SEO & Analytics

How to Add Keywords to Website WordPress

WordPress basics for beginners

Choosing the right Keywords WordPress owners want to rank for is only half the job. To see real results, you must place those keywords correctly across your entire website, not just in one blog post.

In this guide, you will add Keywords WordPress to key parts of your WordPress website, including your site title, tagline, homepage, SEO titles, images, and internal links. By the end, your site will be structured around clear topics without keyword stuffing.

What You Need to Start Adding Keywords in WordPress

  • First, make sure you have access to your WordPress admin dashboard with an account that can edit Settings and pages.
  • Next, prepare a short list of primary keywords and supporting phrases for your business or website.
  • Then install an SEO plugin such as Yoast SEO, All in One SEO, or Rank Math and ensure it is active.
  • Finally, create a recent backup of your site in case you need to undo changes.
If you have not done basic research yet on your main Keywords WordPress strategy, review Best keyword research tools for seo to build a simple keyword list first.
This tutorial focuses on placing keywords across your website. For deeper post-level optimization, see How to add keywords in WordPress without hurting and How to add keywords in WordPress without hurting.

Step 1: How Search Engines Read Keywords on Your WordPress Site

Before you start editing, you need to understand where search engines read keywords on a WordPress website. This insight helps you avoid random changes and, instead, focus on high impact areas for your main Keywords WordPress phrase.

  1. First, log in to your WordPress dashboard by visiting /wp-admin and entering your username and password.
  2. Then open your public homepage in a new browser tab so you can see changes as you go.
  3. After that, look at the browser tab text, main heading, navigation menu labels, and footer links. Note where your main topics already appear.
  4. Finally, scroll through the page and look for section headings, image captions, and call to action buttons.

Next, review your homepage from top to bottom with your Keywords WordPress list next to you so you can spot gaps quickly.

WordPress shop page screenshot with products, search, and categories, demonstrating how to add keywords to website WordPress.
This screenshot illustrates a typical WordPress shop page layout, ideal for strategically adding keywords.

As a quick check, you should have a list of where keywords already appear and which areas feel generic or off-topic.

Quick Reference: Key Places to Add WordPress Keywords

Instead of guessing, use this table as a shortcut to see which parts of WordPress you will update in this tutorial.

Method Where You Use It Main Purpose
Site Title & Tagline Settings » General in the WordPress dashboard Set a strong sitewide signal for your main topic and location that can appear in browser tabs and search snippets.
Homepage Headings & Intro Homepage content editor under Pages » All Pages Tell visitors and search engines what you do in plain language using your primary keyword in the main heading and first paragraph.
SEO Titles & Meta Descriptions SEO plugin meta box (Yoast, All in One SEO, Rank Math) Control how each page appears in Google with keyword-focused, click-worthy titles and descriptions.
Categories, URLs & Menus Permalinks, Categories, and Menus screens Organize content so related topics are grouped together and URLs reinforce your main keywords.
Images & Internal Links Block editor or Classic editor inside each page or post Add supporting relevance with descriptive alt text and internal links that point to related content using natural keyword phrases.

Step 2: Choose a Main WordPress Keyword or Topic for Your Website

Each WordPress website should have one main topic that describes what you do. This primary phrase is the core Keywords WordPress focus that guides how you phrase your site title, tagline, and homepage content.

Define your site’s main focus

To begin, take a moment to decide which audience you serve and what result you help them achieve. This simple step makes it easier to choose a primary keyword that fits your actual offer, instead of chasing random terms that will never convert.

  1. First, open your keyword list and highlight one phrase that best describes your whole website, such as “affordable wedding photographer Chicago” or “WordPress maintenance services”.
  2. Then pick two to four closely related support phrases you can use in headings and paragraphs.
  3. After that, avoid choosing a keyword that is too broad, such as “shoes” or “marketing”.
  4. Finally, write your primary keyword at the top of a notepad or document so you can copy and paste it later.

When you are done, you should have one clear main keyword and a few variations you can use naturally in your copy.

