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How do I get Google reviews on my website?
If you are working hard on getting Google reviews, and if you are a locally based business you should be, you may be wondering, how do I get Google reviews on my website? I have the answers to your question.
First, what are Google reviews and how do you get them?
A Google review is a rating and review of a business or product left by a customer on Google. It typically includes a star rating (from 1 to 5) and a written comment about the customer’s experience.
These reviews show up in several places:
- Google Maps: When you search for a business on Google Maps, reviews are displayed on the business’s profile.
- Google Search: Reviews can appear in the search results when you search for a business or product.
- Google Business Profile: Businesses can showcase their reviews on their Google Business Profile, which appears in Google search results and Maps.
Google reviews are important because they can influence potential customers’ decisions. Many people read reviews before trying a new restaurant, visiting a store, or making a purchase. Positive reviews can attract new customers, while negative reviews can deter them.
If you already have a Google business listing, go ahead and Google yourself and you’ll see reviews in the knowledge panel. The Google Knowledge Panel is that neat little box that pops up on the right side of your Google search results when you look up something specific, like a person, place, organization, or thing. It’s like a quick cheat sheet with key information about your search topic.
Here’s what mine looks like if you Google Sumy Designs.
But if you are asking the question how do I get Google reviews on my website, you probably already know that you have some good ones you want to share. Here are a couple of examples where I’ve added Google reviews to clients’ websites.
Of course, one simple and free way to do it is to just copy and paste them, but if you have a lot of reviews, that can get tedious. And it also doesn’t pull in the branding from Google or link to them, which adds credibility. The way I prefer to do it is with a plugin that connects your Google Business Listing with your website, and pulls in those reviews automatically. The benefit of this is that you can style it, set it to only pull in the best reviews based on your own metrics, and it updates your website automatically every time you get a new review. Here are a couple of website examples where we’ve incorporated their Google reviews.
There are plenty of plugins you can use to do this, but for these two sites, I used Rich Plugins Business Reviews Bundle.
The Rich Plugins Business Reviews Bundle is a WordPress plugin that allows you to merge and display business reviews from multiple platforms like Google, Facebook, and Yelp on your website. It provides a way to showcase a unified collection of reviews and a summary rating, making it easy for visitors to see what customers are saying about your business.
Key features of the plugin include:
- Merging reviews: Combines reviews from different sources into a single feed.
- Summary rating: Calculates an overall rating based on the reviews from all platforms.
- Display options: Offers various ways to present the reviews, such as widgets and shortcodes.
- Customization: Provides options to customize the appearance of the reviews to match your website’s design.
For these sites, I’m only pulling in Google reviews, but you can use it for other platforms too including Facebook and Yelp.
There is a free and a paid option for this plugin. The free version allows you to display 5 Google reviews, all your Facebook reviews, and 3 Yelp reviews on your site. If you want to get all your reviews, you’ll need to upgrade to the paid version for $85 a year. To me, it was enough of a time saver that the cost was worthwhile.
Why incorporate Google Reviews over adding in your own testimonials?
Incorporating Google reviews on your website instead of solely relying on your own testimonials offers several key advantages:
- Increased Trust and Credibility: Google reviews are seen as more authentic and unbiased by potential customers. They know these reviews are coming from real people who have experienced your business firsthand, unlike testimonials you might select and edit yourself.
- Enhanced Social Proof: Displaying a collection of positive Google reviews acts as powerful social proof. It shows that other customers have had positive experiences with your business, which can significantly influence purchasing decisions.
- Improved SEO: Google reviews play a role in local search engine optimization (SEO). Positive reviews can boost your visibility in local search results, making it easier for potential customers to find you.
- Valuable Feedback and Insights: Google reviews provide a continuous stream of feedback that you can use to identify areas of improvement in your business. Both positive and negative reviews offer valuable insights into customer experiences.
- Transparency and Engagement: Responding to Google reviews, both positive and negative, shows that you value customer feedback and are actively engaged with your audience. This can build trust and loyalty with potential customers.
While testimonials can still be valuable, especially for highlighting specific aspects of your business, integrating Google reviews offers a higher level of authenticity and can significantly impact how potential customers perceive your brand.
