SEO isn’t about stuffing a page with keywords like you’d stuff a suitcase for a two-week trip.
It’s about clarity and intent.
The age-old question. How many SEO keywords should you target per page?
Here’s the short answer: One primary keyword. Three to five supporting keywords.
That’s the sweet spot.
One main keyword to tell Google exactly what your page is about.
A handful of secondary keywords to add depth, variation, and context.
Too few, and you’re leaving traffic on the table.
Too many, and Google can’t tell what your page is supposed to rank for, so it ranks you for nothing.
Google isn’t dumb.
It doesn’t just scan your page looking for exact keyword matches — it looks at search intent too.
A page that tries to rank for ten different keywords with ten different meanings isn’t clear.
It’s chaotic.
And Google doesn’t like chaos.
On the flip side, the best-ranking pages don’t just rank for one keyword.
They rank for hundreds of variations because they’re focused on a single core topic with natural, relevant keyword usage.
For example, take a look at this ‘Top SEO Agencies in the UK’ article by The Social Shepherd:
The main target keyword is something along the lines of seo agencies uk.
But look at all the variations they’re ranking for:
Most people overcomplicate this. Here’s where they screw up:
- Targeting just one keyword: this makes your content too narrow, missing out on valuable traffic. Notice that the above article targets variations of the keyword seo agencies, e.g. b2b seo agencies, ecommerce seo agencies, technical seo agencies etc.
- Stuffing in 15+ disconnected keywords: this muddies the message and makes your page unreadable. In this case, all of the keywords the above article targets are related to seo agencies. That’s the focal point.
- Ignoring search intent. Keywords only work if they match what the searcher is actually looking for. In our example, breaking down a Top SEO Agencies in the UK into categories makes it more helpful to readers that want to jump into specific sections.
What you’ll get from this guide:
- The best keyword strategy for ranking well without keyword stuffing.
- How to pick primary and secondary keywords that actually help you rank.
- Where to place keywords in your content for the best results.
- How top-ranking pages pull in traffic from hundreds of searches.
By the time you’re done, you’ll know exactly how many keywords to target, how to choose them, and how to structure your content to rank.
Let’s get started.
1. Understanding SEO keyword targeting
The difference between primary and secondary keywords
SEO today is less about exact keyword matches and more about context, relevance, and intent.
To rank well, you need to understand the role of primary and secondary keywords, how search intent works, and why Google values semantic relevance over outdated keyword matching.
Let’s break it down.
Why search intent matters
If you don’t get search intent right, your SEO is dead before it starts.
Search intent is the reason someone is Googling something in the first place.
It’s what they actually want when they hit “search.”
If your content doesn’t match that? Google won’t rank you.
And on the low chance that Google does rank you, readers will bounce the second they realise your page isn’t what they were looking for.
You can dig into my search intent guide for a longer explanation on this topic, but here’s a quick breakdown of the four types of intent:
1️⃣ Informational – The Searcher’s main goal is to learn. Not buy, not compare products – but learn.
- Example: how to choose a mattress
- Best content type: blog posts, guides, how-tos.
2️⃣ Navigational – The Searcher is looking for a specific brand or site.
- Example: optimum nutrition
- Best content type: homepage, brand landing pages.
3️⃣ Commercial Investigation – The Searcher is weighing their options before buying.
- Example: best protein powders for weight loss
- Best content type: product roundups, comparison articles.
4️⃣ Transactional – They’re ready to buy.
- Example: buy whey protein powder
- Best content type: product pages, landing pages.
How people screw this up:
❌ They target a commercial keyword with an informational page.
Bad example: Writing a blog post titled ‘Your Ultimate Guide to Protein Powders’ when people searching for buy protein powder just want a product page.
❌ They target an informational keyword with a product page.
Bad example: Someone searching how much protein do I need per day isn’t looking to buy protein powder. Sending them to a sales page is useless.
✅ The fix? Google your target keyword before you start writing.
Look at the top-ranking pages. What kind of content is showing up?
That’s what Google thinks Searchers want.
Make sure your content matches that intent.
LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) & variations
SEO used to be about exact keyword matches.
If you wanted to rank for best protein powder, you had to shove that exact phrase into your content 47 times and hope for the best.
Now? That’ll get you buried.
Google doesn’t just look at exact matches anymore — it looks at context.
What does this mean for you?
Instead of repeating one keyword over and over, you should:
✅ Use natural variations in your content.
✅ Write like a human, not an SEO machine.
✅ Make sure your page answers all aspects of the topic, not just the exact phrase.
2. How many SEO keywords should you target per page
Not every page can (or should) aim for the same number of keywords.
The right number depends on three things:
1. Content length
The longer the content, the more ground it covers — and the more keyword variations it can naturally include.
- Short posts (under 800 words) → 1 primary + 2-3 secondary keywords.
- Mid-length content (1,000–2,000 words) → 1 primary + 3-5 secondary keywords.
- Long-form content (2,500+ words) → 1 primary + 5-8 secondary keywords.
A 500-word article doesn’t have the space to properly target best protein powder, top whey protein brands and plant-based protein supplements without feeling forced.
But a 2,500-word guide? It has room to cover multiple variations organically.
✅ The fix: Choose your keyword count based on how in-depth your content is.
If you’re writing a quick explainer, don’t cram in five target keywords just because you can.
