How do focus keywords help with content writing and ranking?
Keywords are super important for SEO and rankings. Selecting the best keywords for your page makes it possible for Google to show your content to the right people during search queries by being relevant to their needs and while being a signal to Google's algorithm.
Focus keywords are a single keyword phrase selected for your page that will be added to your page's Title Tag, Meta Description, H1 Tag, and the body of content on your page. This keyword's goal is to send out the first signal to Google about the topic of your page and will lead to keyword data being collected in Google Console for further optimization.
Why Are Keywords Important?
The goal of your page is to attract organic searches and keywords are the keystones between what people are searching for and the content that is on your page. The keywords you select will determine the traffic that visits your site.
To create content that ranks well organically and drives visitors to your site, you need to know how people are searching and the phrasing they use. Selecting a long-tail keyword over a short-tail keyword is key. A long-tail keyword is a longer phrase and tends to include a short-tail keyword within it (double the keywords!).
For example, the search phrase "CNC machining" (short-tail) will give different results than "CNC machining services" (long-tail), the former generating search results that explain what CNC machining is and the latter showing companies that offer it as a service. CNC machining services will also trigger local search results and companies nearby on Google Maps.
Using the Focus Keyword on Your Page
Sure, you can just toss your keyword into the content but using the keyword in the right place will garner better results. The Title Tag and H1 tag are very important places to include your keyword, as well as within the body of text on the page within the first paragraph.
Other places to include your focus keyword is in the URL slug, the meta description, and alt attributes of images used on the page. These additions help Google fully understand the topic of your page.
Focus Keywords on Your Content Worksheet
You will find the page's focus keyword on its content worksheet, along with additional supporting keyword recommendations. These recommendations are pulled from similar pages across the internet and should be used it they are relevant to your business.
