With just 7 per cent of UK residents reporting that they shop for exclusively in-person in brick and mortar stores for big-ticket items, online shopping is at an all-time high.
This also means that competition on the web is constantly increasing. If you want your business to stand out, you need a flawless SEO strategy in place.
But with Google’s algorithms constantly changing, keeping up-to-date can be a challenge. Keywords are one area that many website owners struggle to master.
After all, keywords are what web users type in when running a search. You are want to include them on your site as much as possible. Unfortunately, Google realizes this and punishes sites that overstuff.
While keyword density was once a top priority, importance has recently shifted to keyword placement instead. Keep reading to learn what you need to know about placing your keywords properly in your web content.
Determining Keyword Placement
Google’s algorithms are notoriously mysterious. In fact, the search engine giant rarely even announces when a new update is rolled out. Instead, they usually wait until industry experts begin to reach out to them with questions about sudden, unexplained changes in rank.
This means that website owners and digital marketing experts alike are left guessing which strategies will continue to be effective and which could actually harm a site’s ranking.
However, a few keyword strategies seem to have held solid for several years now.
Spacing Out Keywords Within Your Content
As a general rule, you’ll want to space out your keywords to keep them from sounding too forced in your content. To do this, always include your keyword once in your introduction or first paragraph and once in your final or conclusion paragraph. Then, sprinkle several more within the body (more on exactly how many in a moment).
You’ll also want to include your main keyword once in a heading, as most experts agree that Google’s algorithms specifically look for this.
Other Places to Include Your Keywords
Of course, your keyword is also important outside of your body of content.
It should also always be included in:
- The title
- The SEO title
- Meta descriptions
Varying Your Keyword Usage
To keep your keywords from sounding forced or unnatural in your content, another smart move is to vary how you use your keywords.
For instance, if your keyword was the word “keyword,” you might use phrases like “keyword density,” “keyword location,” and “keyword usage” to vary how the word sounds and it’s exact meaning within your content.
Narrowing Down the Best Keyword Density
Just as keyword placement is a bit of a guess and checks strategy, so is keyword density.
But like with all of Google’s algorithm specifics, experts have tested and researched to figure out what they think are the best practices. For keyword density, that typically means that keyword should make up between 1 per cent and 3 per cent of your total content.
Stick closer to 1 per cent for short content, especially pieces that are 500 words or less.
Improving Your SEO Strategies and Boosting Your Rank
Now that you know a few tips for mastering keyword placement and usage, it’s time to start updating your own strategies. Of course, when the next algorithm rolls out in a few months, you’ll be left updating them again.
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