{"id":3218,"date":"2026-03-06T11:50:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T11:50:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/what-are-secondary-keywords-and-how-to-use-them\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T11:50:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T11:50:01","slug":"what-are-secondary-keywords-and-how-to-use-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/what-are-secondary-keywords-and-how-to-use-them\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Secondary Keywords? (And How to Use Them)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>Most pages that rank #1 for a keyword don\u2019t just rank for that one term. They rank for hundreds\u2014sometimes thousands\u2014of related keywords.<\/p>\n<p>Secondary keywords are how you capture that extra traffic. They\u2019re the supporting terms that help your page rank for more searches without creating separate content for each variation.<\/p>\n<p>In this guide, you\u2019ll learn what secondary keywords are, how to find them, and how to use them to maximize your content\u2019s reach.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>What are secondary keywords?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Secondary keywords are related search terms that support your primary keyword. They share the same search intent but use different phrasing.<\/p>\n<p>Your <strong>primary keyword<\/strong> is the main term you\u2019re targeting\u2014the one you\u2019d put in your title and URL. <strong>Secondary keywords<\/strong> are the variations and related terms you weave throughout your content.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-primary-vs-secondary-keywords.png\" alt=\"Primary vs. secondary keywords\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-primary-vs-secondary-keywords.png\" alt=\"Primary vs. secondary keywords\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s an example. If your primary keyword is \u201ccoffee maker,\u201d your secondary keywords might include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>best coffee machine<\/li>\n<li>drip coffee maker<\/li>\n<li>coffee maker with grinder<\/li>\n<li>automatic coffee maker<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These all relate to the same topic. Someone searching for any of these terms is looking for similar content. By covering them naturally in your article, you can rank for all of them with one\u00a0page.<\/p>\n<p>Secondary keywords aren\u2019t the same as long-tail keywords or that surprisingly popular, surprisingly inaccurate term LSI keywords\u2014though there\u2019s overlap. We\u2019ll cover the differences later. For now, just think of secondary keywords as the other ways people search for your\u00a0topic.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>Why secondary keywords matter<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Here\u2019s something most people don\u2019t realize: <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/also-rank-for-study\/\">the average #1-ranking page also ranks for nearly 1,000 other keywords<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/00-average-number-also-rank-for-keywords2.png\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/00-average-number-also-rank-for-keywords2.png\"\/><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not a typo. A page targeting \u201chow to make cold brew coffee\u201d might also rank for \u201ccold brew ratio,\u201d \u201ccold brew coffee recipe,\u201d \u201chow long to steep cold brew,\u201d and hundreds of other variations.<\/p>\n<p>This matters because your total traffic potential is much higher than any single keyword\u2019s search volume suggests.<\/p>\n<p>Take a keyword with 1,000 monthly searches. If you rank #1, you might expect around 300 clicks (roughly 30% CTR for position one, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ai-overviews-reduce-clicks-update\/\">if you\u2019re lucky<\/a>). But if that page also ranks for 50 secondary keywords with their own search volumes, your actual traffic could be 2-3x higher.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sidenote\">\n<p>Sidenote.<\/p>\n<p>This is known as <strong>Traffic Potential<\/strong>\u2014the total estimated traffic the #1 ranking page gets from all keywords it ranks for. It\u2019s usually a better metric to look at than individual keyword search volume.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Secondary keywords also help search engines understand your content\u2019s depth. When your page naturally covers multiple related terms, it signals comprehensive coverage of the\u00a0topic.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>How to find secondary keywords<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>There are three main ways to find secondary keywords. Each gives you a different angle on which terms to\u00a0cover.<\/p>\n<h3>Start with related terms in Keywords Explorer<\/h3>\n<p>The easiest way to find secondary keywords is to see what the top-ranking pages already rank\u00a0for.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation\">\n<p>Tip<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n<p>In Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>, enter your primary keyword. Then go to <strong>Related terms<\/strong> \u2192 <strong>Also rank for<\/strong>. This report shows keywords that the top 10 ranking pages for your primary keyword also rank for. These are your best secondary keyword candidates because they\u2019re already proven to work together.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_195853\" style=\"width: 1574px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-195853\" class=\"wp-image-195853 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1564\" height=\"974\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-1.png 1564w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-1-680x423.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-1-768x478.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-1-1536x957.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1564px) 100vw, 1564px\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-195853\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Keywords Explorer showing the Related terms \u2192 Also rank for report for \u201ccoffee maker\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>You\u2019ll typically see hundreds or thousands of keywords here. To narrow them\u00a0down:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Filter by the same Parent Topic: <\/strong>This keeps you focused on keywords Google considers part of the same\u00a0topic<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sort by volume:<\/strong>\u00a0Focus on higher-volume terms\u00a0first<\/li>\n<li><strong>Look for question keywords:<\/strong>\u00a0These often make great H2 subheadings<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The Parent Topic filter is particularly useful. Keywords with the same Parent Topic are ones Google thinks belong together\u2014meaning you can usually rank for them with a single page.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-195854\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1380\" height=\"970\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-2.png 1380w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-2-605x425.png 605w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-2-768x540.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1380px) 100vw, 1380px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-195854\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1380\" height=\"970\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-2.png 1380w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-2-605x425.png 605w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-2-768x540.