How Many Keywords Should You Use for SEO? A Simple Guide
A simple rule that works
I’ve never liked stuffing a keyword into every corner of a blog just to satisfy an SEO checklist. 😅 My simple rule of thumb since 2019 has been keyword 3 times for every 500 words.
It’s not a strict SEO law, though. I’ve used this approach with clients while working toward 10K-100K monthly website visits, mainly through consistent posting and useful content.
If a website only needs the keyword twice, don’t force it a third time. And if 500 words naturally require 3 times, that’s perfectly fine.
Even one blog per week can bring steady visits over time. You don’t need to chase 10K or 100K immediately—focus on writing naturally and answering what people actually search for. 🚀
What are keywords, really?
Think of keywords as the words people type into a search bar when they start searching for something. Simple enough, right? 😄
That search can happen on Google, ChatGPT, TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or even Spotify. Each platform works a little differently, but the basic idea is the same: people use words to find what they want.
For SEO, I focus on understanding those searches rather than stuffing the same keyword everywhere. If your content matches what people are actually looking for, you’re already heading in the right direction.
Table of Contents
There are 7 types of keywords you need to know
#1: Informational keywords
Informational keywords are mainly used when creating content that helps people learn something. The goal is usually to educate or entertain, rather than directly sell something.
I use them a lot for blogs, YouTube videos, podcasts, and TikToks because they match the kind of searches people make on Google when they want an answer. 😄
For example, searches like how to breathe during a deadlift, Instagram SEO, and dinner party ideas are informational. They’re also useful for planning blog keywords and TikTok how-tos.
So, if your content answers a question or teaches someone something, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with informational search intent. 🎯
#2: Long-tail keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer phrases, often close to full sentences, that help your content reach the right people.
For example, someone might search how much does a social media manager make instead of the shorter social media manager salary. The first one is more specific, while the second is broader.
From my experience, long-tail keywords can be easier to target because they are usually less competitive. That gives a lil’ blog or piece of social media content a better chance of appearing in search results, even without much traffic or many followers.
Many informational keywords are also long-tail keywords, so they can be useful when your goal is to attract people who are searching for something specific. 😊
#3: Commercial keywords
Commercial keywords are useful when people are comparing options or shopping around, but they are not quite ready to buy yet. The goal is to convince people to choose your brand by giving them helpful information.
I often use these for a sales page FAQ, stand-alone content, comparison blog posts, and SEO content that builds trust with those undecided fence-sitters. 😄
For example, searches such as iPhone 17 vs Samsung Galaxy S30, best CRM for coaches, nightclubs in NYC, and Squarespace vs Showit show someone is researching before making a choice.
These types of searches can come from search bars and often show that someone is getting closer to a purchase. You can use sales page FAQs to answer their questions without pushing them too hard.
So, if your audience is comparing a CRM, coaches, nightclubs, NYC, Squarespace, or Showit, this type of content can help them understand their options. 🔍
#4: Transactional keywords
Transactional keywords are the searches people make when they’re ready to buy a service or product. The goal is to lead people directly to the right page where they can take action. 💰
These are the money keywords. When people are typing them into Google or wherever they search, they’re often looking to hire someone or spend money.
For examples, searches like website copywriter for therapists, Pinterest manager, and email marketing template can show strong buying intent.
I’d focus these keywords on pages that make the next step obvious, rather than burying them inside random content. 😄
There are also navigational keywords, such as Flodesk login. These are usually brand-specific searches, so they’re generally not the priority when you’re trying to rank for customers who want to buy.
#5: Target keywords
A target keyword is the primary keyword or main keyword you want a page to rank for in search. Your main goal is to keep that keyword as the clear focus of your content, without making the copy sound like a robot wrote it. 🤖
I usually place the keyword naturally in the first few sentences, one Heading, and near the end. A simple guideline is 3x per 500 words, but I wouldn’t force it if the sentence sounds awkward.
On the backend, you can also add the target keyword to the metadata, including the Title, Description, and Alt text. These small details help keep your page signals consistent.
When choosing target keywords, check the monthly search volume and ranking difficulty score. As a starting point, you might look for 100+ searches with a difficulty under 50, depending on your site.
For this research, SEO tools such as Ubersuggest, Keysearch, and Semrush can show useful keyword data. You can also use resources like SEO-friendly titles, a ChatGPT prompt for meta descriptions, and guidance for writing Alt text with SEO.
