Last Updated: December 7, 2025
- Most good SEO agencies do not sell a fixed “10 keywords” style package anymore; they build topical authority around themes that can rank for hundreds of searches.
- If an SEO company leads with a keyword count as their main selling point, that is usually a red flag and a sign of outdated methods.
- What matters far more than keyword quantity is the mix of topics, search intent, content quality, and how that ties to leads and revenue.
- For many small businesses, starting with 10-30 well chosen keywords mapped to 5-15 key pages is plenty, then you expand as results and authority grow.
Most businesses do not have a “how many keywords” problem, they have a “are we targeting the right topics and pages” problem.
You are probably asking how many keywords you get because every SEO quote you see throws some number at you, like 10, 25, or 100 keywords per month, but that is the wrong place to focus first.
What actually drives traffic and revenue is how well your SEO partner understands your topics, your customers, and the pages that sit closest to sales, then builds content clusters around those.
Quick answer: how many keywords do you really get?
If you work with a modern SEO agency, you usually do not get a hard cap like “30 keywords” in any meaningful way.
You get a few core topics, each mapped to a set of pages, and each page naturally targets one main keyword plus many related queries, so one focused campaign can end up ranking for dozens or hundreds of terms over time.
What you will learn here
- Why “number of keywords” is an outdated metric and when it still matters a bit.
- How agencies actually decide what to target, from topics to pages to specific phrases.
- What a realistic starting range looks like for local, B2B, and ecommerce businesses.
- How to judge SEO proposals so you do not get stuck with a keyword reseller instead of a strategic partner.
If an SEO proposal cannot clearly tie its keyword or topic plan to your revenue goals, the numbers on that proposal do not mean much.
Keywords vs topics: why the question is a bit wrong
Let us start with the uncomfortable part, because I think it needs to be said clearly.
If an SEO agency’s main pitch is “you get 20 keywords,” that usually tells you their approach is stuck in the past.
Search has moved from counting keywords to understanding topics, entities, and intent.
Google is trying to grasp what a page is about, how trustworthy the site and author are, and how well the content answers real questions across a topic, not just whether one phrase appears in the title tag.
What a modern topic approach looks like
Instead of saying “we will rank you for 10 keywords,” a good agency will talk about topics or clusters.
They might say something like “we will build authority around 3 core topics this quarter: emergency plumbing services, water heater repair, and drain cleaning.”
- Each topic has a main “pillar” page, usually a comprehensive guide or main service page.
- That pillar is supported by several detailed cluster pages answering narrow questions.
- Together, the cluster covers tens or hundreds of queries, not just one.
So do keywords still matter? Yes, in a tactical way.
For each page, you still choose a primary keyword and a bunch of secondary phrases, but you treat them as a family of queries under one topic, not isolated items to count in a package.
AI search, Overviews, and answer engines
Search is also shifting because of AI Overviews, generative results, and answer engines that summarize several sources at once.
Instead of just chasing a blue link for one phrase, you need enough depth and clarity that those systems see your content as a reliable source to pull from.
- This favors sites with strong E-E-A-T: real experience, expertise, authority, and trust signals.
- It favors brands that look like clear entities in Google’s knowledge graph, not just a random collection of pages.
- It rewards content that covers a topic comprehensively, not shallow pages built for one exact-match phrase.
The real question is not “how many keywords do I get” but “how many topics will you help me own in my market, and how deep will you go on each one”.
Where keyword counts still matter a bit
I do not think you should ignore keyword numbers completely, but you should reframe them.
They matter more as tracking and planning tools than as product features.
- You can only seriously optimize a limited number of pages at once, especially early in a campaign.
- Each page can only truly focus on one main intent, even if it ranks for many variations.
- Rank tracking tools charge based on how many terms you monitor, so agencies sometimes cap numbers for cost reasons.
So the number of keywords in your proposal should really mean something like “how many key pages and topics we will focus on in the first few months”.
Not “how many words we will sprinkle into your site.”
What actually counts as a keyword in a campaign
A keyword is still just a phrase someone types or says into a search engine, but in a campaign it is more like a label for intent.
“Emergency plumber near me” is not just words, it signals that someone has a problem, in a location, and wants help now.
