Using keywords targeted on one page, on another page?

[steven88]

This has been bugging me for awhile. I am trying to build up some great evergreen/cornerstone content for my site. It's basic stuff that just needs to be there. This problem is affecting me already, and I fear that when I get the main content done I will run into the problem when I start blogging for fresh content.

The best way to explain this, is to use an example. Imagine a Jewelry store in a major metro. They are already ranking for a few "city + keyword" combos but are looking to expand their keyword reach and get some better rankings. They might have a page on diamonds, and target "city + diamonds." Then, lets say they are writing about Jewelry and you target a page on "city + jewelry" and on this page, it can be hard to write normal sounding content without saying diamond. AKA "We make shopping for "city + jewelry" super easy. You select a diamond, select your "setting, city + jewelry, or something""

What I would like to know, is if I should go crazy with the targeting and just write about "city + jewelry" on one page, for instance, and make sure not to just mention "diamond" and then make a sub-page or something to target "city + diamond + jewelry"

Does any of that make sense?

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Edit for clarity - targeted keyword phrases bolded - I left my ramble above for historical and comedic purposes.

It is hard to talk about jewelry without including some really (basic terms/keywords) that I am targeting on other pages. Is this going to be a problem?

I might have a page on engagement rings, and another on diamonds probably targeted to the local area.

Later, I might decide to write a blog titled "10 Reasons you need to buy an Engagement Ring"

Should I alter that blog to be called "10 Reasons you need to buy a Diamond Engagement Ring" and try not to mention just the word diamond(s) or engagement ring(s) so that I don't confuse the almighty Google?

Please advise

[SteveOllington]

"Does any of that make sense?"

No, lol.

Could you clarify on the last paragraph.

[SteveOllington]

Ah, I think I follow you now.

You're always going to have to deal with a little keyword cannibalization with a blog about the stuff on your site. Otherwise you'd be restricted to using hardly any words at all, and certainly no words of relevance.

The solution is simple, write it however you want, targeting users and forget about cannibalization whilst you write it (just for the moment). Then, at the end... turn the keywords into anchor text links pointing to the pages you're using the keywords on. There, you have transformed a potential cannibalization issue into something positive for the pages in question

[steven88]

Thanks so much for your quick and helpful answer. I have been knocking out content and I eventually decided to do a "write for users" approach, but I had the demon at the back of my mind wondering if all those juicy pages of text would get some search engine props.

Now that you've answered, it seems so simple. I did exactly as you described on the old version of the site. I use wordpress, and they have heaps of great plugins to make it all easier.

I think I was just thinking into this waaay too much. It would make sense that a link's anchor text would be more important to the page it pointed to, rather than the page it's on.

[SteveOllington]

Haha don't worry, we're all guilty of thinking into things too much