Step 3: Add Keywords to Your Site Title and Tagline

Your site title and tagline are some of the strongest sitewide keyword signals in WordPress. They appear in the browser tab, header, and search results snippet, and they are a perfect place to reinforce your core Keywords WordPress phrase.

  1. To start, from the WordPress dashboard, navigate to Settings » General.
  2. In the Site Title field, keep your brand name but add a short descriptive keyword. For example, Skyline Dental becomes Skyline Dental Family Dentist in Austin.
  3. Next, in the Tagline field, add a short sentence that includes your primary keyword and one variation.
  4. Then scroll down and click Save Changes.

After saving, navigate to Settings » General again and confirm your updated Site Title and Tagline are still there.

WordPress General Settings page showing the 'Site Title' and 'Tagline' fields for adding keywords, crucial for website SEO.
Optimize your WordPress site’s title and tagline in General Settings to effectively incorporate keywords for better SEO.

To verify success, refresh your homepage. As a result, your browser tab text and possibly the header should now reflect your main Keywords WordPress focus along with your location or specialty. For more detail on this screen, you can review the official WordPress General Settings documentation.

Step 4: Clarify Your Homepage Message with WordPress Keywords

Your homepage should clearly state who you serve and what you offer using your chosen keywords. In most cases, this is the page where you first introduce your main Keywords WordPress phrase to visitors and search engines.

Edit the top of your homepage

First, focus on what visitors see without scrolling: your main heading, opening paragraph, and any buttons or calls to action. These areas should explain your service in plain language, while naturally including your primary keyword once or twice.

  1. In the dashboard, go to Pages » All Pages.
  2. Then find the page that is set as your homepage, often titled Home or your brand name, and click Edit.
  3. In the main content editor, rewrite the first paragraph so it includes your primary keyword in a natural sentence.
  4. Next, update the main heading at the top of the page (usually a Heading 1 in the Classic Editor or a Heading block) to combine your main benefit with a key phrase.
  5. After that, add one or two subheadings that include support keywords, for example “Our WordPress maintenance services” or “Custom website design packages”.
  6. Finally, click Update to save your changes.

After updating, click View Page from the top admin bar to check your updated homepage.

WordPress page editor displaying a 'Hello World' article, showing content, page settings, and Elementor integration for keywords.
A view of the WordPress page editor, featuring a ‘Hello World’ article and page settings, illustrating the platform for managing website content and keywords.

To confirm this step worked, read the first screen of your homepage without scrolling. If a new visitor can immediately understand what you do and where you are, and you can see your main Keywords WordPress phrase in both the heading and opening paragraph, you are on the right track.

Step 5: Add SEO Keywords in WordPress Titles and Meta Descriptions

SEO plugins let you fine tune how your pages appear in search results. In this step, you will apply your keywords to the SEO title and meta description for your homepage and other key pages that target your primary Keywords WordPress phrase.

Configure SEO titles and slugs

Your SEO title and slug tell search engines what a page is about. Therefore, keeping them short, descriptive, and aligned with your main keyword helps Google understand when to show your content.

  1. First, make sure an SEO plugin is installed and active. If you still need one, follow the tutorial How to install a plugin in WordPress and then return here.
  2. Next, edit your homepage again by going to Pages » All Pages and clicking Edit.
  3. Then scroll under the content editor until you see your SEO plugin meta box, such as Yoast SEO or All in One SEO.
  4. In the SEO title field, include your brand plus your primary keyword. For example: Skyline Dental | Family Dentist in Austin.
  5. In the Slug field, use a short hyphenated phrase that supports your keyword, such as family-dentist-austin if appropriate.
  6. Then, in the Meta description field, write 1–2 sentences that use your main keyword and one variation while clearly stating your offer.
  7. Finally, save or update the page.

Write a concise meta description

To avoid truncation, keep your meta description within the recommended length so it is fully visible in search results. Ideally, you should aim for one clear sentence that includes your primary keyword, one synonym, and a simple call to action.

After you finish editing, scroll to the SEO plugin preview area to confirm your new title and description look good on both mobile and desktop.

