Keywords are one of the most well-known and discussed SEO ranking factors , and for good reason. They form the foundation of your SEO strategy and are a key signal to Google about the relevance of your page to the searcher.
As you research the best ways to incorporate keywords into your pages, you may have heard a few terms floating around:
- Frequency of keywords
- Keyword density
- Keyword Highlighting
- Keyword proximity
Not sure what all these terms mean? We’ll help you figure it out! Read on for an easy-to-understand explanation of keyword density, prominence, and proximity.
What is keyword frequency?
Keyword frequency is the number overseas data of times your target keyword appears on the page. If you want your keyword to appear often enough for search engines to determine that your content is relevant to the search term, you should avoid keyword stuffing .
Keyword stuffing is a questionable SEO tactic that involves stuffing the page with as many keywords as possible, even if it doesn’t make sense in context. Keyword stuffing makes your page harder to read, and search engines can usually pick up on this.
Ultimately, search engines want to display pages that are useful to users , which is why you should always optimize your site for your target audience. If you create relevant and informative content, you will likely include your keyword naturally in your text. Just make sure that the text flows smoothly and is readable.
What is keyword density?
Keyword density is the number of times your keyword appears on the page relative to the total number of words on the page. So, if you include your keyword three times on a 300-word page, you will have a higher keyword density than if you include it five times on a 5,000-word page.
When it comes to keyword density, it’s all about balance. Creating relevant content will likely involve mentioning the keyword throughout the content, but if you do it too often, you run the risk of keyword stuffing.
Consider this paragraph:
We sell durable rain boots for your everyday needs. If you are looking for durable rain boots, look no further than the Example Store. Stop by today for your durable rain boot needs.
It seems forced and doesn’t contain much useful information. All three sentences are redundant. Two of the sentences could have been used to contextualize the offer with more details, information about the sale, etc.
The problem isn’t necessarily that the content mentions the keyword (durable rain boots) three times. It’s that those three mentions are concentrated in a 30-word paragraph.
As with keyword frequency, the driving force is the reader. Create content that is relevant and useful to someone searching for your target keyword, and prioritize readability.
What is keyword prominence?
Keyword prominence refers to where your keywords are on the page. Users often scan through content online, which means the easier it is for how long is a hyprov las vegas show? them to see how relevant your content is to them, the more likely they are to stick around. Including your keywords in prominent locations can help.
Recommended places to incorporate your keywords are:
- URL
- Title tag
- Titles and subtitles
- Meta description
- The first 100 words
You can also include keywords in the header of your site’s HTML code. These are called meta keywords . They are not visible to visitors and indicate the keywords of your page. These places are often the most visible to a user who is browsing your page or who decides to click on it from the search results. Put the odds in your favor and show them right away how well your page meets their needs.
What is keyword proximity?
Keyword proximity means that the words in your target keyword phrase are very close to each other. This metric is important because, typically, you’re targeting keywords that contain more than one word. Single-word keywords are typically much more competitive, but long-tail keywords can be very effective.
When targeting a phrase, you want to make the words in it as close to each other as possible. This proximity can signal to search engines and users that the page is likely more relevant to the searcher.
Let’s take the keyword used asb directory fantasy books” as an example. If a page promises “The best used fantasy books,” it’s probably more relevant to the searcher than a page that promises “A huge selection of fantasy books and used books.
