Keywords & keyword stuffing
The whole point of your website is to attract customers - but how do search engines decide who finds you? This guide is about how "keywords" work, and how to avoid "keyword stuffing", which is an outdated and ineffective tactic.
Rather watch a video on this topic? Click here to watch it.
I'll use a fictional example of a "widget / doodah / wotzit hire" company based in North Manchester, but the details apply to any business.
1. What are keywords?
Keywords are the words and phrases people type into search engines like Google when they're looking for a product, service, or answer. They're basically the link between what people are trying to find and what your business is offering.
Potential customers of my widget hire company might search for things like:
- "widget hire near me"
- "rent a widget in Prestwich"
- "same-day doodah delivery Whitefield"
- "cheap wotzit hire Manchester"
Why keywords matter
- For search engines: if your website uses the same words your potential customers are typing into Google, you're more likely to show up when they search.
- For visitors: when someone lands on your page and sees the words they searched for, they'll feel like they've found the right place, and they're more likely to get in touch.
2. What is "keyword stuffing"?
Keyword stuffing is the old practice of cramming your content full of keywords, trying to trick search engines into ranking you higher. An example would be writing something like "Looking for widget hire in Manchester? Our Manchester widget hire services offer cheap widget hire deals across Manchester". Repeating "widget hire" over and over doesn't just annoy your readers, it also signals to Google that your content is spammy, which risks getting your site penalised - and even if you don't get penalised, the content isn't doing you any favours either.
Google lists "Keyword stuffing" as a type of spam on their "Spam policies" page and says "to be eligble to appear in Google web search results, content shouldn't violate Google Search's overall policies or the spam policies listed on this page".
SEO strategies used to revolve around "keyword density", a formula for how often a keyword should appear on a page. These days that approach backfires - Google's algorithms care about whether your content is useful, not how many times you've crammed the keyword in. Instead of counting keywords, they look at things like:
- Whether your page actually covers the topic: does it answer the questions a customer might have? A widget hire page should cover pricing, delivery areas, FAQs, and what people use them for, not just repeat "widget hire" over and over.
- Whether it reads naturally: does it sound like a human wrote it? Compare "Our widget hire services in Prestwich offer Manchester widget hire at widget hire rates" (awkward) with "We provide same-day widget delivery across Manchester, including Prestwich and Whitefield."
- Whether visitors stick around: if people "bounce" back to search results quickly, Google takes that as a sign your page didn't meet their needs. Keyword-stuffed pages often fail to hold attention because they're more interested in SEO jargon than in actually answering the question.
How to avoid stuffing:
- Mix in synonyms ("widgets for parties", "widget delivery company", "widgeteer") instead of repeating "widget hire" over and over.
- Use local phrases naturally: "serving North Manchester" rather than "Manchester widget hire Manchester".
- Read sentences aloud. If they sound forced, simplify them. "Affordable rates for weekend events" is clearer than "Widget hire Manchester affordable widget hire for events."
If you focus on what people are actually searching for and write in plain English, you'll do well on modern search engines and keep your visitors interested at the same time.
3. User intent: What are potential customers really searching for?
User intent means what your customers actually want when they type a search into Google. It's not just about the words they use, it's about what they're trying to do or find out. If your page matches that, you'll get the right kind of visitors. If it doesn't, you'll attract clicks from people who'll just hit the back button.
Interested in targeting specific, longer search phrases? Click here to watch my video on long tail keywords.
There are three main types of searches:
-
"I want to buy NOW" (Want the services you offer):
- Examples: "urgent widget hire Prestwich", "same-day doodah delivery Manchester", "rent wotzits today".
- Your job: Make booking/pricing clear and easy.
-
"How much does it cost?" (Wants to learn more):
- Examples: "widget hire costs", "cheap doodah hire near me".
- Your job: Add transparent pricing guides or "from £X per day" hints.
-
"What's the best option?" (Wants to compare options):
- Examples: "best widget hire in Whitefield", "dongles vs wotzits".
- Your job: Provide comparison guides or customer reviews.
Example for your business:
If you notice your customers regularly ask "Do you deliver to events on weekends?", their intent isn't just to find a widget hire company - it's to check whether you can actually do what they need. Your content should answer that directly:
"We offer weekend delivery for events across Manchester, including Prestwich and Whitefield. Book by 3pm for next-day service."