The Rich Plugins Business Reviews Bundle has been my plugin of choice, but there are other options if you want to check them out. Here are a few you might want to look into:
- Widgets for Google Reviews from Trustindex. This is a popular one. The basic level is free and allows you to display up to 10 Google reviews. It does require a Trust Index account whether you use paid or free. If you want to have more than 10 reviews, you’ll need the paid account for $65 a year. This plugin also offers you other platforms to pull reviews from like AirBNB, Ebay, Amazon, etc.
- Reviews and Ratings – Google Reviews by Design Extreme. I haven’t used this one before, but I definitely want to try it out. It is a completely free plugin with no limitations on how many reviews you can pull, has 168 five-star ratings. If you only want Google Reviews this may be the way to go. I’ll update this post once I try it out.
How do I get Google reviews?
Need to get Google reviews? The best way to do that is simply to ask. People have a tendency to leave reviews when they’ve had a really bad experience or a really exceptional service, and not a lot in between. However, many people would be happy to leave you a review if you simply ask them for one. You can also use an online review service to ask for reviews for you.
Regardless of how you get them, having and sharing Google reviews can only enhance your credibility with potential customers, and I highly recommend you consider adding them to your site.
Credit: Bukisweb
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MailChimp Segmentation – Sumy Designs
You may not realize, but another thing we can do at Sumy Designs is help you with your email marketing. And one thing we get asked about is MailChimp lists, audiences, segments, etc. So let me explain what these are and why it’s important to know and how to manage it.
A MailChimp audience (formerly known as a “list”) is a collection of contacts that you send email campaigns to. It serves as the central database for your email marketing efforts, where you can store and manage subscriber information, segment contacts based on behavior or demographics, and personalize email communications.
In the earlier days of email marketing, when you had lists, you would create a new list for different reasons. You might have a list for newsletter subscribers, a list for your clients, a list for your customers, etc. etc.
With these lists, sometimes you would email to all lists at once, and sometimes you would email just some lists. But it could get pretty clunky to manage the different lists, or move people between them if needed. Plus, around 2019 MailChimp started charging you to have multiple lists so this became not as economical.
Instead, we use segmentation.
Mailchimp Segmentation is a feature that allows you to divide your email list into smaller, more targeted groups based on shared characteristics. This helps you send more relevant and personalized emails, which can lead to higher engagement and better results.
Here’s how it works:
- You define the criteria: You choose the specific characteristics that define your segments. This could include things like:
- Demographics (age, gender, location)
- Purchase history
- Website activity
- Email engagement (opens, clicks)
- Signup date
- Interests (if you’ve collected that data)
- Tags
- Mailchimp filters your list: Based on the criteria you set, Mailchimp automatically filters your email list and creates separate segments for each group.
- You send targeted emails: Once you have your segments, you can create email campaigns specifically tailored to each group’s interests and needs. This could mean different content, offers, or even send times.
Benefits of Mailchimp Segmentation:
- Increased engagement: By sending more relevant emails, you’re more likely to capture your audience’s attention and encourage them to interact with your messages.
- Improved deliverability: Targeted emails can help you avoid spam filters and reach your subscribers’ inboxes more effectively.
- Higher conversion rates: Personalized emails can lead to more clicks, purchases, and other desired actions.
- Stronger customer relationships: By showing your audience that you understand their needs and interests, you can build stronger relationships and foster loyalty.
Types of Segments:
Mailchimp offers different types of segments, including:
- Static segments: These are fixed groups that don’t automatically update. You manually add or remove contacts.
- Dynamic segments: These automatically update as contacts meet or no longer meet the criteria.
- Pre-built segments: Mailchimp offers some pre-built segments based on common criteria, such as “engaged subscribers” or “new subscribers.”
I am working with a client that offers pool services, and they want to send an email to just past clients who have had their pools opened in the past. On their opening form sign up, we’ve connected it to their MailChimp account and anyone who signs up for an opening is tagged with “opening” and then when it’s time to start scheduling their pool openings, they can send an email specifically to all past clients who have previously had their pool opened just by segmenting their email blast to folks with that tag.