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1380px) 100vw, 1380px\"\/><\/p>\n<h3>Check what your competitors rank\u00a0for<\/h3>\n<p>Another approach: find a page that ranks well for your target keyword and see exactly what other keywords it ranks\u00a0for.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation\">\n<p>Tip<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n<p>Go to Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a> and paste in the URL of a top-ranking page. Then head to the <strong>Organic keywords<\/strong> report. This shows you every keyword that specific page ranks\u00a0for.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_195855\" style=\"width: 2060px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-195855\" class=\"wp-image-195855 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2050\" height=\"1702\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3.jpg 2050w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3-512x425.jpg 512w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3-768x638.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3-1536x1275.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3-2048x1700.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2050px) 100vw, 2050px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-195855\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-195855 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2050\" height=\"1702\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3.jpg 2050w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3-512x425.jpg 512w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3-768x638.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3-1536x1275.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-3-2048x1700.jpg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 2050px) 100vw, 2050px\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-195855\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Site Explorer \u2192 Organic keywords report showing keywords for a competitor URL.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Export this list and look\u00a0for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Keywords you hadn\u2019t considered<\/li>\n<li>Question variations<\/li>\n<li>Different ways of phrasing your\u00a0topic<\/li>\n<li>Subtopics you should cover<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This is especially useful when you\u2019re updating existing content. Compare what you rank for versus what competitors rank for to find\u00a0gaps.<\/p>\n<h3>Use the Matching terms report<\/h3>\n<p>The <strong>Matching terms report<\/strong> in Keywords Explorer takes a different approach. Instead of showing what other pages rank for, it shows keyword variations that contain your seed\u00a0terms.<\/p>\n<p>You have two\u00a0modes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Terms match:<\/strong>\u00a0Keywords containing your seed words in any\u00a0order<\/li>\n<li><strong>Phrase match:<\/strong>\u00a0Keywords containing your exact phrase<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_195858\" style=\"width: 1800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-195858\" class=\"wp-image-195858 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1790\" height=\"866\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-4.png 1790w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-4-680x329.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-4-768x372.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-4-1536x743.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1790px) 100vw, 1790px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-195858\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-195858 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1790\" height=\"866\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-4.png 1790w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-4-680x329.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-4-768x372.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-4-1536x743.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1790px) 100vw, 1790px\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-195858\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Exact match mode shows keywords that include your exact primary keyword.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>For example, if your seed keyword is \u201ccoffee maker\u201d:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Terms match might show:<\/strong> \u201cbest maker of coffee machines\u201d or \u201ccoffee pod\u00a0maker\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Phrase match would show:<\/strong> \u201cbest coffee maker\u201d or \u201ccoffee maker with grinder\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This report is particularly good for finding question-based keywords. Filter to include \u201cwhat,\u201d \u201chow,\u201d or \u201cwhy\u201d to find questions your article should answer.<\/p>\n<h3>Use AI Content Helper for subtopic suggestions<\/h3>\n<p>Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/ai-content-helper\">AI Content Helper<\/a> analyzes the top-ranking pages for your keyword and suggests subtopics you should cover.<\/p>\n<p>It works by scanning what the current SERP leaders include in their content, then highlighting gaps in your draft. Instead of manually reading through 10 competing articles, you get an AI-generated list of topics and questions that top pages address.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-195859\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1142\" height=\"1450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-5.png 1142w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-5-335x425.png 335w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-5-768x975.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1142px) 100vw, 1142px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-195859\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1142\" height=\"1450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-5.png 1142w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-5-335x425.png 335w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-5-768x975.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1142px) 100vw, 1142px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>To use\u00a0it:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open AI Content Helper and enter your target keyword<\/li>\n<li>Review the suggested subtopics based on SERP analysis<\/li>\n<li>Check which ones align with secondary keywords you\u2019ve already identified<\/li>\n<li>Add relevant subtopics to your outline<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>This is especially useful for comprehensive guides where you might miss important angles. The tool essentially reverse-engineers what\u2019s working in search results and tells you what to include.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>How many secondary keywords should you\u00a0use?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>There\u2019s no magic number. The right amount depends on your topic\u2019s depth and the content format.<\/p>\n<p>A rough guideline: <strong>3-5 main secondary keywords per article<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>These are the ones you\u2019ll intentionally target in your subheadings and throughout your content. But if your content is comprehensive, you\u2019ll naturally rank for many more\u2014sometimes dozens or hundreds.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_195862\" style=\"width: 1670px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-195862\" class=\"wp-image-195862 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1660\" height=\"858\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-6.png 1660w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-6-680x351.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-6-768x397.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-6-1536x794.