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3 Ways To Use SEO Keyword Strategy To Optimize Your Site

Written by Rachel Begg | December 3, 2015 at 2:00 PM

There may be a lot of buzz surrounding the constant updating of algorithms by Google, but when it comes to the best practices of boosting your SEO strategy, using keywords are always in style! Whether you are a new business or an established company, including SEO strategy and keywords in your overall plan is always a good idea. When planning your content, consider using some of these proven methods to help optimize your website and help you rank in organic searches.

#1 - Utilize Keyword Search  

When searching for answers to their problems, people often use search engines to present the best solutions. Your goal is to rank in the top organic search results, indicating that you are the most useful and most trustworthy site that will help people find the resolution to their issues. How can you increase your rank in organic search results? Keywords!

When researching keywords to use to attract potential customers, keep in mind you are targeting words they would use. Search out specific and relevant terms, as well as their alternates, to include in your search terms. You should also be actively adding words people are currently using to find your site. Also, consider using long-tail keywords. This string of words helps you identify opportunities to rank in organic search results, where the volume of people is high, but your competition is low.

#2 - Creating Content Around Keywords

Now that you know which words are giving you greater opportunities to increase in organic rank, next you should build specific content around these keywords on the pages you are optimizing. There a few key places to insert this term to make sure you are properly placing your keyword to in front of potential customers. Adding your keywords to the page title, description, and URL will make sure your site is impacting search rankings while also clearly identifying relevant information instantly for the viewer. This is especially helpful for companies that create lots of content through blogs and want to optimize these blog pages at every turn.

Next, making sure the same keyword appears in the heading and throughout the text, helps readers stay engaged with your page. Even the pictures you include in the content body should have the keyword in their alternate text. You want to make sure google is still able to find your images through SEO.

#3 - Stay Away From Underhanded SEO Practices

With all the great things you can do to up your SEO game for your websites and blogs, it is equally important to stay away from things that can hurt your results standing. A few no-nos to consider include:

  • Hiding keywords in your text
  • Putting keywords in areas they do not belong
  • Keyword spam

Hiding keywords, whether by turning them white to match your background, or other methods will do nothing but hinder your site’s ability to grow, organically. As with hiding words, putting keywords where they do not belong, context wise, does damage to your site’s SEO. Last but not least, keyword spam is exactly how is sounds! Overusing your keyword throughout the site is not a best practice and search engines are able to identify when your site is doing this.

Overall, SEO can be your best friend. When used appropriately, it can help you dominate content which will contribute to an increased organic search engine rank! Want to learn more about how blogging can help you increase your marketing efforts for your business? Download our free eBook Beginners Guide to Blogging For Business!