Keyword appearing on almost every slug of product pages = over-optimizatio

[Veptune]

Hello all,

I have an online store, let's say for example I sell forks of all kinds and colors. So naturally, I have 'product category' pages with titles and slugs like:

Big forks
Small forks
Plastic forks
Red fork
etc..

And plenty of product pages with slugs and H1 like:

Small red fork
Large plastic fork
18th-century fork
etc...

Some category pages are well-ranked, others are not, the same goes for product pages. The problem is that for the main keyword, 'fork' (exact query in the search console), my site is completely absent. Google should logically have referenced my homepage (which has links to all categories) for this main keyword. I have also optimized the page for it, without overdoing it.

I wonder if it's not because I have a lot of pages with 'fork' in the slug, and perhaps Google thinks it's too much (even though it's logical for this word to be present in all product pages because it's an essential word to describe the product).

I wonder if I should not modify half of my product pages to remove the word 'fork' from the slug...(only from the slug, without touching the H1 because removing the word 'fork' would remove its meaning).

Do you have any experiences with this kind of issue? I wouldn't ask the question if my homepage was behind the competition, but it's completely absent.

Thanks

[vilianmurphy]

Looks like you might be facing over-optimization with the frequent appearance of keywords in your product page slugs. This could potentially affect your site's SEO negatively. Consider diversifying your slugs to maintain a natural balance and avoid penalization from search engines.

[rightangledev]

Using too many of the same keywords in slugs on multiple product pages can lead to over-optimization and negatively impact your site's search engine rankings
). Excessive use of keywords will look unnatural to search engines and can result in penalties for spamming. By diversifying your keywords and focusing on creating relevant and user-friendly slugs, you can improve your overall SEO performance.

[MrOSMANI]

Thank you for your insight! It's important to strike a balance between optimization and user experience. I'll review the keyword distribution across our product pages to ensure we maintain a natural and user-friendly approach.

[MrOSMANI]

@Veptune
Hello,
Thank you for sharing your concern. It's not uncommon for websites to face challenges with keyword optimization and ranking, especially when dealing with product categories and pages.

Regarding your situation, it's possible that the abundance of "fork" keywords in your slugs could be impacting your site's visibility for the main keyword "fork." While having descriptive slugs is important for users and search engines, it's also crucial to strike a balance.

Before making any changes to your product pages, I would recommend conducting further analysis to understand why your homepage isn't ranking for the main keyword. This could involve reviewing your site's overall SEO strategy, examining competitors' strategies, and assessing the quality and relevance of your homepage content and backlinks.

Additionally, consider exploring other optimization opportunities such as improving internal linking structure, enhancing meta tags, and creating high-quality content that targets relevant keywords.

Ultimately, it's essential to approach any modifications carefully and monitor the impact on your site's performance over time. Consulting with an experienced SEO professional could also provide valuable insights tailored to your specific situation.

Best of luck with your optimization efforts!

Warm regards, MrOSMANI

[Suvidit-Academy]

Hello,

The "fork" is a relevant keyword, but it's quite broad.

• Users searching for "fork" could be looking for information (e.g., history of forks), buying a specific type of fork (e.g., disposable forks), or browsing a variety of forks.

• Analyze your search console data to understand what specific terms users are searching for to find your products. Optimize your content and titles for these terms while still incorporating "fork" where relevant.

• Having high-quality backlinks from relevant websites can significantly improve your ranking for competitive keywords like "fork."

Warm Regards
Rahul Gupta
Suvidit Academy
Digital Marketing Course, Mentorship & Training