- Short phrases often carry more volume but broad intent, like “plumber” or “CRM software”.
- Longer phrases show clearer intent and context, like “same day drain cleaning Chicago” or “CRM for real estate teams”.
- Modern tools group these phrases by meaning and intent, string matches are less important than they once were.
So when an agency says you get “15 keywords,” that usually means 15 primary targets for certain pages.
In practice, those pages might rank for hundreds of semantic variations around each of those core ideas if the content is good enough.
How many pages can you actually optimize at once?
This is the piece that most “keyword packages” skip, and it is where strategy really lives.
You do not rank keywords in a vacuum, you rank pages, and those pages serve specific steps in a user’s journey.
Mapping keywords to pages and journeys
A realistic campaign needs to map each keyword group to a page and a stage in the funnel.
Otherwise, you just chase positions without understanding what those visitors are supposed to do next.
| Page type | Main intent | Typical keyword focus | Role in journey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service / product page | Transactional | “emergency plumber Chicago” | Direct leads or purchases |
| Comparison / review page | Commercial investigation | “best CRM for agencies” | Evaluate options, nudge choice |
| Guide or how-to article | Informational | “how to fix low water pressure” | Educate, build trust, capture leads |
| Case study / testimonial | Proof / reassurance | Often branded or long-tail | Remove doubt, support sales |
A simple rule that works well is one primary keyword plus 3-10 secondary queries per page.
So if you actively work on 8 key pages, you are functionally targeting dozens of terms already.
How that translates to keyword counts in proposals
Let me walk through a basic example, because this is often where expectations break.
Say you are a local dentist and an agency suggests focusing on 5 core service pages at the start.
- Each service page has 1 main service + city phrase, like “dental implants Austin”.
- Each also has 5-10 supporting phrases, like “dental implants cost Austin” or “same day dental implants near me”.
- On top of that, you might have 2-3 supporting blog posts per service over time.
On paper, that might look like “10 keywords” in the proposal, because they list only the main targets, not the entire semantic field.
In practice, that same work might cause your site to rank for 150+ different queries in Search Console over a year if content and links are solid.
The line item that says “15 keywords” is usually shorthand for “a small portfolio of pages and topics we will push hard right now”.
Keyword portfolios instead of random lists
Thinking in terms of a keyword portfolio helps you judge whether your list is balanced or lopsided.
You want a mix of safe, faster wins and ambitious, longer plays.
Main keyword buckets to think about
- Branded: searches with your name in them, like “Ultra SEO Solutions reviews”.
- Non-branded money terms: direct service or product queries, like “SEO agency for lawyers”.
- Problem keywords: “how do I get more leads from my website” type searches.
- Comparison and “vs” terms: “Ahrefs vs Semrush” or “HubSpot alternatives”.
- Long-tail informational: niche questions around your product, features, and use cases.
A good campaign normally picks a handful of hero money terms, some medium difficulty terms, and many easier long-tails.
If your proposal is stacked with only head terms like “lawyer” or “CRM” and no realistic long-tail, that is not strategy, that is wishful thinking.
Phasing your keyword and topic growth
You also do not need to target everything in month one, and you probably should not.
It is more practical to phase the work so you build results and authority step by step.
| Phase | Time frame | Focus | Typical keyword scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 0-3 months | Fix tech basics, target closest-to-revenue terms | 5-15 high intent keywords across 3-8 core pages |
| Phase 2 | 3-9 months | Expand into FAQs, comparisons, and adjacent topics | 20-60 terms as more content and clusters go live |
| Phase 3 | 9+ months | Long-tail, thought leadership, supporting clusters | Hundreds of queries per main topic through breadth |
This kind of roadmap is far more helpful than a static “50 keywords forever” type promise.
Your capacity to meaningfully target more queries grows as your content library, technical health, and authority improve.
How modern SEO agencies structure pricing and packages
Old school keyword packages usually tie price to a number like “10 keywords for X per month” which sounds clear but hides what you are actually buying.
More mature agencies price around scope of work, not just tracked terms.
Common modern models
You will usually see one or a blend of these.
How they talk about keywords inside each model is different.
1. Content-led retainers
Here, the main unit is content, not keywords.
The proposal might say “4 strategic articles and 2 optimized service pages per month,” with keyword research baked into that.