Why is MailChimp segmentation useful?
Mailchimp segmentation is incredibly useful for a number of reasons, all boiling down to making your email marketing more effective and your audience happier. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Relevance is King (and Queen):
- Stop the “spray and pray” approach: Sending the same email to everyone on your list is like casting a wide net and hoping to catch something. Segmentation lets you send targeted messages that resonate with specific groups, making your emails more relevant and valuable to each recipient.
- Personalization beyond a name: Segmentation allows you to go beyond just inserting a name. You can tailor content, offers, and even the tone of your emails to match the interests, behaviors, and needs of different segments.
2. Boosted Engagement:
- Higher open and click-through rates: When your emails are relevant, people are more likely to open them and click on the content. This increased engagement signals to email providers that your emails are wanted, which can improve your deliverability.
- Reduced unsubscribes: Nobody likes getting emails that have nothing to do with them. By sending targeted emails, you reduce the chances of people unsubscribing from your list.
3. Better Results:
- Increased conversions: Relevant emails lead to more desired actions, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for an event, or downloading a resource.
- Improved ROI: By getting better results from your email campaigns, you’re maximizing your return on investment.
4. Stronger Relationships:
- Show you care: When you send personalized emails that address specific needs and interests, you show your audience that you understand them and value their preferences. This helps build trust and loyalty.
- Nurture leads effectively: Segmentation allows you to guide your subscribers through the customer journey with tailored content at each stage, from initial interest to purchase and beyond.
5. Mailchimp’s Tools Make it Easy:
- Variety of segmentation options: Mailchimp offers a wide range of criteria to segment your audience, from demographics and purchase history to website activity and email engagement.
- Dynamic segments: These automatically update as contacts meet or no longer meet the criteria, saving you time and effort.
- User-friendly interface: Mailchimp’s segmentation tools are relatively easy to use, even for those new to email marketing.
In short, Mailchimp segmentation empowers you to send the right message to the right people at the right time. This leads to higher engagement, better results, and stronger relationships with your audience.
Ready to boost your business with email marketing? Contact us now to get started!
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Livermead Case Study
Livermead Case Study
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Get It Good, Get It Done, and Edit It Later
One of the biggest hold ups we have when working on a website is getting the content to put into it. If you’ve never been involved in a website project, usually the content for the website is provided by the person or company who is commissioning the website, unless of course you hire a writer or work with a company who also offers copywriting.
While I do a fair bit of writing on this website, I don’t consider myself to be a expert writer, and it’s not a field I want to try to insert myself into. If you need a copywriter, I can recommend several. However, I think content is best when it comes from you. And here’s why.
Deepest Understanding: No one knows your business and its services better than you. You have the most intimate knowledge of the nuances, the specific value proposition, and the target audience. This translates to more authentic and accurate copy. You’ve lived it, breathed it, and likely refined it over time.
Passion and Enthusiasm: Your passion for your business is often contagious. This enthusiasm can come through in the writing, making the copy more engaging and persuasive. It’s hard to fake genuine excitement, and that excitement can resonate with potential customers.
Unique Voice and Perspective: Your individual voice and perspective are part of what makes the business unique. You can inject this personality into the copy, differentiating it from competitors and creating a stronger connection with the target audience. This helps build brand identity.
With that being said, struggling to create the copy is definitely a pain point for many people. We see many websites get held up waiting for content to be created, or waiting while the copy is edited, refined, edited again. So my advice to anyone working on their website copy is this:
Get it Good. Get it Done. Edit it Later.
What do I mean by this?
- Get it Good: Your copy doesn’t have to be perfect. The truth is, as wonderful as you are, you aren’t perfect either. And no one should expect you to be. Write the copy, proofread it, make sure it gets across the point you want it to be make. But stop seeking perfection.
- Get it Done. Don’t delay your website launch for nonstop revisions of your content. Stop seeking perfection. Get it good enough, and put it on your website.
- Edit it Later. A good website is never “done” but is always a work in progress. One of the reasons you should stop seeking perfect is that you can go back and change your content after your site is launched. It doesn’t need to be perfect on day 1, because you can improve it on day 2, and day 3, and day 100.
