How many keywords to use for SEO | Lillian Purge

How many keywords to use for SEO

“How many keywords should I use for SEO” is one of the most common questions I hear, and in my experience it is usually the wrong question. I work in SEO every day, I run my own digital marketing firm, and I also rely on SEO for my own projects. The businesses that struggle with SEO tend to fixate on keyword counts, while the ones that grow focus on intent, clarity, and usefulness.

SEO used to be about inserting a specific number of keywords into a page. That approach no longer works, and in some cases it actively holds performance back. This article explains how many keywords you should realistically be targeting today, how Google actually understands pages, and how to think about keywords in a way that supports rankings rather than damaging them.

Why keyword counting no longer works

There was a time when SEO rewarded repetition. Pages ranked because they mentioned a keyword a certain number of times, often in awkward and unnatural ways. That era is over.

From my experience Google now understands topics rather than just words. It looks at context, meaning, and how well a page answers a search query. Counting keywords does not help with that goal.

When founders ask how many keywords to use, what they are usually worried about is missing ranking opportunities. In reality the bigger risk is forcing keywords into places they do not belong, which makes content harder to read and less trustworthy.

One primary keyword per page is still a good rule

If you want a practical starting point, each page should have one clear primary keyword or phrase.

From my experience this primary keyword represents the main intent of the page. It should be obvious what the page is about and what type of search it is meant to satisfy.

This primary keyword should appear naturally in the page title, the main heading, and early in the content, but only where it makes sense. You are signalling relevance, not repeating a phrase for the sake of it.

I think this approach keeps pages focused and avoids the confusion that comes from trying to rank one page for multiple unrelated searches.

Secondary keywords should support the main topic

In addition to a primary keyword, a page will naturally include secondary keywords.

From my experience these are closely related phrases, variations, and subtopics that help explain the main subject more fully. They often appear organically when you write clearly about a topic.

For example if your primary keyword is about a specific service, secondary keywords might include cost, timelines, common problems, or comparisons. You do not need to force these in, they usually emerge when the content is genuinely helpful.

I think of secondary keywords as supporting signals rather than targets. They add depth and context rather than acting as separate goals.

There is no fixed number that applies to every page

One of the most important things to understand is that there is no magic number of keywords per page.

From my experience a short focused page might only clearly target one keyword and a handful of related terms, while a long in-depth guide might naturally cover dozens of relevant phrases.

Google does not reward pages for hitting a specific count. It rewards pages for satisfying search intent better than alternatives.

If you are trying to count keywords, it is usually a sign the page is being written for algorithms rather than people.

Keyword density is no longer something to aim for

Keyword density is an outdated concept that still causes confusion.

From my experience aiming for a specific percentage of keyword usage leads to awkward writing and over optimisation. Google does not expect or reward this.

What matters is whether the keyword appears in logical places where it would naturally be expected. Titles, headings, and explanatory sections matter far more than frequency.

I think a good test is whether the content reads smoothly when read out loud. If it does, keyword usage is probably fine.

Using too many keywords can hurt SEO

Trying to target too many keywords on a single page is a common mistake.

From my experience pages that attempt to rank for multiple different services, locations, or intents often rank for none of them particularly well. Google struggles to understand what the page is actually about.

This is especially common with startup and small business pages that try to cover everything to save time. In reality this usually dilutes authority rather than increasing reach.

I believe it is almost always better to have fewer focused pages than one page overloaded with keywords.

How Google actually understands keywords today

Google now uses semantic understanding, which means it understands relationships between words and concepts.

From my experience this allows a well written page to rank for many variations of a keyword without explicitly mentioning each one. Singular and plural forms, synonyms, and related phrases are understood automatically.

This means you do not need to list every variation of a keyword. Writing clearly about the topic usually covers them naturally.

I think this is liberating for businesses because it allows content to be written for humans first without sacrificing SEO.

Keywords for local SEO pages

Local SEO pages follow the same principle but with an extra layer.

From my experience each local service page should still focus on one primary keyword, usually a service plus a location. Supporting phrases then explain context such as neighbourhoods, service areas, or local considerations.

Trying to target multiple locations on one page usually weakens performance. Separate pages with clear intent tend to rank better and convert better.

I think clarity is even more important in local SEO because intent is so strong and competition is tight.

Keywords for blog content and guides

Blog posts and guides often naturally cover more keywords than landing pages.

From my experience long form content ranks because it answers a range of related questions around a single theme. This allows it to attract traffic from many long tail searches without deliberate keyword targeting.

The key is that all of those keywords relate to the same job the reader is trying to get done. If the topic drifts, rankings usually suffer.

I think blog content works best when it is structured around questions and decisions rather than keyword lists.

How to decide if you are using the right number of keywords

The best way to judge keyword usage is to look at outcomes, not counts.

From my experience ask simple questions. Does the page rank for the main term it is targeting. Does it attract the right type of visitor. Do people stay on the page and take action.

If the answer is yes, keyword usage is probably appropriate. If not, the issue is usually clarity or intent, not quantity.

I think SEO improves fastest when you stop counting keywords and start evaluating relevance.

Common keyword mistakes to avoid

One common mistake is repeating the same keyword in every heading or sentence. This makes content hard to read and can trigger over optimisation signals.

Another mistake is avoiding keywords entirely out of fear. Pages still need clear signals about what they are about.

From my experience the balance lies in natural usage. Keywords should appear because they belong there, not because you are trying to hit a target.

How I approach keywords in practice

When I work on SEO content I start by defining the main intent of the page.

From my experience I then write the content as if I were explaining the topic to a customer. Once the draft is clear I check that the primary keyword appears in sensible places and that related terms are present naturally.

I rarely count anything. If the content is clear and focused Google usually understands it without extra effort.

Final thoughts from experience

How many keywords you should use for SEO depends on what the page is trying to achieve, not on a formula.

In my opinion one primary keyword per page with supporting related terms is enough for most situations. The goal is clarity, relevance, and usefulness, not density.

When content is written to genuinely answer a search query Google tends to reward it with visibility across many related searches. That is when SEO stops feeling mechanical and starts working as intended.