Keyword density, keyword stuffing, and exact match keywords used to be SEO linchpins that work well and were easy to implement. Sticking with them for your current search success might be tempting, but semantic SEO is where it’s at. When you see a LinkedIn influencer claiming that “SEO is dead!”, the full story is that it’s just these outdated strategies that are dead.
Semantic SEO is content that delivers a real User Experience (UX) and topical authority. Throughout this post, you’ll learn what semantic SEO is, why it’s more effective than traditional SEO, and how you can use it to optimize your website. Throughout, we’ll even give you insight into what the advice is from top SEO experts.
What is Semantic SEO?
Semantic SEO is all about optimizing your website around topics, not just keywords. Rather than writing scattered articles targeting random high-traffic keywords, you build your site to cover entire topics. This includes context, structure, intent, meaning, and user emotions.
Take HubSpot, a company recognized for its suite of tools including its Customer Relationship Manager (CRM), marketing automation, and customer service solutions. HubSpot likely comes to mind first for any of these tools—and that’s because they’ve strategically built topical authority by building topic clusters.
Topic Clusters: A Lesson From HubSpot
A topic cluster is a group of interconnected content pieces that all revolve around a central topic. Each piece explores a different subtopic, creating a comprehensive resource for the user.
This is the essence of semantic SEO: rather than chasing specific keywords, focus on becoming the ultimate authority in your niche by creating topic clusters, and search engines will reward you.
HubSpot have followed this strategy for years to become the go-to resource for CRM-related content, which helps them rank for numerous keywords in that space. For instance, “How to use a CRM” is one cluster that links to various internal pages. Each of these covers the topic from myriad angles, making it a one-stop hub for users.
So, how do you ‘own’ a topic in the same way HubSpot does? Chima Mmeje, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Moz says:
Talk about a topic repeatedly, in various ways, until it becomes synonymous with your brand.
So, the old way of SEO—creating multiple pages with no overarching strategy and hoping some will rank—could do with a refresh. Instead, you need to create content with a laser focus on one core topic. In essence, your website should be the resource for everything on that topic, covering it from every angle so users don’t need to go elsewhere.
Traditional SEO Is ‘Old Hat’ in Comparison to Semantic SEO
In the past, SEO’s complexity was to simply stuff your article with a keyword to rank. Google in particular would reward content based on keyword usage alone:
But in 2011, the Google Panda update arrived to ensure that the top-ranked content provided the best experience.
Google (of course) continues to release algorithm updates and combines with Google’s Knowledge Graph, which helps search engines understand user intent. Today, Google evaluates more than 200 ranking factors—including topical authority.
Search Bots Analyze Entities, Concepts, and Sentiments
While Google still analyzes keywords, it does so in a far more sophisticated way than it did in the 2010s. The focus isn’t on keyword density or exact matches anymore, but on the depth of topic coverage and how well the content satisfies user search intent.
When you conduct a search, Google’s algorithms analyze the query by looking at entities (specific objects or topics), concepts (how the entities relate), and the intent. The algorithms then check whether your content comprehensively answers the query using its Knowledge Graph.
In short, if your website covers a topic thoroughly—addressing all the different facets and emotions surrounding the user’s query—you’re more likely to rank.
Semantic SEO Helps You Optimize for Entities, Concepts, and Sentiments
Instead of worrying about cramming as many keywords as possible into your content, you might consider shifting your focus to topical authority instead. When you become an authority on a topic, your website will start ranking for keywords—some of which you didn’t even optimize for in the first place.
Take Viral Loops as an example. Through a dedicated organic growth agency, the site published a topic cluster around product launches, which resulted in ranking for over 1,000 keywords. This strategy was all about becoming the go-to resource for anyone interested in launching a product.
How to Create a Winning Semantic SEO Strategy: What the Experts Think
To succeed with semantic SEO, you need to focus on what users are searching for and align your content with their intent. However, topics should also cover the topics you want recognition for. For a new strategy, leveraging your product or service is a great start. Much like HubSpot creates clusters on how to use a CRM and inbound lead generation, think about topics around your own products or services.
From there, you can begin to put some steps into practice. Next, we’ll look at what SEO experts and thought leaders believe on how to create a semantic SEO strategy, starting in a typical place.
1. Identify Keywords and Nail Search Intent
Basic keyword research helps you to identify topics readers care about. Understanding search intent connects the dots between topics and subtopics, which makes it easier to create content that ranks well and satisfies users.
You can start by picking one topic and brainstorming related ideas. From there, make a list of subtopics that offer good interlinking opportunities to help build your content hub.
Use Keyword Research and SERP Tools to Identify Keywords
Google’s own functionality such as Autosuggest, People Also Ask, and related searches pair well with dedicated keyword research tools such as AnswerThePublic, Semrush, or Ahrefs to conduct in-depth keyword research for your pillar and cluster content:
It’s not about how many keywords you collect either—this isn’t Pokemon! Instead, focus on nailing the search intent for the most relevant keywords. Through understanding your search intent, clustering keywords becomes easier.
