How "Top" or "Best" are considered when in front of keyword

[m2webs]

I would like to know if someone has proven info how google today counts words "Top" or "Best" when in front of main keywords you try to rank for.

For example, if I have a keyword like "Restaurants in Madrid" and I optimize that page without using words "top" or "best" will it have good rankings for keywords "top restaurants in madrid" and "best restaurants in madrid" ?

I suppose that google is smart enough to know that web page should be good ranked even without using those 2 words but would like to know percentage of my loss if I just exclude those words from title tag and other important onpage factors. I want to rank high for all the 3 combinations, with "top", with "best" and without it in front so searching for best solution.

I plan just to add one of those words, for example "top" and hope that google will know that "top" = "best"

[m2webs]

That about liability is what I should think of. About on-page, I actually didn't use it anywhere except in title of tags on some pages with short title tag and it is still ranking good for those keywords even without any single mention of "top" or "best"

Anyway, thanks for response. Will try to get some links from bloggers' top lists

[EricaMcGillivray]

Then I suggest checking out Rand Fishkin's blog post about the "perfectly" optimized page for a keyword.

I do caution about making "top" or "best" target on-page keywords, except in testimonial, as there might be liability issues or competitors could possibly turn you in for fraudulent marketing, depending how fierce your industry is.

[m2webs]

Thanks for your answer. Although your answer is perfectly right and that will give a lot more value I would like to know a bit more about onpage aspects. So how smarter google is now when that is in case. I suppose as semantic search will be deeper by time it will be a bit more easier to rank for it.

[EricaMcGillivray]

Instead of focusing on changing your content on the site, "best" and "top" are typically more PR-related or review driven. It'd make more sense to focus on say getting into lists from bloggers, local publications, etc., in their list of "top restaurants" in your area. Also playing the awards game. And then work on customer reviews. If you want to optimize the content, putting customer testimonial on your site could be a more powerful signal that the restaurant is actually the "best" instead of the company copy saying that.