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Have you ever experienced concerns about duplicate content on a website leading to keyword cannibalization? If so, it's crucial to have a good understanding of keyword mapping strategies.
Most SEO practitioners often engage in continuous keyword research without considering the categorization of each previously researched keyword.
This can significantly impact the performance of the website's content.
It's not unlikely that you might end up creating content with the same keyword on a website due to the lack of implementing a keyword mapping strategy.
So, what does the strategy involve? What's the best way to put it into practice? Let's explore together in this article!
What is Keyword Mapping?
In broad terms, keyword mapping is the process of mapping out keywords, both main and secondary, for each page present on a website.
This strategy is undertaken with the goal of building a healthy website structure that can provide effective navigation to both Google and users.
Put simply, when users visit our website, they can freely explore the site to the fullest because a clear keyword map has been provided.
In addition to helping reduce bounce rates, keyword mapping is incredibly useful for website owners or SEO practitioners in finding article topic ideas and establishing content pillars.
For instance, let's consider a website centered around digital marketing.
From there, you can designate "digital marketing" as a content pillar and then supplement it with relevant topics such as SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, and more.
In carrying out keyword mapping, you also need to document all researched keywords in a Google Spreadsheet file, as shown in the image below:
Categorize them by main keyword and secondary keyword, then match them with corresponding article topics.
Ensure that the keywords you're searching for remain highly relevant to the industry your business operates in.
Ultimately, this strategy will also assist you in performing a content audit in due course.
The Significance of Keyword Mapping in SEO Optimization
Keyword mapping plays a crucial role in optimizing SEO. After all, this strategy aids in optimizing both website structure and content.
Furthermore, there are several other benefits to this strategy:
1. Maximizing Internal Link Management
As previously explained, keyword mapping assists in determining content pillars and their sub-content. Naturally, this helps you effectively manage internal linking for each page.
As you write content, you'll instinctively know which links to include as anchor text, aiding in consistently organizing internal links.
Over time, this will strengthen your website's structure, enhancing its value in the eyes of Google.
2. Avoiding Keyword Cannibalization
Keyword cannibalization involves placing the same keyword on different pages. This confuses Google in identifying and indexing the appropriate content for search engine placement.
Consequently, keyword cannibalization complicates your content's ability to reach page one on search engines.
To avoid this practice, keyword mapping becomes a valuable tool. Mapping keywords informs you of which keywords have and haven't been used for specific content.
3. Crafting an Optimal Content Plan
We often find ourselves unsure about the topics to cover in our content. This confusion arises from neglecting keyword mapping.
Think of it as a journey—without a map, you're likely to get lost along the way.
Keyword mapping changes the game. You organize and map out the keywords you intend to use, subsequently transforming them into article topic ideas.
Once you have a wealth of article ideas, creating a well-structured content plan within a specific timeframe becomes straightforward.
Understanding and Implementing Keyword Mapping for SEO Success
What is Keyword Mapping and Why Does It Matter?
Now that we understand the importance of keyword mapping in supporting website SEO performance, let's delve into the process. To put it simply, keyword mapping strategy becomes straightforward when you grasp its essence.
Read Also: Does Keyword Stuffing Affect Google Search Rankings? (Spoiler: Yes)However, implementing this strategy requires time as thorough research is necessary.
In the practice of keyword mapping, the majority of SEO practitioners utilize Google Spreadsheets to dissect keywords effectively, facilitating the creation of optimized content for the website.
1. Identifying Main Keywords
The foremost step involves identifying the main keyword for each page on your website. Once the main keyword is identified, you can proceed to research relevant derivative keywords corresponding to the article topic.
To pinpoint the right main keyword, various keyword research tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Ubersuggest, and more can be utilized.
It's crucial to emphasize again that you should search for main keywords highly relevant to your business industry.
For instance, if your business revolves around perfumes, targeting a keyword like "men's perfume" would be apt.
2. Researching Derivative Keywords
Following the discovery of the main keyword, it's time to delve deeper into its derivative keywords. Derivative keywords are those related to the main keyword.
Often, when we type queries into search engines, Google automatically suggests additional keywords or alternatives.
From these suggestions, you can identify derivative keywords to include in your keyword mapping.
Additionally, keyword research tools can aid in finding derivative keywords.
For instance, if you've chosen "men's perfume" as a keyword, you can also add derivative keywords like "best men's perfume 2023," "long-lasting men's perfume," and so on.
3. Aligning with Search Intent
It's important to note that not all users searching on search engines seek information. Some may be looking to make transactions or find specific products.
Hence, mapping keywords according to search intent is crucial.
In practice, there are four search intent types: informational, transactional, navigational, and commercial.
When you align your keywords with search intent, your website pages are more likely to rank well as they match user desires.
4. On-Page Optimization
For optimal keyword mapping practice, attention must be given to various on-page components that can be optimized.
Often during keyword mapping, several issues may arise, including:
- Missing or irrelevant content
- Technical problems affecting your website's ranking
- Internal links that can be improved for multiple website pages
- Multiple pages targeting the same keyword (keyword cannibalization)
Hence, as you engage in keyword mapping, ensure these issues are resolved effectively.
5. Regularly Update Keywords
After mapping keywords meticulously, your task doesn't end there.
Perform content audits to identify potential keywords for optimization, boosting their performance in search engine results.
Explore internal linking opportunities for your pages.
If necessary, integrate derivative keywords into existing articles or add main keywords for new content.
In conclusion, we've covered keyword mapping from definition to best practices for successful implementation.
Whether you're fond of it or not, this practice is essential to uphold and enhance your website's SEO performance.
Failure to execute it optimally could lead to subpar SEO performance for your website.
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