How many keywords should I use for SEO?
This is a question that often comes up from business owners who want to do SEO themselves and are trying to figure out how many times they should include their target keywords in their content.
But this is the wrong approach.
You shouldn't be asking yourself how many times you need to include a keyword to rank on Google.
If there were an exact number, every SEO would simply repeat their keywords that many times and get their pages to rank.
But that's not how Google's ranking systems work.
Focus on One Primary SEO Keyword
A better way to approach SEO is to think about your page structure and the topic you're targeting.
What I like to do is focus on one primary SEO keyword per page.
This keyword can be a specific service, topic, or question that someone is searching for.
The goal is to give each page one clear focus.
That doesn't mean your page can only rank for one keyword. A single page can rank for dozens or even hundreds of related search terms.
You just want to make sure the content is centered around one main topic and satisfies the user's search intent.
Where Should You Include Your SEO Keyword?
There are three main places I recommend including your primary keyword.
- Title Tag: This is the title that Google displays in search results. Including your primary keyword helps communicate what the page is about.
- H1 Tag: This is your page's main heading. It should clearly describe the topic and naturally include your primary keyword.
- URL Slug: This is the part of your website's URL that identifies the page. For example,
/concrete-contractor-sacramento/.
By including your primary keyword in these three places, you're helping Google understand the topic of your page.
These are the first places I focus on when optimizing a new page. However, including an exact-match keyword in all three doesn't guarantee higher rankings.
Use Related Keywords Throughout Your Content
After optimizing those three elements, you can start incorporating your keyword naturally throughout your content.
For example, you might include it in an H2 heading if it makes sense.
But don't force it.
You should also use semantically related keywords that help cover your topic in more detail.
For example, if your primary keyword is "concrete contractor Yuba City," related keywords might include:
- Concrete driveway installation
- Concrete patio installation
- Concrete foundation contractors
- Residential concrete services
- Commercial concrete contractors
These keywords help you cover relevant services and questions your potential customers might be searching for.
Some SEOs refer to these as LSI keywords, but that's not technically the correct term. It's better to think of them as related terms, subtopics, and variations of your primary keyword.
So, How Many Keywords Should You Use?
There's no magic number.
You don't need to mention your primary keyword 5, 10, or 20 times to rank.
And you don't need to hit a specific keyword density percentage.
Instead, focus on creating content that covers your topic, answers the user's questions, and matches their search intent.
My approach is simple:
Choose one primary keyword, include it naturally in your title tag, H1, and URL slug, and use relevant keywords throughout your content when they make sense.
That's a much better SEO strategy than trying to hit an arbitrary keyword count.