WordPress SEO meta box showing search result preview, fields for SEO title, slug, meta description, and AI generation tools.
This image displays the WordPress SEO meta box, demonstrating how to configure a page’s search engine optimization settings.

As a reference, an optimized snippet might look like this:

<title>Skyline Dental | Family Dentist in Austin</title>
<meta name="description" content="Skyline Dental provides gentle family dental care in Austin, TX including cleanings, fillings, and cosmetic dentistry for busy professionals." />

To verify success, search your brand name in Google after some time has passed. Eventually, your new SEO title and meta description should appear in the search results, especially for searches that include your Keywords WordPress focus.

If you want additional fine-tuning options, you may also review the Yoast SEO plugin page on WordPress.org for more configuration tips.

Step 6: Improve URLs Categories and Menus for WordPress Keywords

Your site structure tells search engines how topics relate to each other. Consequently, clean URLs, descriptive categories, and clear menu labels help your Keywords WordPress targeting work across many related posts instead of competing.

Adjust permalinks and category names

Updating your permalinks and category slugs to be descriptive makes it easier for both users and search engines to understand what a page is about before they even click. In addition, it keeps your structure consistent as your site grows.

  1. In the dashboard, go to Settings » Permalinks and confirm the Post name structure is selected for most blogs and small business sites.
  2. Then navigate to Posts » Categories and review each category name and Slug. Rename vague labels like “Stuff” to descriptive ones such as “WordPress tutorials”.
  3. Next, use your keyword list to adjust category names so they align with real topics, not random ideas.
  4. After that, go to Appearance » Menus and check that your main menu labels use clear wording that matches the topics and keywords you want to rank for.
  5. Finally, save changes in each screen you update.

Review your main navigation

After updating categories and menus, scan your navigation as a visitor would. The labels should be short, descriptive, and logically grouped so people can quickly find content related to your main keyword themes.

As a final check for this step, navigate to Posts » Categories and confirm your updated slugs and names look consistent.

WordPress categories admin screen for adding and managing content, showing category name, slug, and description fields for SEO.
This WordPress admin screen is used to manage post categories, where optimizing names, slugs, and descriptions can improve website SEO.
Avoid changing existing slugs on popular posts or pages without planning redirects. Instead, if you need to overhaul URLs, pair this tutorial with WordPress migration checklist for blogs to protect existing rankings.

To verify success, visit your homepage and check your main navigation. Menu labels, category archive titles, and URLs should now reinforce your main topics instead of using generic wording.

For a deeper explanation of organizing topics, you can also see Categories tags beginner guide and Best WordPress seo plugins and tools.

Step 7: Refine WordPress Images and Internal Links with Keywords

Once your sitewide elements are set, you still need to reinforce Keywords WordPress inside individual pages and posts. This step helps you add relevance without stuffing.

Optimize image alt text

Alt text should describe what is in the image and why it matters in the context of the page. Whenever it feels natural, add a brief reference to your topic, but avoid forcing your exact keyword into every image.

  1. First, open an important service page or blog post by going to Pages or Posts and clicking Edit.
  2. Then ensure your primary keyword or a close variation appears in the first 100 words of the content.
  3. After that, use your support keywords in one or two subheadings, but avoid repeating the exact same phrase in every heading.
  4. Next, click on an image in the editor and fill in the Alternative Text field with a short description that includes a relevant keyword.
  5. Then highlight a phrase in your text, click the Insert/edit link button, and link to another relevant article such as Internal linking WordPress beginners or a related service page.
  6. Finally, update or save the page.

Add helpful internal links

Use internal links to connect related posts and pages so visitors can easily go deeper into a topic. In addition, linking contextually from phrases related to your Keywords WordPress focus helps search engines understand which pages are most important.

In the editor, click on an image and open its Alternative Text field to confirm your changes.

WordPress Gutenberg editor showing image block settings to add alternative text, crucial for website keywords and SEO.
Add alternative text to your WordPress images using the Gutenberg editor for better SEO and accessibility.

