Optimizing pages for keywords
-
I have a couple of websites for retailing the western chaps manufactured by my company. I have recently tried to increase my learning for SEO since one of my main sites (started in 2006) just lost about 45% of it's organic search volume since the end of May. It seems my search to learn just creates more and more questions.
I have been using google adwords for several years now and have used that information to find the most searched keywords. There are some general keywords like western chaps and cowboy chaps that receive decent search volume. If I get more specific to a certain type of chap, chinks for example, the popular high volume keywords are chinks, chinks chaps, western chinks, and cowboy chinks. These all relate to one type of chap...the chink. I want to be visible for these keywords, but how does one optimize for more than one without diluting? Should I also try to optimize on the homepage of my sites for the general terms like western chaps and cowboy chaps? Can I optimize for both?
I could really use some help. Any experts out there up to the job of consulting for me, some with extensive knowledge and experience? I'm not looking for the SEO giants with hundreds of clients. I don't feel that I will get the proper value from those types. My company is small and spending is an issue, that's why I would like someone to consult with. I should be able to do most of the labor, I just need the knowledge.
-
Hello Mike,
Thank you for taking your time to respond. I can easily write good content using all those keywords and can do so without stuffing.
-
Choose what works best for the product and fits naturally into the content. You need to remember that the search engines will decide what they think you're most relevant for and rank you accordingly.... which means that just because you optimize for "Cowboy Chinks" doesn't mean you won't also rank in the SERPs for "chinks" and "western chinks". Google recognizes synonyms in content. Write for people, not for the bots... unique, informative content that will best serve your customers is better than attempting to force in every keyword imaginable in the hopes of ranking for everything with a single page. And once you start writing it you just might realize you could fit all or most of those naturally into your content.
-
Hello Brooke,
Thanks very much for your input. I do intend on optimizing indiviual pages but I'm a little confused on how to go about it.
I was a little bit general in my first post. Let's say I want to optimize a page on my site for the specific type of chap called "chinks". My google adwords campaigns have shown that consistently over a several year period, the most searched keywords are 1) chinks, 2) chinks chaps, 3) western chinks, 4) cowboy chinks. They all have significant traffic.
I have only one product category for chinks on my website and all the pairs of chinks that we sell are shown that category. Do I need to specifically choose only one of the four keywords to optimize that product page for? Do I just forget about having decent placement for the other three? I could create four product categories for chinks and optimize each one for each of the keywords but that would look like a ridiculous site to anyone searching for chinks on my website because there would be four different categories, each with a different name but all four would show exactly the same chaps. Logic tells me that I can't optimize my existing chink category for all four keywords.
Also, should I optimize the paragraphs describing each of the individual pairs of chinks with the same keywords or would this create keyword cannibalization?
Thank you,
Kelly
-
Hi Kelly,
I agree with Bethany below that you should start to look at how to optimize pages of your website instead of trying to optimize the whole thing at once.
I would really start by looking at the pages on your site that receive the most traffic from organic search. Make sure your title tags, meta description and content contain the keywords you would like to appear for in SERPs while also insuring that the optimizations add value to the user experience (I am not telling you to keyword stuff by any means!)
I would then start to build content around these keywords and topics that add value to your brand. This will help to regain some of the lost position in SERPs and also help to ensure that you are not penalized by another Google Update. I will let you know that this isn't a solution that is going to work over night, but will help your website to build strength for those topics.
After you have built your content I would start to focus on off-site optimization to help get links regardless of what anyone else says.
Sorry this is a really broad recommendation. Let me know if you need anymore detail.
-
Think of about optimizing PAGES not your entire site. So optimize pages that are related to chinks for those specifically related chink keywords. Optimize your homepage for the broad keywords like 'chaps.'
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
Landing page separate from product page
Hello there, I have a wordpress website with a woocommerce plugin. I have 4 landing pages that describe my products and at the end of the pages, I have a CTA to my product page. is it bad for SEO? my website: https://relationadviser.ir
On-Page Optimization | | Aaron.be1 -
Keyword density
hi there! to what extent is important "the keyword density" factor in the website optimization? I've read in the net that it's no more relevant but I'm not sure. In case has an impact in the SERPs, is there a % considered as appropiate or "reference" in the SEO world? Thanks.
