Who\u2019s up for a treasure hunt? No, we\u2019re not after gold doubloons, but something equally valuable: top rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). Keyword mapping will show us where X marks the spot.<\/p>\n\n
Your site\u2019s content is the key to climbing SERPs and reaching your users where they are. An important element for effective content is assigning the right keywords. A keyword map<\/a> helps you do just that.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n And what fun would a treasure hunt be without friends? To help chart our course through keyword mapping, I sought insights from Nicole MacLean<\/a>, head of marketing and sales at Compose.ly<\/a>.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n What is keyword mapping anyway?<\/a> <\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cAt its core, keyword mapping is the process of assigning specific target keywords to the most relevant pages on your site so that your content meets searchers\u2019 needs throughout the funnel,\u201d said MacLean.<\/p>\n \u201cWhether the intent behind a search is informational (to learn something) or transactional (to take action), keyword mapping makes sure your pages are positioned to rank, convert, and answer the users\u2019 needs. Think of it as the roadmap connecting user intent to your site\u2019s content.\u201d<\/p>\n\n Keywords help optimize your site for search engines<\/strong>. The right keywords help your users find you, understand your offers, and then buy when they\u2019re ready. That connection between user and outcome is where keyword mapping works its magic.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Of course, keyword mapping will help you maximize opportunities with search engines like Google. However, the process of defining and assigning the best keywords can extend benefits beyond climbing SERPs.<\/p>\n\n People crave a logical structure to your site and content. Clear information hierarchies<\/a> help users quickly find and process information \u2014 and they\u2019ll reward you by coming back for more.<\/p>\n A keyword map sets up a logical hierarchy, much like how a story unfolds. It guides users from pillar pages with general information to more specific subpages and subtopics, sharing increasingly relevant information along the way.<\/p>\n Over time, your site accumulates content: landing pages, blog pages, case studies, feature wrap-ups, and so on. Naturally, you want each page to rank for the best keywords for your audience, so you plug in those keywords throughout your content. That\u2019s how keyword cannibalization<\/a> sneaks its way onto your site: You have multiple pages chasing the same keywords, making it harder for any single page to rank successfully.<\/p>\n A keyword map requires reviewing every page, discovering your keywords, and mapping them to the most appropriate pages. This process helps you reduce keyword cannibalization and more efficiently rank on SERPs.<\/p>\n Depending on your industry, there could be niche audiences seeking what you offer, but they\u2019re simply underserved. Your competitors either haven\u2019t discovered these opportunities or decided not to pursue them. Keyword mapping can locate these buried treasure chests and draw a path to uncovering them.<\/p>\n You know content should support your business outcomes and KPIs. Brand awareness, lead gen, and conversions are certainly important parts of great content marketing.<\/p>\n The keyword mapping process can help you pinpoint where your content supports larger company goals and where you could do with adjustments.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n I asked MacLean how to begin your keyword mapping process. What steps are most important? What shouldn\u2019t you forget? Here\u2019s what we discussed.<\/p>\n\n Why do you want to rank for your keywords? What purpose do they fulfill? MacLean reminds us about the importance of using business goals as guides for keyword selection:<\/p>\n \u201cDeveloping a thorough keyword map means understanding what the business goals are (what do you want to rank for), and who your audience is (what are they searching for,)\u201d she says. \u201cYou\u2019ll need a good understanding of both your business\u2019 KPIs and your audience\u2019s search behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n Gather appropriate audience and user data and align with your leadership on what outcomes matter. That\u2019ll pave a solid foundation before you jump into the finer details.<\/p>\n Once you know your desired broad outcomes, find the right keywords to fit your needs. Typically, every page will have one primary keyword<\/a> (the one you want to rank for the most).<\/p>\n You\u2019ll also want to include 1-3 secondary keywords to highlight subtopics and give search engines more to work with. Conduct thorough keyword research<\/a> to find choice keyword options.