Understand User Perspectives to Nail Search Intent
Bernard Huang, Co-founder of Clearscope, explained in a Moz interview that Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) always evolve, especially with the introduction of Google’s AI Overviews (AIO). This uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to give answers in short summaries before website listings. SERPs now reflect multiple search perspectives behind a query, not just informational, navigational, or commercial intent.
Nailing down search intent means understanding what your readers really want. You can analyze SERPs for a keyword and reveal the different stages of the user’s journey.
For example, querying “How to start a keto diet” could reflect varying search intents. For instance, for starting a particular diet, the search results target those who want to start and those who already undertake it:
This is one area where AI could help. Nikola Baldikov, Founder of InBound Blogging suggests a simple approach:
Start by asking ChatGPT to analyze a given keyword, then suggesting various potential situations in which people might use it for their search queries.
Another way is to talk to your customers, Will Yang (Head of Marketing at Instrumentl) advises:
…sitting down with real users and having an open discussion around their motivations, pain points, and actual search queries can provide invaluable insights…
You can also learn about your user’s emotions and sentiments for certain topics. When you pair this with SERP analysis and keyword research, it can present a solid understanding of search intent.
2. Cluster Keywords Into Topics
Clustering keywords can enhance your content’s topical relevance and make it easier for search engines to understand the relationships between your content pieces.
It also helps you cover every query around your main topic and improve your chances of ranking for multiple related searches. This creates a content hub where readers find everything they need, boosting the User Experience (UX) and your site’s engagement.
To cluster keywords, Tyler Hakes, Principal at Optimist, suggests grouping keywords with similar search terms but slight variations, such as “Wix vs. WordPress” and “WordPress vs. Wix.”
As Chima Mmeje from Moz emphasizes in her interview with Clearscope:
The whole point of keyword clustering is to find all similar keywords with the same intent, then optimize for all of them.”
Tools such as Surfer SEO can help by automatically clustering keywords with shared intents:
You can use these methods to group similar keywords into content buckets. From there, you’ll have one pillar with many cluster posts.
3. Create Unique, Helpful Content
Basing your article on top-ranking SERP results doesn’t define helpful content. After all, Google already has its top ten and doesn’t need another spin-off.
What it favors is content that brings something new—first-hand experiences, unique insights, or original research. This not only increases your chances of ranking but also boosts engagement.
Add First-Hand Experiences
Google’s added emphasis on experience in the EEAT guidelines means content with first-hand accounts takes priority. Expertise and authoritativeness also play key roles. For instance, a certified dietitian’s advice on nutrition is far more valuable than generic content derived from other articles.
Bernard Huang noticed many search queries feature subreddits, Quora answers, and ‘How I…’ articles. He advises adding first-hand experiences to boost visibility:
Here, include what the top articles cover, but also focus on offering a unique perspective. You could enhance content by interviewing external experts or highlighting internal subject matter expertise.
Conduct Proprietary Research
Original research is another way to stand out. Though big-budget reports are valuable, more accessible research also works. Simple surveys, customer interviews, or account analyses can uncover insights you don’t yet have.
For example, Ahrefs study on content optimization tools looked at whether high content scores correlate with better rankings. While small-scale, the research is unique, impactful, and budget-friendly:
Whether it’s a full-scale report or a small study, look to repurpose your findings across blogs and social media to maximize reach.
Are Content Optimization Tools the Final Word?
Content optimization tools such as Surfer SEO and Clearscope are tempting, but do they always add value? The Ahrefs study found no correlation between high content scores and better rankings.
Quentin Aisbett, Lead Strategist at Searcht, agrees:
Google’s focus on ‘Experience’ and ‘perspectives’ shows they reward content with unique angles, not just optimized for keywords.
While tools help, relying too much on them may limit creativity. Tyler Hakes suggests to use them later in the process:
Start by mapping out your content with original research, then use the tool to identify any gaps you missed.
4. Optimize for Semantic SEO
Publishing quality content is just one aspect of semantic SEO. Your site must also be technically sound to benefit from it. This helps search engines crawl and understand your pages, which in turn boosts your rankings. Technical SEO, on-page SEO, and structured data are all key on how search engines interpret and prioritize your content.
Improve Your Site’s Technical SEO
A good place to begin is with your site’s technical SEO: security, speed, mobile-friendliness, and navigation. With a site that loads within three seconds, is secure, uses responsive design, and is easy to navigate, you’ll have a solid grounding to work with.
For page-by-page content, Google ranks considering these factors. As such, look to optimize images, videos, CSS, and the overall UX.
Improve Your Content’s On-Page SEO
For each piece of content, you can review your on-page SEO parameters (also called ‘semantic tags’) that search bots use for analysis. You should look to incorporate relevant keywords in your titles, meta descriptions, alt tags, URLs, and section headings.
It’s not about using just one keyword either—including semantically related terms can increase the relevance. SEO plugins such as Yoast SEO or All in One SEO can help optimize your semantic tags.
