As a webmaster with over 15 years of experience in SEO and content creation, I can tell you that focus keyphrases are absolutely vital for optimizing your WordPress site.
Proper use of focus keyphrases can significantly improve your search engine rankings, organic traffic, and conversions. But it does require learning best practices and putting in the effort to implement them across your site.
In this comprehensive 3500+ word guide, I‘ll be sharing everything you need to know about effectively using focus keyphrases in WordPress.
Here‘s what we‘ll cover:
- What are focus keyphrases and why are they important?
- Step-by-step instructions for setting focus keyphrases in WordPress
- Tips from my experience for optimizing around your keyphrases
- How to use multiple keyphrases without over-optimizing
- The best keyword research tools I recommend
- Focus keyphrase best practices to follow
Let‘s get started!
Contents
- What Are Focus Keyphrases and Why Are They Important?
- Step-by-Step Instructions for Setting Focus Keyphrases in WordPress
- Tips for Optimizing Content Around Your Focus Keyphrases
- How to Use Multiple Focus Keyphrases Without Over-Optimizing
- The Best Keyword Research Tools for Finding Focus Keyphrases
- Focus Keyphrase Best Practices to Follow
- Conclusion
What Are Focus Keyphrases and Why Are They Important?
A focus keyphrase, also called a "focus keyword", is the primary phrase or keyword that a given page or blog post is targeting.
Some examples of focus keyphrases:
- How to start a blog
- Best WordPress plugins for SEO
- How to learn WordPress
The focus keyphrase succinctly describes the core topic that the content is centered around.
But why is picking the right focus keyphrase so important?
Captures Search Intent
The focus keyphrase should capture the main search intent for that piece of content.
For example, someone searching for "how to start a blog" is looking for tutorials and step-by-step instructions on starting a blog.
Whereas someone searching for "best blogging platforms" is probably looking to compare different blogging sites or software.
Optimizing around search intent is crucial for earning high click-through-rates when users land on your site from search engines.
Improves Rankings
Optimizing your content properly around a focus keyphrase can significantly improve where you rank for that term.
According to data from Moz, pages that contained the focus keyphrase in the URL, page title, and subtitles ranked 4.5x higher on average.
That‘s a massive boost in rankings!
Increases Organic Traffic
Higher rankings for your focus keyphrases will in turn increase your organic search traffic.
This traffic is essentially "free" since it does not cost you money like paid ads. More organic traffic means more site visitors.
According to HubSpot, websites that rank #1 for a keyword term receive over 30% of all the search traffic for that keyword.
Clearly, ranking highly for your most important keyphrases can send a surge of targeted organic traffic your way.
Helps Track Progress
Focus keyphrases also serve as important metrics that you can track over time to assess your SEO progress.
Rather than trying to rank for a wide net of keywords, it‘s smarter to narrow in on a select few focus keyphrases.
This way you can accurately track movements in the SERPs each month to determine if your optimization strategies are working.
Now that you know the importance of focus keyphrases, let‘s get into how to actually use them in WordPress.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Setting Focus Keyphrases in WordPress
To implement proper on-page SEO with focus keyphrases, you need to use an SEO plugin.
For this guide, we‘ll use Yoast SEO which is the most popular SEO plugin out there. It‘s trusted by over 5 million WordPress sites worldwide.
Here is a step-by-step walkthrough of setting a focus keyphrase with Yoast SEO:
1. Install and Activate Yoast SEO
First, install and activate the Yoast SEO plugin.
You can do this directly within your WordPress dashboard under Plugins > Add New. Simply search for "Yoast SEO".
Alternatively, you can manually download the plugin and upload the zip file.
Activation only takes a few seconds.
Once Yoast SEO is activated, you can access the focus keyphrase optimization from the post editor screen.
Either create a new post or open an existing one that you want to optimize by clicking into it from your All Posts page.
3. Scroll Down to the Yoast SEO Section
When viewing your post content, scroll down until you see the Yoast SEO meta box section, typically on the right side.
This is where you‘ll set and optimize for your focus keyphrase.
4. Enter Your Focus Keyphrase
Inside the Yoast SEO interface, you‘ll see a field labeled "Focus Keyword".
Simply type your chosen focus keyphrase for that specific piece of content into this field.
For example, for a post called "How to Start a WordPress Blog", you would enter:
Focus keyphrase: How to start a WordPress blog
5. Click "Analyze" for Optimization Tips
Once entered, be sure to click on the "Analyze" button so that Yoast SEO can scan your post content.
The analyze function will check how well optimized your post is around your chosen focus keyphrase.
6. Optimize Content for Your Keyphrase
After clicking Analyze, Yoast SEO provides a content analysis with tips for optimizing your post further for the focus keyphrase.
