What Is Keyword Stuffing?

Everyone knows that keywords are a critical element in any search engine optimization (SEO) campaign. Using a variety of methods such as content and meta tag creation, link building and others, the ultimate goal is always to have each page on your website rank for as many keywords with high search volume as possible. But the question remains: how many keywords is that and when does keyword targeting turn into SEO keyword stuffing?

One of the first signs of a novice SEO campaign is a Web page that is littered with keywords. When every other sentence is crammed to the max with keywords, it’s a red flag that the website is engaging in keyword stuffing.

Below is a keyword stuffing example:

If you’re looking for tennis shoes, you’ve come to the right place. Our website is the best place to buy tennis shoes. You won’t find better tennis shoes or cheaper tennis shoes anywhere else. We invite you to check out our great selection of tennis shoes.

Clearly, in this example, the website is trying to rank for the word tennis shoes. But in attempting to rank for this keyword, they may actually be doing more harm than good. Google and other search engines assign a keyword stuffing penalty to sites that over-optimize. If they didn’t, every website would simply try to include their keyword as much possible – much to the dismay of their readership!

The content on each of your Web pages should be written naturally, with just a few variations of your main keyword sprinkled throughout. Write for your readers first – and then take care of the SEO. Oftentimes, you can’t even tell that some of the most well-written Web pages have been optimized for SEO.

So remember, when it comes to keywords, it is not necessarily the more the merrier. Be selective about which and how many keywords you target, and turn to an SEO firm such as Web.com Search Agency for advice on proper keyword ranking strategies.