<\/p>\n MacLean recommends a top-down approach to research: \u201cStart with your largest, most important targets, and work your way down,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cFocus on meeting search intent so you can deliver a cohesive, easy-to-navigate client experience.\u201d<\/p>\n Since Google owns almost all of the world\u2019s search traffic<\/a>, why not use the company\u2019s knowledge directly? If you\u2019re already running Google Ads, hop into the Keyword Planner<\/a> and use Google\u2019s analytics to identify keywords. It\u2019s also very user-friendly compared to other SEO tools.<\/p>\n Note: <\/span>Using this tool requires an active Google Ads account running paid ads.<\/p>\n For those interested in lower-cost options, Google Search Console<\/a> (part of Google Workspace) offers analytics pulled from the company\u2019s indexing algorithms. And, if you\u2019re really in a pinch, Google Trends<\/a> is open to the public and free to use. It can identify broad trends and basic keywords, but you won\u2019t get usage and cost-to-compete data.<\/p>\n What if you\u2019re looking for options off the Google bandwagon? Personally, I like SEMrush<\/a>. The company packs tons of information into their keyword research tools. It might overwhelm a true SEO beginner, but if you\u2019ve had some practice, SEMrush offers a lot of keyword help. Plans start at $139.95 per month.<\/p>\n Also, MacLean points out how some marketers ignore long-tail keywords. These are terms with lower search return volumes, often because they\u2019re highly specific and targeted.<\/p>\n \u201cLong-tail keywords<\/a> are low-hanging fruit,\u201d she said. \u201cDon\u2019t miss out on these opportunities to capture niche traffic. My team sees the most success from establishing pillar\/landing pages with big keyword targets, and building out topical authority with blogs focused on related long-tail keywords, tying back to these larger pillar pages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n With a list of potential keywords in hand, you\u2019ll next want to review your content and how you\u2019re using keywords now. This is your content audit<\/a>.<\/p>\n MacLean and her team spend considerable time running content audits. She says you should start by identifying which pages already rank for relevant keywords, and then highlight gaps where new content is needed. She reminds us that intentionality is key to a good audit.<\/p>\n \u201cBe clear about how everything on site does or does not fit into your content strategy,\u201d said MacLean. \u201cUnderstand what action steps to take for content that does not fit, whether that be setting up redirects, combining into new content, or removing from your site all together.\u201d<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>Don\u2019t skip the content audit. You might feel time and cost pressures to not bother with it. But, you could miss out on undiscovered paths for future content or easy chances to optimize your site.<\/p>\n Now it\u2019s time to combine your knowledge and insights into your actual keyword map. Include data like:<\/p>\n Keyword The spreadsheet is your friend when making keyword maps. Your columns should demonstrate how you plan to pair your page link to primary and secondary target keywords.<\/p>\n Ideally, you\u2019ll want to see a map\u2019s logic at a glance: big, broad keywords for pillar pages and specific, long-tail keywords for subpages.<\/p>\n Your keyword map and content audit will identify content gaps. Take time to write meaningful content that fills those gaps and better meet users\u2019 search intent.<\/p>\n Include on-page SEO recommendations as you create or update content. For instance, how can you incorporate your primary keyword naturally into the page\u2019s title or meta description?<\/p>\n As a writer, I find this part especially challenging and rewarding. There\u2019s usually little to no wiggle room in how you write your keyword<\/a>; \u201ccook\u201d and \u201ccooking\u201d can return different results depending on user intent.<\/p>\n This limitation is also why we have primary and<\/em> secondary keywords. I\u2019ll slot the primary one in the title and in 2-3 internal headings (along with body copy inclusions). Secondary keywords give me more maneuverability for creating interesting headings and subheadings.<\/p>\n I also read aloud titles, headings, and subheadings to check for \u201cnormalcy\u201d (i.e., Does it sound right to my ear?) You should read content aloud anyway, but if you\u2019re pressed for time, check any keyword-laden component. That\u2019s where your article\u2019s voice usually gets wonky.<\/p>\n From there, write content as you normally would. Search engines are now rewarding expert-led, deep, and differentiated content \u2014 the standout stuff that meets E-E-A-T<\/a> requirements.