DIY Search Engine Optimization and Keyword Density

Yesterday I talked about keywords and keyword phrases; the words you use at your website/blog that “match the search” being performed at Google and other search engines.

Another important concept to grasp is “keyword density,” or how many times you use your keywords/phrases on a page (you have a keyword/phrase worksheet, right?).

The answer is between 3 and 6 times per 250 words, enough to get Google’s attention, but not so frequently it makes Google think you are just stuffing words on a page. Keyword stuffing is a PENALTY factor in the Google algorithm.

Above all, your page content must make sense to a human being. The rule of thumb is: write for humans first, Google second. This is also a Google directive.

I recommend opening your home page message with a paragraph that has a your primary keyword/phrase in it. If you were a wedding photographer in Maui, Hawaii, something like:

“If you are looking for wedding photographers in Maui, Hawaii for your very special day, I’d be honored to be your wedding photographer.

Maui, Hawaii is an incredible place, some have called it an island paradise. I might be a bit biased, but having a wedding on Maui is the best place in the world to have a wedding!”

This is a great opening because it is:

• Keyword-rich
• Written for a human
• Warm
• Welcoming
• Personal
• Humble
• Engaging
• Emotional
• Genuine
• Makes you want to keep reading!

Use the same primary keyword/phrases similarly once or twice again on your home page and then have a closing paragraph that uses them again. Again, be careful that you don’t over do it!

Writing keyword-rich content isn’t that easy. It’s a combination of art and science and it takes a lot of time. But trust me, this is what Google is looking for. When it finds it, and it thinks your page is most RELEVANT to the search performed, your page will be rewarded with a coveted “top ten results” position on a search engine results page.

Tomorrow: Understanding Latent Semantic Indexing