Keyword stuffing

[mrsmcy]

I'm trying to get my head around some basic SEO stuff for our website and want to make sure we stay on the right side of google! At the moment we rank 1st for our keyword eg Juicy Apples. However we sell many different varieties of Juicy Apples so throughout our site the content may read These Red Juicy Apples are a lovely choice for apple lovers and on another page These Green Juicy Apples have a very sweet taste bla bla.

The fact we have the keywords Juicy Apples on quite a few pages means when you look down google many of our other pages appear. Is this ok or will google look at it that we are stuffing the keyword on lots of pages and penalise us? All the products are different variety of apples so we need the words juicy apples in the title.

Sorry if this is a really thick question but so many of the articles I read on SEO leave me more confused than before I read it!

 

[Dany87]

How many times does it appear by page? If it’s less than 6 or 7, you should be ok. I had some problems with a page that had over 10 repetitions, but never with something less than that.

 

[fisicx]

Don't worry about it.

Just write you content for your human visitors. If it reads OK then the number of repetitions is fine.

Apples are a fruit you find on apple trees growing in apple orchards where people pick the ripe apples and sell then to apple shops so that people can buy the apples and eat the apples.

Not so good.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

why are you referring to them as 'juicy apples' all the time, it isn't natural and by doing so you run the risk of tripping a filter.

Our delicious green granny smiths apples are crunchy sharp juicy and fresh.
while our razor russets are the envy of our competitors.

Google is clever enough to work out that the above is semantically related.

keywords stuffing doesn't just mean what some think, it also means using un-natural language.

 

[mrsmcy]

Thanks for those replies. It appears about 5 times on a page including the main title. I write all our content for a human explaining the material type rather than using the manufacturers description. Our customers don't know 30% polyester 70% cotton so I try and describe the material (if that makes sense). I'm going to go through and check its not repeated unnecessarily on each page.

 

[Maslins]

This is one area of SEO that (as a complete non-expert) frustrates me.

Starting a new business and the text on one of our main competitor's websites ranking well reads terribly...they're so obviously spammed with keywords exactly like fisicx's bad example, but it doesn't seem to be harming them for SEO purposes compared to ours which reads more like OWG's example

 

[webgeek]

If you look at the top 10 rankings for a lot of terms you'll find their keyword saturation at 0%.

You no longer 'need' to keyword stuff. It's okay to mention something once, or twice, on a page, but you don't need to game the search engines to get them to understand what the page is about.

 

[mrsmcy]

If you look at the top 10 rankings for a lot of terms you'll find their keyword saturation at 0%.

Is that true though? I've google a few keywords and found companies who look like they are completely stuffing their content with keywords and are ranking 1st. For example (totally unrelated to our area of sales) I typed in Fitness equipment and this company came up 1st http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/ They have the keywords Fitness equipment repeated numerous times. I then tried Personalised boxer shorts and the company that came 1st had those keywords 8 times on one page with the words boxer shorts numerous more times. Keywords Cupcake Stand has the words 6 times on one page.

Or have I misunderstood and that's not classed as over saturation?

I'm thinking this is too hard to understand for a novice and we may have to employ a professional.....although I think that's hard to find who's a professional! Argghhh websites!

 

[terryuk]

The fact we have the keywords Juicy Apples on quite a few pages means when you look down google many of our other pages appear. Is this ok or will google look at it that we are stuffing the keyword on lots of pages and penalise us? All the products are different variety of apples so we need the words juicy apples in the title.

In my opinion, this is perfectly natural as long as you are not trying to manipulate it. You questioning your method, would probably suggest you aren't.

It is in my opinion one of the newest ranking factors, which would make sense. That you have multiple occurrences of your phrases in and around your website.

In the case not repeating 'juicy apples', it would be delicious, tender, fruity , gorgeous whatever swings to mind Apple. But seeing as your products are Juicy Apples there isn't much you can do is there.

As long as you don't go down the lines of Juicy apple mentioned 10 times on one page exact then you sound like doing well.