How to find user intent:
- Google's "People Also Ask": type your keyword (e.g. "widget hire Manchester") into Google. The drop-down questions (like "How long can I hire widgets for?") tell you what else people are wondering about.
- Listen to your customers: what questions do they actually ask you? (e.g. "Are deposits refundable?")
4. Semantically-related words
Semantically related words are phrases or terms that connect to your main keyword, either as synonyms (like "dongles" for widgets) or contextually linked ideas (like "event supplies" or "party equipment").
- Search engines use them to work out context. If your page mentions "widget hire", "dongle repairs", and "wotzit storage", Google knows your business covers the whole lifecycle of these products.
- Visitors get a clearer picture of your services, without the text feeling repetitive.
So, instead of repeating "widget hire in Manchester" ten times, try:
"We offer affordable widget hire across Manchester, including same-day doodah delivery for events. Need long-term wotzit hire or repairs? Our Whitefield team has you covered."
Warning: If your local customers don't use certain terms, avoid them! Google is clever enough to figure out what your site is about in any case. For example, British customers are unlikely to search for "widget rental", and more likely to search "widget hire" - so don't try and squeeze "rental" in just to appease Google.
Avoid:
- Forcing in synonyms just for SEO (e.g., "Our Manchester widget hire doodahs for wotzits...").
- Using jargon that confuses customers.
5. Headers (H1, H2, H3 tags)
Headers are signposts on your page, similar to chapter titles in a book - they break up the text into sections so visitors can scan and find what they want. Your H1 tag is the main page title, and every page should have exactly one. A vague H1 like "Services" doesn't tell anyone much, but "Affordable Widget Hire in Prestwich & Manchester" instantly tells both Google and your visitors what the page is about.
H2 tags split your content into clear sections. Something like "Why Choose Our Whitefield Doodah Hire?" or "Same-Day Widget Delivery in Manchester" keeps the focus local without repeating "widget hire" over and over. You can swap "widget" for synonyms like "dongle delivery" to keep things fresh. H3s sit under H2s for sub-topics, like "Our Prestwich Hire Process in 3 Simple Steps" under a broader "How Widget Hire Works" section.
Honestly, most pages won't need H3s unless they're really long. Don't force them in just for SEO's sake.
Before saving, give the page a read - do your headers guide readers naturally? Have you mentioned locations like Prestwich? Does it sound like a human wrote it, or is it stuffed with jargon?
6. Meta descriptions
A meta description is the short blurb under your link in search results. Google often replaces it with whatever snippet matches the search better, but when they do show yours, a good one will get you more clicks even if you're not ranking first - so it's worth writing.
Your meta description should answer what the searcher actually wants. If someone types "widget hire Prestwich", a vague "We provide widgets. Contact us for more info" won't cut it. Try something like: "Need widget hire in Prestwich? We're local experts offering flexible hire, 24/7 support, and same-day delivery. Book online today!" - clear, focused on what the person wants, and tells them what to do next.
Keep it under 150 characters (use a character counter to check), and work your main keyword in once - something like "widget hire in Manchester". Mention a location to attract locals, and highlight what makes you stand out, whether that's "same-day", "no deposit", or anything else specific to you.
A few things to keep in mind: focus on your strongest reason for someone to choose you (like "serving Prestwich since 2020"), include your delivery areas, and avoid keyword spam like "widget hire widget hire Manchester". And don't reuse the same meta description across pages - each one should match its page.
7. Images & "alt tags"
Alt text (alternative text) is a short description of an image that does two jobs. First, it helps visually impaired users "see" the image via screen readers. Second, it tells search engines what the image shows, which is good for SEO. For example, a photo of widgets at a corporate event might have alt text like "Red widgets displayed at a Manchester corporate event" - descriptive and location-specific. Avoid keyword-stuffed alt text like "Cheap widget hire Manchester widgets for hire", or generic filenames like "IMG_1234.jpg", which are bad for accessibility and SEO alike.
It matters because over 43 million people worldwide have visual impairments, and clear alt text means your site works for them too. And Google uses alt text to rank images in Google Images, so a well-described photo of "Technician repairing a doodah in Whitefield" could bring in local customers.
