In the case of search engine optimization (SEO), the appropriate number of keywords should be used. However, the question that might come to mind is: what is the number of keywords to use in SEO? It is not as easy as picking a particular number. The success of SEO lies in the ability to balance between the use of keywords, the quality of the content and the user experience. In this article, we will talk about the ways to use keywords in regards to SEO and how to identify the number that would be best suited to your content.
Understanding Keywords in SEO
Before we go into the number of keywords you ought to have, we need to get the understanding of what keywords are and how they work in SEO. Keywords refer to words and phrases that the users enter in the search engines when they are seeking information. Search engines match content with the user queries using these keywords.
There are two main types of keywords:
Short-Tail Keywords
These are general keywords, and usually comprise one or two words. For example, “shoes” or “digital marketing.” Although these keywords have a high search volume, they are very competitive.
Long-Tail Keywords
These are more narrow terms, usually three or more words. As an example, the best running shoes for women or digital marketing strategies of small businesses. The long-tail keywords are less competitive and more targeting, and they have a lower search volume.
Why is Keyword Usage Important for SEO?
Correct use of keywords is a very important part of SEO since it is the task of the search engine to know what your content is all about. The easier your content is to read by the search engines, the more they can rank it higher on the relevant searches, which makes your site more visible. Nevertheless, excessive use of keywords or inappropriate use of them may negatively affect your SEO strategy, so you should find the golden mean.
How Many Keywords Should You Use?
The number of keywords you need to use in order to do SEO is not certain, but the following will explain how to know the appropriate number.
Focus on Primary and Secondary Keywords
Begin with a single key word on each page or blog post. This is what your content should be all about and the keyword you desire to rank. As an instance, when you are writing about digital marketing, your main keyword would be digital marketing.
After you have your main keyword, you may then insert secondary keywords. These are correlated words or synonyms of your main keyword. As an example, some of the secondary keywords of digital marketing may be online marketing, content marketing, or SEO strategies. A good thumb rule is to apply 3 to 5 secondary keywords on each page.
Keyword Density Matters
Keyword density is the number of times a keyword will be repeated in your content divided by the total number of words. Previously, the experts in the field of SEO would advise a certain percentage of keyword density, e.g., 1-2 %. But contemporary SEO is more of natural usage than keyword stuffing in your content.
As a rule of thumb, you need to use your primary keyword in strategic locations such as the title, headings and in the text flow in a natural manner. You do not have to be too concerned with achieving a specific keyword density figure. Rather, focus on the production of valuable content that is readable to your audience. With secondary keywords, be sure that you use them naturally in your content as well.
Consider the Length of Your Content
The content length will also contribute to the number of keywords you can have. Articles that are longer (more than 1,000 words) usually have a higher keyword variation since there is a larger space to incorporate them naturally. When it comes to shorter content (less than 500 words), you might have to be choosier regarding the keywords you use.
To give an example, a longer blog post will be able to address several points of a topic, which will enable you to incorporate several long-tail keywords in a natural and relevant manner. Conversely, a shorter post may be more specific on a single major keyword and have two to three additional keywords.
Don’t Overstuff Keywords
Keyword stuffing refers to the use of excessive keywords as a way of trying to control search engine placements. This is one of the strategies that should be avoided because search engines have become quite advanced in identifying excessive use of keywords. Keyword stuffing not only has a negative effect on SEO, but it also results in a bad user experience.
The search engines focus on quality content that can address the query of the user. When you pay too much attention to the inclusion of the keywords, the content may be forced and unnatural. This may lead to increased bounce rate and poor rankings. Rather, seek to use keywords in a natural and contextual way.
Optimize for User Intent
In the contemporary SEO, user intent has become as crucial as the use of keywords. User intent is what the user wishes to accomplish when he/she conducts a search. Are they looking for information? Are they intending to make a purchase? Optimizing user intent implies that you should match your content to what the users are really seeking. When you apply the keywords that correlate with the user intent, your content will have a higher chance of meeting the search intent and be ranked higher.
Use Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) Keywords
LSI keywords are terms related to your primary keyword. For example, if your primary keyword is “digital marketing,” LSI keywords might include “content creation,” “social media marketing,” “PPC advertising,” and so on. These keywords help search engines understand the context of your content and improve its relevancy for a wider range of related queries.
Using LSI keywords in your content helps ensure that your page is optimized for a broader set of keywords, even if you don’t explicitly use every single variation. It makes your content more comprehensive and allows search engines to see that your page covers a topic in depth.
