As you're crafting a search engine optimization (SEO) piece, your keyword should remain front and center. That target term drives what you include and exclude as you write.
But the term must move from your mind onto the page. And to get the most impact, those SEO keywords should appear in four specific places.
SEO-Optimized Headlines
In a search engine results page (SERP), your headline plays an important role. Readers will scan it before deciding to tap. And when they do decide to click through, they'll do it by touching your headline.
Think of headlines as critical real estate. The target keyword you've chosen for your content must appear here.
Don't let the placement impede your creativity. You're not required to follow a specific formula such as, "Keyword: Something Interesting."
Play around with placement. Kick off some headlines with your keyword, and sandwich the term in the middle of other headlines. Your readers expect some cleverness. Just don't forget to include the word in there somewhere.
Keywords Sparkle in Summaries
Each piece of content you load online should come with a short summary. Write it well enough, and Google won't replace it. As readers scan SERP, they'll see summaries glowing below headlines.
Keywords belong here too. Ideally, they'll be the first words readers will see. If you've truly written your piece with keywords in mind, putting the term in the summary will be a snap. That keyword really will describe what you've written.
Critical Terms Kick Off the Piece
You have mere seconds to capture the attention of online readers. As soon as they hit your page, they want a signal that confirms their decision to click.
Your keyword brought those readers to your page. Ensure that it's one of the first terms they see when they have arrived.
Keywords Shine in Subheads
Online readers prefer to scan, rather than read every word on your page. Break up blocks of content with subheads, so your readers can skip ahead to the bits they want. And make sure your subheads appear in most of those headings.
Even skimmers that don't read every section of content might pick up on the repetition of your keyword in the bold, bright text. Once again, you're showing these readers that they've arrived on the right page.
Skim, Remove, and Replace
When you're all done writing, count your keyword repetitions. If you've tapped out the same phrase more than once per 200 words, you're likely using it too often. Replace for a similar variant, so you won't look like a keyword stuffer.
Follow these steps, and you're sure to have content that converts. Good luck!