How To Use Keywords in Your Blog Content

Using keywords in your content is a crucial way to get search engines to deliver your content to their customers: the searchers. Keywords help your audience find your content. But you should create content first for real humans – especially your ideal audience, and secondly, for the search engines. 

1. Use Keywords in Headers – Using the H1 tag signals to the search engine what the page’s topic is about, which should match your title tag too. This will give the search engines the best idea of what the content is about on this page. 
2. Use Keywords in the First Paragraph – Search engines take the first 200 words or so on any page to index, and it’s also where your readers first look. Ensure that keywords are there, so they know they’re in the right place.
3. Use Keywords in Titles – The title is the first thing your audience sees, and the title tag is the first thing the search engine sees. It just makes sense to put your keywords here. 
4. Use Keywords in Bullet Points – People like to scan when they read online in an F pattern. Because of this, make sure you use bullet points to catch the reader’s eye.  
5. Use Keywords in the Meta Description – This is displayed in searches and what the search engine uses to match the title tag and other keywords to note better what is on the page.
6. Use Keywords in Title Tags – The title tag is the first thing that search engines see, and if that keyword matches the title, headers, and the first paragraph, it makes it more evident what the page is about.
7. Use Keywords in Image Alt Tags – This is unseen by the reader but important for search engines. And, if your audience includes the blind, it’ll make it easier for them to understand the images. 
8. Use Keywords in File Names – If you upload files such as videos and images to your site or social media, putting keywords in the file name helps search engines show that to your customers. 
9. Use Clarifying Keywords – When you write the content for the first paragraph or any time you use a keyword, make sure you explain the keyword and use synonyms and associated words. Don’t overuse a keyword, either. The one keyword you’re trying to rank for should not comprise more than two percent of the content. 
10. Use Keywords in Links – When you set up a clickable link, you’ll also want to include keywords in the link. Search engines will follow each link with a keyword to index your site. 

If putting the keywords in any of these areas makes the content look strange or difficult to read, rethink what you’re doing. Content should be written first for your audience and then optimized for search engines. You’ll be sure to put your customers first when you do it in that order.