How to quickly optimize a page with your keyword

Have you just started with SEO? Maybe you’ve gotten as far as finding the keyword you want to optimize for but don’t know how? Finding your keywords is one of the first steps in getting started with on-page SEO. In principle, every page on your site should have its own keyword, and once you’ve found the one that best matches your content, it’s important that it appears in the right places. It’s a fine balance between optimization and over-optimization. That’s why you need to know how to optimize for a keyword to get the best possible effect!

Keywords should always appear in the title, H1, and meta description

Make sure you add the keyword to the page title (the text that shows up in the browser tab) and in the page’s main headline. The main headline should always have the

tag in the source code. The meta description gives you the opportunity to write a few short sentences about the page and what you offer. The keyword should also appear here, but it’s also possible to include related keywords (more on that further down). Google is good with language, so it’s perfectly fine to use plural or definite/indefinite forms of the keyword. It’s more important to write grammatically correct than to use the exact version of the keyword. Let’s pretend you own a webshop that sells cinnamon buns. In this case, one of the variations below would fit in the title, the main headline, and the meta description: cinnamon buns cinnamon bun the cinnamon buns the cinnamon bun

Use different variations of the keyword

In the body text and subheadings, you can aim for more niche keywords, i.e., related variations of your chosen keyword. You don’t want to be too aggressive and spam the text with the keyword, so it can be a good idea to swap it out with a related or more general word such as “these” or “them.” Having some body text and subheadings should be seen as an opportunity to optimize for more keywords!

Google will interpret the keyword “cinnamon buns” as the main keyword on the page since it’s included in the title, headline, and meta description. But you can optimize for related keywords on the same page, such as “buns.” Or maybe keywords like “cinnamon swirls” or “cinnamon rolls,” depending on how the buns look.

Avoid aggressive keyword optimization (keyword stuffing)

There’s no strict rule or formula that says when a keyword is used too much. It depends on how the text is structured, how much content there is, and the type of text.

A simple but effective method is to read your text out loud. Does it flow naturally, or does it feel stiff and repetitive? Good flow usually indicates that you’ve used the keyword where needed without overdoing it.

For example, read the following text (out loud if possible). Cinnamon buns are probably the most delicious thing ever! At cinnamonbuns.com, we certainly think so. We love the smell of cardamom and the taste of a freshly baked cinnamon bun with pearl sugar. Our buns are kneaded by hand, and we bake several times a week so we can always send out fresh, warm buns straight to your door! Our recipe for these tasty cinnamon swirls has been passed down for generations of baking and gatherings. And if you’d rather bake the buns yourself and enjoy them hot straight from the oven, we also have frozen versions available.

And we promise not to say a word if you want to impress and take the credit for these delicious treats!

Now read the next text out loud. This is a hastily written example that shows keyword stuffing, meaning when a keyword is used excessively in hopes of ranking higher. The result is usually the opposite — Google gives your site lower trust and poorer rankings because it sees you as trying to manipulate the search results.

Cinnamon buns are probably the most delicious thing ever! At cinnamonbuns.com, we certainly think so. We love the smell of cardamom and the taste of a freshly baked cinnamon bun with pearl sugar. Our cinnamon buns are kneaded by hand, and we bake several times a week so we can always send out fresh, warm cinnamon buns straight to your door! Our cinnamon bun recipe for these tasty cinnamon buns has been passed down for generations of baking and gatherings. And if you’d rather bake the cinnamon buns yourself and eat the cinnamon buns hot straight from the oven, we also have frozen versions of our cinnamon buns.

And we promise not to say a word if you want to impress and take the credit for the cinnamon buns!

Doesn’t the word “cinnamon bun” get a bit tiresome when reading the second text? It’s completely stuffed with the keyword, while the first example tries to use substitutes to create a smoother and more reader-friendly text.

Don’t forget to optimize images and videos

If you have images or video clips on your page, these should also be optimized. If the image shows a cinnamon bun, of course the keyword should be included in the image’s alt text. The alt text briefly describes what the image shows. It helps Google “understand” what the image represents. It’s also the alt text that visually impaired users rely on to know what type of image it is. You usually don’t need to add alt text to images that are purely decorative.

And if you have a video, it’s a good idea for the video file name to include the keyword (if relevant, of course!) and to check if there are meta or alt text fields you can fill in for the video.

The tips above lay the foundation for your keyword work. After that, it’s all about measurement, adjustments, and additions. But that’s a story for another article!