Keywords have long been the main currency of search engine optimisation (SEO) – the thing that allows Google to match a user’s search with the most relevant results. But keywords are inherently limited – a single search term or phrase doesn’t give Google a huge amount of information about the intent behind that search.
Enter semantic SEO: a deeper and more meaningful approach to search, that aims to treat humans as humans, and to better align results with user intent.
What is semantic SEO?
What is the difference between semantic SEO and SEO? Semantic SEO places a focus not on the keywords included in a piece of content, but the deeper meaning of that content. It’s the practice of optimising content based on user intent, using previously intangible factors like context and the relationships between words.
There was a time, not so long ago, that Google evaluated the topic of a page based entirely on the keywords it contained. But this led to “black hat” SEO practices like keyword stuffing, which aimed to manipulate the algorithm to place spammy results at the top.
In the last decade Google has come along in leaps and bounds in terms of natural language processing (NLP). Google’s NLP technology uses semantic keywords to create rich results: the very precise answers that are often featured at the top of the Google SERP. Semantic keywords are those that are conceptually related to one another: “flower” and “fertiliser” are semantically related to “gardening”, for example.
Semantic SEO aims to capitalise on Google’s newfound ability to understand user queries and the intent behind them, to get you ranking high for the most valuable form of searches: those with high levels of intent.
Why is semantic SEO important?
Implementing semantic SEO practices will:
- Future-proof your SEO strategy: Google is placing an ever-greater focus on user intent, increasing the importance of semantic SEO.
- Get you ranking higher: Semantic SEO helps Google to gain a deeper understanding of the content on your website, and helps the search engine rank it more accurately. If you produce quality content, you’re likely to rank higher.
- Get you ranking on more searches: A focus on keywords will only help you to rank for a narrow selection of user searches. A focus on semantic SEO helps you to rank for high intent user searches that you may not have even considered.
- Help you meet Google’s E-E-A-T criteria: Semantic SEO practices focus on delivering useful, accurate and up-to-date information, which helps you to align with Google’s experience, expertise, authority and trust (E-E-A-T) criteria that can help to seriously boost your ranking.
- Get you featured in rich results: Semantic SEO increases the likelihood of your content getting featured at the top of the page as a precise answer to a user query, or as part of the People Also Ask (PAA) section sometimes featured partway down the page.
- Grow brand familiarity and trust within your audience: Ultimately semantic SEO helps you to produce better quality and more helpful content. This can grow the E-E-A-T of your brand within your target audience, and make you the obvious choice when the time comes to buy.
How to structure and optimise your content with semantic SEO in mind
Now we know the what and the why, let’s turn to the how. Semantic SEO is a collection of tactics and techniques that deserve an article all their own, but some of the basic concepts include:
- Understand search intent: Semantic SEO begins with a deep research phase. You need to gain a thorough understanding of what your target audience is searching for, and how they’re searching for it.
- Go deep with your content: When creating content, consider a common question your customers ask, then aim to answer that question thoroughly. Think of all the other questions that might relate to the central theme of the content and answer those too.
- Optimise for semantic keywords: Use a semantic keyword tool to understand all the keywords that relate to a topic, then work to feature them in your content. This may see you include extra sections that you wouldn’t have otherwise thought to.
- Create topic clusters: Topic clusters are groups of pages that revolve around a central topic. Create a main “pillar” page, then create more pages that answer related questions and link back to that main page.
- Directly answer PAA questions: Google your topic and see what “People Also Ask” questions come up. Answer these directly to give yourself a chance of being featured as a resource, which will increase brand exposure and authority.
How do I apply semantic SEO to different niches?
Semantic SEO is built on a foundation of research. If you want to target different niches within your field, you need to work to understand:
- The end users that fill a niche, including behaviours, preferences and demographic information.
- The problems they’re trying to solve and the information they’re trying to gain.
- The specific searches they’re conducting to answer those questions and find that information.
- The ways that Google likes your content to be written and structured.
Semantic SEO is a deep, complex and ever-changing science, and forms just one branch of a larger SEO tree. It’s something that you can attempt to take care of yourself, sure, but you can expect far better results by working with experts in the field.
Experts like Growth Partners.
Growth Partners: semantic SEO experts
At Growth Partners we bring an unmatched level of semantic SEO knowledge, which we use to help businesses grow. We drive this growth by solving real-world business problems with targeted data analysis, strategic marketing thinking and best-in-class digital implementation.
Our proprietary software and techniques are capable of developing the deep customer insights that form the basis of a sustainable, long-term and truly impactful semantic SEO strategy.
To achieve the results we are known for and provide a blueprint for success, we’ve developed DigitalArchitect® – a proprietary system that uses deep data to highlight online expansion opportunities and determine the strength of your business case for digital marketing investment, laying the foundation for continuous, sustainable growth.
If you’re ready to transform your business with high-quality actionable customer insights, we’re ready to help. Get in touch for an obligation-free chat to kickstart your growth journey.