3 Basic SEO keyword tips

How to tell the search engines what keywords you want your page to be ranked for...???

Did you know that you can actually tell google et al what keywords you want each page in your website to rank for? And that google will happily follow your instructions?

Before you start doing any fancy SEO like link building, link baiting, etc, you need a decent foundation.  This means doing the basics first.  No page will get a decent ranking if you havent clearly indicated exactly what keyword/s the page should be ranked for.

So how can you tell google what keywords you want each page to rank for? Just use these 3 SEO factors - keyword in the url, keyword in the title, and keyword in the only <h1> tag.  It sounds simple - and it is, yet it is completely overlooked by many sites.  For this demonstration we will be telling Google that our page keyword is "red widgets".

1. Keyword in the URL

Just make sure that your URL is in the form www.example.com/red-widgets (.htm or .php or .aspx or whatever).  Avoid URLs without the keyword eg www.example.com/products.htm?id=1234567.  Not matter what you use to create your site, there will be a way to put the keyword in the URL - so use it.  For the URL it is best to have only the keyword and no other junk.

2. Keyword in the title

It is also easy to use the keyword in the page title, eg "Red Widgets for sale Example.com".  Do not repeat titles on all your pages, and do not dilute keywords by putting the same keyword in all your titles.  Some extra wording in the title is a good idea, especially if it is good english and reads well.

3. Keyword in the only <h1> tag.

When you describe your red widget, there should be a header above your description.  Just add <h1> tags, eg <h1>High quality red widgets for sale</h1>.  The title should also have some extra wording that is different from the title wording.

And thats all you need to do tell Google what keyword to use for your page - and Google will do exactly what you say.  Of course to rank highly for this keyword you will need to get some links - but that is a different subject!

Some advanced techniques:

Ok great, now you have gone through your site and made sure every single page has those 3 basic factors done right.  Now what? Here are some more advanced techniques to try.

1. Keyword in the URL - advanced

Try using keywords in the url to categorise the various areas of your site.  Instead of /red-widgets, try /widgets/red-widgets and /widgets/blue-widgets.  Then when you add a new section selling cubes, your urls for that section can be /cubes/red-cubes and /cubes/blue-cubes.

2. Keyword in the page title - advanced

Try putting a couple of variations of the keyword in the title - but not too many, eg "Red widgets for sale at the redwidget shop Example.com".  Here we can target people who search for red widgets with and without a space.  Dont over do this and put every single variation in one title, Just the 2 most important variations should be enough.

3. Keyword in the only <h1> - advanced

Again, just like the title, try targeting the keyword and a different varation, or the keyword and its acronym if any, eg "<h1>The RW red widgets shop sells only quality red-widgets</h1>"

And to finish it off .. try your very best to make sure that every title and <h1> that you write is good english - it will make your users happier.  If it's not good english, then rewrite it.  (* unless your website is written in swahilli of course)