I have seen people make themselves crazy going through their content time and time again, changing words and phrases, making the tiniest changes. And here’s the truth that you don’t want to hear: most people aren’t going to read your content that thoroughly. They won’t notice if you forgot a comma in one place. They won’t notice if you change a word or title here or there.
What is important is that the message you are trying to convey hits it’s mark, and that doesn’t happen because you changed a semicolon to a comma or vice versa. And I love me a good semicolon; the former English teacher in me approves.
Does your content land with the target audience?
It may or may not, and you may not know the answer until you launch your website with your content. You could spend hours and days revising your content and still have it fall flat. But what if you cut your time in half, published the content, and then waited to see how your audience responds? Because you may have to edit it anyway.
Why is it a bad idea to delay your website launch?
Missing Opportunities: Every day you delay your launch is a day you miss out on potential customers, leads, and revenue. Getting your website up and running quickly is crucial.
Perfection is an Illusion: There’s no such thing as “perfect” content. You can always tweak and improve your website copy. Launching a functional website with good content is better than waiting for the “perfect” version that may never come.
Valuable Feedback: Launching your website allows you to gather real-world feedback from your audience. This feedback can help you identify areas where your content can be improved and refined.
SEO Benefits: Search engines favor websites that are live and active. Launching your website sooner can give you a head start in search engine rankings and attract organic traffic.
Momentum: Delays can kill momentum and enthusiasm. Getting your website launched can provide a sense of accomplishment and motivate you to continue improving and growing your online presence.
Your website is a living and breathing entity. It’s meant to evolve and improve over time. Don’t let the pursuit of perfection hold you back from launching and reaping the benefits of an online presence.
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What newsletter manager should you use?
I get asked this question a lot when people are ready to embark on starting an online newsletter. And it’s a good question, because the newsletter system you use is very important. There are so many choices when it comes to newsletters. And they change all the time! So here’s my very important, very best answer to this question:
Use the newsletter manager that you find easiest to use!
Because the truth is, all the bells and whistles in the world aren’t going to help you if you don’t know how to use them. What will happen, if you dive in on a system that sounds good but is confusing to you, is that you’ll end up putting off sending your newsletter, not getting around to it, and your newsletter will end up collecting digital dust. And that doesn’t give you or your readers any benefits.
I know this doesn’t answer your question because if you’ve never used one, how do you know which one will be easiest? You don’t until you try them. But the good news is that many of them include either a free level of a free trial, so my best advice to you is to take advantage of those free trials.
Free Trial Tips
In my graphic above, I’ve shown logos for 10 different systems. But don’t get excited, I am not recommending you try all of them, nor do I want you try them all at once.
- Evaluate the features, fees, and narrow down choices
Realistically, you aren’t going to want to test out 10 different systems. So start by making a list of what features you think are “must haves” and what optional ones you’d like. For example, do you need an easy to use newsletter builder? Do you need automation? Detailed reporting? RSS campaigns? A/B testing? First, figure out what you need, eliminate the choices that don’t fit. - Sign up for a free trial on ONE AT A TIME
Do not, I repeat, do not sign up for all your free trials at once. Very few people will be able to manage evaluating all the options in all the different systems and be able to compare their usability in a short time frame. Decide which one you want to try first, and sign up. - Put testing out the system on your calendar
You are, more than likely, a busy business owner. And things that don’t bring you in immediate income are likely to get pushed to the back burner. At least that’s how things work for me. My advice, make evaluating this newsletter system a priority by creating time to do it and putting it on the schedule. Don’t waste your free trial time by forgetting to test the system. - Put your system to the test
Add a couple of email addresses to your list (preferably spare ones of yours), and create a new newsletter. Evaluate how you those actions work. Was it easy to add subscribers to the list? How easy was it to create a newsletter? Does the newsletter look good in my email when it arrives? Do you need automation? Set up an automation and see how easy or hard it is to set up. - Take notes
When you’ve tested what you intend to use your newsletter for, take some notes. Write down what you like about it, what was hard, etc. Because you may not remember the details after you’ve tested a few more. - Repeat 2-5 as needed until you decide.
