{"id":17266,"date":"2023-01-04T10:10:16","date_gmt":"2023-01-04T10:10:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.searchenginejournal.com\/keyword-mapping-beginners-guide\/466483\/"},"modified":"2023-01-04T10:10:16","modified_gmt":"2023-01-04T10:10:16","slug":"keyword-mapping-a-beginners-guide-via-sejournal-violaeva1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marketingnewsbox.com\/?p=17266","title":{"rendered":"Keyword Mapping: A Beginner\u2019s Guide via @sejournal, @ViolaEva1"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s no secret; keywords are one of the pillars of a successful search engine strategy. They connect your website\u2019s content with search queries that make them SEO 101.<\/p>\n

Your goal is to ensure people have the best chance of finding your website, which means you want the copy of your pages to be filled with the words and phrases searchers are using.<\/p>\n

But therein lies the rub: How do you know what keywords you should use? Some of them will obvious.<\/p>\n

If you own a plumbing supply website, it\u2019s safe to assume your content should include words like [faucet], [ball valve], and [pipe fitting]. But what about the keywords that aren\u2019t so obvious?<\/p>\n

And once you\u2019ve identified the keywords you want to target, should you just start cramming them in wherever they fit? You could, but then you run the risk of cannibalizing your own pages<\/a> or competing with them for the same keywords and phrases.<\/p>\n

To avoid this and help make sure you\u2019re providing the best answer to search intent<\/a>, you need a plan.<\/p>\n

Keyword mapping will help you not only identify your keyword phrases but also determine where they should go on your website.<\/p>\n

In this piece, we\u2019ll guide you through mapping out your keywords and implementing a strategy to ensure your pages are deemed relevant to search engines.<\/p>\n

What Is Keyword Mapping?<\/h2>\n

Keyword mapping is the process of assigning each page to a target keyword cluster.<\/p>\n

Google ranks based on specific URLs.<\/p>\n

Each URL needs to be optimized and relevant for the target keywords to rank.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s target keyword cluster normally consists of the main keyword (focus keyword) that clearly describes the page\u2019s topic, as well as a series of keyword variations and supporting keywords.<\/p>\n

Why Keyword Mapping Matters<\/h2>\n

There are several benefits to keyword mapping.<\/p>\n

First is that it organizes your content effectively, which not only aids in Google\u2019s understanding of how relevant this URL is for a search query but also makes it easier for your content creators to write and easier for readers to understand.<\/p>\n

More than that, it helps you create and maintain an internal linking strategy.<\/p>\n

Ideally, you want your pages to contextually link from one to another. This helps search engine crawlers index your pages while helping visitors find what they\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n

Keyword mapping also provides you with an effective way to measure your SEO efforts. It will help alert you to problems with your SEO, allowing you to react faster.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at an example: A software client of mine won page 1 with one of our Q4 target pages. The article was published in August 2020.<\/p>\n

The main keyword is November, ranking in position two, and organic traffic is starting to pick up.<\/p>\n

\"KeywordScreenshot by author, January 2023<\/span>\"Keyword<\/div>\n
\"KeywordScreenshot by author, January 2023<\/span>\"Keyword<\/div>\n

What do you think: How many supporting keywords and variations are ranking?<\/p>\n

In short: There could be hundreds of supporting keywords ranking for your page.<\/p>\n

\"KeywordScreenshot by author, January 2023<\/span>\"Keyword<\/div>\n

On the left side, you can see the ranking position: 100 at the bottom and the best position (1) at the top.<\/p>\n

Each line is one page on the same website. The line is the ranking development of that page over time.<\/p>\n

In this chart, the ranking page is constantly switching. Google simply can not decide which page is most relevant.<\/p>\n

So, pages keep coming in and out of the index without ever sticking.<\/p>\n

This hurts your ranking changes and organic performance.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t play hard to get.<\/p>\n

Work on your keyword mapping and make it clear to Google which page they should rank for a target keyword.<\/p>\n

Lastly, keyword mapping matters because Google is getting better and better at understanding search intent and the relevant subtopics needed to meet search intent.<\/p>\n

Page 1 for [time management tips] is full of long-form, Wikipedia-esque articles covering all the subtopics in one guide.<\/p>\n

Now that you know why<\/em> you need to employ a plan, let\u2019s dive into how<\/em> to do keyword mapping.<\/p>\n

A Step-By-Step Guide To Mapping Keywords<\/h2>\n

Keyword mapping is simple once you understand the process, but it does take a bit of time to research and implement.<\/p>\n

1. Identify Your Keywords<\/h3>\n

The first thing you should do is identify the main keyword you want to rank for on each page within your site. This should be the answer to a specific query.<\/p>\n

This seed keyword, as it\u2019s sometimes known, can then be used to find a larger set of keywords.<\/p>\n

Using a keyword research tool<\/a>, use the focus keyword to identify all the words and phrases you\u2019ll be mapping to your website.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget to check out the keywords being used by your competition.<\/p>\n

Prioritize keywords based on your overall keyword strategy.<\/p>\n

2. Group Your Keywords<\/h3>\n

Once you\u2019ve compiled your list of keywords, it\u2019s time to start organizing them.<\/p>\n

Begin by grouping words into buckets based on search intent. Your goal is to create a group of words that all answer the same question.<\/p>\n

Select one of these as your main keyword while using the others as secondary ones.<\/p>\n

These buckets will help you determine the structure of your site and create a logical path for visitors and search engine spiders to follow.<\/p>\n

As you\u2019re grouping your keywords, don\u2019t forget about variants.<\/p>\n

For example, if you\u2019re optimizing a page with the focus keyword of [project management software], you will want to include [software for project management].<\/p>\n

This is a good time to start thinking about potential URLs for pages.<\/p>\n

Ideally, your URL will feature your main keyword. While this only plays a minor role<\/a> in your search ranking, having keywords in the web address helps users understand what the page is about.<\/p>\n

3. Map Your Keywords<\/h3>\n

Now it\u2019s time to start building your keyword map. Start by outlining your site\u2019s hierarchy in a logical manner.<\/p>\n

After that, create a subdirectory with individual pages. Many people find it easiest to create a spreadsheet with multiple columns to keep things organized.<\/p>\n

Take the primary keyword for a page and use it to create your page title, meta description, header tags, and other elements.<\/p>\n

List the secondary and tertiary keywords in another column.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re working on optimizing an existing site, you\u2019ll probably want to include columns for an existing title, H1 tags, etc., and include recommended or updated versions next to them.<\/p>\n

You can also add notes about body copy, word count, and images \u2013 if you find this helpful.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019re done filling out this spreadsheet, double-check to make sure each page is unique from the others.<\/p>\n

4. Optimize Your On-Page Content<\/h3>\n

While creating your keyword map, you will likely encounter some issues that should be addressed. This could include:<\/p>\n