When writing alt tags, just describe what's actually in the image, rather than giving your opinion. "Three blue widgets stacked at a Manchester park" is good, "Best widget hire in Manchester" is not. Keep it short (under 125 characters) and include location or action details where relevant, like "Heaton Park event setup with widgets" or "Technician loading widgets into a van in Whitefield". Skip phrases like "image of" - screen readers already announce that it's an image. For decorative graphics like dividers, leave the alt text empty.
BCN customers: your product images already have solid alt tags matching their names - nice!
Before saving, give it a check - does this alt text actually describe the image? Is it free of keyword spam? Would it make sense if the image didn't load?
8. How to structure content effectively
Writing for humans means explaining your services like you're chatting with a customer. Skip the jargon - things like "Widget hire solutions for Manchester-based event facilitations" are vague and read weirdly. "Need widgets for your Manchester event? We deliver same-day, with flexible pricing and no hidden fees" is much clearer. The first one sounds like a corporate brochure, the second one actually answers the customer's question.
Internal links help guide visitors to other parts of your site that might be useful to them. For instance, if you've got a blog post about the "Top 5 Event Trends in Manchester", you could link to your event widget hire page from it: "Need widgets for your event? Have a look at our Manchester Event Widget Hire Guide." Or your homepage's product section could mention "One of our most popular hires: [blue widgets]."
Keep the link text descriptive - something like "Book Whitefield widget delivery here" rather than just "click here". And only add links where they actually make sense - forcing them into unrelated text confuses both readers and search engines.
Local SEO
A good way to boost local SEO is to mention nearby landmarks in your content. So if you say you're "minutes from the Whitefield Metrolink station" or "serving events near Heaton Park", that helps both customers and Google connect your business to those areas. It also matches real searches like "widget hire near Heaton Park".
For businesses covering multiple areas, dedicated location pages are really useful. You could have one called "Manchester Widget Hire for Events & Businesses" and another for "Same-Day Widget Hire in Prestwich", which means each page can target its own location-specific searches without competing with the others. On each one, include a map, local testimonials (like "Stefan delivered really quickly to our Prestwich office!"), and any perks specific to that area, such as free overnight hires for Whitefield customers.
Important: don't just copy-paste the same content and swap "Manchester" for "Prestwich". Google penalises duplicate content, so keep each page fresh:
- Manchester Page: "Our Manchester team offers [specific service] with [unique perk, e.g., weekend availability]."
- Prestwich Page: "Serving Prestwich clients with [different perk, e.g., free same-day setup]."
For (much) more about local SEO, check out the "Targeting Specific Areas" guide in the guides section.
9. Using AI to analyse your content
If you're not a confident writer, a great approach for ensuring your content reads well is to ask AI to analyse it. Here's an example prompt you can use:
"Here is a page I wrote for my website about widget hire in Prestwich. Evaluate its content from a potential customer's point of view and tell me how it could be improved. Highlight any spelling and grammar mistakes (using British English). Tell me about any unnatural repetition or keyword stuffing. Just tell me the fixes - do not re-write the document. I will paste the text in my next message."
I just tested this exact prompt on a very keyword-stuffed, AI-generated page I found online, and got some excellent feedback.
I advise against using any tools specifically designed to analyse "keyword density" - this approach is outdated and might encourage you to write unnatural-sounding text. It's much better to focus on a potential customer's point of view.
10. "This feels like a lot of work - my site has 150 pages!"
Like every other job to do with your website, it's important to think of refining its content as a long-term job. There's no need to go and change every single page of your website today. Instead, start with the most high priority pages - your homepage and your most popular product or service, for example.
Set some time aside every now and again to tweak the pages on your site, working through them in priority order. Trying to fix everything all at once will just overwhelm you - it's much easier to steadily improve it.
A bonus to gradual, constant improvement is that Google likes sites that were recently updated. Thinking of your content as a "once and done" process means you miss out on the "recently updated" search engine rankings boost!
11. Conclusion
I hope the main takeaway you've got from reading this document is to write for humans first and foremost. Search engines are excellent at determining whether content is focused on human visitors or manipulates SEO, and they much prefer content that is useful for humans.
With that in mind, there are still some ways you can make your site more useful to search engines too, without compromising on the readability for humans:
- Think about customer intent and write content to address it
- Mix up your keywords to stop your text sounding repetitive
- Break up long pages with headings and sub-headings
If you want help optimising your website content without keyword stuffing, send me a message through the form below.