I can’t choose what newsletter system you should go with. You, the person who has to actually create, send, and manage the newsletter, have to decide what works best for you. You might really like the features from one, but the cost is over your budget. Below I’m including a list of some of the most popular systems, their options for free trials and a tiny synopsis of each. Take it with a grain of salt and explore their websites in more detail.
Newsletter Management Systems
Mailchimp:
- Free Trial/Plan: Offers a free plan with limited features.
- Mailchimp excels with its user-friendly interface and comprehensive marketing tools, making it a versatile platform for various business sizes.
Constant Contact:
- Free Trial: Offers a free trial.
- Constant Contact is known for its straightforward email marketing tools and strong focus on small business needs, particularly event management.
MailerLite:
- Free Trial/Plan: Offers a generous free plan.
- MailerLite provides a clean, intuitive interface with robust automation features, appealing to those seeking simplicity and affordability.
ActiveCampaign:
- Free Trial: Offers a free trial.
- ActiveCampaign is a powerful platform known for its advanced automation and CRM capabilities, ideal for businesses seeking sophisticated marketing workflows.
GetResponse:
- Free Trial: Offers a free trial.
- GetResponse is an all-in-one marketing platform that includes email marketing, landing pages, and webinar hosting, providing a comprehensive marketing solution.
Kit: (formerly ConvertKit)
- Free Trial/Plan: Offers a free plan.
- Kit is tailored for creators, offering powerful email automation and segmentation features designed for bloggers, podcasters, and online course creators.
AWeber:
- Free Trial: Offers a free trial.
- AWeber is a reliable and easy-to-use platform with strong automation and list segmentation tools, making it a solid choice for consistent email marketing.
Flodesk:
- Free Trial: They do not offer a free trial, but often have promotions.
- Flodesk emphasizes beautiful, designer-made email templates and a simple interface, focusing on aesthetic appeal for creative businesses.
Emma:
- Free Trial: Often offers demos, contact their sales team.
- Emma is known for it’s stylish email templates and good customer service, and is geared toward mid-sized businesses.
Beehiiv:
- Free Trial/Plan: Offers a free plan.
- Beehiiv is built for newsletter growth, with built-in referral tools and monetization features, making it ideal for serious newsletter creators.
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How NOT to lose your website
Have a website that you love? Have you ever considered that you could lose it on accident? How does one accidentally lose a website? It happens probably more than you would realize, and sometimes with tragic results.
There are a number of ways you could lose your website without realizing, so today I’m going to run down the list of ways I have personally seen people lose their website and how to avoid it.
#1: Domain Name Related Issues
The #1 way I see people lose their websites is because they fail to renew their domain name. How in the world does this happen? Lots of ways. Primarily, the credit card expires in their account, they don’t realize it, the payment fails, so the domain expires.
But wouldn’t you get emails about that happening? Yes. Yes you would. Trust me, your domain registrar does not want your domain to expire. They want your money. So what happens to those emails? Either 1) you have gotten a new email and not updated that in your account or 2) those emails are getting flagged in your spam filter or 3) you ignore the emails because you assume they are sales emails. A lot of these companies do send a lot of spam, so it’s easy to overlook when legit messages come through.
What happens when your domain expires?
When a domain name expires, it typically goes through a series of stages. There is usually a grace period where you can login and renew it without any additional fees. Then the next stage is the redemption period which generally lasts approximately 30 days. During that time, the domain is held for you and you can login to your account, renew the domain by paying an additional fee, and get your domain back up and running.
After the redemption period, the domain will go into a “pending delete” phase, where it is not available for registration. Then finally, the domain is released and becomes available for registration by anyone.
What happens if your domain goes back up for sale?
If your domain has expired to the point that it goes up for sale, you can login and buy it without the redemption fee. However, so can anyone else. And this is the point that I tell you that there are domain squatters waiting to steal your domain when it expires.
What is a domain squatter?
Domain squatting is buying a domain to hold it with the point being to profit off of it, but not make a website on it. There are people who are just waiting in the wings watching domains expire, and when they do, they will snatch them up. And then when you want it back, they are more than willing to sell it to you… often for a hefty price.
