How Many SEO Keywords Should I Use Per Page?

Updated: 5 days ago

To drive organic traffic through Google search, you must know how many SEO keywords to target per page and where to use them.

How Many SEO Keywords Should I Use?

If you manage a blog or a website, you may have wondered how many SEO keywords per page you should target. While there is no definitive answer, you should target one main keyword while including a few other SEO keyword variations.

That is the simple answer, but you may have many other questions about where to place these SEO keywords and the different types of keywords. Keyword marketing is not a simple process and is more of an art than a strict set of guidelines.

A generic graphic that says keyword research.

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Why Keyword Research is Important for SEO

Without proper keyword marketing strategies, SEO is not possible. Keywords tell search engines what your page is about so they can show relevant content to the searcher.

The algorithm will show the most valuable and relevant results when people use Google search. To deliver relevant results, Google will identify keywords in the content to determine what pages to rank for specific queries.

Therefore, to optimize your site for SEO, you must understand different types of keywords and how many to use on each page. If you blindly include target keywords in your content without a proper strategy, you could be penalized for attempting to manipulate Google's algorithm.

Types of Keywords

Before you go off to research your target keywords, you must understand the different types of keywords. One of the key aspects of SEO research is understanding the search intent behind each keyword.

There are four main types of keywords to organize a searcher's intent:

Transactional keywords - searchers intend to make a purchase.
Navigational keywords - searchers intend to navigate to a particular page.
Commercial keywords - searchers intend to find information about a product or service.
Informational keywords - searchers intend to learn about a topic.

Can a Page Rank For Multiple Keywords?

Yes, pages can rank for hundreds or thousands of keywords and queries. Pages that rank for this many keywords are likely optimized for long-tail keywords as well. Long-tail keywords are essentially longer forms of the primary keyword and are generally longer than three words.

For example, if you target "investing" as your main keyword, you may also rank for "how to invest in stocks." The number of keywords a page ranks for depends on factors like search volume and how optimized it is for other relevant keywords.

The Trickle-Down Effect

In SEO, the trickle-down effect occurs when your page ranks for queries that they are not optimized for. For example, if you write a post that targets the keyword "women's shoes," the page may also rank for the query "shoes for women."

Google's algorithm is smart enough to recognize slight variations even if you don't optimize your page for an exact query. Therefore, you should focus on keyword variations that surround topics instead of specific search queries.

How Many Keywords Per Page?

To rank on Google SERPs, you must avoid including too many SEO keywords per page. Repeating multiple keywords repeatedly on a page is known as keyword stuffing. Google does not like this and can penalize you for doing it.

Additionally, if you continually repeat the same phrases on a page, it will lack value and be difficult to read. Google describes this practice as an attempt to manipulate your site's ranking in search results. If Google catches keyword stuffing, they can move you back in search results or choose not to rank your page.

Therefore, if you want to play a long-term SEO strategy, you should limit your pages to just a few keywords and avoid stuffing. Ideally, you will pick a primary keyword, then naturally include long-tail SEO keywords throughout the rest of the page.

Using the Same Keywords on Multiple Pages

Another common question is if you can use the same keywords on multiple pages. If you target the same keywords on multiple pages of your website, you will be competing against yourself, which is not ideal. Therefore, it is best not to repeat keywords on more than one page.

The concept of competing with yourself like this is called keyword cannibalization, which will hinder your SEO rankings. To prevent this, you should make a spreadsheet for all your pages and list their target keywords.

How Many SEO Keywords Per Page: Homepage

Optimizing your homepage for SEO is just as important as the rest of your pages. You should pick at least 3 SEO target keywords and include them on your homepage.

Many people consider their homepage a visual selling point, but if you want to rank on Google, your homepage must consist of content with your target keywords. Therefore, you must find a way to make your homepage visually appealing and have enough content to be found on Google searches.

Keyword Marketing: Bottom Line

Developing a successful keyword marketing strategy is crucial if you want to drive organic traffic to your site. The more you educate yourself about SEO, the better off your site will be.

How many keywords should I use per page?

An average page should include about 3 SEO keywords. It would be best if you targeted a primary keyword, then used different variations within the content.

Different types of SEO keywords:

Transactional
Navigational
Commercial
Informational

Can a page rank for multiple SEO target keywords?

Yes, your page can rank for thousands of keywords. Your page can rank for many query variations if you do long-tail keyword marketing research.

How many SEO keywords should I target on the homepage?

You should not ignore the SEO of the homepage on your site. Ideally, you will find a way to make your homepage visually appealing and contain your target keywords.