This is quite a touchy subject for online writers. Some find it useful to improve their page views and page ranks while others do away with this little detail. I am one of those who found the allure of keywords as it did help me generate more visitors to my work. But I later found out that though keywords can help, there are larger forces at work.
Using keywords in the title
This is a basic when it comes to SEO. long-tailed keywords can target specific niches and point to your articles better. But I have seen article titles that are too awkward because of placing keywords. Here’s the deal. Think about the title first and then try to fit in the keywords later. If it fits like a glove then good for you. But if not, don’t force it. Otherwise, you won’t get an enticing article. Search engines may find you but readers may simply skip your article for being too obvious.
Keywords in the URL
Many writing sites allow you to edit the URL of articles you publish. When you have the chance, placing essential words here can help. However, the drawback is making it too difficult for your readers to recall your page. But then again how many readers actually memorize article URLs. all they will do is just click links without really reading the whole URL.
Place them in Meta Tags
I have a basic background in HTML, XML and other acronyms associated with the internet. Suffice to say, I get the chance to tweak an article not just in the editor. Meta tags are found in the head tag of the page. To make it simpler, these tags help search engines find pages faster. By placing keywords there, search engines can find them faster. Here’s the consideration – not everyone can easily edit the meta tags. Some editors do let you specify some meta tags but using them improperly may have effects that you do not want.
Article Headings are great places for Keywords
If you can use headings in your articles then use them wisely. One way is to put keywords in them. But never sacrifice clarity and ease of reading for your visitors. headings help readers get an idea of what they will read. They help organize the content for easy reading. So don’t cram them with unnecessary words.
Content is still king
A meaningful content will always work best. But you can always give it a little extra with strategically placed keywords. there is another issue whe it comes to placing keywords-density. One school of though says go for 2-3 percent keyword density. Another group would say just write to you heart’s content. I’d say write from the heart and sprinkle some SEO along the way.
Ultimately, here is what I say: Think of the reader first before cramming keywords into your articles.