Where should I put keywords on a page?

Put your main phrase where both people and search engines look first, and use it naturally. Most of the work is making the page clearly about one topic. Repeating the phrase many times does not help and can count as keyword stuffing under Google's spam policies.

The places that matter

1. Page title. Near the start, along with your business name.
2. Main heading at the top of the page.
3. Opening paragraph, in plain words.
4. Subheadings, where they fit naturally.
5. Image alt text, when the image really shows that thing. Google says good alt text helps it understand images.
6. Link text on other pages that point to this one, such as "our roof repair service".
7. The web address, if it is a new page. Google uses descriptive addresses mostly to help people, and says keywords in the address alone have very little effect on ranking.

Use variations

Customers describe the same thing in different ways. Google's starter guide suggests thinking about the different words people might use. Use them where they fit: "furnace repair", "heater not working", "heating service".

Things that do not matter

• Matching a tool's phrase word for word. Write the way your customers talk. Awkward exact phrases like "plumber Springfield cheap" read badly and do not help.
• The meta keywords tag. Google says it does not use it.
• Hitting a set number of uses or a word count. Google says there is no magic word count.

Common problems

• If a page reads awkwardly, you probably used the phrase too often. Read it out loud and cut repeats.
• If two pages target the same phrase, pick one main page and link the other to it.
• If you want help placing keywords, open a request in your client portal and our team will review the page.

Related articles

• What is a keyword, and how do I pick mine?
• How do I write a good page title and meta description?
• What makes a good web address (URL) for SEO?
• Which SEO techniques should I avoid?
• What is alt text, and how do I write it?