<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>Keywords are a vital marketing tactic, but they\u2019re only a tactic. Users want helpful, consumable content to consume in between those well-mapped keywords. Make their treasure hunt a worthwhile one.<\/p>\n Keywords need time to return results; it\u2019s not an automatic fix or boost. MacLean recommends giving new or refreshed content about three months to gather enough performance data.<\/p>\n Common keyword data<\/a> to track include the following.<\/p>\n Impressions measure how many times a search engine returns your page for a given keyword.<\/p>\n Google measures impressions a few ways<\/a> depending on where your content is returned. But, generally, getting an \u201cimpression\u201d doesn\u2019t necessarily mean a user saw your content, only that the algorithm returned it on the search engine results page. I\u2019ve seen marketers get excited by huge impression numbers \u2014 only to fall flat when nobody actually clicks on their links.<\/p>\n Bigger isn\u2019t always better here; you want high-quality impressions as much as quantity.<\/p>\n You only get clicks when users actually click on your page link as displayed on the SERP. It\u2019s a clearer representation of a user\u2019s search desire.<\/p>\n Again, much like impressions, you can<\/em> juice these numbers to make clicks look \u201cbetter.\u201d But, in the end, you want users who actually want to take action based on that click (e.g., learn more, schedule a demo, or buy your product).<\/p>\n Divide clicks by impressions to get your CTR. A \u201cgood\u201d CTR depends on your industry, content format, and chosen keywords. I\u2019ve seen an average of 2% suffice, while others chase 15-20%.<\/p>\n Research from marketing training firm CXL<\/a> shows CTR benchmarks around 4% to 11%, depending on the industry. A little search engine legwork can help you find benchmarks befitting your industry and niches.<\/p>\n Once a user clicks on your page, you want them to do something: fill out a form or purchase you offer. That\u2019s a conversion.<\/p>\n Conversions are individualized to your business goals and desired outcomes. You pick what counts in your chosen analytics tool and tie it to your keywords.<\/p>\n Conversions are certainly crucial for your KPIs, but they don\u2019t always translate 1:1 to other companies\u2019 experience. So, don\u2019t spend too much time comparing conversion results with other firms.<\/p>\n This is your site page\u2019s numerical position on the SERP returned to users. That ranking matters<\/em>.<\/p>\n The #1 spot sits at the top of the page and receives the most interaction. Research shows that the top-ranked search result generates<\/a> a CTR around 39.8%. The second position? 18.7%. Once you reach the page\u2019s bottom, you\u2019re getting less than 2%.<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> I\u2019ve often found company leadership highly interested in rankings as a visible way to \u201cmove the needle.\u201d Impressions, clicks, and conversions all help you climb SERP rankings. But, when presenting to executive leadership, I\u2019d lead with that bottom-line, \u201clook how many spaces we\u2019ve moved\u201d piece.<\/p>\n For performance tracking tools, I return to SEMrush. Specifically, their Position Tracking<\/a> tool can deliver an executive-ready keyword performance report.<\/p>\n Also, ensure you review your keyword map regularly.<\/p>\n \u201cKeyword trends and user behavior evolve. Regular updates to your mapping strategy are key to staying competitive,\u201d said MacLean.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Google algorithm shifts rapidly, so being tuned into data analysis and having the flexibility to make shifts will keep your strategy fresh and relevant for users.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n The Importance of Keyword Mapping: SEO and Beyond<\/a>
\n How to Map Keywords: A Guide to Start Your Keyword Mapping Journey<\/a> <\/p>\nWhat is keyword mapping anyway?<\/h2>\n
The Importance of Keyword Mapping: SEO and Beyond<\/h2>\n
Creating a Better User Experience<\/h3>\n
Reducing Keyword Cannibalization<\/h3>\n
Gaining a Competitive Advantage<\/h3>\n
Making Content Work Better for Your Business<\/h3>\n
How to Map Keywords: A Guide to Start Your Keyword Mapping Journey<\/h2>\n
1. Define your business goals.<\/h3>\n
2. Research your keyword targets.<\/h3>\n
3. Audit your content.<\/h3>\n
4. Map your keywords to pages.<\/h3>\n
\n Search volume
\n Keyword difficulty
\n User intent
\n Assigned page URL
\n Content type
\n Notes for your team <\/p>\n5. Create new content and optimize old content.<\/h3>\n
6. Track performance and reassess keywords.<\/h3>\n
Impressions<\/h4>\n
Clicks<\/h4>\n
Click-Through Rate (CTR)<\/h4>\n
Conversions<\/h4>\n
SERP Rankings<\/h4>\n