How Many Keywords Should You Be Using in Your Copy? How to Avoid Keyword Stuffing

Keywords are an exceptionally important part of content SEO. It comes hand-in-hand with copywriting and ensuring content performs well in the search engine results pages (SERPs). It can be the difference between appearing on the first page or the last page of Google, for instance. 

Something that can dictate that is the keywords you’re using and how many of them you put in your copy. If too many are used, it’s called ‘keyword stuffing’, which can be bad news for content performance, but why? In this article, we’ll be going through what keyword stuffing is, why it’s frowned upon and how you can avoid it in your copy. Let’s dive right in.

What is keyword stuffing?

Search engine optimisation, also known as SEO, is a well-known term in the marketing world, but using optimal SEO keywords and understanding how they work can do wonders for the performance of your written content, whether it be a website page, a blog post, a press release or another form of content. 

However, if you’re not too sure about how keyword implementation works for content optimisation and performing well in the SERPs, then you’re in danger of “stuffing” your content with keywords, which can be a bad thing (something we’ll explain more about in a moment). But what is keyword stuffing? 

Keyword stuffing, essentially, does what it says on the tin, so to speak. It means stuffing your copy with keywords left, right and centre. If you’re throwing your keywords in at every possible opportunity you get, then you’re keyword-stuffing your content. Keywords need to be used sparingly, but in the right places to avoid the issue of keyword stuffing. But why is keyword stuffing so bad and how does it hinder your performance in the SERPs? Let’s take a closer look:

Why is keyword stuffing bad?

Keyword stuffing is something that can have a detrimental effect on your performance in the SERPs. Not only does it provide a poor user experience, but it also can cause high bounce rates and a complete lack of engagement. What’s more, Google’s algorithm is now programmed to drop rankings for content that has been keyword-stuffed. As such, you’re highly unlikely to see your keyword-heavy content appear on page one of the SERPs. 

In fact, your content could even end up on page 10 or 15. According to LinkedIn, only 6.6% of internet users are willing to go beyond the first page of the Google SERPs, so it’s in your best interests to make sure your content is optimised fully so as to ensure it appears as high up on page one as possible, despite 57.7% of users prepared to scroll right down to the bottom of page one if they aren’t happy with the first few results on page one of the SERPs.

How to avoid keyword stuffing

There are many things you can do to avoid keyword stuffing, with some practices more common than others. While you can always go to town on keyword research and implementation, it’s always best to work smarter and not harder to avoid the problem. So how can you prevent keyword stuffing your copy? Let’s delve into a few common strategies to prevent keyword stuffing:

Remember quality over quantity

When doing your keyword research, it will become obvious to you which ones should be used where. Keywords with a high search volume, with a medium-to-low competition should be the priority when including them in your copy, especially if you want to appear as high up as possible in the SERPs. 

Remember that the quality carries more weight than the quantity of keywords you use, which is an easy way to avoid keyword stuffing. Take your quality keywords and scatter them evenly, but sparingly, throughout your copy for optimal results. Ideally, you should be using three or four different keywords, provided they’re of good quality in terms of search volume and everything in between.

Assign one primary keyword to each page or article

One page or article needs just one quality keyword to focus on. While you can add secondary keywords, the primary one is the keyword that will do the most leg work. Make sure you’re assigning one keyword to each piece of content you write. This helps to prevent confusion in the algorithm, but it also makes it more likely that your content will be seen by internet users who are searching specifically for that keyword or phrase.

Write a piece that is more than 300 words

It’s known in the marketing industry that long-form content is more likely to rank higher than a piece of content that is short-form. According to Semrush, content with a word count of over 1,500 is seven times more likely to rank for keywords, compared to content less than 500 words long. 

Part of the reason for this is that you have more content to spread your keywords over. Rather than pushing them all into one 300-word section, you can scatter your keywords throughout 1,500 words instead, therefore making it look less ‘keyword-stuffed’. Making your content longer is a great way to avoid the risk of keyword stuffing.

Kumo is a dedicated digital marketing agency with over two decades of experience in the industry. We have a specialist team of experts on hand who can deliver a wealth of imperative marketing services, including SEO, PPC, content writing, website design and more. If you would like further information about how we can propel your business into the spotlight, then get in touch with a member of our friendly, professional team today – we’re always pleased to hear from you.