How important is rich keyword text on each

[Curve Appeal]

Category page? Right now, I have it on my home page, but not on each category page.

Should I be putting it in?

[Dubbya]

Category pages give you another opportunity to utilize keywords and content to increase search relevance independently from your home page.

While your homepage may rank well and place well in some search results, a category page optimized for more focused keywords and content can work wonders.

For example, a home page which places well (within the top 10) for a highly competitive search phrase such as "Chevrolet Engines" would be fantastic.

Using a category page optimized for "Rebuilt Engine Blocks" would undoubtedly drive some focused traffic in, as would "Rebuilt Chevrolet Engine Blocks" and finally, "Rebuilt Chevrolet 427" (You see the progression here).

Both category pages would likely allow you to grab some "low hanging fruit" using more broad search phrases and may well place higher than your home page ever could for those same search terms. Each and every sub-page supports the keywords and content in the preceding category page.

You might also consider that this method will allow you to remove less focused keywords and content from the main page, thereby increasing the relevance of the remaining text, keywords and phrases.

We've all seen tons of sites that try to include content and keywords for every product or item and model they sell. The home page doesn't focus on any particular area, thus places lower in search results than a cheesy competing site that is focused on a few select items.

Optimize and add relevant, focused content to each and every page you can.

Golden opportunities await! Go, git 'em!!

[incrediblehelp]

Keyword density/keyword rich text is a myth and means nothing really. Write for users not search engines and your content will be fine.

[Tubby]

I think the category pages are the fun pages, these are the pages where you can begin to ease up on 'googlization' - Yes let your main pages work for Google - ease off for categories. and on the sub pages have some fun.
if you ever type your email address into Google - it always finds it on a sub page.
If you type in a miss spelling it always finds it on a sub page.

I think the further away from your main page - the better the long tail searches work.

Ease off, for Categories, loosen up for sub categories. have some fun with sub-sub categories.

(useless information) I have one user who travels and is not greatly web-intuitive. he uses other peoples computers including nephews, aunts, business acquaintances. so I wrote his dogs name on his favourite page (classified adverts) I added 'fatpup' to the end of the dogs name . . Now this user simply tells the computer owner 9 wherever he is, to type this word into Google. . this finds the page every time.

Giving words to Google to play with, is not as important as giving your users some "words"
Google is merely a tool. . Your user is the real item. Aim carefully at your real target.

[sajae102]

Any page that contains keyword rich content is helpful and beneficial for the search engines to find your site. It doens't matter what page it is. on.

[Niche]

I wonder how your 'keyword rich' home page is doing in the search engines. I ask this because the focus is on unique content and naturally appearing keywords. It's not only the keyword that you are targetting that the bots want to see it's related words as well. The best way is to right your content naturally

With regards to your category pages, they should have some content on them that is relevant to what the categories are. Again write naturally and your chances are better with the search engines