SEO – keyword advice
- Rachel Pictor, SEO adviser and copywriter
There are a few different opinions on how to use keywords but many professionals and training resources I’ve encountered have similar statistics and recommendations. Conversely, many websites I’ve encountered seem to treat their ‘keywords’ in a way that doesn’t match any advice I’ve ever heard from anybody!
Today I’ve decided to address these issues and share with you some of my own experiences and understanding of SEO keyword principles. Please note these are based on my own studies, practices and understanding! Your comments and queries are welcome.
Using more than three keywords or key phrases per page is a waste of time
The idea behind using keywords is to help search engines know what your page is about. This means each optimised page should be tightly focused. If you’re using more than three keywords you won’t be sending a clear message to the search engine. If you’re not communicating clearly then you’re wasting your efforts. Two or three keywords or key phrases are sufficient!
Key phrases are often better than keywords
I use the term keyword and key phrase interchangeably because you can optimise web pages for single words or phrases. Using key phrases instead of keywords is often more helpful to search engines and web surfers as they convey a more specific message about the purpose of your site. Do you sell ‘shoes’, or ‘designer shoes’? Or ‘sports shoes’? Do you provide ‘walking holidays’ or ‘walking holidays in Europe’? Getting the right level of specification can really help!
Effective keyword use means striking a balance
Ever heard of the term “keyword stuffing”? Most professionals recommend a limit of 3-5% for keyword use in body copy. This protects your site from being considered spam by search engines and also ensures a better user experience for any human visitors that come to your site. Overuse of keywords can result in your site being penalised and moving down the rankings instead of up. This is because the search engines consider it an unethical method aimed at grabbing a top spot in the rankings without providing any valuable, quality content.
I hope you enjoyed my SEO tips. They won’t tell you everything you need to know about keywords but they’re sound principles to help you make a start or re-evaluate your existing website.
If you need any help with your search engine optimisation please get in touch! I offer this service in conjunction with Firehoop – a web design and development company in the UK.
