How should you select keywords and use them in content?

When selecting keywords, first check whether they fit the content topic and users’ search intent, then consider search volume and ranking difficulty rather than simply choosing popular terms. Once you have selected them, group related terms that a single page can address. Use these groups to plan new articles or update existing content, and incorporate the keywords naturally into the writing. The priority is to answer searchers’ questions, not to increase the number of keyword mentions.

Rule out terms that do not fit the page and its audience’s needs, then compare the data

To build a candidate list, start with topic keywords and expand into related terms and questions. You can also draw on the language your audience uses in discussions. In a 2018 article, awoo cautioned that relying solely on industry experience to brainstorm keywords can leave you focused on expert terminology that differs from the terms consumers actually search for. Use data to help assess seasonal demand as well.

• Content relevance: Can the page provide the information, product, or service the term refers to? If you do not offer a feature, do not target keywords for it simply to attract traffic.
• Search intent: Does the user want to learn how to do something, compare products, or find a service immediately? Related terms do not necessarily reflect the same need.
• Search volume and competition: First identify terms that are relevant to the content and whose search intent the page can satisfy. Then compare search volume and ranking difficulty to set priorities.

An awoo article marked as published in 2012 used “water heater repair” to illustrate a mismatch between search intent and page content: if a page primarily sells products but does not address repair needs, search volume alone does not make the term a suitable choice. This historical example illustrates how to select keywords; it is not an assessment of the featured brand’s current situation.

Organize the keyword list into page topics

In its 2025 article on Reddit keyword research, Semrush recommended removing irrelevant terms, grouping terms by topic, and assigning those groups to suitable pages to create new content or optimize existing pages. The purpose is not to squeeze more keywords into each page, but to identify which needs can be addressed on the same page.

For example, awoo’s 2018 article distinguished between “cheesecake” and “how to make cheesecake / cheesecake recipes”: the latter terms express a more specific need. If a page provides a baking tutorial, its content can be planned around methods and recipes. Do not overlook what the page can actually answer simply because a broad term appears popular.

Semrush suggests that terms with low or zero search volume can be excluded, not that they must always be removed. You still need to check whether those terms are relevant to the content and whether the page can satisfy their search intent.

Use keywords naturally, without fixed repetition targets

In a 2023 article, Neil Patel recommended choosing two or three target keywords and incorporating them in moderation, while advising against keyword stuffing that makes text difficult to read. “Two or three” is that article’s practical recommendation, not an official numerical standard that every article must follow.

When writing, explain the topic using language familiar to your audience, then answer their questions. Semrush’s Reddit research article also recommended reading posts in context, rather than just extracting keywords, to understand how audiences describe the problems they face. Keywords can help identify topics, while the discussions can clarify what readers actually need explained. Repeat the research periodically to track changes in needs and language.

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