2. Topic breadth
Not all topics need the same number of keywords.
Some subjects are broad and layered, while others are straightforward and specific.
Narrow topics → fewer keywords
- 🛑 Example: ‘How to Tie a Tie’ article → 1-2 keywords.
- (The topic is simple. You don’t need to also target best ties for men or tie fashion trends here).
Broader topics → more keywords
- ✅ Example: ‘Best Running Shoes for Beginners’ article → 1 primary + 5 secondary keywords.
- (This topic has depth — different types of shoes, use cases, and comparisons).
3. Competition level
If you’re trying to break into a highly competitive keyword, you’ll need to be laser-focused.
If competition is low, you have more flexibility.
How this works in practice:
🔥 High-competition keywords → target fewer, more specific keywords.
- Example: best credit cards for travel
Highly competitive keyword.
You need a tightly focused page that’s fully optimised for a handful of terms.)
✅ The fix: Check competitor pages before you finalise your keyword list. Are they ranking for dozens of keywords or only a few?
Match your strategy accordingly.
3. How to choose keywords for your page
Find your primary keyword
Use keyword research tools.
The best ones are Ahrefs and Semrush.
Identify secondary keywords
Once you’ve locked in your primary keyword, it’s time to expand the scope with secondary keywords.
These will help you rank for multiple searches without shifting focus.
These are some places where you can find secondary keywords:
Google’s “People Also Ask” Section:
- Type your primary keyword into Google.
- Scroll to the “People Also Ask” box.
- These are real questions people search for. Use them as subtopics.
Google’s Related Searches
- Scroll to the bottom of the search results.
- Google is literally telling you what else people are searching for.
Look at competitor pages
- Run a competitor’s URL through Ahrefs or SEMrush.
- See what secondary keywords they rank for.
Check SERP competition
Some keywords look great on paper but are a nightmare to rank for in reality.
Before committing, do a competition check:
1. Google the keyword
Who’s ranking on page one?
- If it’s all high-authority sites (Amazon, Healthline, Forbes, etc.), you might struggle.
- If there are smaller blogs ranking, you have a chance.
2. Look at their content depth
- Are they covering the topic thoroughly or just scratching the surface?
- If you can write something more detailed, better optimised, or more up-to-date, you can outrank them.
Group keywords by intent
You can’t stack a bunch of random keywords together and expect to rank.
They need to serve the same purpose.
Group your keywords by intent.
1. Look at the top-ranking pages
Do they all have a similar content format? (blog posts, product pages, reviews, etc.)
If yes, all your keywords share with the same intent.
If no, you might need separate pages.
2. Make sure your keywords answer the same core question
- Bad example: targeting best running shoes and how to train for a marathon on the same page.
- Good example: targeting best running shoes and top running shoes for beginners together.
✅ Your goal: keep all your keywords focused on the same search intent so your page doesn’t confuse Google.
4. Common keyword targeting mistakes to avoid
Google doesn’t reward effort. It rewards clarity.
The moment your page starts looking like an SEO checklist instead of a helpful piece of content, you lose rankings, traffic, and relevance.
Here’s where most people screw up and how to fix it.
Keyword stuffing
SEO used to be simple.
Stuff your keyword into every sentence, and boom — you ranked.
That was a decade ago. Today, keyword stuffing will tank your rankings faster than writing nothing at all.
What keyword stuffing looks like:
Looking for the best protein powder?
Our list of the best protein powders will help you find the best protein powder for muscle gain, weight loss or general health
Check out our best protein powder reviews to find the right one for you.
It’s unreadable. It’s annoying.
And Google sees right through it.
✅ The fix:
- Use your primary keyword naturally in the title, first 100 words, and key headings.
- Sprinkle secondary keywords and variations throughout the content without forcing them in.
- Read your content out loud — if it sounds weird, you’re keyword stuffing.
Multiple pages targeting same keyword
Keyword cannibalisation happens when multiple pages on your site target the same keyword, so they end up competing against each other.
This is what it looks like:
- You have two blog posts both targeting best running shoes for beginners.
- Instead of one strong page, you have two weaker ones splitting the SEO value.
- Google doesn’t know which to rank, so they both struggle to break page one.
Here’s how to fix it:
✅ Merge similar pages
- If two pages target the same keyword, combine them into one stronger, more detailed page.
- Redirect the old URL to the new one to preserve link equity.
✅ Use internal links instead of competing
- If you have pages with similar topics, make sure each one has a unique angle.
- Link them together so Google sees they’re related, not duplicates.
✅ Assign a clear keyword focus for each page
Let’s say you’re targeting best running shoes on five different pages.
You can target these different keywords:
- best running shoes for beginners (for newbies)
- best trail running shoes (for off-road runners)
- best running shoes for flat feet (for specific needs)
Each page has a clear purpose and doesn’t fight with the others for rankings.
Targeting different intents on one page
If you target different search intents into one page, Google won’t know where to rank you — and neither will your audience.
For example, it wouldn’t be wise to write an article targeting both these keywords:
- best protein powder (the Searcher wants comparisons)
- how to make protein shakes (the Searcher wants comparisons)
One is about buying a product, the other is about using a product.
If you jam both into one page, you won’t rank well for either.
✅ The fix:
- Stick to one search intent per page. Plain and simple.
That’s all he wrote, folks.
Thanks for reading.