#6: Secondary keywords (aka LSI Keywords)
Secondary keywords are extra terms I find during research that are closely relevant to the main keyword and help Google, ChatGPT, and other search engines understand what a page is really about. 🎯
The goal is not to chase every keyword with high search volume. Some useful terms have low search volume, but I still include them because they support the main topic and make the content more complete for readers.
You may also see them called LSI Keywords, or Latent Semantic Indexing keywords. Honestly, only SEO nerds seem excited about that name. 😂
For example, if your topic is Pinterest, related terms could include Pinterest strategy for business, Pinterest marketing tips, and how to grow blog traffic with Pinterest.
I naturally place these keywords in subheadings, bulleted lists, and alt text when they fit while expanding on the main topic. That keeps the writing useful instead of turning it into a keyword salad. 🥗
#7: Semantic keywords
The main goal of using semantic keywords in your copy is to avoid sounding robotic. In simple semantics, these are different phrases that support your target keyword while keeping your wording natural.
For example, if your target keyword is how to grow your email list, you can also use growing an email list, building your email list, increase your email subscribers, or grow your newsletter. These phrases mean the same thing, but they give you more natural ways to explain the topic.
I’ve found this also makes it easier to rank without repeating one phrase 14 different ways. Google gets the context, readers get a smoother sounding article, and you don’t end up writing like a silly goose trying to squeeze the same keyword everywhere. 😄
How many keywords should I use for SEO?
Keyword density
Real talk:
keyword density is less about hitting a magic number and more about natural use. For SEO to work, I usually suggest around 3 keywords per 500 words, whether it’s a blog, social media caption, or website copy.
When using keywords, don’t focus on one specific keyword again and again. Instead, tackle more than one keyword through keyword clustering. This can help bring more traffic to your content and make it clearer to Google what your page is about.
For a 3x per 500 words approach, you can use the keyword once in the title, once in the first 100 words, and once in a heading. Then use it semantically where it actually fits. For example, how to do SEO for Instagram can naturally become Instagram SEO.
From my experience, forcing a keyword into every sentence makes your writing sound like a robot playing a Scrabble game. 😅 Just write like a human, and let the keyword shows up where it makes sense.
My Simple SEO Keyword Template
I created my SEO blog template in 2019 when I became a full-time writer. It helps me remember exactly when, where, and how to put my SEO keywords into my copy and content without overthinking everything.
I specifically created a Fill-in-the-blank SEO section inside the template. It tells me which keyword is my Target keyword, which terms are secondary, which FAQs to include, and where my CTA should go. This makes it much easier to write blogs super fast while still getting better clients’ results. 😄
Where do I put the keywords?
Your target keyword goes in the:
- First 100 words
- Heading 1 (H1)
- Heading 2 (H2)
- At the end of the copy
- Title
- Description
- URL
- Alt text
Your secondary keywords goes:
- 1x per keyword in the copy
- Maybe an H2 heading
- Maybe the meta description
- FAQs
Blog/Podcast
- Blog/Podcast title
- First 100 words
- H2 heading
- At the end of the copy
- Metadata: Tags,
Pinterest/YouTube/TikTok/Carousel:
- Title
- Description
- Alt text
- Tags
- 1-3x in the video/on the graphic
Website Copy:
- H1
- Later on in the copy
- H2
- Title
- Description
- URL
- Alt text
Is it bad to use too many keywords?
Yes — too many keywords can make your copy feel forced. When you create content, start with a content idea and use a keyword research tool to check different variations, search volume, and ranking difficulty score. Pick a target keyword, then add 2-3 secondary keywords and relevant semantic keywords instead of trying to rank for everything.
For a piece of content, I usually use the target keyword around 3-ish times and secondary terms around 1-3x, depending on the length. Your title, description, alt text, tags, hashtags, and other metadata should also make sense. Google, Chat, and Social platforms can understand context automatically, so there is no need to keyword stuff or repeat the same specific keyword everywhere.
From my experience, keyword stuffing makes the algorithm struggle to understand what to rank, while readers may think you sound desperate or a little silly. 😅 Focus on your website page, website copy, and the type of content you’ve created for real people and searchers. That gives your content a better chance to get traffic, index, rank, and recommend naturally.
