What is Co-Occurrence?
Co-occurrence simply refers to the way two or more terms or ideas appear together within the same context, whether it is a document, webpage, or even across multiple pieces of content. This means that if two words or phrases appear together often, they are more likely to be semantically related or linked in some way.
For example:
You have a webpage about “digital marketing strategies.” If your content frequently mentions “SEO,” “content marketing,” and “social media campaigns” alongside “digital marketing strategies,” search engines will recognise that these terms are related. This co-occurrence helps search engines understand that your page provides a comprehensive view of digital marketing, making it more likely to be found for related search queries.
How Does Co-Occurrence Affect SEO?
SEO today is more than just ranking for keywords. You want to ensure that you a ranking for context and intent.
With that said, search engines like Google consider co-occurrence as an indicator of semantic relevance. When related terms are used together, search engines are more likely to view your page as comprehensive and relevant to those terms. This can help your page rank higher for a broader range of related search queries. Co-occurrence analysis, like keyword research, is also a great technique to help create more contextually rich content that resonates.
Put simply, it helps search engines connect the dots between related topics, making it easier for users to find your content when they search for information on those topics.