Keyword Clustering

What Is Keyword Clustering?

Keyword clustering is the process of grouping related keywords together to target multiple search queries with a single page.

Each keyword in the cluster will have the same or very similar search intent.

You can rank the one page for all the target keywords by clustering the keywords together.

Keyword clustering helps to create more focused and comprehensive content that will ultimately get more visibility in the search results.

What Is An Example Of Keyword Clustering?

An example of keyword clustering is grouping keywords such as “how to tie a tie,” “tie knot instructions,” and “best way to tie a necktie” into a single cluster.

All of the keywords are different search phrases, but they have the same search intent.

You would then write one piece of detailed content to rank for all three keywords.

How To Do Keyword Clustering

Here’s an overview of how to do keyword clustering:

Step 1: Create Your Initial Keyword List

The best way to do keyword research is to come up with topics and then turn them into keywords.

Start by creating a list of broad topics or categories relevant to your target audience. Expand this list of topics by adding specific phrases your site visitors might use in search queries.

Those phrases might include:

The list is endless!

Now take it further by researching those phrases and broad topics in a keyword research tool like Ahrefs, Semrush or Keysearch.

Don’t be too concerned about quality for now – Focus on turning those topics into keywords.

List all the keywords in a spreadsheet, including the ranking difficulty, the traffic and the search intent.

By the end of this step, you should have a huge list of potential keywords you could target.

Keyword research is an art AND a science.

Make sure you have a good process in place!

Step 2: Cluster Your Keywords Into Groups

Now work your way down the list of keywords, clustering your keywords into related groups.

Pair related keywords together by topic or search intent. Remove keywords that are too competitive or not relevant to your site.

Remember that every cluster will be its own piece of content.

Only cluster keywords together you know will have the same search intent and are very closely related.

Step 3: Map Pages To Your Keyword Clusters

Check if you have content already published on your site that is relevant to any of the keyword clusters you created.

Optimise those pages for the relevant keyword clusters.

You should be left with a list of keyword clusters that need new content.

Create a content outline for each target keyword cluster so you can start ranking for them.

Step 4: Write New Content For Keyword Clusters

The last step is to write new content for each cluster.

Spend time making great content that people will find helpful and interesting.

Track your rankings over time and monitor performance to see where to improve in the future.

What Are The Best Keyword Clustering Tools?

The best keyword clustering tools are:

1. Ahrefs – Best keyword clustering tool overall
2. Semrush – Best for finding lots of keyword ideas
3. Keysearch – Best for those on a budget
4. LongTailPro – Best for creating longtail keyword clusters
5. Our Keyword Research Template – Best for creating a complete keyword strategy in 10 minutes

Check out this keyword research tools tutorial to learn how to use them properly.