Search Engine Optimization Best Practices: Keywords

Assuming you are already familiar with basic SEO (search engine optimization) practices, I’d like to share a few insights geared toward business owners, particularly those involved in highly competitive fields.

SEO Best Practices…Where to Begin

First of all, let’s clarify search engine optimization. True SEO is all about following a series of static rule sets that continue to pay off for you.

SEO can be looked at as a way to break through the barriers of Google in order to set yourself ahead of the ever increasing number of websites targeting the same product line or industry as yours.

Just as there are several ways to arrive at any given point or destination in life, SEO is not limited to a rigid algorithm that cannot be deviated from.

There are many aspects of SEO, including keyword density, developing backlinks, PPC campaigns, and more. Today, let’s examine best practices for keyword use.

Once you have decided on your targeted keyword phrases, your next step is to determine the best ways and places to use them by addressing the following questions:

Where will your keywords and keyword phrases have the most impact?

How can I change my current pages that are not currently ranking in order to gain visibility with Google?

Where and How Often to Use Your Targeted Keywords

The following checklist will provide you with a guide that you can use when creating new blog posts and web pages. You can also use the checklist to optimize any current web pages that are not ranking well.

This is not an extensive or advanced list. These are the basics that will provide you with an excellent foundation for your site. Once these principles are in use on every web page or blog post, you’ll be ready for additional SEO.

Keep in mind that you should be targeting no more than 5 keyword phrases per site. By trying to target too many keyword phrases, you will be diluting your efforts and may end up not ranking for any of them. This is especially true when you are in a highly competitive industry.

Keyword Phrase Checklist.

• Keyword phrase in Title tag
• Keyword phrase in H1 or H2 Heading tags
• Keyword phrase should be used naturally throughout the body of your text several times
• Keyword phrase should be used at least once within a text link
• Keyword phrase should be used as the title of any image you place on the page
• Use your keyword phrase in at least 75% of your inbound links

Winning Content + Keyword Phrases = Results

This article wouldn’t be complete without a word about content. It’s not about filling your site with keyword dense articles, sitting back and waiting for the traffic to come. Your content must be “reader based.” How is this accomplished? By providing content that is useful, engaging, intelligent, and unique.

Your readers are real, live people; they are busy people. Provide content that follows these guidelines:

• Limit posts and articles to 500 words or less.
• Use bullet points and sub headings liberally, so your readers can quickly skim through and locate information.
• Your titles should absolutely demand traffic. How is this accomplished? Take notes when you are searching the net. Write down titles that you can’t resist clicking on. After a while, you’ll have compiled a nice “sure bet” title collection that can be rearranged and reworded to fit your needs.
• Most importantly, your posts and content should always offer one of two things. Your content should either provide your reader with practical knowledge that they can use immediately, or your content should offer a solution (service or product) that will solve a problem.

By combining the two elements we’ve discussed (keyword usage and winning content), you’ll have the perfect foundation for SEO. Once you’ve mastered these principles, it will be time to tackle another element. Keep coming back. We’ll continue to help you build a winning web presence.

P.S. – If you would like to put your keyword research on supercharge, I suggest you watch this quick video on keyword research.