A Visual Guide to Keyword Targeting and on Page SEO
Keyword targeting and on-page SEO is the process of matching one primary search intent to one page, then reinforcing that topic through titles, headings, body copy, internal links, and image metadata.
Start here
- Assign one primary keyword per URL—no sharing.
- Match search intent before you look at volume.
- Optimize title, H1, first 100 words, and image alt text.
- Avoid forcing exact-match keywords; write for humans.
- Check technical setup: canonicals, redirects, crawlability.
Let me walk you through what I'd do first, what I got wrong, and when this actually matters.
What I'd do first
- Pick one primary keyword per page. No sharing. If two pages target the same term, you're competing with yourself.
- Check search intent before volume. Look at the top 5 results: are they blog posts, product pages, or videos? Match that.
- Write a title tag with the keyword near the front. It's the strongest on-page signal you've got.
- Use the keyword in the H1 and at least one H2. Naturally. Don't force it.
- Mention the keyword in the first 100 words of body copy. That's where relevance signals start.
- Optimize images: descriptive file names + alt text. Yes, it matters.
Plain-English take
Think of each page as a single answer to a single question. Your job is to make that answer obvious to both humans and search engines. That means:
- The title tag says what the page is about.
- The headings break it down.
- The body delivers the answer.
- The images support it.
- Internal links connect it to related topics.
If you do that, you're 80% of the way there. The rest is technical setup—canonicals, redirects, crawlability.
When it actually matters
- Every time you create a new page. Don't publish without a primary keyword assigned.
- When you're seeing cannibalization. If two pages rank for the same term, consolidate or redirect.
- When you're rewriting existing content. Use this as a checklist to tighten relevance.
- For high-value pages like cornerstone content, product pages, or landing pages. Those deserve the full treatment.
What I got wrong
- Targeting the same keyword on multiple pages. I thought more coverage = more traffic. Nope. Just diluted rankings.
- Forcing exact-match keywords into every heading. It read like a robot wrote it. Users bounced.
- Choosing keywords by volume alone. I ignored intent and ended up with pages that didn't match what searchers wanted.
- Neglecting technical basics. Broken canonicals and blocked crawling meant my optimized page never got indexed.
Next step
Quick answers
What is the one-keyword-per-page rule?
Assign one primary keyword or keyword theme to each URL to avoid competing with yourself. Multiple pages targeting the same term can cause cannibalization and dilute rankings.
How do I choose a primary keyword?
Combine search volume, keyword difficulty, and search intent. Prioritize terms that match what the page is about and what users expect to find.
Should I repeat the keyword in every heading?
No. Use the keyword naturally in the H1 and at least one H2, but write for readability. Forcing exact matches everywhere looks spammy and hurts user experience.
Sources
Primary documentation is linked directly. Anything commercial is marked nofollow.
- Google Search Central — Best source for crawlability, indexing, title link, and snippet-related guidance.
- Moz — Clear visual explanation of keyword targeting, titles, headings, canonicals, and on-page priorities.
- Semrush — Useful for keyword mapping workflow, page-to-keyword assignment, and cannibalization control.
- Google Search Central: SEO Starter Guide — Authoritative overview of page titles, headings, alt text, and helpful content basics.
Notes from Callum Bennett.