How many keywords/phrases are too many?

[Matteo]

Hi guys, a basic question. I am trying to get a feeling for the right amount of keyword phrases to optimize for on a single index page.
I am designing for a retailer who has diverse and various products that will each require of course their own optimized pages... But in order to catch my main page in the search engines for these products, how many is too many to optimse for.

just as an example lets say the possible phrases might be:

Crystal Stem Ware
Bar Glassware
Copper Cookware
Teak Serving Utensils
Dinner Plates
...you get the idea

I don't want to get bogged down into too many categories, at the same time I don't want to lose customers

I'll be happy for any input.

[Duncan Pollock]

You can easily go overboard with keywords, but the consensus is that Google et al will only consider a handful or two of them.
Thus, the answer probably lies in what can be considered generic terms -- glassware, stemware, crockery, cutlery, cookware, etc. You could perhaps do well to incorporate all of these in your home page and incorporate links to specific pages where you elaborate on the particular selections.
Despite your best intention -- and never mind Google's -- you can't become all things to all people. You need a focus, which can be such a thing as "extensive choices," "high quality," "affordable prices." "order on line," whatever. Or, if you wish, your site should emphasize your Unique Selling Proposition and rely on the search engines to place you in the position you deserve and want.

Duncan

[phoenix.corp]

you say that if I use many different long tail keywords within the same page, all of them having different words but related to the same niche. google will realize that I am keyword stuffing?, despite I am not repeating the same word over and over again?, for example, if I use alien video, ufo video, and nasa ufo video, is that keyword stuffing ?

You can easily go overboard with keywords, but the consensus is that Google et al will only consider a handful or two of them.
Thus, the answer probably lies in what can be considered generic terms -- glassware, stemware, crockery, cutlery, cookware, etc. You could perhaps do well to incorporate all of these in your home page and incorporate links to specific pages where you elaborate on the particular selections.
Despite your best intention -- and never mind Google's -- you can't become all things to all people. You need a focus, which can be such a thing as "extensive choices," "high quality," "affordable prices." "order on line," whatever. Or, if you wish, your site should emphasize your Unique Selling Proposition and rely on the search engines to place you in the position you deserve and want.

Duncan

[SemAdvance]

Actually due to competition levels now and in the future at most a webpage can rank on Googles front pages for one or two keyword terms

Treat each page as an island - one primary keyword term per page.

Peace

[incrediblehelp]

I really like website with deep content, focusing on no more than 1-2 keywords per page.

[braver55b]

You need to stick with the 20 most relevant keywords and make sure a good deal of them are also in the web copy.

[WebKing]

Actually due to competition levels now and in the future at most a webpage can rank on Googles front pages for one or two keyword terms

Treat each page as an island - one primary keyword term per page.

Peace

Well said SemAdvance, I too came to this conclusion. If the keyphrase you have chosen is not that competitive then you don't have to do much hard work. But that means less work, less $$.

[fernimac]

I also would raccomend narrowing it to 2 to 3 keywords/search phrases per page. In a Yellow Pages kind of website we are optimizing, we are using the technical name for a given activity, and we add the 2 more popular terms that people use to refer to that same activity to form the title. Then we make sure that the three keywords are repeated along the text on the page. And it works!!

Fernando Maciá