Keywords go in your page title, headings, body text, and image descriptions

Search engines read your website the same way a person does: they start with your page title, scan the headings, read the paragraphs, and look at what you've written about images. If you want a search engine to understand that your page is about "dog training in Portland," you need to use those words — or close variations — in those places. You don't need to stuff keywords everywhere; you need to put them where they naturally belong.

The most important spots are your page title (the text that shows in browser tabs and search results), your main heading, and the first paragraph of your content. After that, keywords in subheadings, image alt text, and throughout your body text help, but only if they fit what you're actually writing about. A search engine will penalize you for keyword stuffing — repeating words unnaturally just to rank higher — so the goal is to write for a person first and let the keywords fall where they make sense.

Key Takeaways

  • Your page title (the one that appears in browser tabs and search results) should include your main keyword and be under 60 characters so it displays fully.
  • Your first heading and first paragraph should mention your target keyword naturally, because search engines weight early content more heavily.
  • Image alt text serves both accessibility and search engines, so describe what's in the image and include a keyword if it fits naturally.
  • Meta descriptions (the text snippet under your title in search results) don't directly affect rankings, but they influence whether people click, so include your keyword there too.
  • Keyword variations and related terms scattered through your content help search engines understand the topic without requiring exact repetition.

Page titles and how search engines display them

Your page title is the text that appears in the browser tab and as the clickable headline in search results. This is the single most important place for a keyword because search engines weight it heavily and it's the first thing a person sees. A good page title is 50 to 60 characters (including spaces) so it displays fully on mobile and desktop without being cut off.

Write your page title as a sentence that a person would actually read, not as a list of keywords. "Dog Training in Portland: Certified Trainers for Aggressive Dogs" is better than "dog training Portland aggressive dogs trainers." The first one reads naturally and includes your keywords; the second one looks like spam. You set your page title in the HTML <title> tag in the head section of your page, or in your website builder's page settings (usually labeled "SEO Title" or "Page Title").

If you're using WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify, look for an SEO section in your page editor — it usually shows you how your title will look in search results and warns you if it's too long. If you're editing HTML directly, the tag looks like this: <title>Dog Training in Portland: Certified Trainers</title>. Every page on your site should have a unique title that describes that specific page, not a generic title like "Home" or "Welcome."

Headings and the first paragraph

Your main heading (called an H1 tag) should include your target keyword and appear near the top of the page. Most website builders automatically make your page title into an H1, but if you're editing HTML, you create one with <h1>Your Heading Here</h1>. You should have only one H1 per page — it's the main topic of that page.

Your first paragraph should mention your keyword naturally within the first two sentences. Search engines assume that the most important information comes first, so if you're writing about dog training in Portland, say so right away instead of burying it in the third paragraph. This doesn't mean forcing the phrase in; it means organizing your content so the topic is clear from the start.

Use subheadings (H2 and H3 tags) to break up your content, and include keyword variations in some of them. If your main keyword is "dog training," a subheading might be "How to train an aggressive dog" or "Finding a certified dog trainer in Portland." These variations help search engines understand that your page covers related topics, and they make your page easier to scan.

Image alt text and file names

Alt text is the written description of an image that appears if the image doesn't load, and it's also what screen readers use to describe images to people with vision loss. Search engines read alt text to understand what's in your images. Write a short, descriptive sentence: "A certified dog trainer working with a German Shepherd in a Portland training facility" is better than "dog training" or "image1."

Include your keyword in alt text only if it describes what's actually in the image. If you have a photo of a dog trainer, and your keyword is "dog training in Portland," it's natural to mention that. If the image is a logo or a decorative photo of a park, forcing in your keyword makes the alt text less useful and looks like spam. Most website builders have a field for alt text right next to the image upload — fill it in for every image on your site.

Image file names matter less than they used to, but they still help. Name your image files descriptively: certified-dog-trainer-portland.jpg instead of IMG_2847.jpg. Use hyphens to separate words, not underscores or spaces, because search engines read hyphens as word separators.

Meta descriptions and how they affect clicks

A meta description is the short text snippet (usually 150 to 160 characters) that appears under your page title in search results. It doesn't directly affect your ranking, but it influences whether someone clicks on your result instead of a competitor's. Include your keyword in the meta description if it fits naturally, because search engines often bold keywords in the snippet when someone searches for them.