- Each content piece has its own primary keyword and several related phrases.
- You might discuss topics like “local SEO for dentists” instead of a raw keyword list.
- Rank tracking focuses on key phrases per page, but there is rarely a hard cap.
2. Sprint-based SEO
In a sprint model, you buy a defined project like a technical audit sprint or a content sprint.
Keywords are part of the strategy in that sprint, but they are not the thing being sold.
- Technical sprints focus on crawlability, speed, structured data, site architecture.
- Content sprints focus on building or improving a group of pages around specific topics.
- After each sprint, you or your team can continue execution internally if you want.
3. Consulting and training retainers
Some companies want to keep execution in-house and just want strategic help.
In that case, the advisor helps build your topic map, keyword strategy, and content briefs, but your team writes and publishes.
- Keywords here are more like labels in documentation and dashboards.
- The real product is clear strategy, playbooks, and regular feedback loops.
- The number of tracked terms in tools is just a reporting decision.
4. Performance or revenue share models
A smaller part of the market ties part of the fee to leads or revenue.
These deals care much more about money pages and conversion data than raw volume of keywords.
- Tracking focuses heavily on non-branded money terms and bottom-funnel queries.
- Informational content is still important, but mainly as a feeder for those revenue pages.
- If a partner in this model talks only about “100 keywords,” that is a mismatch.
When you read a proposal, always ask: what tasks, pages, and deliverables sit behind that keyword number, and who is doing what each month.
What metrics matter more than keyword count
Ranking data is still useful, but it is not the scoreboard by itself.
Traffic for the wrong terms looks nice in charts and does nothing for your business.
Key metrics that should sit above keyword quantity
- Organic conversions: form fills, demo requests, bookings, purchases from organic search.
- Revenue from organic: actual income tied back to search sessions.
- Qualified organic traffic: visits from people who match your target customer, not just random clicks.
- Growth in non-branded traffic: how much more discovery you gain beyond your own name.
- Topic coverage: how many relevant pages you have in the top 10 for each important topic cluster.
This is where a focused “10 keyword” campaign can crush a sloppy “100 keyword” one.
If the small set is tightly mapped to high-value pages with clear intent, the revenue impact can be far higher.
Two simple scenarios
Scenario one: a local law firm pays an agency that pushes 80 mixed keywords, mostly broad informational content, and monthly reports show lots of rankings but only a trickle of calls.
Scenario two: same budget, but the focus is 12 geo-specific service terms, 4 detailed service pages, and 6 strong supporting guides, and calls and signed cases go up 40% in a year.
On paper, the first agency “delivered” more keywords.
In real life, the second drove more value, and that is what you feel in your bank account.
Search intent, the funnel, and content formats
Your keyword mix should also respect where people are in their journey, not just volume numbers.
Otherwise, you will either flood your funnel with unqualified visitors or never build trust with early stage researchers.
| Intent type | Example query | Good content format | Main business role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informational | “how to prepare for a root canal” | Guides, videos, checklists | Top of funnel, build trust |
| Commercial investigation | “best B2B SEO agency” | Comparison posts, case studies, feature breakdowns | Middle of funnel, shape choice |
| Transactional | “emergency dentist near me” | Service pages, local landing pages | Bottom of funnel, drive action |
| Navigational | “HubSpot login” | Brand and product pages | Direct access, brand recall |
Informational keywords are not just “low conversion” and useless, they seed trust, email lists, remarketing lists, and future sales.
The trick is balancing them with enough bottom-funnel intent so your pipeline keeps moving, instead of building a big audience that never buys.
How many keywords make sense for different business types
The right scope does depend on your business model, but not in a perfect formula way.
I will give ranges here, not rigid rules, because context always matters.
Local service businesses
Think dentists, plumbers, electricians, small law firms, local gyms.
These businesses usually serve one to a few cities and have a limited set of core services.
- Typical starting range: 5-20 core service + location queries.
- Pages: 3-10 service pages and location pages in the first phase.
- Supporting content: FAQs, process pages, and a few guides answering common questions.
For a single-location dentist, obsessing over 100 keywords is often a distraction.
Doing a great job on “dentist + city” variants, a few high-value procedures, and reputation content can move the needle far more.
