In the world of SEO, it goes without saying that keywords matter. In this article, we’re breaking down how you can insert SEO keywords effectively using three easy tips.
When you apply on-site SEO to a webpage on your site, keyword insertion is how Google recognizes that this page talks about a certain topic. Sure, it seems obvious that when building a page about a service you provide, you want search engines to know about it. And the way you do that is by adding relevant SEO keywords about said service organically and in the right amount.
Take note of the three italicized words: relevant, organically, and amount.
Nonetheless, keyword insertion is a meticulous process. There are a lot of stipulations to inserting keywords in a piece of content. However, what we’ve listed below are some of the things to consider when working with SEO keywords to ease the process.
Tip 1: Don’t go ham!
Remember the amount we emphasized above? This is where it comes in handy.
Many people get overzealous about the simplicity of keyword insertion and how lucrative it can be. But the truth of the matter is that it’s not that simple. Keyword density plays a big role in this.
According to Yoast, the recommended keyword density for every 100 words is 5%. Look at the following example.
Say, you’re trying to rank a page for basement finishing. Your text is 500 words long. Therefore, by Yoast standards, you must insert the keyword basement finishing (or its synonym such as finish a basement) 5 times every 100 words.
And this is where an SEO novice might miss the mark.
On the one hand, there is a recommended keyword density, which is the frequency of inserting your target keyword into a text. On the other, there is such a thing as over-optimizing. And this happens when you add a keyword to a text far more than the recommended amount.
SEO is a mouse-and-cat game.
Imagine you and Google are just beginning to date. You want to impress, but you also want to play hard to get. And the way you do that is by inserting keywords, but not too many of them. Keep Google wanting more and don’t succumb to the exciting prospect of being #1 on SERPs.
SEO courtship takes patience.
Google reads inserting too many keywords as desperation; as you trying hard to rank the page for basement finishing—almost too hard to the point where it could be detrimental to your SEO. In this case, your site is actually less likely to rank for basement finishing, and that’s the opposite of what you want.
Don’t be the Bruce Almighty of SEO. Don’t let over-optimization be your downfall, and stick to the suggested keyword density.
Tip 2: Watch the content
This is when we discuss organically.
Keyword optimization and UX go hand in hand, and a big part of UX is content clarity. Unfortunately, this is something that keyword insertion can compromise, especially if it’s done arbitrarily.
And although the quality of the content might not affect your SEO, it could be harmful to Customer Conversion. At this point, your SEO efforts and keyword insertion are useless. So, although you might generate the traffic you want, you won’t achieve your business objectives at your desired rate.
This is why you should insert target keywords organically to maximize Customer Conversion rates and, ultimately, ROI.
Here’s an example of a paragraph that targets the keyword kitchen renovation ideas.
We have the best kitchen renovation ideas for you right here! Continue reading to learn more about the hottest kitchen renovation ideas in 2019. Our kitchen renovation ideas are creative yet simple to execute. You can also browse our portfolio to see some amazing kitchen renovation ideas.
Legible? Yes. Over-optimized? Maybe. Would it make your readers roll their eyes? Absolutely!
The reason why the paragraph above isn’t user-friendly is that it’s stuffed with keywords, namely kitchen renovation ideas. So although Google might enjoy this structure, readers most probably won’t, simply because the keyword insertion isn’t organic. It feels forced.
And it might not cross your mind as an SEO specialist, but most often than not, inorganic content doesn’t sit well with audiences. So don’t let them facepalm.
What keyword stuffing does is give the sense that your content has an ulterior motive.
Well, duh! It most definitely does! You know this, Google knows this, your SEO plugins know this! But visitors to your site don’t need to.
When people land on your site, they want to see something that directly addresses them. They want to feel special as if they’re your one and only client. However, over-optimizing makes your content lose this personalized approach that caters to each visitor. And as a result, your Customer Conversion rates might suffer.
Just find a happy medium where keyword insertion and content quality don’t collide.
Tip 3: Make use of LSI keywords
Time to delve into relevant.
But first, what are LSI keywords?
LSI stands for Latent Semantic Indexing. That’s a mouthful and a half. Don’t you just hate how everything has to be acronymized? Yeah, same.
Anyway, LSI keywords refer to phrases you insert in a page to reflect its topic on a narrowed-down level. Check out this example to help you better understand it.
In mathematics, the word addition means one thing, but in construction, it means another. A word that belongs to very different fields such as addition poses a threat to SEO content.
Should Google rank the page alongside pages that talk about math problems or home additions?
The answer is simple: CONTEXT. CONTEXT. CONTEXT.
The only way to resolve the confusion in a keyword like addition is by determining the context in which it exists. And this is where LSI keywords help tremendously.
In the past, Google only ranked pages based on the keywords found in them, but that’s not the case anymore. Google algorithms are a lot smarter now, and pages get scanned in two different regards:
- as one cohesive, coherent entity
- within the site in which it exists
So, in order to determine if a page goes under mathematical addition or home addition, Google looks for phrases in the content that relate to either topic and ranks the page accordingly. Look at the following list:
Subtraction
Problem
Adding numbers
Digits
Decimals
Practise worksheet
Homework
Counter
Equation
If the page that targets addition contains most or synonyms of the words above, Google determines that you’re talking about mathematical addition in that page. As a consequence, Google knows to analyze and compare it to other pages that contain these words, too. And that’s on a smaller scale.
On a bigger scale, though, the site where the page exists will be ranked in comparison with sites of a similar mathematical nature. Beautiful!
However, check out this next list:
Renovation
Construction
Project management
Building permit
Second-level
Builder
Labour warranty
Contractor
House value
Finding these words on a page that targets addition lets Google know that the page exists in the context of construction. As a result, it will attempt to rank it among other home addition pages. So, if you’re a renovation professional, you can rest assured that your site will reach people interested in a home upgrade instead of a bunch of 8-year-olds learning how to count.
Bear in mind that inserting SEO keywords is a work in progress.
There are so many other factors that go into proper keyword insertion: indexing, the site as a whole, user’s intent… just to name a few.
Nonetheless, remember that nobody knows how Google works 100%. SEO is all about trial and error. So if you’ve followed the three steps we’ve listed above to no avail, try something completely different! An idea that’s totally out of left field might actually kickstart your SEO campaign.