In this article, you’re going to learn the best practices for on page SEO keyword optimization.
That’s a fancy way of saying where to put your keywords so they actually help your SEO profile.
This is a mistake a lot of businesses in New Zealand still make.
They either guess, overstuff, or miss the places that matter most and that can cost them rankings and traffic.
Heck, even Google themselves has said they use keywords in the right place to determine whether your content gets ranked or not (due to relevancy):
Here’s what you’re about to learn:
- Exactly where to place your keywords for the biggest impact
- A real-life example of correct keyword placement
- How to choose the right keywords to target in the first place
Let’s get into it.
Step #1: How To Find The Right Keywords To Use
Before you even think about writing content, the first step is to figure out which keyword you’re going to target for the page you’re creating.
Sure, you can (and should) include multiple related keywords within your post.
That’s normal.
But you need one primary keyword that everything else revolves around.
Think of it like a theme.
All the other related terms and phrases can flow naturally into the content, but that primary keyword is the one you’re signaling to Google: “This page is about this topic.”
The keyword you choose will depend on two things:
- Your market — what industry you’re in and what makes sense for your type of business.
- Keyword research — actually checking what people are searching for, how competitive it is, and whether it’s worth going after.
For example, I run an SEO agency that helps businesses build their online reputation, drive traffic to their website, and get more leads with SEO.
Any piece of content on my website (whether it’s my homepage or a blog post) should connect back to SEO and the benefits it has for New Zealand businesses.
That keeps everything consistent and tells both people and search engines exactly what I’m about.
Since driving traffic to a website is a big part of what SEO is all about, one of the keywords I chose for a blog post was “how to drive traffic to your website”
I’ll also use other keywords naturally within the article. Things like:
- get more traffic to a website
- Increase website traffic
- how to get more people to your website
How Did I Know This Was a Valuable Keyword to Target?
The answer: keyword research.
Keyword research is simply identifying the exact search phrases your target market is using to find solutions to their problems.
When you create content that directly aligns with these keywords, Google understands it better and your SEO benefits as a result.
When I’m identifying valuable keywords, I focus on three key metrics:
- Search volume – How many people are actually searching for this term? Consistent search volume over time is ideal, so you know it’s worth targeting.
- Commercial intent (CPC or advertising spend) – Are people spending money on this keyword? If there’s advertising revenue associated with it, it usually means there’s a business opportunity behind it.
- Competitor analysis – I throw the keyword into Google and check the top three pieces of content that already rank. Can I create something better? Because at the end of the day, you’re competing with these pages. You have to make a post that’s genuinely more useful, complete, or engaging than what’s already out there.
In the example above, there isn’t a huge amount of CPC or commercial intent for “increase website traffic,” and the search volume is actually quite low.
That’s largely because we’re targeting the New Zealand market; a smaller audience naturally means fewer searches.
Also, it’s fine that the CPC isn’t very high compared to a term like “google search engine marketing.”
This isn’t a keyword with direct commercial intent, and that’s completely okay. Not every keyword needs to have immediate buying potential.
I use this article to build links to my website. That not only drives traffic (which can eventually lead to a purchase indirectly) but it also establishes authority in Google’s eyes.
That authority helps me rank higher for other relevant keywords, and even gets my content mentioned in AI overviews and ChatGPT insights.
Even so, this keyword is still valuable.
It directly aligns with what my target clients are searching for, and it helps me create content that attracts the right kind of traffic. Metrics aren’t everything – relevance and intent matter just as much.
Step 2: Where to Actually Put These Keywords
Google speaks its own language.
To communicate to Google that your content is about a specific keyword, and to help boost your rankings for that term, you need to place that keyword in the right spots.
Here’s where you should put your keywords:
Meta Title
This is the clickable headline that shows up in Google’s results.
It’s one of the strongest ranking signals. Put your primary keyword in the meta title, ideally near the start, and write it in a way that makes people want to click.
H1 (On-Page Title)
Your H1 is the main heading on the page. It should include the keyword, but it doesn’t have to be identical to the meta title. Think of it as the headline readers see once they land on the page.
URL
If you can, include your keyword in the URL slug. Keep it short, clean, and descriptive. For example: “/increase-website-traffic” is better than “/blog-post-123.”
Meta Description
Not a direct ranking factor, but including your keyword here can boost click-through rates by signalling relevance to searchers.
Intro Paragraph (First 100 Words)
Mention your primary keyword early on. It tells both Google and readers they’ve landed in the right place.
Subheadings (H2s and H3s)
Use your keyword (or natural variations) in some of your subheadings. It reinforces context and helps scanners pick up key points.
Image Alt Text
When it makes sense, add your keyword in the alt text of images. This helps with both accessibility and image search visibility.
Internal Links
When linking to this page from other parts of your site, use the keyword (or a close variation) as the anchor text if it feels natural.
Step 3: A Real-Life Case Study – “SEO Palmerston North”
Here’s a real-life example of how I used this exact process for one of my own posts.
In this post, I’m targeting the keyword SEO Palmerston North.
Below, I’ll break down exactly where that keyword appears on the page and why. I’ll include screenshots for each section so you can see it in action.
Meta Title and Meta Description
The meta title includes SEO Palmerston North near the start to help with both rankings and click-throughs.
The meta description also includes the keyword naturally, so searchers immediately know what the page is about.
H1 Title.
The H1 matches the intent of the keyword without sounding robotic. It reassures both Google and readers they’re in the right place.
URL
The URL is short, clean, and includes the keyword.
Intro Paragraph (First 100 Words)
The intro naturally mentions SEO Palmerston North early, so it’s clear what the page is about without any keyword stuffing.
Subheadings (H2s and H3s)
Relevant subheadings include the keyword or natural variations where it makes sense, reinforcing context for Google and helping readers scan the page.
Image Alt Text
Images on the page use descriptive alt text that includes the keyword where appropriate. This helps with accessibility and adds a tiny SEO boost.
Step 4: On-Page Keyword Placement Checklist
Before you hit publish, run through this list to make sure your primary keyword is in the right places:
- Meta Title — Includes the primary keyword near the start, written to attract clicks.
- H1 (On-Page Title) — Includes the keyword naturally and sets the page topic clearly.
- URL Slug — Short, clean, and contains the keyword.
- Meta Description — Contains the keyword and entices people to click through.
- Intro Paragraph (First 100 Words) — Mentions the keyword naturally so both Google and readers know what the page is about.
- Subheadings (H2s / H3s) — Use the keyword or close variations where it makes sense.
- Image Alt Text — At least one image uses the keyword in descriptive alt text.
- Internal Links — Relevant pages on your site link to this page with natural anchor text (if possible).
Tip: You don’t need to force the keyword into every single one of these areas. It should read naturally, feel helpful, and never compromise the quality of the content.
Wrapping It Up
This is one of those SEO fundamentals a lot of people skip or overlook.
It’s easy to get caught up chasing advanced tactics, but the basics are what everything else is built on.
Making sure your keywords are in the right places sends a clear signal to Google about what your content is about.
Going back over these basics and applying them consistently will help your SEO, make it easier for the right people to find you, and over time, help you rank higher because of it.