Add Structured Data
Sparktoro’s 2024 zero-click search study found that nearly 60 percent of searches end in zero-clicks. This means most users get their answers from Google without visiting the associated website. Featured snippets, AI Overviews, and the Knowledge Graph play a big role here.
To boost your chances of appearing in these spaces, add structured data to your pages. It gives search bots more context, and improves your site’s visibility on Google’s real estate.
SEO plugins can help, but they may not be enough for all sites. Google’s Schema Markup Testing Tool can help you to ensure the proper implementation:
Traffic Think Tank’s Leigh McKenzie suggests:
The simplest way to add structured data is by using JSON-LD.
The tool generates JSON-LD code, which you can embed into your HTML without altering the site’s structure. Leigh’s advice continues:
Select the data type, paste your URL or HTML, highlight the elements to mark up, and the tool generates the code. Add it to your or section, and you’re done.
SEO expert Sreeram Sharma also recommends using a tool such as Schemantra to generate your schema:
You don’t need to mark up every page—focus on your homepage, product pages, and feature pages.
5. Build Internal Links
Internal links are essential for creating a cohesive topic cluster, transforming individual pages into an interconnected content hub.
More than just connecting pages, internal links can help search engines understand relationships between your content. They create a clear structure, improve how well search engines will crawl a site, and make it easier for those sites to index and rank your pages. For readers, internal links offer easy navigation, which increases engagement and reduces bounce rates.
To interlink posts, ensure each sub-page links to the pillar post and vice versa. Next, use contextual anchor text to guide search bots between related pages. Also, keep your URL structure simple and easy to follow.
For instance, Viral Loops uses a subfolder URL structure to clarify which posts are pillars and clusters. This approach adds more context for search engines and provides a smoother user experience.
6. Repurpose and Distribute Content
Creating great content is only half the battle. The real impact comes when you distribute it effectively. As such, don’t just announce a post and leave it—maximize your reach by repurposing content across multiple channels.
Repurposing enables you to adapt your message for different platforms through videos, social posts, or podcasts. By converting one piece into various shareable assets—such as videos, carousels, or reels—you can extend its lifespan and expand its reach. Imagine getting thousands of social views from just one content piece. This is what happens when you repurpose strategically.
A great example is Mailmodo, an email marketing platform that achieved over 200k+ social views by repurposing a single e-book. Their approach was to simplify email design for beginners, create shareable assets, and distribute them across different marketing channels.
We suggest you invest as much time in your distribution strategy as you do in content creation. Identify the formats, channels, and content types that resonate with your audience. For B2B, focus on LinkedIn, videos, and podcasts; for B2C, channels such as Instagram and TikTok might work better.
In a nutshell, consider what your audience wants. If you’re not sure, dive into the data. Interview customers, review social media insights, and analyze Google Analytics to guide your repurposing efforts.
How AI Affects Your Semantic SEO
With AI-powered summaries and rich results competing for visibility in SERPs, securing organic traffic has become more challenging. So, how can you stand out in this AI-driven landscape?
Bernard Huang notes that AI often provides summaries for evergreen informational queries like “What is?” or “How-to” searches. These are easy for AI to handle, pulling from vast data libraries.
Instead of targeting these saturated terms, focus on zero-volume keywords—niche, experience-based queries that AI can’t easily replicate. Creating content based on unique insights, personal experiences, or original research lets you tap into unmet needs and provide value AI may miss.
Optimize for Featured Snippets
Tyler Hakes suggests that while it’s early to predict AI’s full impact on SEO, we may eventually need strategies optimized specifically for Large Language Models (LLMs) such as GPT:
There could be a world where we create “SEO content” and “LLM content”—each expressing the same ideas but optimized for different channels. Just like how we currently repurpose a blog post and format it to work on other channels like LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.
For now though, you can optimize for featured snippets, as AI frequently pulls answers from them. Both BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) and TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) approaches can help you summarize your content and give answers quickly. This should increase your chances of winning a place in a featured snippet.
Become an Authority in Your Space
Usman Akram, Organic Growth Strategist at Omniscient Digital, emphasizes the importance of building topical authority. In short, becoming a trusted source on a specific subject increases your chances of inclusion in Google’s AI Overviews (AIO). Earning links and brand mentions also boosts your credibility:
If ClickUp appears frequently in SERPs for ‘Project management software,’ it’s likely to be featured in AI-driven answers, whether in AIO or future tools like SearchGPT.
Overall, building authority in your niche, publishing high-quality content, and gaining media coverage will position your brand for success in AI-driven search results.
Your Semantic SEO Strategy: Analyze, Optimize, and Repeat
SEO is constantly evolving, and waiting around for the dust to settle is not an option. Instead, implement what’s working, monitor the performance, and adjust as needed. Building topic clusters optimized for semantic SEO improves UX too and boosts your authority. As such, stay flexible and be ready to adapt to any ongoing changes.
Do you have an opinion on semantic SEO and where it’s heading? Share you opinion in the comments section below!
