Optimizing content with keywords is one of the most common SEO practices out there. Even without technical SEO skills, content creators often perform this basic SEO function.

Why is keyword optimization such a popular SEO technique? Simply put: it’s an easy way to help your content compete in the search results.

Of course, Google applies countless ranking signals when choosing a page to show up in the search results prominently. And Google is getting smarter all the time at matching a webpage to a search query. So, keyword optimization is not the only thing that matters. But it does.

I’ll show you next how you can properly optimize your content right within WordPress in a way that’s so easy anyone can do it. No SEO skills are required.

• What is keyword optimization? 
• How to optimize content with keywords in WordPress
• Bonus: View Content History by Keyword, Sitewide
• FAQ: How can I optimize my content with keywords effectively within WordPress?

What Is Keyword Optimization?

If you already “get” why keyword optimization matters or you want to get straight to the SEO plugin information, skip this section.

If you’re still here, let’s talk about optimization.

Having the right words in your content, making sure they show up often, and planning where they show up on the page can help Google understand that the webpage is a match for a search query.

If you haven’t yet picked your keywords, I suggest you read our beginner’s guide on that topic here: What Are Keywords? Why Are Keywords Important to SEO? And How Do You DO Keyword Research?

As mentioned earlier, Google gets more sophisticated all the time. Keyword optimization had more clout in Google’s ranking algorithm many years ago. But that doesn’t mean Google still doesn’t rely on keywords to understand your content.

This is an older article from Google AI, but it reveals how words can help machines understand what a webpage is about. Google likely uses some form of TFIDF, as mentioned below, to measure term frequency in its ranking algorithm:

One way to approach the problem is to look for words that appear more often than their ordinary rates. For example, if you see the word “coach” 5 times in a 581 word article, and compare that to the usual frequency of “coach” — more like 5 in 330,000 words — you have reason to suspect the article has something to do with coaching. The term “basketball” is even more extreme, appearing 150,000 times more often than usual. This is the idea of the famous TFIDF, long used to index web pages.

It’s important to note that when you write content, you are already optimizing it for a keyword. Talking about any one topic at length naturally contains the words that are relevant to that topic.

However, keyword research and keyword optimization can boost the webpage’s performance in the search results. That’s because you strategically use words and phrases with a high search volume. They are still relevant to your topic, and data backs them up.

How to Optimize Content with Keywords in WordPress

OK, let’s dive into how to optimize your content with keywords using our WordPress SEO plugin. (Get a free seven-day trial at that link if you’re not already a user.)

1. Plug in Your Keywords

Enter your target keywords within the Keywords tab in our WordPress SEO plugin. Many popular SEO plugins will only offer optimization functionality for one keyword. With ours, you can target many keywords per page.

Keywords tab in Bruce Clay SEO WP plugin

2. Write Your Content

Write the content within WordPress or upload your already-written content to the page.

3. View Keyword Count

Find out the specific goals for keyword density (how many times a keyword should be on the page). The top-ranked pages in the search results for each keyword are the basis for the advice. Any changes to the page will automatically update the goals.

Keyword goals in Bruce Clay SEO WP plugin

4. View Keyword Distribution

See how your content distributes the keywords. Highlighting them helps you ensure that the text has a thorough distribution of keywords from top to bottom. This may impact the relevance of your webpage for a search query.

Keyword distribution visual in Bruce Clay SEO WP plugin

5. Adjust and Recalculate

Make tweaks to your keyword optimization in WordPress based on suggested goals. The keyword counts are updated as you type when making changes in the content. Make sure you are meeting your keyword count goals and distributing your keywords evenly throughout.

That’s it! Our WordPress SEO plugin makes doing basic but important SEO a breeze.

Bonus: View Content History by Keyword, Sitewide

As a website ages, it has more and more content added to it. It’s not always easy to remember if you’ve written about a topic in the past.

Our WordPress SEO plugin allows you to quickly see how many pages of content you already have assigned a keyword/topic and how they are performing.

View things like:

• How many posts or pages you’ve written for each keyword
• How well those pages or posts are doing, for example, page views, impressions, and click-through rates

This allows you to better plan future content, to consider whether you’ll combine existing pages on the same topic (something we talk about here and Google talks about here), and much more.

Ready to start optimizing your content in WordPress? Get your free trial of our WordPress SEO plugin now.

Read more on how the Bruce Clay SEO plugin helps you with:

• Real-time and customized data
• Avoiding duplicate content
• Custom SEO advice per keyword
• Tracking your content performance

FAQ: How can I optimize my content with keywords effectively within WordPress?

WordPress, one of the most popular content management systems, provides numerous tools and techniques to help you achieve content optimization.

Keyword Research:
Begin with in-depth keyword research to identify relevant keywords and phrases that resonate with your content. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush can provide valuable insights.

Focus on Long-Tail Keywords:
Long-tail keywords are specific phrases that cater to niche audiences. Incorporating them into your content can yield better results, as they often have lower competition.

Keyword Placement:
Strategically place your chosen keywords in key areas of your WordPress content, including the title, headings, subheadings, and throughout the body text. Ensure they appear naturally and don’t disrupt the flow of your content.

Use SEO Plugins:
Leverage SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to streamline the optimization process. These tools offer guidance and recommendations on improving your content’s SEO.

Optimize Images:
Don’t forget about image optimization. Use descriptive alt text for images to help search engines understand their content.

Maintain Quality Content:
Keyword optimization should never compromise the quality of your content. Focus on creating valuable, informative, and engaging material for your audience.

Monitor Keyword Performance:
Regularly monitor how your keywords are performing using tools like Google Analytics. Adjust your strategy based on the results.

Internal Linking:
Integrate internal links within your content to improve navigation and boost the SEO value of your website.

Mobile Optimization:
Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as Google prioritizes mobile-responsive sites in its ranking algorithm.

Page Speed:
Optimize your site’s speed for a better user experience and improved search engine rankings.

User Experience:
Enhance the overall user experience by organizing your content logically, using clean design, and making your site easy to navigate.

Secure Your Site:
Implement SSL certificates to ensure your site is secure. Google favors secure websites in its rankings.

Regular Updates:
Keep your content fresh by updating it regularly. Search engines appreciate current and relevant information.

Social Sharing:
Encourage social sharing of your content to increase its reach and potentially improve your SEO.

Backlinks:
Focus on acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable websites to boost your content’s authority.

Follow these 15 steps to optimize your WordPress content using keywords. Search engine optimization (SEO) is an ongoing process, and keeping up-to-date with industry trends and algorithm changes is integral to its success.

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