and understanding user intent. Google’s algorithms are designed to comprehend context and semantics. Instead of obsessing over keyword density, focus on creating content that genuinely answers users’ questions or meets their needs.

Target Primary and Secondary Keywords

For a typical blog post or webpage, we would advise you to target one or two primary keywords and a few secondary keywords. Your primary keyword is the main focus of your content and should appear naturally throughout. Secondary keywords should complement the primary keyword and provide additional context.

Use Synonyms and Variations

Rather than repeating the same keyword multiple times, try synonyms and variations. This not only makes your content more readable but also helps you rank for related terms. Google’s algorithms are excellent at recognising synonymous terms.

Long-Tail Keywords Long-tail keywords are basically longer, more specific keyword phrases. They often have lower search volumes but can attract highly targeted traffic. Including a few long-tail keywords in your content can be highly effective, especially for niche topics.

User Experience Matters

Keyword usage should enhance, not detract from, the user experience. If keywords disrupt the flow of your content or make it feel forced, you may lose users’ interest soon. They should always be your top priority.

Avoid Keyword Stuffing

Don’t overload your content with keywords to manipulate rankings. It’s called keyword-stuffing and is a big no-no. Google penalises websites that engage in this practice. Your content must seem natural to the readers.

Monitor and Adapt

SEO is not a one-time task. Monitor the performance of your content using analytics tools. Track rankings, click-through rates, bounce rates and user engagement metrics. Based on this data, make adjustments to your keyword strategy as needed. Keep in mind that the primary goal of your SEO campaign is conversion—turning visitors into customers and for that quality and relevance will always come first.

Becoming proficient in SEO requires strategy and plenty of hands-on experience. Don’t worry if it takes time to become a master in this field. In reality, a significant portion of SEO involves trial and error, as each website and audience is unique. However, starting with keywords is the ideal foundation.