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Optimizing Articles - How many times should I bold keyword? Tags?

by Stefan Pylarinos
7 replies
  • SEO
    • |
My sites got hit hard by Google Penguin. I've been finding ways to make improvements to my sites.

First, my articles are around 500 words and are well-written and of good quality. Keyword density is around 2%. One thing I've done in the past is I've bolded all the keywords in my article, which again, is 2%.

What are our thoughts on this? Is this over-optimization? How many times would you bold it?

And next, I've basically put a bunch of the keywords as the tags as well in Wordpress. Is this over-optimization as well?

I've done the same for making the keywords as "Categories" in wordpress.

Just want to know whether or not you think these are safe practices post-Penguin, and if I should make adjustments.
#articles #bold #keyword #optimizing #tags #times
  • Profile picture of the author lovboa
    Banned
    There's no need to bold all the keywords. Yes, that would be considered over-optimization.
    I wouldn't bold it at all.

    Just write naturally.
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    • Profile picture of the author BetaMaster
      Originally Posted by lovboa View Post

      There's no need to bold all the keywords. Yes, that would be considered over-optimization.
      I wouldn't bold it at all.

      Just write naturally.
      ^^This. I left my old ways like bold keyword, italic. I see no effect. I try to write natural and my site still can rank. Save your precious time for writing good article.
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  • Profile picture of the author TheProgrammer
    I don't think it does matter bolding your keywords are fall in over-optimization category. But using bunch of keyword as tags are fall in "keyword stuffing or over-optimization", just use minimum and relevant keywords.
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  • Profile picture of the author OmarNegron
    To be completely honest, if your site got hit by google most likely it will be due to the type of backlinks you have. Even though many people are talking about over optimizing and what not I have seen so many sites doing all kinds of things and still holding strong because they have good backlinks.

    I do believe in good quality content for the user and in having your site flow naturally not like a robotic type of site.

    BUT

    Keep in mind that this does not translate into ranking you better. The thing that matters most is the backlinks. Google can say all they want to say about improving the search engine and how content is king but when it comes down to it the search engine is build to rank sites which they see as popular.

    How is a site popular? By having other sites linking to it letting google know that specific site is popular. Thats the whole concept of having a backlink.

    So I suggest you start looking into your backlinks and how you can improve that aspect of your strategy.

    - Will
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  • Profile picture of the author sovereignn
    If you do bold... Do it once

    I also put keywords as the tags.... Because that's what it's there for
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  • Profile picture of the author samual james
    You cant use bunch of keywords , its better if you can go with 3,4 relevant keywords only. don't bother about keyword density, write article naturally and use your targeted keywords in most genuine way.
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  • Profile picture of the author AnmolJ
    about 3-5 times
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