Where Should You Include Keywords on a Blog Post?

Put your keyword in seven places: the title tag, the URL slug, the H1, the first 100 words, at least one subheading, the alt text of a relevant image, and naturally through the body. That covers every spot search engines and AI systems check to understand what a page is about, without tipping into keyword stuffing.

One keyword idea, seven signals. That is the whole method.

The seven places, and why each one counts

Title tag. The strongest on-page relevance signal. Put the keyword near the front, where it carries the most weight.

URL slug. A short, keyword-bearing slug tells both users and engines what the page covers before they even open it. Keep it clean, no dates or numbers.

H1. Your visible headline. It should carry the keyword and match the title closely, so the page’s topic is unmistakable.

First 100 words. Get the keyword in early. Engines and AI systems weight the opening of a page heavily, and a front-loaded topic reads as directly relevant.

At least one subheading. An H2 or H3 that includes the keyword or a close variant reinforces the topic and gives structure that machines can parse.

Image alt text. One relevant image with descriptive alt text that includes the keyword adds a signal and helps accessibility. Do not stuff every image.

Naturally through the body. Use the term and its variations where they genuinely fit. Write for the reader first, and the keyword shows up on its own.

The full on-page checklist lives in on-page SEO.

The one rule: signal, do not stuff

Every placement above works because it signals relevance in a spot that matters. Repeating the keyword twenty more times in the body does the opposite.

There is no magic keyword density to hit. Google has said for years that it does not use a keyword-density target, and stuffing is a spam signal. Cover the seven placements, use natural variations, and stop. If you find yourself repeating the exact phrase awkwardly to raise a count, you have crossed the line.

For AI answer engines, the same discipline pays off differently. A page that states its topic clearly in the title, opening, and headings is easy to retrieve and cite. A stuffed page is harder to parse and reads as low quality. Structure beats repetition, which is covered in how to structure pages for AI extraction.

Place the keyword where it means something. Then trust the writing.

FAQs

Where should the main keyword go in a blog post?

In seven places: the title tag, the URL slug, the H1, the first 100 words, at least one subheading, the alt text of a relevant image, and naturally through the body. These are the spots search engines and AI systems check to understand the page, so placing the keyword there signals relevance without stuffing.

How many times should a keyword appear in a blog post?

There is no target number. Google does not use a keyword-density metric, and repeating a phrase to hit a count is a spam signal. Cover the seven key placements, use natural variations of the term where they genuinely fit, and write for the reader rather than a density goal.

Does keyword placement still matter for AI search?

Yes. A page that states its topic clearly in the title, the opening, and the headings is easier for AI engines to retrieve and cite. Clear placement plus natural language beats dense repetition, which reads as low quality and is harder for a machine to parse.