Long gone are the days when overuse of keyword phrases was a way to “fool” the search engines into giving a high rank for a particular webpage or site. Because of that, search engine algorithms have changed drastically, and there are certain things you need to know when using keywords in your content . . .
What Are Keywords or Keyword Phrases?
A keyword (or keyword phrase) is a single or multiple-word phrase that is typed as a search query. This helps search engines (like Google, Bing, etc.) match users to results that are more relevant to them.
For instance: For those who are looking to earn money by building an online store featuring Amazon products, they may type “Amazon store builder” or “Amazon affiliate store builder” in the search box. The search engine will then return the top ten best results for that term.
Keyword Density: A Delicate Balancing Act
Keyword density means how often a particular word or phrase is used for every 100 words.
In times past . . . some unscrupulous folks found a way to take advantage of how search engines looked at the density of keywords within a webpage. As an example . . . an 8% keyword density for the phrase “earn money online” meant that this term was mentioned 8 times in every 100 words! You can well imagine that the content was usually low quality (even spammy) and online users were being denied the kind of information they were really seeking.
Today . . . search engines like Google no longer tolerate keyword “stuffing” and may go so far as to de-index your site for blatant keyword abuse. However, you still have to tell the search engines exactly what your copy is about. This means including keywords relevant to the topic . . . the trick is to do this naturally, so that people actually enjoy reading what you write.
How To “Naturally” Infuse Keyword Phrases Into Your Content
Here’s how to easily include important keywords in your online writing so that search engines can find your content . . . while also making it engaging to read.
Step #1: Find the Keywords Phrases You Want to Rank For
There are quite a few really good keyword research tools available online. Use one to determine what keywords and phrases are related to the topic you are going to write about.
Step #2: Write A First Draft of Your Content Without Worrying About SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is important if your content is going to get found by the search engines. However, to naturally weave keywords and phrases related to your topic into your content, It’s best to simply write the content first, without SEO considerations. Your focus should be to create a high quality, informative, problem-solving (or entertaining) piece of content.
Step #3: Add Your Keyword or Keyword Phrases
After you’ve created an informative and easy-to-read piece of content, you need to help the search engines find it. If the main phrase you want to be discovered for is ” earn money online,” make sure that phrase is used early in your very first sentence. Add it in the first sentence of your last paragraph. Then use it maybe 1 or 2 times for every 150 words or so (remember, this is not an exact science). Reread your content. Make sure that your keyword placement doesn’t come at the cost of readability.
Step #4: Check Your Keyword Density . . . Just To Be Safe
Keyword density is not nearly as important now as it used to be, but you want to avoid overdoing it. You can determine the keyword density of your content two ways:
. . . Type “free keyword density analyzer” into Google. Use one of the many keyword density checkers to check your content, or . . .
. . . If you have a WordPress site, you can utilize a plugin like Yoast, which will analyze your content right within the post editing screen.
Bottom line . . . If your keyword phrases are properly placed and the density is 2% or lower . . . you can garner some search engine love, your content will be found, and your readability will be quite natural because of the steps you’ve just taken.