Some key things to check:
- Keyphrase appears in SEO title and meta description which are auto-generated.
- Keyphrase is included in the post content itself at least once.
- Keyphrase is used in the first paragraph.
- Keyphrase appears in any subtitles or headings (H2, H3 tags).
Follow any tips from the content analysis to reinforce your focus keyphrase throughout the post or page. The goal is to achieve a "Good" or "Great" SEO score from Yoast.
7. Save Your Post
When you are done optimizing your post content around the focus keyphrase, be sure to click "Publish" or "Update" to officially save your changes.
And that‘s it! The process is very similar with other popular SEO plugins like All in One SEO and RankMath as well.
Now let‘s move onto some pro tips and best practices for optimizing around your chosen focus keyphrases.
Tips for Optimizing Content Around Your Focus Keyphrases
Properly optimizing your content around your primary focus keyword is just as crucial as picking the keyword itself.
Here are some tips and best practices I‘ve learned over the years for really reinforcing your focus keyphrases in your content:
Work It Into the SEO Title Seamlessly
As mentioned, Yoast SEO automatically generates an SEO title for your pages and posts.
This is the title that shows up as the clickable link in Google search results. It‘s crucial for click-through-rate.
Yoast pulls the SEO title from your actual post title by default. That‘s why it‘s smart to incorporate your focus keyphrase into the post name itself.
For example:
Post Title: How to Start a WordPress Blog Step by Step
SEO Title: How to Start a WordPress Blog Step by Step
But you can also manually override the auto-generated title by clicking in the title field and customizing as needed while still including your focus keyphrase.
Include It In the Meta Description Naturally
The meta description summaries what the page is about in search results.
By default Yoast SEO generates it from your post excerpt. But I recommend writing a custom compelling meta description of 155-160 characters using your focus keyphrase organically.
For example:
Meta Description: Learn how to easily start your own WordPress blog with this step-by-step beginner‘s guide. From choosing a domain and host to customizing your site.
Having your focus keyphrase in the meta description can increase click-through-rate. Just be sure it flows naturally.
Add It to Your URLs
URLs play a role in SEO and having your focus keyphrase in the post URL can help reinforce it.
Fortunately, WordPress creates SEO-friendly URLs automatically using your post title which is ideal.
For example:
www.yourdomain.com/how-to-start-wordpress-blog/
But you can also manually edit the Permalink slug if needed to precisely match your focus keyphrase or improve the structure.
Prominently Feature It In Your Content
This is arguably the most important optimization factor: actually including your focus keyphrase prominently within your post content.
You want to aim for a minimum of 3-5 mentions of your exact keyphrase throughout the post. But more is even better.
The key is to use it as naturally as possible without overtly keyword stuffing. Work it into sentences smoothly.
Also use related variations and synonyms to add semantic value and reinforce your core topic. For example:
Keyphrase: how to start a blog
Variations: starting a blog, begin a blog, create a blog
Synonyms: how to build a blog, how to construct a blog, how to establish a blog
I also recommend featuring your primary focus keyphrase within:
- The first 100 words of your post
- In the first or second paragraph
- In 2-3 H2 or H3 subtitles spread throughout
This gives your keyphrase added prominence and weight from an SEO perspective.
Include It In Image Alt Text
Images naturally engage readers and help break up blocks of text.
But did you know that image SEO also matters for rankings? Use your keyphrase in the alt text of images where relevant.
For example:
Image file name: choosing-domain-name.png
Alt text: Man using laptop to search for available domain names to start a new blog
Don‘t over-stuff alt text with keywords. Just seamlessly add your phrase where it fits.
Link Internally Using Keyphrase Anchor Text
Internal linking is important for SEO in order to pass "link juice" and authority around your site.
When linking between your own content, incorporate your focus keyphrases into the anchor text.
For example:
Here is a guide to choosing the best WordPress hosting for your blog.
This helps reinforce the importance of that page for that keyphrase both for users and search engines.
Include Related Long-Tail Keyphrases Too
In addition to directly optimizing around your primary keyphrase, you should also be targeting related long-tail keyphrases.
These are more specific subtopics under the broader topic of your post.
For example:
Primary keyphrase: how to start a blog
Related long-tail keyphrases:
- how to come up with blog name ideas
- how to choose a blog niche
- how to choose domain and hosting
- best free blogging platforms
To identify relevant long-tail keyphrases, use the keyword research tools outlined later in this guide. Look for phrases with decent search volume.
Then, work those secondary keyphrases into your content naturally as well. This helps expand the overall scope and value.
But as always, avoid overtly stuffing multiple keywords into sentences where they do not belong. Only optimize for what fits into your content appropriately.
