5 Ways to do Keyword Clustering (+ How it helps SEO)

Feeling overwhelmed by a mountain of keywords and unsure which ones will actually move the needle?

Two words that’ll tackle this all-to-common brow-creaser: keyword clustering.

In a nutshell, keyword clustering (or topic clustering) is grouping semantically related keywords based on their meaning and search intent. The upside? It’ll allow you to create more focused content and target a wider range of search terms with fewer pages.

It’s less work and cost-effective. Handy, right?

Let’s get you up to speed with the best keyword clustering methods.

Building a List of Keyword Ideas: The Keyword Clustering Prequel

If you’ve already done this step, be my guest and jump to the next section. But for those that come here keyword listless, follow along.

First, put on your thinking cap and start brainstorming all the words and phrases your target audience might use to find your products or services. Don’t hold back—let your creativity flow! Think like your customers, jot down every possible variation, and don’t worry about being too specific or too broad at this stage.

For example, let’s say your niche (or your client’s niche) is selling a range of fine jewelry. Some good seed keywords to start with might include:

• precious metals
• gemstones
• diamonds
• engagement ring
• wedding band
• anniversary gift
• heirloom jewelry
• handcrafted jewelry
• ethical jewelry
• sustainable jewelry

That type of thing.

Now, with your seed keywords in hand, head over to your favorite keyword research tool, whether that be Semrush, Moz, LowFruits, or Ahrefs (or, heck, even ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude will get the job done), and enter the seed keywords to unearth any matching terms.

Here’s a look at how to do that in Ahrefs:

1. Head to the Keywords Explorer tool and enter the seed keyword.
2. From the navigation menu on the left-hand side, select Matching terms.

1. For our example seed keywords, there are 7807 semantically matching terms. We could work with this entire list, or we could narrow it down to only include low-competition keywords. To do this
   1. choose a maximum KD you’d like to filter for,
   2. choose a maximum DR you’d like to filter for,
   3. and hit Show results.

1. Next, click Export, select your preferred file format, and hit Export.

1. And bingo, you’ve now got a list of keywords.

Next, let’s check out different ways to cluster those keywords.

Onwards…

Keyword Clustering Types: Which Flavor Is Your Jam?

Alright, now that you’ve got your keyword list prepped and ready for action, it’s time to choose your clustering style. There are a few different flavors to choose from, each with unique benefits and ideal use cases.

Let’s take a look at the most popular options:

1. Intent-Based Clustering

Numero uno is the intent clustering method. It’s all about putting yourself in your customer’s shoes and thinking about the intent behind their search. Are they looking for information? Trying to buy something? Just browsing?

By grouping your keywords based on these different intents, you can create content that speaks directly to their needs and desires.

Here are some examples:

• Informational: how to choose an engagement ring, what are the 4Cs of diamonds, history of fine jewelry, best jewelry designers, guide to birthstones
• Transactional: buy diamond necklace, shop for pearl earrings, custom engagement ring design, where to buy antique jewelry
• Navigational: Tiffany & Co. website, Cartier store near me, Harry Winston jewelry collection, local jewelry repair shops, best jewelry stores in NYC

2. Semantic-Based Clustering

Next, the semantics method. It uses AI algorithms to analyze the meaning and context of your keywords, grouping them together based on their semantic similarity.

Here’s what that might look like:

• vintage engagement rings
• antique jewelry
• art deco jewelry
• heirloom jewelry
• estate jewelry

3. Topic-Based Clustering

The last method involves organizing your keywords into broader topics or themes. Each topic cluster represents a different area of focus for your website, with individual keywords acting as subtopics. Approaching your clustering this way is great for building comprehensive content hubs that establish your authority in a particular niche.

Here’s how that might look in practice:

• engagement rings (pillar page)
  • diamond engagement rings (subtopic)
  • unique engagement rings (subtopic)
  • vintage engagement rings (subtopic)
  • engagement ring trends (subtopic)
  • how to choose an engagement ring (subtopic)

Pro Tip: There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to keyword clustering. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different methods and see what works best for your specific niche and goals. You can even combine multiple methods for a hybrid approach that gives you the best of both worlds.

5 Proven Keyword Clustering Methods: Find Your Perfect Match

Right, the guts of this thing: the actual clustering. There are several ways you could go about this. Here are the five best:

Method 1: Clustering Manually

The manual method is the OG of keyword clustering—the good old-fashioned way. Grab your keywords, your keyword spreadsheet (or even a whiteboard, if you’re feeling extra tactile), and start grouping them together based on your knowledge and intuition.

Pros:

• You’re the boss of your data. No algorithms here, just you and your marketing brainpower.
• Get up close and personal with your keywords. This approach can spark some serious content inspiration.
• Manual clustering doesn’t require any fancy tools, so it’s cost-effective.

Cons:

• It’s time-consuming. Like, really time-consuming (particularly if you have umpteen thousand keywords to sort through).
• Unless your list is tiny, you’re human like the rest of us. So, you’ll probably miss clustering opportunities somewhere, no matter how meticulous you are. It’s inevitable.

Ideal for:

Small websites, niche topics, and in-depth content planning.

Method 2: Clustering with Excel or Google Sheets

One step up from manual clustering? Spreadsheets.

Start by creating columns for different attributes like search volume, search intent, topic, or other relevant categories (your SEO tool might have already done that for you). Then, use sorting and filtering functions to group similar keywords together based on these attributes. You can even color-code your clusters for extra visual clarity.

Here’s a look at how I’ve done this using Excel:

Pros:

• It’s free. Say no more.
• You have complete control over how you categorize and group your keywords. You can create as many or as few clusters as you like and use any criteria that make sense.

