All niche bloggers who want relevant traffic need a basic understanding of LSI. Latent Semantic Indexing, or LSI, is a term used to describe how search engines identify related keywords and phrases to determine what page content means. In other words, if you publish a webpage that talks about how much you love fish, Google will understand your content better when you also talk about your favorite fish recipes. Discussing recipes tells Google your site is related to food, and you’re not just obsessively collecting pet fish.
Distinguishing context is the main system for how Google provides relevant search results to users. If you want your site to show up in search results, Google needs to know what your content is related to.
LSI basics – it’s part of SEO
Using related (LSI) keywords and phrases in your content provides Google with an accurate view of your site’s context.
Say two webpages discuss various types of suits. The first page talks about unicorns, pandas, and Santa Claus. The second page talks about dancing, proms, and limousines. Google will know the first page is about costumes, while the second page is about formal wear. When a user searches for a phrase containing the term “suits,” Google will serve up the pages that best match the context of that user’s entire phrase. A search for “prom suits,” for example, would not include the costume page in search results.
The takeaway? Don’t discuss mythical creatures if you’re selling prom suits; you’ll confuse a lot of people.
Use LSI in your content marketing strategy
Include LSI in your content marketing strategy, specifically your blog. If you sell party supplies, for example, publish articles sharing tips for every kind of party you can think of: weddings, baby showers, birthdays, graduations, etc. Writing about each kind of party will strengthen your site’s relevance for party-related searches.
Avoid LSI content that brings you the wrong visitors
Your blog is a virtual asset to your business. The more relevant traffic you get, the better. Publishing regular blog posts improves your organic search visibility and brings you more traffic, AudienceBloom points out. However, you don’t want to improve organic search visibility for keywords that bring you the wrong visitors.
For instance, posting articles about how to get along with your coworkers at your next office party isn’t actually related to party supplies. If you write content completely off-topic, you might end up ranking for it, but it will be a one-off article that feels out of place. Visitors will know they’re not in the right place.
Don’t reach too far for a connection – LSI should be natural
Don’t reach too far for a connection between topics. For instance, there’s no real connection between silly costumes and bowling, but you can easily create a connection by writing an article suggesting the reader wear a silly costume next time they go bowling. It sounds funny, but if that topic won’t provide value to your visitors, skip it. It’s a stretch.
Instead, brainstorm a list of topics that are related to silly costumes, and write an article for each topic. For example, you could write an article about your favorite sports mascots, or TV shows where the characters wear costumes like Sesame Street.
Generate a list of LSI topics
To generate a list of LSI topics, write your main niche in the middle of a piece of paper. In mind map fashion, draw a bunch of lines sticking out from your main niche. On each line, write one subject or phrase related to your main niche. Keep branching off in as many directions as you can until you run out of ideas. If you get stuck for ideas, use this LSI keyword generator.
Next, go over all the words you wrote down and identify the topics most closely related to your niche. For example, if you sell blank journals, you may have come up with phrases related to getting a book published. Although not related to journals, many aspiring authors journal every day, so that’s a valid and important connection.
Pick the top five related subjects you came up with, and write an article about each of them. Track your traffic stats to see which subjects perform best. Continue writing content for the subjects that do well.
Make your LSI content convert
Using LSI to get traffic is only half the battle. The other half is learning to write content that converts. You won’t master persuasive writing overnight, but mark it down as your next blogging goal.