On-Page Optimization | | juanmiguelcr0 -
Meta Keywords
Hello! Just wondering what opinions others have on Meta Keywords? Ive read in the past here on Seomoz that they are irrelevant now to search engines. I do see some of our Large competitors still using them. When I use the SEO page tool to check out pages for optimization it recommends that we remove them? This is something that I have been doing for a few months now but am second guessing myself now. Should I continue to leave them out of current page structure? Thank You!!!!
On-Page Optimization | | TP_Marketing0 -
Keyword in URL?
I have a website that has been live for about 8yrs. I do not have any significant rankings for my main keywords but am now starting SEO on my site. I am contemplating changing the url to contain the main keyword prefixed by my brand name. Any views on the ranking benefits and or CTR benefits.
On-Page Optimization | | Johnnyh
Example:
Main Volume keyword - 'car leasing'
current url - www.bobleasing.co.uk (made up name) thinking of changing to - www.bobcarleasing.co.uk (made up name) Any advice would be much appreciated. John0 -
Mentioning own site and keywords on here?
I have noticed that sometimes posters will talk about a site without mentioning what it is. I assume this is because it one of their clients so there is confidentiality, is there any other reason I should be aware of? its just that as I am new I am usually cautious and am considering posting my own site and mentioning all my keywords to ask for people’s verdict for my on-page SEO. Still working on it, will be ready soon, thought I would ask in advance. Regards,
On-Page Optimization | | Zoolander0 -
Using fathead page keywords for directories and as a red herring to competitors
I'm fairly new to SEO and I have been reading a lot on here and the SEOmoz guides over the last few days, finding it very interesting. I am wondering about page keywords, I read that the engines no longer use them. In this thread they say they still use them because of directories. http://www.seomoz.org/ugc/why-i-still-use-meta-keywords#new-comment So I was wondering, because directories are always smaller scale than search engines would keywords that are normally high competition have more clout in them? If so then using them could be misleading to competition if they think they are the actual keywords? or might this contradict between your actual chosen keywords in the directories backlink anchor text or something?
On-Page Optimization | | Zoolander0 -
My website is saying I have duplicate page content and page title. How do I fix it?
Hi, I created a website on webstarts.com. After I launched it then ran a scan through SEO it says I have duplicate page content and page title. The 2 pages it is reading are technically the same page. www.mobilemowermedicsinc.com and www.mobilemowermedicsinc.com/index . I am unsure how to get rid of on of these as it keeps saying this is an error in the SEO scan. Could someone please advise me of what to do from here. Thanks!
On-Page Optimization | | bcarp880 -
Keyword Landing Page Transition
We are redesigning the site to launch soon. We are a manufacturer. Our most valuable keyword currently ranks around 8th on Google in a competitive market and responds with a link to our product selection page as the landing URL. This link / URL is currently listed on every site page in a right column menu with the keyword as the anchor text. My concern is that I have redesigned this product selection page, and would like to change its file name to include the keyword as well as use the same keyword anchor text. And to complicate the matter, for political reasons my boss has asked me to consider keeping the old product page available to alleviate board concern (not rational, but may be required). Since the old page shows similar information to the new selection page, if I keep it, I am considering calling it a "Visual Selector" as opposed to the "Product Selector" menu name for the new page. I will list both in a list under the keyword product name on the home page menu and then drop the old selector page link on all other pages to lower visitor confusion. So the alternative choices to proceed are as follows: 1. Keep old and new product selection pages a. Show both on all page menus (Keeps the old page visible to Google, duplicating the current presentation for current keyword landing page) b. Only show old product page on home page menu to alleviate the Board concerns (Keeps the old page visible to Google, but with one link) 2. Get rid of the old product page and redirect URL to new one (our primary keyword would be ranked on its own merit and the current Google ranked page would redirect to the new one) Number 2 is the logical method for users, but I am nervous about dropping and/or redirecting the current landing page which ranks my best keyword at 8th in a competitive market. Your recommendations or comments? What do you predict Google will do in these three scenarios? Hope you can follow this maze... Thanks! George
On-Page Optimization | | rhawk0