What are Secondary Keywords?
When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), we often hear about primary keywords—the main terms you want your website to rank for. But, that’s not the only keyword you page will (or should rank for!)
Secondary Keywords are related terms or phrases that complement your primary keyword. While your primary keyword targets the main idea of your content, secondary keywords are the synonyms, sub-topics and long-tail keywords that support and enrich that topic.
While it’s not necessary, utilising secondary keywords allow you to cover a topic in full, ensuring your are meeting your user’s expectations. It also allows you to be visible across a range of searches, not just one. In fact, on study shows that the average number of keywords for a top page in Google is 1000! That’s a pretty big number!
How Do You Find & Optimise Secondary Keywords?
- Use Content Optimization Tools: Tools like Surfer SEO, Clearscope, or MarketMuse can help you discover relevant secondary keywords related to your primary topic. These tools analyse top-ranking pages and suggest keywords to include for better optimisation. Some tools may also offer insight into how many times this should be used – however, this should only be used as a guide. Your content should flow well and read naturally!
- Check the Organic Keywords of Top-Ranking Pages: Look at the pages that already rank highly for your primary keyword. Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to see which organic keywords they are ranking for. This can give you insights into which secondary keywords you might want to target in your content.
- Utilise SEO Tools Explorer: SEO tools can provide keyword suggestions and data on search volume, competition, and relevance. By exploring these tools, you can uncover potential secondary keywords that align with your main topic.
- Consider Relevance & Intent: Ensure that the secondary keywords you choose are relevant to your content and align with the user intent behind searches. This means understanding what your audience is looking for and providing answers or solutions that fit their needs.
- Write Naturally: Once you’ve identified your secondary keywords, integrate them naturally into your content. Avoid keyword stuffing; instead, use them in a way that feels natural and enhances the overall quality of your writing. This includes using them in headings, subheadings, and within the body of your content.
