Keyword in URL

So a while back I started SEO optimization and link building for a domain which did not contain my targeted keywords. In retrospect it was probably a mistake as it would make my efforts easier but at the time I wanted to build a brand.
Today I got an idea to change the the way URLs are generated so that they contain targeted keyword, like this:
From www.domain.com/page to www.domain.com/keyword/page

As one of the main advantages of having a keyword in the domain name is the fact that every URL will contain the targeted keyword, I am hoping that I have achieved the same effect this way. Main questions is whether google values more the keyword in domain or it just cares about its presece in URL? I am hoping it is the latter. Either way this change should not hurt. What do you think?
There is only one thing I need to take care of is to remove the duplicate links to the same content as at the moment the content is reachable through both URLs (the one with the keyword and the one without it) and we know Google hates it.

if keyword is not in your domain name, you can have it in your URL also, it will be good, but having in domain name will provide you more benefit, but for only URL it can work well, if you are good to make good back-links.

naaaaw you dont need any keyword in the url or pemalink like domain.com/keyword/

no no no... you dont need.

IMTALK is ranking good for the keyword "seo forum" and IMTALk have no keyword in the domain.

Google about "The white house and miserable failure" and you will see that you dont need any keyword in the domain.

Well SEObunny imTalk rank well for the phrase "SEO Forum" (I'm talking about Google.com) But you can see all those site top of the result page have the keyword in their domains and urls.

Quote:

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.google.com/search?hl=en&q=SEO+forum&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=

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I have used keyword domains for a long time and it always helped me. Brandable names can rank same way but if you there is a strong site with keyword domain it's pretty hard to pass them.

Also for smaller less competitive keyword phrases keyword domains help you to rank fast. Also I always use the main keyword in page name.

keywords in domain is not very necessary, but its good to have. The format you chose is good domain.com/keyword/page

Well having name in domain or URL can help you to get rank soon, otherwise it's true and also right about the domain name and URL, as She and they ( Imtalk ) are most experts SEO, and experts can do many things........ I saw few sites in past without Description, Title, Keywords tag, but on TOP ranking with theirs topic.
Every thing is possible .....

basically you can rank with Title tag, quality back links and quality and regally updated content alone. There are tons of things which we can say not really need. but if the competitor has equal site to your any of or all of those "not really need " elements can give you the winning point.