In the early days of SEO, Google would determine the topic of a page by looking at the keywords. If your page mentioned the phrase “weight loss pills” several times, the search engine concluded the page was about weight loss pills. However, this method came with several challenges. For one, some words have two different meanings. An example is fall, which can mean falling or a season.
Again, website owners would populate their articles with a high keyword density to manipulate search engines to rank them higher. To deal with these challenges, Google started implementing Latent Semantic Indexing(LSI) in determining what an article is about. Let us look at LSI and how you can use it to enhance your SEO strategy.
What is LSI?
Latent Semantic Index is a mathematical formula that uses a singular value decomposition(SVD) to classify information or critical terms. Search engines use SVD to analyze data and determine what a page is about depending on the related terms used in it. Therefore, they consider all the relevant words on a page when choosing its content instead of a single keyword.
These words related to the primary keyword are known as LSI keywords. Therefore, SEO gurus believe that using LSI keywords can help strengthen the topical relevance of a page. However, remember that LSI keywords aren’t synonyms. Instead, these are terms and phrases that are closely related to your primary keyword. For instance, if you are writing about tourist destinations, LSI keywords can be visa, things to do, attractions, air tickets, etc.
Why You Should Add LSI Keywords In Articles
Consider adding LSI keywords for these reasons:
- Better ranking of related pages. When you add LSI keywords throughout your page, search engines rank the page for related terms rather than just the primary term.
- Improved conversion. By using closely related terms on a page, you will be putting your site in the eyes of bigger audiences, as compared to when you use target keywords alone.
- Natural flow of articles. Repeating the exact keywords several times can affect the structure and flow of an article. However, LSI keywords add contextual relevance to a keyword without affecting its flow.
- Increase time on page. When you use relevant terms on a page, you enable your site to rank for the correct terms. This can increase the time on the page and reduce bounce rates.
How to Find LSI Keywords
There are several ways you can find Latent Semantic Indexing terms. These include:
Google Autocomplete
The easiest way of finding related terms is through Google AutoComplete. Simply enter your search term on the search engine box and wait for it to complete your terms. For instance, when you enter the phrase “latent semantic “and wait for Google to complete it, here are the keyword suggestions you will get:
- Latent semantic Indexing
- Latent semantic analysis
- Latent semantic analysis example
- Latent semantic analysis explained
- Latent semantic Indexing model
You can see that Google has suggested the words in bold. All those bolded words are related words or LSI keywords. After all, these are words people search for under that phrase, so you should include them in your keywords.
Google Adword Keyword Planner
Good Adword also has an effective keyword planner tool to find LSI keywords. The good thing is that you can still access it even if you aren’t running an AdWords campaign. All you need to do is to log into your AdWords account.
Enter your primary keywords in the search box and click “get ideas.” You will be taken to a page where you can see all the related terms. You will also see a rough estimation of how easy or hard it is to rank for the keyword.
LSI Graph
This is a free LSI keyword research tool for generating LSI keywords. However, it also has a premium plan that will unlock more features. Some of the terms suggested are synonyms, but if you dig deeper, you will find some great keywords that are worth adding.
Google Snippet
When you closely look at the Google Snippet, you will see bolded terms that are considered a match to your search terms and the closely related ones. These are LSI keywords that you can add to your article.
Surfer SEO
This is one of the most popular tools for finding LSI keywords. It works differently from the other tools because it allows you to write inside it, and it will suggest LSI terms to add to your article as you write. But what is even better is that the tool has a score that will show you if you have added enough LSI keywords. For the best results, you can aim for a minimum score of 80%. But the higher the score, the better.
How to Use LSI keywords
Now that you understand how to find LSI keywords, the next step is to use them.
Choose the LSI keywords to use
While most tools will provide a list of LSI keywords to include, not all these keywords are good. Some of them will be synonyms. To choose the best LSI keywords:
- Pick terms that meet the search intent
- Ensure that the words add context
- Consider if the suggestions will flow naturally in the article
- Check search volume to see if a word would make more sense as an individual article or as an addition to the primary keyword.
When you find a keyword that doesn’t fit your article, you can take note of it to use it on a different page.
Add LSI keywords to the Article
When writing your article, you should add the LSI keywords. Some areas where you can include the phrases are:
- Heading(H1,H2,H3)
- Meta Title and Meta Description
- Image Alt Tags
- Article body
Focus on Reader
Avoid overusing the LSI keywords, as this can still cause your site to be penalized. Ensure you prioritize the reader and that the article sounds natural, cohesive, and easy to read. Write in the same way you speak. If it’s impossible to speak it out, it doesn’t belong there.
Wrapping up
With Google using LSI keywords to determine the context of a page, you cannot afford to ignore it if you want to rank on the SERPs. Using this guide will help you find and use LSI keywords that will help you achieve your SEO goals.
