One of the most common questions for anyone starting with search engine optimisation is tricky but straightforward: how many keywords should you target? The answer isn’t as straightforward as picking a number. Instead, it depends on your website’s goals, the competitiveness of your industry, and the type of content you’re creating. The secret to making a keyword strategy that truly works is knowing how to strike a balance between quantity and quality. When planning your content, the question of how many keywords to target in SEO should focus less on numbers and more on matching user intent with page goals
Keywords As Building Blocks
Consider keywords to be the fundamental units of SEO. Each one represents a potential doorway for users to find your website. The more relevant doors you open, the more opportunities for traffic. However, opening too many doors at once—or choosing the wrong ones—can confuse both search engines and readers.
Instead of asking “how many,” the better question is “which keywords bring the right audience?”
One Page, One Main Keyword
At the page level, best practice is to focus on one primary keyword. This main keyword should capture the core idea of the page. For example, a page about “digital marketing strategies” should focus on that specific term. This ensures clarity for search engines and prevents your content from competing with itself across multiple pages.
Supporting this main keyword, you can also use secondary keywords—closely related phrases that expand the context. These might include “online marketing tips” or “digital advertising tactics.” Secondary keywords help the page appear for a wider range of searches without losing focus.
The Role Of Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords—phrases with three or more words—are essential in modern SEO. They typically have lower competition and reflect specific user intent. A page optimised for “best running shoes for flat feet” will attract a smaller but more targeted audience than one simply optimised for “running shoes.”
Including a few long-tail variations within your content allows you to capture readers who are closer to making a decision. For most pages, targeting one main keyword and three to five long-tail variations strikes a good balance.
Site-Wide Keyword Strategy
Looking beyond individual pages, keyword strategy should extend across your entire website. A well-planned site targets dozens—or even hundreds—of keywords, but they’re spread out logically across different sections.
An online store that sells sporting goods, for instance, would have distinct sites for “yoga mats,” “soccer balls,” and “tennis rackets.” Each page has its own main keyword, avoiding overlap while building a comprehensive presence in search results.
This approach prevents “keyword cannibalisation,” where multiple pages compete for the same keyword and dilute rankings.
Avoiding Keyword Overload
Trying to stuff too many keywords into one page or even one article is a common mistake. Keyword stuffing not only makes content awkward to read but also signals low quality to search engines. Algorithms are now sophisticated enough to recognise natural language, so repetition is less important than relevance.
A page with one clear focus, supported by naturally used variations, will always perform better than one crammed with ten unrelated terms.
Considering User Intent
The number of keywords also depends on the type of content. A blog post designed to educate might naturally incorporate more keyword variations, while a product page should stay laser-focused on a single phrase. The key is matching content to search intent.
If the goal is to answer questions, targeting multiple related queries makes sense. If the goal is to sell, clarity and focus should come first.
Measuring And Refining
Keyword strategy isn’t set in stone. Tracking performance with tools like google analytics or search console shows which terms drive traffic and conversions. Over time, you may discover that some keywords aren’t as valuable as expected, while others emerge as opportunities.
By regularly reviewing this data, you can adjust your strategy—dropping underperforming terms and doubling down on those that work.
Read More: 5 Ways to Improve Your Content Marketing Strategy
Final Thoughts
There is no universal number of keywords that guarantees success. Instead, it’s about balance. Each page should target one main keyword supported by a handful of variations, while your site as a whole should cover a broad but organised range.
A smart strategy doesn’t chase every possible term but focuses on relevance, intent, and user experience. By thinking of keywords as pathways to your content rather than a checklist to complete, you’ll build a stronger, more sustainable SEO foundation.
