Does keyword optimization really work?

by 7 replies
8
Of course it does to some extent, but I guess I'm seeing examples of not-so-optimized content taking the first spot in Google, and that's sort of shaking my confidence.

For example, if you Google "How to Stop Panic Attacks" and look at the first three results, you'll see pages that don't have a strong density for that keyword. What's making them so successful? Perhaps some very strong backlinking, but what else factors into it?

As you can probably tell, I'm new to this stuff but eager to learn. Thanks for any and all insights.
#search engine optimization #keyword #optimization #work
  • Density is just a piece of the overall picture. You mention "strong density." If you "stuff" your content with your keyword(s) it will work against you.

    You need to get your on page SEO in line first. Not the most important, but it is important as part of the overall picture. Make sure your domain has your main keyword in it somewhere, should also be in your title, description etc. Basically, have your meta and alt tags featuring your main keyword/phrase.

    As you said, once you get your on page SEO in order it is simply a matter of getting links/backlinking and promoting your site.

    Need more info., I'm happy to help.
  • Listen to themagiccjj's advice. All of these factors will give you an edge over competitors, but there is not one that will allow you to completely dominate them. These top 3 sites compensate with several other factors, the first page is aged from 1993.
  • Am I the only one here that doesn't believe the keyword in a domain is on page optimization? I'm ranking for competitive keywords that have no keyword in the domain. I have clients that have their name as a domain and are ranking for their keywords. While it does help, that really doesn't give you versatility for your domain. People seem to be under the impression you HAVE the have an EMD or at least a keyword in the domain, but you really don't NEED to.

    Density has very little to do with ranking. This isn't 2003 anymore.

    Title tags... your h1 h2... internal link structure...ALT tags on images...strong and em tags, all play a bigger role than the keyword density inside the content.
  • Keyword optimization is one of the important factor of seo. I feel it works along with other parameters of seo.
  • I think everything that the "new" google algorythm was supposed to change accomplished nothing.

    Everything that used to work still works.
    • [1] reply
    • Like all of life there really is a bigger picture and it's too big to get the full deatils in one post.

      But..

      When you first launch a site Google can only assess you on what it sees. So initially keyword optimization is very important.

      As your site matures and gets more backlinks (with keyword anchor text) then Google has more information (off site optimization) to base its assesment of your site on.

      The amount/quality and Anchor text of backlinks soon becomes a bigger factor than on-site keyword optimization. That is why when you look at any Google top 10 you will see many mature sites that may not even have the keyword on the site (let alone the domain) at all.

      Put up enough backlinks with your keyword in the anchor text and you can rank pretty much any site on page 1 for that keyword.

      Most of us have to start with new sites though so on-site keyword optimization is important if you want quick results.

      If you want to build an authority site over time of course , that's a different matter.
  • Yes, Density is just one of the play. Therea are so many other factors to be considered. Title, Meta tags, Meta Description, Robots.txt, html or language validity, sitemap, content obviously along with backlinking.
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    Does keyword optimization really work?

    Of course it does to some extent, but I guess I'm seeing examples of not-so-optimized content taking the first spot in Google, and that's sort of shaking my confidence. For example, if you Google "How to Stop Panic Attacks" and look at the first three results, you'll see pages that don't have a strong density for that keyword. What's making them so successful? Perhaps some very strong backlinking, but what else factors into it?