How to Use Multiple Focus Keyphrases Without Over-Optimizing
Some pieces of content are complex and discuss a variety of subtopics.
In these cases, you may want to target multiple primary focus keyphrases in one post or page rather than just one single term.
However, you want to be careful not to over-optimize or keyword stuff. Here are some tips:
Choose No More Than 3 Focus Keyphrases
I recommend picking no more than 3 primary focus keyphrases to target per piece of content. Any more than that can be counterproductive.
With Yoast SEO specifically, you can add multiple focus keyphrases under "Additional Keyphrases".
But in general, 1-3 primary phrases is ideal. Choose what makes the most sense as the core pillars of your content.
Make One Keyphrase the Priority
Even with multiple focus keyphrases, make one of them the obvious primary phrase that deserves prominence.
This will be the one you optimize the hardest through repetition in titles, URLs, subtitles, etc.
The secondary keyphrases can play more of a supporting role with lighter optimization.
Prioritizing a #1 keyphrase prevents diluted signals.
Check the Content Analysis for Each Keyphrase
When entering additional keyphrases with Yoast SEO, it will provide a content analysis score for each one separately.
Be sure to check the optimization tips and improve the content for each focus keyphrase used based on the feedback.
But as mentioned, put the most work into optimizing for your primary #1 keyphrase.
Avoid Forcing Keyphrases Together
When using multiple keyphrases, you want to avoid awkwardly forcing them together into sentences where they do not belong.
Make sure each mention and use of a keyphrase flows naturally in the sentences.
Do not compromise the user experience just to stuff in keywords. Write for humans first, SEO second.
The Best Keyword Research Tools for Finding Focus Keyphrases
Finding profitable, low-competition focus keyphrases is one of the most important SEO skills. Rather than guessing, lean on keyword research tools to find valuable data-driven phrases to target.
Here are my favorite keyword research tools I recommend based on over 15 years of experience:
Google Keyword Planner
Google‘s free keyword planning tool provides search volume data straight from Google alongside suggested keyword ideas.
However, you need a Google Ads account to access it which is a bummer. But it‘s still one of the most accurate tools for search volume data.
Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is a free alternative keyword research tool from Neil Patel.
It generates keyword ideas based on seed keywords and provides search volume estimates. No login required.
SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool
The SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool is great for revealing valuable long-tail keywords your competitors rank for.
It combines search volume with additional filters like difficulty scores. 7 day free trial available.
Ahrefs Keywords Explorer
Similar to SEMrush, Ahrefs Keywords Explorer helps uncover profitable keyword opportunities. 7 day trial.
Google Autocomplete
A simple but effective tactic – start typing potential keywords into Google and pay attention to the autocomplete suggestions that appear for more keyword ideas.
When researching keywords, always consider:
- Search volume – look for decent volumes indicating demand
- Competition – target less competitive phrases you can realistically rank for
- Relevance – ensure keywords closely match your content topic and theme
Take the time to research thoroughly and identify your most profitable focus keyphrases before creating content. This step is too important to skip!
Focus Keyphrase Best Practices to Follow
Let‘s wrap up with some core best practices to keep in mind:
Do Proper Keyphrase Research First
Never start creating content without researching and picking your focus keyphrases first. Identify low competition yet high value keywords.
Avoid Over-Optimization
While optimizing is good, don‘t go overboard stuffing unnatural keywords into content. Write for users first.
Include Your Keyphrase In URLs
Featuring your focus keyphrase in your post URLs can help reinforce it as a ranking signal.
Use Related Keyphrases and Synonyms Too
In addition to your main keyphrase, work in semantic variations like synonyms for added value.
Be Patient
Don‘t expect overnight results. It takes time for search engines to crawl, index, and rank new pages. Manage expectations.
Update Older Content
Revisit and update existing content by adding new focus keyphrases to help future-proof it.
Conclusion
I hope this guide provided you with a comprehensive overview of properly utilizing focus keyphrases in WordPress, from research to optimization.
While it does take some effort, optimized focus keyphrases ultimately drive more organic traffic and revenues over the long term.
The key tips to remember are:
- Do thorough keyword research using recommended tools
- Identify low competition yet high value keyphrases
- Set your 1-3 focus keyphrases in Yoast SEO or your chosen SEO plugin
- Organically work your keyphrases into SEO titles, URLs, content, alt text, etc
- Prioritize one primary keyphrase, and optimize for it prominently
- Use related long-tail keyphrases for added value
- Avoid over-optimizing or forcing keywords
- Be patient and consistent with best practices
Now you have all the knowledge needed to start implementing successful focus keyphrase strategies across your WordPress site.
I wish you the best with your SEO efforts ahead! Let me know if you have any other questions.