Write your meta description as a sentence that answers what the page is about and why someone should click. "Learn about dog training methods for aggressive dogs, certified trainers in Portland, and what to expect in your first session" is more likely to get clicks than "This page is about dog training." In WordPress and most website builders, the meta description field is right below the page title field in the SEO section.

If you don't write a meta description, search engines will pull text from your page automatically, which often results in a choppy or incomplete snippet. Taking 30 seconds to write one for your most important pages (your homepage, service pages, and top blog posts) makes a real difference in click-through rates.

Keyword placement in body text

Your main keyword should appear a few times throughout your page content, but not so often that it reads unnaturally. A rough target is once in your first paragraph, once or twice in subheadings, and then naturally as you write the rest of the page. If you're writing 1,000 words about dog training, your main keyword might appear 5 to 10 times total — not 50 times.

Use keyword variations and related terms to avoid repetition. If your main keyword is "dog training," also use "dog trainer," "training your dog," "professional dog training," and "certified trainer." This tells search engines that your page covers the topic thoroughly without looking like you're repeating the same phrase over and over. It also reads better to a person.

Don't hide keywords in white text on a white background, use tiny fonts, or put them in places where people can't see them. Search engines penalize these tactics, and they don't help you rank anyway. Write for a person first — if your content is useful and answers questions, the keywords will be there naturally.

URL structure and slug optimization

Your page URL (the web address) should be short, descriptive, and include your keyword if possible. A URL like example.com/dog-training-portland is better than example.com/page-47 or example.com/services/training/aggressive-dogs/portland/methods. Use hyphens to separate words, keep it under 75 characters, and make it readable — someone should be able to guess what the page is about from the URL alone.

In WordPress, you can edit the URL slug (the part after your domain) in the page editor under "Permalink." In Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify, you usually set the URL when you create the page, and you can edit it in page settings. Avoid changing URLs after you've published a page, because old links will break. If you must change a URL, set up a redirect so the old URL points to the new one.

Tools to research and track keywords on your site

Google Search Console (free, at search.google.com/search-console) shows you which keywords people are actually searching for when they find your site, what position you rank in, and how often people click on your results. This tells you which keywords are working and which ones need more attention. You can see that people search for "dog training near me" more often than "certified dog trainer," which helps you decide what to write about next.

Google Analytics (free, at analytics.google.com) shows you how people behave on your site after they arrive — which pages they visit, how long they stay, and whether they contact you or buy something. This helps you understand whether your keywords are bringing the right people to your site. If people search for "dog training" and land on your page but immediately leave, your keyword might be right but your content might not match what they're looking for.

Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, and SEMrush are paid tools that show you search volume for keywords, how hard it is to rank for them, and what your competitors are doing. They're useful if you're serious about SEO, but you can get your free guide with just Google Search Console and Analytics.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times should I use my keyword on a page?

There's no magic number. Use your main keyword once in your title, once in your first paragraph, and then naturally throughout your content — probably 5 to 10 times on a 1,000-word page. If you're forcing it in more than that, you're overdoing it. Search engines are smart enough to understand your topic without exact repetition.

Should I use the exact keyword or variations?

Use both. Your exact keyword in your title and first paragraph tells search engines what the page is about. Variations throughout the rest of your content (like "dog trainer" instead of "dog training," or "training your dog" instead of "dog training") help search engines understand related topics and make your writing sound natural.

Does keyword placement in the middle or end of a page matter?

Less than placement at the beginning, but it still helps. Search engines weight early content more heavily, so your first paragraph and headings matter most. Keywords later in your content still contribute to your ranking, especially if they're in subheadings or near important information.

What if my keyword is too long or awkward to fit naturally?

Break it into smaller pieces or use variations. If your keyword is "best dog training methods for aggressive dogs in Portland," you might use "dog training" in your title, "aggressive dog training" in a subheading, and "Portland trainers" elsewhere. This covers the topic without forcing an awkward phrase into every sentence.

Can I use the same keyword on multiple pages?

Avoid it if you can. If you have two pages about dog training, give each one a slightly different angle — one about aggressive dogs, one about puppies, one about obedience classes. This helps search engines understand that you have multiple relevant pages and gives you a better chance of ranking for different variations of your keyword.