Many years ago, SEO was all about keywords. You would be using relevant words and phrases left, right and centre when it came to your content and web pages. Indeed, it worked for a while and you could make your way to the first page of Google.
But, that all changed when search engines realised people were not being fair with their keywords and content. In other words, websites were abusing the system and this had to change. Now, keyword stuffing will get you into trouble.
Indeed, there have been a lot of algorithm changes over the years and many people have been left asking; do keywords matter anymore? Should they still be part of a modern SEO strategy? Let’s consider this topic in more detail.
Are Keywords Still Going to Help Ranking?
Let’s hit the nail squarely on the head. Yes, keywords are still beneficial and should be part of your SEO strategy. Should they be the only tactic you use? The answer is no. They are going to be most beneficial when they are combined with other tactics and part of a bigger strategy for your website.
Used in the right way, keywords still have the ability to drive traffic. This is particularly true if you are targeting low-competition keywords. There are also things like keyword clustering that you should be aware of. You can click on the link to find out more. ClickSlice tackles this topic in detail and this can be beneficial to read when you are creating your SEO strategy.
Something to realise is that you should not be targeting every keyword under the sun. It should only be the most relevant to your business. Keep it specific and stay away from generic keywords where there is just too much competition to make an impact. As an example, if your business is in London, you should target keywords with this area contained in it. This is going to appeal to a relevant audience and Google will make sure that they find your website and the products and services you offer.
Quality Before Keywords
One principle that you have to remember when it comes to keywords is that the quality of your content should come first. In other words, if keywords are not going to slot in nicely to blog posts and web pages, they should be avoided. It is about creating quality content that is interesting and readable. First of all, you are writing for your audience. Then, you concentrate on Google. In the past, it had been the other way around.
For example, there is no longer a requirement on how many keywords you use in your content. You just want to include it naturally and not too often in your copy. Thus, use the words when they add value and not just because of what they are.
Keyword Tactics You Need to Avoid
You should be aware of the keyword tactics that are going to create a negative response for your website. Of course, you should never try keyword stuffing. This is something that is widely frowned upon by Google, as well as by readers. It lowers the quality of your content so that it is not enjoyable to read and search engines will see through this black hat SEO tactic right away.
There is always a temptation to use keywords in your content. Again, when they are used sparingly and in context, they are helpful. But, you want to avoid using them just for the sake of it. In other words, leave out any keywords that are unnatural. You only want to rank for what is going to help users. For example, there is no good in ranking for PS4 games when your website is about legal research.
Something else to consider is how you are using keywords in anchor text. This is something that can appear unnatural if they are used wrongly. In particular, if you are making it unnatural or irrelevant, this will not help your ranking. In addition, if you use the same keywords with the same links over and over again, this can come across as suspicious to Google. Use white hat link building and keyword strategy to ensure you safely build authority to your site.
Everyone wants to improve their Google ranking quickly. There can be some temptation to use black hat SEO techniques. But, you should never fall into this trap. For example, some sites have been punished for using keywords on their web page and then hiding the text. But, search engines see right through this.