Proper use of keywords has always been one of the biggest components to effective SEO management. In times past, keywords word so important that black-hat SEOs could simply “stuff” hundreds of them in white against a white background on a website so that only Google’s crawlers could perceive them and instantly gain page 1 positioning. Thankfully, that kind of chicanery will get you banned from search listings now. But keywords are still very important.
But aside from properly targeting them in your content, how do skilled SEOs manage their use to positive effect? The fact is keywords go way beyond the written content on your site. Here are the top 3 ways you can target your keywords to gain valuable positioning on Google Search:
Use the Keyword in Your Page URL
ne of the strongest elements of on-page SEO is your URL. That’s why many savvy business owners claim URLs with their industry keywords packed in. So if you weren’t fortunate enough to do that, help yourself out with a new page with your keyword baked in. Try a single page that focuses its content on that keyword. Say, for instance, your business is a law firm and your website is AcmeLaw.com. Your keyword, which includes your locale, is not contained in your root URL. So you could create a page with the URL AcmeLaw.com/Chicago-Personal-Injury-Law that solely discussed your personal injury practice in Chicago. This element gives you your primary keyword baked into your URL, which is a strong SEO practice. Just remember to ensure the written content on that page is focused on personal injury law in Chicago or Google will hit you with a spam penalty.
Use the Keyword in Your Page Title (Title Tag)
Second only to the URL, your page’s title is the strongest component for promoting your website’s authority. For that reason, that keyword has to be included in the title tag of your Home Page (the most impactful page for SEO on your site) if you want to benefit from an effective SEO strategy.
Use the Keyword in Your Page Header
Every web page has a header (or at least every web page should). Be sure to include your keyword in the page header as it’s one of the first areas Google crawlers will “see” when they craw the page. As such, there’s potency in placing the keyword there. But don’t do it randomly, ensure that the following paragraph or two discusses that keyword thoroughly in a meaningful way. Otherwise, your use of that keyword there may be considered spam and cause your site painful Google penalties.
If you would like to learn more about how keyword targeting can help support your SEO management, or would like help getting your website the targeted traffic it deserves, call one of our consultants at 312.600.5155. We love helping small businesses skyrocket in Google Search rankings.