How do you avoid all this drama?
- Register your domain in your own account and your name. Having someone else register the domain for you may sound like a great idea because it is easy and convenient, but if something happens to them, you may not have access. Had a very sad tale of a business owner who lost everything – website, domain, etc. – because the very well-intentioned person who took care of that for them passed away unexpectedly. If someone does register it for you, have them grant you domain access so you can still manage it.
- Use a generic email address, like a Gmail, that you will always have access to as the email address on your account. Because guess what? If your domain expires and you are using a domain email address (like [email protected]) your email goes down too. And that can make it very tricky to login to your domain registrar, particularly if they require two-factor authentication.
- Keep your domain registrar information up-to-date. Login to your account once a year, check your credit card that’s on file, check your email address and phone number that’s on file, so you never lose access. If you have two factor authentication enabled on your account, which many companies require, and you change your email address or phone number, you may not be able to login to your account. Set a reminder on your calendar to do this annually. Only takes a few minutes to do, and you’ll possibly save yourself a lot of hassle down the road.
Your domain is your online address, but the web hosting is you “house” where all your files and databases are stored. And you can lose your website due to these hosting issues as well. Common issues include nonpayment due to credit card expiration, account hacking, human error, or datacenter issues.
A lot of people will buy their web hosting and domain names all at one place, so follow all the same rules from above. Use a personal email that you know you won’t lose access to for the account (like a gmail) and check your account at least once a year to make sure your information is up to date.
Other ways you can lose your website due to hosting issues:
- Hacking: Your account could be hacked. I’ve seen anything from having malicious files installed, phishing scripts inserted, to just having all the files in your account deleted, including the backups.
- Human Error: I’m not going to lie, I’ve done this myself. Accidentally delete a file or database and inadvertently take down your own site. Whoops.
- Datacenter Issues: Your website files and database are being stored on a server, and that server lives somewhere. There could be a power outage, a hardware issue, network problems, or even a natural disaster. Years ago a hurricane hit a datacenter and several sites went down. These are usually temporary, but there are ways to mitigate the impact.
How to avoid hosting issues:
- Use reputable, quality web hosts. When it comes to web hosting, you often get what you pay for. Paying $5 a month for hosting may seem like a good idea at the time, but there may be less incentive for that company to help you if you have an issue.
- Keep your account information up-to-date. Don’t let a missed email cause you to lose your site.
- Use strong passwords. One of the most comment reasons sites get backed is due to weak passwords.
- Keep your software up to date. The other most common reason sites get hacked is because there is out of date software that has vulnerabilities. There’s a reason updates get released, and often those updates include security patches. (Our support plans include keeping all your software up to date.)
- Make backups of your backups. Backup, backup, backup. I’m a big proponent of backups. Don’t just rely on your hosting company to backup your site. If a hurricane hits your datacenter, those backups aren’t going to be accessible. If you store your backups in your site and a hacker gets in…. that hacker will delete your backups. You need regular, off-site backups. You can use a service like Updraft to manage your backups, but if you are on one of our support plans, we are taking a daily backup and storing it off-site for you.
#3 Personal or Legal Disputes
A website’s existence can be jeopardized by a range of personal and legal disputes. Intellectual property conflicts, such as copyright and trademark infringement, are common culprits, potentially leading to court-ordered content removal or complete website shutdown. Similarly, defamation and libel lawsuits can arise from publishing false or damaging statements, while privacy violations, particularly concerning the unauthorized collection or distribution of personal data, can trigger legal repercussions. Contractual disagreements with partners or service providers can also result in website removal as part of a settlement. Content ownership disputes, especially in collaborative projects or family/business conflicts, may lead to legal battles over control.
How to avoid these types of issues?
I’m not a lawyer, so take this advice with a grain of salt, but start with having a good contract with any person or agency you partner with. If you aren’t on the same page, and one side feels like the bargain isn’t being kept, this could lead to issues.
Be sure any content, photos, or documents you add to your website are yours or you have written permission to use or share.