To verify success, read the page aloud. Your Keywords WordPress should feel like part of natural sentences. If it sounds robotic or repetitive, simply remove a few instances. For quick wins and structure ideas, you can also review How to add keywords in WordPress without hurting.

Step 8: Final Checks Before You Publish

The final step is to review your work as a whole. This last review makes sure your keywords are consistent, useful to readers, and not overused on any single page that targets your main Keywords WordPress phrase.

  1. First, open your homepage, one key service page, and one or two blog posts in separate tabs.
  2. Then check that each page clearly focuses on one primary topic, with a unique main keyword and a few variations.
  3. Next, run a quick Google search using site:yourdomain.com plus your main keyword to see which pages show up together.
  4. Finally, scan the search results for duplicate or confusing SEO titles and meta descriptions that you might want to refine.

For example, search for site:yourdomain.com “your main keyword” in Google to see how pages are grouped.

Google search results for 'WordPress.com' displaying the primary listing and sitelinks, showcasing a prominent WordPress site in SERP.
This image displays the Google Search Results Page for WordPress.com, featuring its main listing and key sitelinks.

You will know this step is complete when each important page has a clear focus, your site title and homepage communicate your main topic, and your internal links logically connect related content.

Conclusion You Are Ready to Go

You have now added keywords across your WordPress website in a structured, sustainable way. As a result, your site title, tagline, homepage content, SEO titles, categories, images, and internal links all work together to reinforce your main topics and your chosen Keywords WordPress phrase.

From here, keep publishing focused content and refining individual pages using guides like WordPress seo complete beginners guide. Over time, this combination of sitewide structure and page-level optimization will help you earn more relevant traffic and better rankings.

Further Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

Homepage keyword usage

How many keywords should I use on my WordPress homepage

In most cases, you should focus on one primary keyword for your homepage plus two to four closely related variations. Use the primary keyword in your main heading, first paragraph, and SEO title. Then use variations in subheadings and later paragraphs. If you find yourself repeating the exact same phrase more than three or four times in a short page, you are probably overdoing it and should rewrite some sentences more naturally.

Meta keywords and old SEO practices

Do I still need meta keywords in WordPress

No. Major search engines such as Google and Bing no longer use the old meta keywords tag as a ranking factor. Instead of adding meta keywords, invest your time in strong SEO titles, useful meta descriptions, and clear on-page content. If you see an option for meta keywords in an older plugin, you can safely ignore it and follow this tutorial’s sitewide and on-page steps instead.

SEO keywords vs WordPress tags

What is the difference between SEO keywords and WordPress tags

SEO keywords are phrases you intentionally target in your titles, headings, and content to align with real searches. By contrast, WordPress tags are a taxonomy used to group related posts together on your site. Tags can support your SEO when they are descriptive and used sparingly, but they are not the same as your primary keywords. Therefore, always start with your main topics and then decide whether categories and tags are needed to organize content.

Branding and keyword-rich site titles

Will changing my site title to include keywords hurt my brand

If you keep your brand name and simply add a short descriptive phrase, it usually helps more than it hurts. For example, changing “Skyline” to “Skyline Dental Family Dentist in Austin” preserves your brand while telling visitors and search engines what you do. However, you should avoid stuffing multiple unrelated keywords into the site title and keep it easy to read on mobile devices and browser tabs.

Updating your keyword targeting

How often should I update keywords on my WordPress website

You do not need to change your main sitewide keyword frequently. Instead, review your site title, tagline, and homepage copy every six to twelve months, or after a major change in your services or location. Update page-level keywords when you add new offerings or discover better performing phrases in tools like Google Search Console. Aim for steady refinement, not constant rewriting.

Choosing a WordPress SEO plugin

Which SEO plugin is best for adding keywords in WordPress

Popular choices include Yoast SEO, All in One SEO, and Rank Math. Each plugin lets you set SEO titles, meta descriptions, and focus keywords for pages and posts. Ultimately, the “best” option is the one you will actually use consistently. Whichever plugin you choose, follow the same principles from this guide and pair it with resources like How to add keywords in WordPress without hurting to stay organized.

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