Using Keywords Effectively
Let’s say you’ve found 3 keywords (or phrases) that summarise your organisation’s offer. The next step is to add them to your site.
You should not put them all on the same page. One keyword or phrase per page is enough. Many people think the only way to a website is through its home page. This may be true for some sites but it is better to optimise several pages as landing pages, pages designed to attract people searching for a particular thing. One landing page each for the 3 keywords.
Is This the Right Page?
Once they land visitors need to know they are on the right page. You need good copy above the fold that clearly states what this landing page is about. Your keyword should feature prominently; after all someone has followed the link because they’re interested in that keyword. If it doesn’t feature, they might lose interest.
Don’t overdo it but make sure the keyword is prominent and not obscured by:
- General clutter
- Flashy graphics
- Sliders
- Being pushed below the fold (the fold is the bottom of the visible window on your screen)
Places to Put Keywords
Good places to put the keyword are:
- The meta description for your post. If you look at the source code for almost any page or post you will find a cluster of meta tags near the top of the page, inside the head section. If you’re using WordPress you can change these meta tags with a plug-in, such as Yoast. But why do it? The meta description is important because Google uses it as the snippet from your site on the search results page. So, if this appears relevant searchers are more likely to follow the link to your site.
- Your page title is within the title tag in the head section of your page source code. This is the words that appear in the tab containing your website on your browser. In WordPress the title of your page or post is inserted into the title tag.
- Your h1 heading is the next obvious place and one that is likely to be noticed straight away, assuming it is above the fold. You should have only one h1 heading on any page. WordPress automatically inserts the page title as a h1 heading.
- Do you need to use the keyword or phrase elsewhere? The answer is yes but don’t overdo it. Remember you’re communicating with visitors, not search engines. One or two repetitions in the early paragraphs should be enough. It should flow naturally.
Do you have any suggestions?