Credit: Bukisweb
How Many Keywords Should I Use for SEO? The Ultimate Guide to Keyword Optimization 2025
Keyword Research and Strategy
Any successful SEO campaign starts with solid keyword research.
Many website owners ask, “How many keywords should I use for SEO?”
But before we get to that, let’s cover the basics of finding the right keywords for your content.
Effective keyword research helps you know what your target audience is searching for online.
By finding relevant keywords that match your content, you can increase your visibility in search engines and drive more qualified traffic to your website.
Modern keyword research tools like Keysearch, Semrush or Ahrefs have changed the game.
These powerful SEO tools reveal search volume, competition and related keywords that can inform your content strategy.
The best keyword research tools even show user intent and content gaps your competitors missed.
When developing your keyword strategy consider:
- What problems your target audience is trying to solve.
- How search engines understand and categorize your content.
- Which primary keyword best represents each page’s core topic.
- What secondary keywords complement your main focus and expand the scope.
Remember search intent should guide your keyword selection.
Are users looking for information, trying to buy or comparing options?
Understanding this intent will help you create content that resonates with your audience and satisfies what search engines want to provide.
Keyword Density and Optimization
Keyword density was once a ranking factor but search engines now prioritise context and relevance over keyword counting.
That said, using keywords naturally throughout your content is still important to help search engines understand what your page is about.
Modern SEO focuses on semantic relevance not rigid keyword density formulas.
Instead of obsessing over percentages, focus on:
- Using your primary keyword in strategic places (title, headings, first paragraph).
- Including secondary keywords where they fit.
- Including related keywords and LSI keywords (latent semantic indexing) that add to your topic
- Creating valuable content that covers your subject comprehensively.
Keyword optimization goes beyond just your main content.
Don’t forget to optimise these important elements:
The key is to avoid keyword stuffing – the outdated practice of repeating keywords excessively to try and manipulate rankings.
This can harm the reader experience and search engines too.
Instead focus on creating high quality content that uses keywords naturally and provides value to your readers.
How Many Keywords Per Page: Best Practices
The number of keywords per page to target depends on your content and goals.
But most SEO experts recommend targeting one primary keyword per page and 2-4 secondary keywords that support your main topic.
This keeps it clear for both readers and search engines.
By having one primary keyword as your central focus you create a clear theme for each page without diluting its relevance with too many competing concepts.
Long tail keywords – more specific phrases usually containing three or more words – drive more targeted traffic and conversions despite having lower search volume.
These specific keyword phrases usually indicate higher purchase intent and less competition in search engine rankings.
Here’s a practical framework for keyword usage on a typical web page:
- Choose one primary keyword that perfectly represents your page’s main topic
- Select 2-4 secondary keywords that are closely related to your primary term
- Include several related keywords that address different aspects of your topic
- Use long tail variations to capture specific search queries
This balanced approach ensures your content is focused but still comprehensive enough to rank for multiple keywords.
Remember the number of keywords per page scales with content length – a 3,000 word blog post can have more keywords than a 500 word product description.
Avoiding Common Keyword Mistakes
Even experienced SEO professionals fall into common keyword traps.
Being aware of these pitfalls can help you avoid ranking issues:
Keyword stuffing is one of the most damaging mistakes. When you use the same keyword repeatedly in unnatural ways you risk both reader frustration and search engine penalties. Focus on creating content for humans first with keywords integrated seamlessly.
Keyword cannibalization occurs when you target the same keyword across multiple pages on your website. This confuses search engines about which page to rank for that particular term and can dilute your ranking potential. Each page on your site should target a different keyword to avoid competing with yourself.
Using too many keywords on a single page can make your content feel unfocused and artificial.
When you try to optimize for dozens of different terms at once you often end up doing a poor job for all of them.
It’s better to create separate pieces of in-depth information for different keywords. Another mistake is ignoring mobile optimization in your keyword strategy.
More searches are happening on mobile devices and voice search is getting more popular so how people search on mobile is crucial for SEO success.
The Benefits of Fewer Keywords
It might seem counterintuitive but focusing on fewer keywords often produces better results than trying to rank for everything.
Here’s why a “less is more” approach can be good:
When you focus on fewer keywords per page you can create more focused, comprehensive content that fully covers the topic.
