How Many Keywords Per Page Do You Need for SEO?
If you’re trying to get your content seen on Google, you’ve probably heard about the importance of SEO keywords. But how many keywords do you actually need per page to help with SEO? That’s what we’re diving into here—because while keywords are important, cramming in as many as you can isn’t the move. In fact, that can do more harm than good.
This guide breaks down what keywords really are (in plain terms), why they matter, and how to use them in a way that actually helps your page show up in search results. Whether you're just getting into SEO or you're already writing content and want to make sure you're doing it right, this article will give you clear, straightforward answers to your questions. Keep reading!
What are SEO keywords, and why are they important?
For the purposes of this article, let’s do a quick overview of what SEO keywords are if you need a refresher.
Keywords are terms (or phrases) that people search on Google and other search engines. For example, let’s say you’re in New York City and need new headshots. You’d type into Google something along the lines of, “Headshot photographers New York City.”
That’s a keyword. Or, in this case, a keyphrase.
Every headshot photographer in NYC wants (or should want) to rank for high in Google for that keyphrase. Why? Because, the majority of clicks from Google searches go to first page results, and the #1 result gets almost 30% of all clicks.
And if you look at the image below, Ubersuggest estimates that the search term gets around 1,800 searches every single month. Meaning the #1 results might get around 500 website clicks just from that search term.
Ideally, however, you’d want to rank for as many keywords as possible because then you can turn people’s searches into website visitors, and those website visitors could possibly turn into leads or sales.
What is the difference between primary and secondary keywords?
Now, there are two different types of keywords — primary keywords and secondary keywords.
A primary keyword is what the main topic of your page is and is the “primary keyword” that the page is trying to rank for.
Secondary keywords, on the other hand, are keywords that are related to the primary keyword. So, for example, secondary keywords for the keyword “Headshot photographer New York City” may be “headshots New York City,” headshot photographer nyc,” or “headshots in nyc.”
All are closely related to the main keyword.
How many keywords per page for SEO?
Now, we’re getting to the crux of this article, how many keywords should be on each page?
It depends on how long the page is, what the competition is like, and what the purpose of the page is, but in general, you should target one primary keyword (the main keyword you want your page to rank for) and about 3 to 10 secondary keywords.
Where should you put your keywords?
For primary keywords, this is what most experts typically agree on:
Include your main keyword/keyphrase in the headline of the article.
Include your main keyword/keyphrase in the first 100 words of the article.
Include your main keyword/keyphrase in at least 1 H2 (subheader).
Include the main keyword/keyphrase in the meta title and meta description.
As for your secondary keywords, aim for at least one natural placement each throughout the article.
Including keywords in image alt tags
If you can, try to include a primary or secondary keyword in your image alt text, but only if you can do it naturally. The main purpose of an image alt tag is to improve accessibility and explain what the image is. And while Google discourages stuffing a keyword in these image alt tags just for the sake of it, if you can do both, include the keyword AND explain the image, you’re golden.
Avoid keyword stuffing
There’s no exact science on how many times to put a keyword into an article to rank for it.
But, there is one thing that is a fact — keyword stuffing is a big no.
Keyword stuffing is when a blog writer excessively and unnaturally inserts keywords into content in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings. Google explicitly considers keyword stuffing a spam technique, and penalizes it.
So, obviously, you don’t want to stuff keywords into your content, and over-optimizing your page can be counterintuitive.
How to find keywords
To find keywords, there are plenty of great keyword research tools you can use, such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Ubersuggest. You can start by searching for relevant topics in these tools, and they will generate a list of related keywords. Then, look at metrics like keyword difficulty and search volume to determine how likely it is that you rank for that keyword.
Frequently asked questions
How many keywords can one article page rank for?
In theory, a single page could rank for hundreds or even thousands of keywords. Google is very good at understanding search intent (what people want from their search). So, one article, especially if it’s ranking #1 for a high-volume keyword, might end up ranking for keywords/keyphrases that aren’t even in the article, but whose answer is in the article.
Should you try to optimize multiple pages for one primary keyword?
Let’s just say you really, really want to rank for a specific keyword, maybe it’s that “headshot photographer New York City.” It seems logical that a good way to do this would be to try to optimize as many pages for that keyword as possible, right?
Well… no.
In fact, that strategy can actually hurt your chances that any page on your website ranks for that keyword because they’ll all be competing with each other. This is called, “keyword cannibalization.” Each page should target just one primary keyword to avoid this.
And yes, in SEO-land, there’s pretty much a word for every misstep you can make!
Should every page target a keyword?
Keywords help lead people to your content, so targeting at least one keyword per page is going to give you the most bang for your buck.
However, if you already have a sizable amount of people visiting your website, there is value in releasing content for the “fans” who already know about your website and may even search for it directly. Maybe you can do some interviews, answer burning questions, or share some of your goals or accomplishments. Those articles may not rank, but they’re still providing value (which is what SEO is all about).
Is using a keyword in a URL helpful?
According to John Mueller, Google’s Senior Webmaster Trends Analyst, including your keyword in your URL can be helpful, but is an “overrated” strategy. In 2016, he said, “I believe that is a very small ranking factor, so it is not something I’d really try to force. And it is not something I’d say is even worth your effort to restructure your site just so you can get keywords in your URL.”
With this in mind, we suggest you try to put your primary keyword in the URL as long as it doesn’t affect your reader’s user experience, like it would if your URL is too long.
How do I choose the right primary keyword for a page?
Choosing the right keywords is one of the most important parts of an effective SEO strategy. After all, most web pages get zero search traffic, at least partially because they don’t target strategic keywords. When searching for the right keyword for a web page, use keyword tools to find keywords with solid search volume and low competition. Think like your audience and focus on long-tail keywords that reflect their real searches. And avoid mistakes like targeting overly competitive terms or irrelevant topics. A good keyword strategy attracts the right traffic — people who are more likely to convert. For a more in-depth guide on this, check out our blog post on choosing keywords for SEO.
Want more help?
A good placement keyword strategy is all about balance: do enough to help Google understand your content, but not so much that it feels forced. Keep your content useful, relevant, and easy to read, and you’ll be on the right track! SEO takes time, but good keyword use makes a real difference.
And if you want to learn more about websites, copywriting, and SEO, check out some of our posts on our blog:
Why SEO is Important for Business
Marketing without social media
