How important is it for a keyword to be exact (or can there be some flexibility)? For example, if your target keyword is “Best hiking boots UK” would a title of “Best hiking boots (UK)” or “Best hiking boots in the UK” work for SEO purposes?
Thanks,
Richie (Retirement expert)
Generally speaking the <title > element is one of the few areas where you really, directly, with a single change impact your rankings. So there are many times, when you really do want to go for the best fit of your highest value keyword phrase, matched EXACTLY.
However, if you look at your example, “Best hiking books in the UK” actually includes “Best Hiking Books UK”, in it. So, my guidance would be to look at the other top ranking sites for the query, and see which title would get the most attention amongst your ranking peers, check your current organic CTR for that term and your second choice phrase.
**When it comes to headers, or usage of the term on page in alt text, copy I would say you should mix it up for Google, but know that Bing is more of a stickler for h1 being an exact match. If Bing isn’t a deal for your product or service, then lean into including variants of the term and phrase.