Ranking technique where closer terms = more relevance. Still used in modern proximity BM25 variants.
Are you feeling stuck with your website’s search rankings? It can be tough to compete when everyone is fighting for the top spot.
I will show you how to use What is Word Proximity Weighting? to grab Google’s attention and finally get the traffic you deserve across any platform.
What is Word Proximity Weighting?
What is Word Proximity Weighting? is simply a fancy term for how close your keywords are to each other in a sentence or phrase.
Search engines give a higher “weight” or importance to keywords that appear right next to one another.
For instance, “best Italian restaurant” is much stronger than “the restaurant that serves the best food from Italy.”
CMS Platforms and Word Proximity
The beauty of this technique is that it works on every website, but how you apply it changes a bit depending on your platform.
WordPress
With WordPress, I focus on the title, H2 headings, and the first paragraph of the post.
Plugins like Yoast or Rank Math will often give you hints about your keyword placement, but remember to keep it natural.
I always make sure the target key phrase is as close together as possible in the post title.
Shopify
For Shopify, product page titles and descriptions are the most important spots.
I ensure the main product phrase, like “leather shoulder bag,” appears exactly as a tightly-knit phrase right at the start.
You can also use the word proximity principle in your collection page descriptions to boost category rankings.
Wix and Webflow
These platforms give you a lot of control, so you can place keywords precisely where they matter.
I suggest manually checking that your headings and meta descriptions show a tight word proximity.
Do not rely only on templates; customize every SEO field for best results.
Custom CMS
With a custom system, you need a developer to confirm the SEO fields are easy to update.
I work with my team to ensure we can edit title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags for maximum proximity.
The control is all yours, so take advantage of putting your keywords close together everywhere.
Word Proximity Weighting in Different Industries
This principle is universal, but its application changes based on your business type.
Ecommerce
Ecommerce thrives on exact match searches, so word proximity is crucial for product names.
I use it to target long-tail phrases like “dark roast coffee beans for espresso” in the product title.
Closer words mean a much higher chance of ranking for those specific, high-intent shopper searches.
Local Businesses
For local SEO, I focus on pairing the service with the location.
A good example is using “plumber Dallas Texas” close together in the main service page heading.
Remember that Google’s local algorithm heavily rewards strong relevance, and tight word proximity is a clear signal of that relevance.
SaaS (Software as a Service)
SaaS companies should use word proximity on landing pages for feature names and benefits.
I make sure the target feature, such as “team project management software,” is a very tight phrase in the H1 heading.
This clear, precise language helps users and search engines understand the exact solution you offer.
Blogs
For blog content, word proximity is key to targeting your main long-tail topic.
I recommend structuring your introduction and main subheadings so the core key phrase stays close together.
This shows search engines that your article is strongly focused on one central idea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Word Proximity Weighting the same as Keyword Density?
No, they are different ideas.
Keyword density is about how often a keyword appears on the page, like a percentage.
Word proximity is only about the distance between words in a single phrase.
Does this trick still work with modern SEO?
Yes, absolutely it does, especially for long-tail keywords and specific phrases.
Google is smart, but putting your keywords right next to each other is the clearest way to confirm your topic.
I have seen it work for years, and it is still a powerful part of on-page optimization.
Should I force the keywords to be close together?
No, never force it if the sentence sounds unnatural or awkward.
Readability and a good user experience are always the number one priority.
You must find the right balance between natural language and good word placement.