Make sure each of your titles are unique regardless of the keyword

 

[OldWelshGuy]

just to add, the scenario of juicy apples mentioned 10 times. even then it 'might' be Ok as long as you have used stemmed versions and semantically related terms as well. it is when the copy is completely non natural language that it starts getting flagged.

 

[Ian J]

the text on one of our main competitor's websites ranking well reads terribly...they're so obviously spammed with keywords exactly like fisicx's bad example, but it doesn't seem to be harming them for SEO purposes compared to ours which reads more like OWG's example

Getting a high ranking is only half the story as you still need the website to "sell the product" and many of these well rated keyword stuffed sites read so badly that it will put off potential customers.

 

[fisicx]

Starting a new business and the text on one of our main competitor's websites ranking well reads terribly...they're so obviously spammed with keywords exactly like fisicx's bad example, but it doesn't seem to be harmingg, them for SEO purposes compared to ours which reads more like OWG's example

It's not harming but it's not helping either.

Their ranking could be down to the domain name, age of the domain, inbound links, page structures, internal linking, great page titles, alt text and zillon other thngs. You mught even find that if they sorted out their copy they would be in an even stronger #1 position.

 

[huynga1988]

it is really good at this point? When a number of google and other search engines have changed the algorithm

 

[webgeek]

Is that true though? I've google a few keywords and found companies who look like they are completely stuffing their content with keywords and are ranking 1st. !

Of course it's true, otherwise I wouldn't have said it...

Sure there are tons of companies trying to game the system, thinking supersaturation is a good strategy, but it's not the solution.

site: iaseminars.com
ranking url: homepage
terms ranked not found on the home page (google.com usa):
#1 ifrs seminar
#1 ifrs seminars
#2 gaap course
#12 ifrs certification
#12 ifrs certificate
#16 accounting ifrs
#24 ifrs gaap
#27 accounting course
#34 accounting workshops
#37 ifrs ias
#46 training experts
#61 mexican gaap

There are hundreds of other examples on this one page alone...

Sure, they have one word here and another word there, but some terms, like 'certification', 'mexican', 'experts' and 'workshops' don't appear on the page at all.

In case you don't follow Rand Fishkin or Grindstone, you may have missed out where his site recently ranked #1 for 'dog snuggie bed' despite having no mention of it on his website, at least until a MANUAL review and removal by big G cleaned it up.

In some cases search engines will give a site ranking because of their perceived topical relevance, despite not having the words on the page. In others, it's because they've backlinked to drive up rankings for that term. Finally, in the 'Google bowling' or negative SEO arena, others doing a bit of link building to force a site to rank for something unintended.

 

[Ali-v-8]

Touching on what OWG said - you will gain higher ranking by referring to terms associated to let say "Apple" besides it being "juicy" - for example - green, variety, orchids..etc
One simple SEO skill that experience optimiser will put into practice is gain all the associated words just to target 1 term.

 

[cmcp]

Is this where effective use of

~"apples" -apples

is gonna come in handy?

 

[paulstewart64]

Interesting conversation here.

The changes made by Google earlier this year reduces the potency of keyword saturation.

As you know, Google created a ranking system and this was based around being able to understand the website. Therefore relevant content is far more important than before.

Whether keyword stuffing will become a thing of the past is difficult to judge. My guess is that your competitor websites have other elements that continue to rank them highly, moreso than their possible overuse of keywords.

Paul

 

[ITsoldUK]

I am no SEO expert but I do like to market online and I use one process each time I write new content...it was a tip I picked up from a large SEO dedicated forum some years ago and I still use it.

Read the article out loud. If it makes sense, run with it...if it doesn't then re-write it until it does.

Good, concise and engaging, relevant content containing your terms in context will work for your visitor first. And if it works for them then the rest will follow.

As a side note, how many times have google bought a product on a website v a visitor?

HTH
Regards
Daren

 

[ibm@i3media]

keyword stuffing is counter productive. there are tests after tests that indicate it does no good whatsoever for a webpage or a landing page.

 

[WebFixer]

Offsite factors are more important. Write for the customer, mention the keyword in a natural way, then get backlinks to the page.