This depth signals expertise to both readers and search engines and can improve your rankings for those terms.
Fewer keywords allows you to:
- Create more in-depth content around each specific keyword.
- Not dilute your page’s relevance with too many competing topics.
- Rank higher for your most important terms rather than ranking poorly for many.
- Create content that truly satisfies user intent rather than skimming the surface of multiple topics.
Remember it’s better to rank high for 10 relevant, high traffic keywords than to barely appear on page 3 for hundreds.
Quality keywords that align with your business goals will drive more conversions than a scattergun approach.
How Keyword Strategy Fits into Digital Marketing
Your keyword strategy shouldn’t exist in isolation but should be part of your broader digital marketing efforts.
Keywords connect your content with the right audience at the right time.
When creating content whether it’s a blog post, product page or landing page start by understanding what your target audience is searching for.
Then create content that answers those needs while incorporating your chosen keywords naturally.
Effective digital marketing uses keywords to:
- Guide content creation that resonates with your audience.
- Inform paid advertising campaigns.
- Identify gaps in your current content strategy.
- Track and measure performance through tools like Google Analytics.
Remember keywords are just a means to connect with your audience, not an end in themselves.
The ultimate goal is to create valuable content that serves your visitors needs and encourages them to take action.
Troubleshooting Common Keyword Issues
Even with a solid keyword strategy you may still experience ranking problems.
Here are some common issues and how to fix them:
If your content isn’t ranking despite being well optimized you may be competing with higher authority sites.
In this case focus on building quality backlinks to boost your domain authority while continuing to create great content. When you see multiple pages competing for the same keyword in search results you’re likely experiencing keyword cannibalization.
To fix this, consolidate similar content or use canonical tags to indicate which page should be prioritized.
If you’ve targeted relevant keywords and still aren’t seeing traffic consider:
- Whether your content really satisfies search intent.
- If your technical SEO is solid.
- Whether you need more coverage of the topic.
- If competitor analysis might reveal opportunities you’ve missed.
Regular content audits can help identify and fix these issues before they impact your performance.
Search Intent and Keyword Strategy
Perhaps the biggest development in modern SEO is the growing importance of search intent.
Search engines now understand not just what words people use but what they’re looking for.
There are four types of search intent:
- Informational: Users seeking information or answers.
- Navigational: Users looking for a specific website.
- Commercial: Users researching products before buying.
- Transactional: Users ready to buy.
Your keyword strategy should match the search intent.
For example if you’re targeting “best running shoes” users likely want comparison content rather than a sales pitch.
Understanding this user intent allows you to create content that satisfies what searchers actually want.
Search engines understand context better than ever before so they can tell when content truly answers a user’s needs versus just includes keywords.
That’s why creating valuable, comprehensive content that helps your audience is now the best SEO strategy.
Evolving Trends in Keyword Optimization
The landscape of keyword optimization is changing with search technology advancements.
Here are some trends to watch:
Voice search is changing how people find information online. Optimizing for conversational phrases and questions can help you capture this growing segment of searchers.
Mobile optimization is still crucial as more users access content on smartphones and tablets. Mobile searches often have different patterns and intent than desktop searches.
As search engines get better at natural language understanding focusing on keywords integrated naturally into comprehensive content will yield better results than rigid keyword formulas of the past.
Finally remember the best keywords for your site are the ones that align with your business goals and audience needs.
Generic high traffic keywords might bring visitors but targeted terms that match your offerings will drive conversions.
Conclusion: Quality Over Quantity
So how many keywords should you use for SEO?
There’s no one answer but the evidence points to a focused approach:
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One primary keyword per page.
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2-4 secondary keywords to support it.
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Related keywords to add depth to your content.
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Exceptional content that fully covers the topic.
Remember search engines exist to connect users with the most relevant content.
By creating valuable resources that serve your audience and naturally include relevant keywords you’ll build a solid foundation for SEO.
The best approach isn’t about cramming in as many keywords as possible – it’s about creating content so good it deserves to rank.
When you focus on quality over quantity both your readers and search engines will reward you.
Credit: Bukisweb
