Why it’s Essential to Avoid Keyword Stuffing in Modern SEO?

Keyword stuffing can have a negative effect on the rank of your website. Before you understand that damages which keyword stuffing causes and why it is a negative practice according to modern SEO standards, you need to know what it is.

What is Keyword Stuffing?

In simple terms, keyword stuffing refers to using specific targeted keywords with a high density in the written content. In the earlier SEO practices used in 1990’s, this was a productive method to get more traffic on a website and improve its search ranks. Companies use various keyword stuffing techniques to improve their search ranks. Some of them are listed below. Now you can easily check Keywords density in your content with the help of prepostseo.

• 1. Usage of Block paragraphs
  
  These paragraphs were content chunks that did not have any readable information. They only had targeted keywords so that the online rank of the website could improve. In most cases, this was garbage information with keywords inserted in between without a person. Thus, when the user searched a specific keyword, he was directed to one of the pages that had these paragraphs.
• 2. Using Keywords without a requirement
  
  Earlier, there was so regulation that keywords had to be used according requirement and content length. Keywords were used without a requirement to increase the rank of the website.
• 3. Keywords hidden in the background
  
  Using the same text colour as the background colour was one of the methods of keyword stuffing. As the keywords were not visible, users were unable to view them and they were still directed to the required web pages.

Why is Keyword Stuffing a negative aspect now?

The world of Search Engine Optimization has changed a lot and keyword stuffing is not a legitimate method to improve website rank. Instead, using keywords without need proves to be a negative aspect now. Here are some key reasons why keyword stuffing can prove to be hazardous for your website.

Users seek engaging content

With the passage of time, users have become selective about the websites they choose for buying products and services. They prefer reading about the product, its features, and company reputation, offered online services, customer support and various other areas before they use their hard earned money. When keywords are used without a purpose, the readability level is reduced. In addition to that, it also creates a negative impact on the mind of potential buyers as the content lacks flow.

• If you want your website to grow in terms of potential customers and not one time visitors, it should have high standard quality content. Keywords should only be used when and where they are required. Along with that, the density should be according to the word count.
• The increased use of keywords also increases the bounce rate. This turns off the users and they are less likely to revisit your website.

Dropping low on Search Engine Ranks

Google is the most powerful search engine at the moment and companies that have a high ranked website according to its results generate amazing business.

• To get a good rank according to the requirements of Google and other search engines, your website should have interesting and captivating content. Search engines rank websites on the basis of various important factors including how relevant and useful the web content is.
• Stuffing the content with keywords majorly violates the requirement of quality content. This is simply because when content is overstuffed with keywords, users do not develop the interest to read it. Thus, if your website has keywords used without purpose, it would fail to get a good online rank. In other words, users would not be inclined to visit it.

Negative Brand Reputation

Companies that have a good online reputation are successful in generating high online sales volumes. These days, users have become smart and tech savvy. They view what a company website mentions about its products.

• Even if a user does not have knowledge about search engine optimization and digital marketing, it would not be hard for him to determine whether key words have been stuffed or used naturally. If the content on your website fails to engage the reader and gather his attention, it would be very hard to turn him into a potential buyer.
• Successful brands these days invest a lot on their web content and digital marketing strategies. A website that has content overstuffed with keywords is less likely to get the needed user attention.

Example of Keyword Stuffing

Consider that a company that sells economical shoes wants to improve the rank of its website on the basis of the search phrase “low cost footwear”. An example of keyword stuffing would be that the phrase “low cost footwear” would appear where it does not make any sense. It would be used in the beginning of the paragraph, in the middle, in the conclusion and as a part of headings. An honest fact is that this strategy turns off the user and even irritates him.

If you want to use a certain search phrase to improve your website rank, it has to be natural and embedded in the content flow. In other words, it should make sense and the user should not feel that the keyword has been inserted without a purpose.

Keep the keyword density in mind

Keywords have to be used according to the overall word count of the content. Ideally a density of 2 to 3% is acceptable. For instance, if you have a content of 500 words, a specific keyword should appear 10 to 15 times.

Keyword stuffing is something that increases the keyword density at a rapid pace eventually resulting in falling down in terms of online ranks. In worst cases, Google or search engines may even blacklist the website which is a major blow for any company.

A legitimate method to improve online rank

There is no doubt that keyword stuffing is very hazardous for the rank of your website. To actually generate business and enhance customer count, here are some legitimate SEO tactics which should be used instead of unnecessary keyword stuffing.

Focus on content quality

There is a core fact which business owners should have in mind. If someone is going to spend money on buying your product, he or she would definitely read what you are offering. People these days, spend a lot of time reading about what a product actually offers. From the time a visitor ends up on your “Landing page” or “ Home Page”, the web content would decide whether he would be a regular visitor or not.

• Simply avoiding keywords is not all that you need to produce quality content. To start with, do not boast that your product is the best and a similar alternative cannot be found. It sounds like a bogus statement and can turn off the buyer within no time. The content should focus on the need of the buyer. If you are able to target his need, you will strike gold.
• Do not pile a list of product facts as this can prove to be boring. Use a conversational tone as if you are communicating with the user on one to one basis. Other than that, do not jump directly on what your product is about. For instance, consider that your company deals in smart phones. If the content begins with technical specifications, most users would immediately quit the page unless they are students who need data to work on college assignments. Start with the requirements that smart phones fulfil and how your product is different from the alternatives available. For every product that users view online, they have one key question in mind. “How is it different?” Through the content, you need to provide a logical answer to this question.

Regular Content Update

There is a difference between regular visitors and online buyers. It takes time for a regular visitor to turn into an online buyer.

• >If visitors find the content on website refreshing and interesting, they are more likely to convert into potential buyers. Thus, refresh your web pages with newer and fresher content from time to time so that the user can stay engaged.