SEO: Why topics are more effective than keywords

Guest post by Jeric Cantil: The last four years have seen significant shifts in  Search Engine Optimization, especially with the release of Google Penguin in 2012. Today, topics are more valuable than keywords and should be the main focal point of content. Although keywords still have value, it becoming evident that topics rather than keywords are the answer to Google’s push for higher quality content.

What do topics mean for search?

Google’s new algorithm is based on user needs and what they find most useful and relevant, to them according to Search Engine Watch. The key point here is to create the best online experience for your users. To achieve this, you should know what your target audience is looking; then you must endeavor to deliver quality and information- rich content to them to be considered an expert resource. This is the first reason why topics reign supreme over keywords.

Theme-based SEO

Delivering topics for users instead of stuffing keywords into content is what theme-based SEO is all about. Focusing on themes will work in your favor rather than cramming as many keywords as you can into your website content. Moreover, this approach will create more natural results and will be viewed more favorably by Google.

Identify your target audience

When you have correctly identified your target audience, generating content for them will be a lot easier. After all, content marketing entails knowing who your audience is, what their needs are, their demographics and the latest trends, etc. Information such as this will convey which topics they are most interested in, making this technique strategically more effective than keyword-based SEO. Vital information is offered in topics whereas focusing on keyword restricts information and will most probably leave out what your audience wants to know most.

Topic-based content is more effective

Compelling and high-quality content starts with an approach that is enticing to your target audience and search engines, and therefore generates more responses. So how do you get started? There are several strategies which would aid you in creating impactful content:

• Research your niche
  Tap into tools like Google Keyword Planner, where you will be able to select the main keywords that are related to a theme. This exercise should yield anywhere from thirty to fifty keywords, which you can utilize throughout your theme for a more natural approach.
• Optimization
  Focus on your primary core keywords (including long-tail keywords) and use different variations in your content. Being exact is not necessary, just try to match these as closely as possible to appear less robotic in your writing
• Editing is a must
  Edit your work not just to check for spelling and grammatical errors but also to make sure that you are not using too many of the same keywords. This process is made easier when you read your article out loud. Hitting CTRL + F and typing in a particular keyword help as well. This would help you refine and eliminate unnecessary keywords.
• Link building is okay
  References that are relevant to your topics would be incredibly helpful. Google likes if you use anchor text that flows well and makes sense of your article.

In summary…

With SEO’s evolution, it is readily apparent that topics and themes are the future for content curation and SEO. This should be most encouraging for bloggers and content writers alike, as they will no longer find themselves in the position of having to stuff their content with keywords.

About the author : Jeric is a Filipino blogger and a digital marketing enthusiast. Currently working at Optimind Technology Solutions, a digital marketing agency in the Philippines that provides different services such as SEO, web design, mobile