Niche B2B SaaS and services
Here, volume is usually lower, but each lead is worth much more.
So even a term with 90 searches per month can be worth serious effort if the intent is right.
- Typical starting range: 20-60 carefully researched terms.
- Pages: 5-15 core product and solution pages, plus supporting resources.
- Supporting content: comparison posts, use case pages, integration pages, webinars, and guides.
Your goal is to cover the problem space deeply and connect it to your product, not chase vanity head terms like “CRM” that are nearly impossible to win early on.
So a smaller, sharper keyword list with strong content and good sales alignment beats a bloated, random one.
Large ecommerce and catalog sites
If you sell hundreds or thousands of products, the question “how many keywords do I get” starts to break entirely.
These sites naturally match a huge volume of product and long-tail searches.
- Main focus: category pages, subcategory pages, and key product templates.
- Technical SEO: faceted navigation, crawl control, internal search, structured data.
- Content: guides and collections that help shoppers choose between many options.
Agencies here rarely cap “keywords” in a meaningful way.
They usually talk more about how many templates or sections of the site they will improve per quarter.
For big ecommerce, keyword limits are mostly software limits on what they track, not limits on what the site can rank for.
Entities, schema, and helping search engines understand you
Because search relies more on entities and relationships, not just phrases, a good SEO partner thinks beyond text on the page.
You want search engines to clearly understand who you are, what you do, and what topics you are an authority on.
Practical steps here
- Use structured data (schema) for things like local business info, products, FAQs, and reviews.
- Keep your name, address, and phone data consistent across major directories if you are local.
- Build content that connects your brand to the core problems and solutions in your space, over and over.
All of this supports E-E-A-T and makes it easier for search engines and AI systems to trust and reference your content.
Keyword research still feeds those efforts, but the bigger picture is how your site fits into the web of topics and entities around your market.
Red flags when an agency talks about keywords
I want to be blunt here, because this is where many businesses waste months and budget.
Some offers sound attractive but signal the wrong mindset.
Things that should make you stop and question
- Unlimited keywords with no detail about content, technical work, or links.
- Guaranteed page one rankings for X keywords within a set number of days.
- No keyword or topic research shared, just a pre-made list.
- Reports that only show rankings and volume, no leads, calls, or revenue data.
- No discussion of topics, intent, or user journeys, only counts and positions.
An agency that is confident in its strategy will happily walk you through how it chose your topics and pages.
If someone gets defensive when you ask about intent, content quality, or measurement, that is a bad sign.
How to talk to agencies about keywords the right way
You do not need to accept their framing either.
If they talk in rigid keyword caps, you can steer the conversation back to topics and outcomes.
Questions to ask before you sign anything
- How did you choose these keywords or topics, and can I see the research behind them?
- How many pages will you actively optimize or create in the first 3-6 months?
- How are you mapping these keywords to specific stages in our sales funnel?
- How many terms will you track vs how many you expect us to rank for through long-tail and variations?
- How will you report on leads and revenue from organic search, not just rankings?
The more clearly they connect their plan to your actual business goals, the better.
If they fight to keep the conversation only on “number of keywords,” I would question their fit.
How many keywords do you really need from an SEO company?
When you strip away all the packaging, most small and mid-size businesses start effectively with something like 10-30 carefully picked keywords mapped to 5-15 key pages, then expand as results and trust build.
Big, complex sites might work across many more topics, but even there, the work is organized around pages and clusters, not a magic number in a contract.
The value of an SEO partner is not how many keywords they promise, but how well they understand which topics and pages will move your revenue.
If you remember nothing else, remember this: ask agencies to talk in terms of topics, pages, and outcomes first, and keyword counts second.
The right partner will be more excited to walk you through a thoughtful topic map than to brag about a big, vague keyword number.
Next steps for your own site
Take your current website and list your top 5 money pages, the ones that are closest to direct revenue.
Then, for each of those, write down one primary keyword and a handful of related questions your customers actually ask, and you will already be thinking more strategically than many “10 keyword” packages on the market.
From there, any SEO proposal you review should show how they will build out those topics, support those pages, and measure their impact on your business.
If the conversation keeps circling back to raw keyword counts instead, that probably tells you everything you need to know about that offer.
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