Just don't do anything that will look unnatural to a machine now and in the future. You can fake popularity. Relevancy, however, should be de rigeur.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

I am no SEO expert but I do like to market online and I use one process each time I write new content...it was a tip I picked up from a large SEO dedicated forum some years ago and I still use it.

Read the article out loud. If it makes sense, run with it...if it doesn't then re-write it until it does.

Good, concise and engaging, relevant content containing your terms in context will work for your visitor first. And if it works for them then the rest will follow.

As a side note, how many times have google bought a product on a website v a visitor?

HTH
Regards
Daren

That sounds like one of our Highrankings mantras The other was to enter your target phrases into the search bar and hit 'highlight', if it looks like a christmas tree, you have overdone the copy .

 

[Digital Ark]

Basic rule is write for the person reading the content not the search engines. Of course you need to mention your keyword but Google is being very clear on what they expect.

Too much worrying about this and that, like you, is a minefield. Every one has a view and none agree.

So capitulate to the mighty G and Mr Cutt's and provide excellent and constantly updated content.

 

[ITsoldUK]

That sounds like one of our Highrankings mantras The other was to enter your target phrases into the search bar and hit 'highlight', if it looks like a christmas tree, you have overdone the copy .

Indeed it is and yup, that is another concept that helps keep the old copy ticking over in the SE's.

Forgot about that one...:redface:

(in chrome use the 'find' menu option in tools)

 

[Dany87]

In case you don't follow Rand Fishkin or Grindstone, you may have missed out where his site recently ranked #1 for 'dog snuggie bed' despite having no mention of it on his website, at least until a MANUAL review and removal by big G cleaned it up.

In some cases search engines will give a site ranking because of their perceived topical relevance, despite not having the words on the page. In others, it's because they've backlinked to drive up rankings for that term. Finally, in the 'Google bowling' or negative SEO arena, others doing a bit of link building to force a site to rank for something unintended.

This "dog snuggie bed" example is very interesting, thanks for the info. I knew that keyword stuffing is not really important, but not at this point for sure.

 

[Marketing Oxford]

Write your copy for humans not the search engines. As long as you don't repeat juicy apples 10 times in one paragraph for example you'll be fine.
http://www.marketingoxford.com/oxford-seo
<link removed by mod>

 

[Stugull]

I'm trying to get my head around some basic SEO stuff for our website and want to make sure we stay on the right side of google! At the moment we rank 1st for our keyword eg Juicy Apples. However we sell many different varieties of Juicy Apples so throughout our site the content may read These Red Juicy Apples are a lovely choice for apple lovers and on another page These Green Juicy Apples have a very sweet taste bla bla.

The fact we have the keywords Juicy Apples on quite a few pages means when you look down google many of our other pages appear. Is this ok or will google look at it that we are stuffing the keyword on lots of pages and penalise us? All the products are different variety of apples so we need the words juicy apples in the title.

Sorry if this is a really thick question but so many of the articles I read on SEO leave me more confused than before I read it!

Here are some quick SEO pointers...
1. If you get the right URL, ie, relevant to your business activity and market sector - and 'hopefully' an older one, then SEO is easier to manage.

2. Get the right Keywords to write about (try Market Samurai - its a great program for finding these)

3. Use the keywords in articles in the proper way. There are plenty of free plugins available to up-load to your site builder to guide you through this

4. Get backlinks - but DONT go out there and buy them from a company. Google is on to this and you could get black marked or 'sand boxed', which would be a disaster for your URL. RELEVANCE is the key to back-linking nowadays.

5. Use adwords. effective and in the main, good value. You in control of your spend.

6. Join in social media and social groups to chat and get new ideas.

7. Up-date your site regularly with new content. Google loves this.

8. Write about NICHE subjects that you are interested in. Its easier to get heard that way. IE if your sport is football, get into discussions about the technology in goalie gloves, or new technologies in football boots rather than the general chat about football. Again, Google likes this and its less competitive.

 

[web123]

Just try to write content for human visitor instead of ranking purpose.