Number of words in a keyword phrase [Archive] - SEO Best Practices Search Engine Forums

Sharon & Roy

01-10-2001, 05:36/05:36AM

Originally posted by Sose

What is the maximum number of words people think should be used in a keyword phrase?

Hello Sose,

We would never say that there's any maximum number of words to use in a keyword phrase. You may use as many as you like.

I am tossing up 3 or 4.

This would be a "popular" number, as we would say that most searches are done with 2 or 3 words, but then again a 5 or 6 word phrase, ESPECIALLY if one is searching locally, would not be unusual at all.

It is for an Australian website with branches in numerous states.

Oh, a local business, huh? Well sounds like you could use a Locality Page.

Sose, we have been discussing your very questions here in various areas on these forums.

We'll link to them for you if you're interested to read more about it.

Our first post starts like this ...

There is a tremendous advantage in adding the city or location.

We know that many, many Web designers don't take full advantage of the local market and those who do will be way ahead of their competition.

Click Here To Continue Reading (http://www.ihelpyouservices.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=7999#post7999)

Here's another ...

what do we think is more important?
eg "Centennial Parkview" rather than "Centennial Parkview Hotel, Bondi, Australia"

Click Here To Continue Reading (http://www.ihelpyouservices.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=9213#post9213)

And then there's this one ...

Upon some research, we believe you have an excellent opportunity to rank really high for that term when you create what we refer to as a Locality Page.

For example, we suggest a similar page for your locality that has an HTML Title Tag and URL as follows ...

Click Here To Continue Reading (http://www.ihelpyouservices.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=9164#post9164)

Basically I have to decide whether as well as the keywords for the product to just add the state or the state and the country. ie
xxxx xxxx sydney
or
xxxx xxxx sydney australia

Any thoughts?

Yes, Sose, those questions are answered in the above threads, and we hope that they will give you some food for thought and some insights that you may not have pondered yet. And if you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.

In case you don't get a chance to read any or all the threads above, let us quickly say this about creating/optimizing a Web Site for a local business.

We recommend that you create a separate and special page for your location, that we refer to as a Locality Page

This page will be one that would include a map of your business along with driving directions. You should also include every keyword relevant to your location, such as county, city, state, country, (their abbreviations and nicknames), zip code, area code, local phone numbers, toll free phone numbers, the various keywords associated with your type of business, etc., etc.

In other words, if we searched for your business by your area code/prefix, just make sure you set up your page so that we can find you that way.

For example, let's say you have a branch in Queensland and your business is an insurance company and your phone number is 07-3840-0911

Well, then we would search for your company in the following ways, with the first search being to find the businesses CLOSEST to us by using our area code/prefix to do so, and then broadening our search gradually if no businesses had optimized their page(s) to be found that way.

insurance 07-3840 (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&q=insurance+07-3840)
insurance Queensland (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&q=insurance+Queensland)
insurance Queensland Australia (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&q=insurance+Queensland+Australia)
insurance Australia (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&q=insurance+Australia)

And of course you should also include all the various types of insurance you provide on the page.

health insurance Queensland Australia
supplemental medical insurance Queensland Australia
life insurance Queensland Australia
auto insurance Queensland Australia
etc., etc., ect.
Sose, notice that this group includes a 5 keyword phrase.

Now in closing we are not saying to create just a page with a bunch of keywords on it, but we are saying to include your keywords relevant to your locality in with your content. This page should be very useful to your prospects for being able to easily locate you with detailed driving directions, a map, and anything and everything else about your company that folks would search for in connection with your location.