Cons:

• There’s a barrier to entry here. Not everyone will be well-versed in using spreadsheets, so this method might not be for you.
• It can be time-consuming when compared to some of the automated methods further down this list.

Ideal For:

Marketers who learn best by doing or aren’t completely spreadsheet illiterate (like me).

Method 3: Clustering with SEO Tools

Several popular SEO tools, like Ahrefs and Semrush, have built-in keyword clustering features that take the grunt work out of the equation. Can’t get easier than that, right?

Here’s how it works: These tools typically use a combination of semantic analysis and SERP data to automatically group your keywords into clusters. You simply prepare your keyword list, select your preferred clustering method, and let the tool work its magic.

Within minutes, you’ll have neatly organized clusters that you can use to inform your content strategy. Nice!

Pros:

• It’s super efficient. The right tool will crunch through massive keyword lists in minutes, saving you valuable time and energy.
• Most tools use sophisticated algorithms that go beyond simple word matching, uncovering hidden relationships between your keywords that you might miss on your own.
• Many of these tools also offer keyword difficulty scores, search volume trends, and competitor analysis, giving you a comprehensive view of your SEO landscape.

Cons:

• Let’s face it: good SEO tools don’t come cheap. Most of these platforms require a paid subscription, and clustering features are often only available at higher-priced subscription tiers.
• If you’re new to some of these tools, it can still take some time to master their interfaces and understand how to interpret the results.

Ideal For:

Large websites or agencies with massive keyword lists and data-driven marketers who love the idea of using algorithms and automation to their advantage.

Method 4: Clustering using AI

If manual clustering sounds about as appealing as a root canal or your budget is tight, fear not. AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude can be your new best friend.

You simply attach your spreadsheet to your prompt, and they use their vast language understanding to group them based on meaning and intent. Easy-peasy.

Pros:

• It’s fast and efficient. Like, really fast. We’re talking seconds, not hours.
• Uncovers hidden connections you might miss. AI can spot those subtle relationships between keywords that your human brain might overlook.

Cons:

• While far cheaper than an Ahrefs subscription, using the latest and greatest models is often a paid feature. So, if you’re on a shoestring budget and your keyword list is relatively small, sticking to manual clustering might be the go.
• It’s not perfect. If you’re familiar with AI tools, you’ll know by now they are prone to hallucinations and misunderstanding the intent behind prompts.

Ideal For:

Large websites or massive keyword lists (oh, and a basic understanding of how AI tools work certainly won’t hurt).

Method 5: Clustering with Google Autocomplete

Ever noticed how Google finishes your sentences while you’re typing in the search bar? That’s Google Autocomplete. And it’s not just a handy feature to use when searching, you can use it to cluster keywords, too.

Start typing a broad keyword into Google’s search bar (in incognito mode, so your personal search history doesn’t influence the results). Pay attention to the suggestions that pop up in the dropdown. These are all related terms that people commonly search for, making them perfect candidates for clustering.

You can also try adding letters or words before or after your keyword to see even more variations. For instance, if your starting point is “diamond earrings,” try typing “best diamond earrings,” “diamond earrings for weddings,” or “diamond earrings under $500” to uncover a wider range of related searches.

Pros:

• No fancy tools or subscriptions required. Google Autocomplete is completely free and incredibly easy to use.
• The suggestions are based on actual search queries, so you know they’re relevant and reflect what people are actually looking for.
• Autocomplete often reveals long-tail keywords that you might not have thought of, which can be less competitive and easier to rank for.

Cons:

• You won’t get search volume or competition data like you would with a dedicated keyword research tool.
• You’ll need to manually copy and paste the suggestions into a spreadsheet or other tool for further analysis and clustering.
• Autocomplete only shows a limited number of suggestions, so you might not get a complete picture of all the related terms.

Ideal For:

Budget-conscious marketers who aren’t ready to invest in paid tools. Or, if you’re looking to target more specific, niche keywords, Autocomplete can be a valuable resource.

Why is Keyword Clustering Important?

Alright, so you might be thinking, “Okay, keyword clustering sounds interesting, but why should I bother?” Well, let me tell you, there are some serious advantages.

Check it:

Create Content that Converts

Keyword clustering allows you to group keywords based on user intent. That way, you can create content that truly speaks to your audience’s needs and interests. The benefit? Higher engagement, longer dwell times, and increased conversions. You can’t argue with that.

Build Topical Authority

When you consistently create high-quality content around a specific topic cluster, you signal to search engines that you’re an authority in that area—commonly referred to as topical authority or topical relevance. That’s a big plus. Why? It can lead to higher rankings for your entire cluster of content, not just individual pages.

Streamline Your Content Strategy

Keyword clustering takes the guesswork out of content planning. It helps you identify which topics to prioritize, what types of content to create, and how to structure your website for maximum SEO impact. Nice.

Uncover Hidden Opportunities

Clustering your keywords reveals surprising connections and insights you might have missed. You might discover new keyword variations, untapped content ideas, or even gaps in your competitors’ strategies.

Save Time and Resources

Focusing on high-value keyword clusters avoids wasting time and resources on content that’s not likely to rank or convert. It trims the fat from your marketing budget and allows you to invest your resources into strategies that convert. Heck, yeah.

Conclusion and Next Steps

So, there you have it. You’re now all caught up with keyword clustering. And now, it’s time to unleash your newfound knowledge and watch your SEO soar.

If you’re stuck with where to go next, Loganix—that’s us—is here. We’ll help you craft a content strategy aligning with your (or your clients’) business goals and target audience.

Ready to take the next step?

🚀 Book a free SEO strategy call today, and together, let’s achieve your marketing dreams. 🚀

Try this next…

Keyword research process – Follow the keyword research process to identify top-performing keywords.