Targeting homepage for a keyword but internal page appearing in SERP's

[Leighm]

This post is deleted!

[dvansant]

Does your internal page have significantly more content on it than the home page? Home pages are sometimes very picture heavy, while Google tends to favor pages with more text, all else held equal.

I'd make the internal page the primary page for your keyword. Google has already told you which it likes better. Don't try to tell Google it has picked the wrong page. Instead, put a text link to the internal page in the body of the home page with anchor text that matches the keyword. This should flow significant juice to the internal page and take advantage of the home page's authority.

Second, be happy that an internal page is ranking well. Now you can re-purpose the home page for another keyword. Also, building links to internal pages is good practice anyway. Google likes to see links to all pages, rather than only links to the home page.

Good luck and congrats on having a well-ranked internal page!

[Leighm]

Thanks Derek. The homepage has 259 words and the category page has 969.

I already have a text link with the keyword going to my category page. It's in my main nav so appears on all pages. I suspect that this has a lot to do with it, too.

In theory I agree that I should focus on the page that Google is choosing for me, but what are your thoughts on the second concern outlined below?

Thanks,

[dvansant]

I don't see any negative issues related to continuing to build links to your internal page.

[Leighm]

Hi Derek,

Yes, I agree; building links to my internal page won't harm me. My concern is more do to with stopping building links to the homepage for that keyword. If Google is counting the links for the homepage but showing the category page, then wouldn't it make sense to keep building links to the page that's bringing that ranking?

[dvansant]

Since the internal page is linked from the home page, any link to the home page will help both the home page and the internal page. Just make sure that any links you get with relevant anchor text is pointed at your internal page. If you send a bunch of links to the home page with anchor text that matches the target of the internal page, then you are going to start confusing Google again as to which page is best for "x" keyword.

[Leighm]

Thanks for you input, Derek.