How many keywords should you target? It's a common question, and the answer shapes your entire SEO strategy.
Let's break down how to think about keyword targeting.
The Short Answer
For each page on your website: one primary keyword, plus several related secondary keywords.
For your overall site: as many relevant keywords as you can realistically target with quality content—but start focused and expand over time.
One Primary Keyword Per Page
Each page should have one main keyword it's trying to rank for. This helps Google understand what the page is about and avoids competing with yourself (keyword cannibalization).
Your homepage might target your main service + location: "plumber denver."
Service pages target specific services: "drain cleaning denver," "water heater repair denver."
Blog posts target informational queries: "how to unclog a drain," "water heater maintenance tips."
Secondary Keywords on Each Page
While targeting one primary keyword, each page will naturally rank for many related terms. You can optimize for these secondary keywords too:
Synonyms: If targeting "plumber," also include "plumbing company," "plumbing contractor."
Long-tail variations: "emergency plumber denver," "24 hour plumber denver."
Related concepts: Terms people searching your primary keyword would also find relevant.
A well-optimized page might rank for dozens or even hundreds of related keywords.
Total Keywords for Your Site
Your total target keywords depends on:
How many pages you have (or will create): Each page can target different primary keywords.
How broad your services are: More services = more keyword opportunities.
Your geographic targets: Multiple locations multiply your keyword targets.
Your resources: Creating quality content for many keywords requires time and budget.
Start Focused, Then Expand
Don't try to target everything at once. Prioritize:
Start with high-value keywords: The terms most likely to bring paying customers.
Build out from there: As you rank for initial targets, expand to related keywords.
Add content over time: Each new page creates opportunities for new keywords.
A typical small business might start by actively targeting 10-20 primary keywords, then expand as results come in.
Keyword Mapping
Create a keyword map—a document showing which keywords each page targets. This prevents two problems:
Cannibalization: Multiple pages competing for the same keyword, confusing Google and splitting your ranking potential.
Gaps: Important keywords that no page is targeting.
Quality Over Quantity
It's better to rank well for 10 high-value keywords than poorly for 100. A page-one ranking for "personal injury lawyer [city]" is worth more than page-five rankings for 50 random terms.
Focus on keywords that:
Have clear commercial intent. Match what your ideal customers search. Are achievable given your site's authority. Have enough search volume to matter.
How Keywords Compound
Here's something important: as your site builds authority, you'll start ranking for keywords you didn't even actively target. A strong page targeting "personal injury lawyer" might naturally rank for dozens of related queries.
This is why broad, comprehensive content often outperforms thin, narrowly-targeted content.
Tracking Your Keywords
Track positions for your primary target keywords. Most businesses track 50-200 keywords, including their main targets, secondary terms, and branded keywords.
Don't obsess over tracking every possible keyword—focus on the ones that matter for your business.
Practical Example
A local plumbing company might target:
Homepage: "plumber [city]"
Service pages (5-10): "drain cleaning," "water heater repair," "sewer repair," etc.—each plus the city
Blog posts (ongoing): "how to fix a running toilet," "signs your water heater is failing," etc.
Total active targets: maybe 20-30 primary keywords, with hundreds of secondary keywords naturally included.
Bottom Line
Target enough keywords to capture your market opportunity, but not so many that you spread yourself thin. Quality content targeting the right keywords beats thin content targeting everything.
Start focused, execute well, then expand as you gain traction.