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1660px) 100vw, 1660px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-195862\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-195862 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1660\" height=\"858\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-6.png 1660w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-6-680x351.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-6-768x397.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-6-1536x794.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1660px) 100vw, 1660px\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-195862\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Here\u2019s an Ahrefs article ranking for 839 related keywords.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Here\u2019s the key insight: don\u2019t count keywords. Focus on topic coverage.<\/p>\n<p>Look at what the top-ranking pages rank for. If they rank for 50 keywords, it\u2019s a sign your content should cover the topics those keywords represent. You don\u2019t need to force every keyword into your text\u2014just make sure you\u2019re addressing the same subtopics.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Parent Topic<\/strong> feature helps here. Keywords with the same Parent Topic are usually safe to target together on one page. If a keyword has a different Parent Topic, it might deserve its own article instead.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sidenote\">\n<p>Sidenote.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t force keywords where they don\u2019t fit. If a secondary keyword feels awkward or off-topic, skip it. Readers and search engines both notice when content is stuffed with unnatural keyword placements.<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>Where to use secondary keywords<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve identified your secondary keywords, here\u2019s where to place\u00a0them:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>H2 and H3 subheadings<\/strong> &#8211; This is the most natural placement. Turn secondary keywords into section headers when they represent subtopics worth covering.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Opening paragraphs<\/strong> &#8211; The first sentence or two of a section is a natural place to use the keyword that section targets.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Image alt text<\/strong> &#8211; If you have relevant images, use secondary keywords in alt text where they accurately describe the\u00a0image.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Meta description<\/strong> &#8211; Limited space here, so pick 1-2 secondary keywords max. Focus on terms that might help with click-through rate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Body copy<\/strong> &#8211; Use them naturally throughout. If a phrase fits naturally in a sentence, use it. If it doesn\u2019t, rephrase or skip\u00a0it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Importantly, don\u2019t stuff the same term in unnaturally or force keywords into sentences where they don\u2019t\u00a0fit.<\/p>\n<p>Your title should be reserved for your primary keyword, so avoid cramming secondary keywords in there too. And never sacrifice readability just to squeeze in another keyword placement.<\/p>\n<p>The goal is natural integration. If someone reads your article aloud, it should sound normal, not like a robot trying to hit a keyword quota.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>Secondary keywords vs. other keyword types<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Two terms often get confused with secondary keywords: long-tail keywords and LSI keywords. Here\u2019s how they differ.<\/p>\n<h3>Secondary keywords vs. long-tail keywords<\/h3>\n<p>Long-tail keywords are defined by their search volume and specificity. They\u2019re typically longer phrases with lower search volume but higher specificity.<\/p>\n<p>Secondary keywords are defined by their relationship to your primary keyword. They\u2019re terms you target alongside your main keyword.<\/p>\n<p>The categories overlap. A secondary keyword can be long-tail (and often is). \u201cBest drip coffee maker under $50\u201d is both a long-tail keyword and a secondary keyword if your primary is \u201cdrip coffee maker.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But not all secondary keywords are long-tail. \u201cCoffee machine\u201d has decent volume and isn\u2019t particularly specific\u2014but it\u2019s still a secondary keyword relative to \u201ccoffee maker.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Think of it this way: long-tail vs. short-tail is about the keyword itself. Primary vs. secondary is about the keyword\u2019s role in your content strategy.<\/p>\n<h3>Secondary keywords vs. LSI keywords<\/h3>\n<p>LSI stands for Latent Semantic Indexing\u2014a technique from the 1980s for understanding relationships between terms in documents.<\/p>\n<p>In SEO, \u201cLSI keywords\u201d has become a buzzword that usually just means \u201crelated keywords.\u201d The problem is that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.searchenginejournal.com\/google-lsi-keywords\/252361\/\">Google doesn\u2019t actually use LSI<\/a>. It uses much more sophisticated natural language processing.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_195865\" style=\"width: 1204px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-195865\" class=\"wp-image-195865 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-7.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1194\" height=\"474\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-7.png 1194w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-7-680x270.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-7-768x305.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1194px) 100vw, 1194px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-195865\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-195865 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-7.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1194\" height=\"474\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-7.png 1194w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-7-680x270.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-7-768x305.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1194px) 100vw, 1194px\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-195865\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Here\u2019s Google\u2019s John Mueller with a pretty definitive stance on LSI keywords.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Secondary keywords are a simpler and more practical concept. Instead of guessing what Google considers semantically related, you look at what pages actually rank for. It\u2019s based on real search data rather than theoretical relationships.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t worry about finding \u201cLSI keywords.\u201d Focus on finding keywords that real pages rank for alongside your primary keyword.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>How to find and map secondary keywords (example)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Here\u2019s how to find secondary keywords for an article about \u201chome coffee roasting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 1: Check the primary keyword in Keywords Explorer<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I enter \u201chome coffee roasting\u201d and\u00a0see:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Volume:<\/strong> 200\/month<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keyword Difficulty:<\/strong> 9<\/li>\n<li><strong>Traffic Potential:<\/strong> 3,900<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That Traffic Potential tells me the top-ranking page gets about 3,900 visits\u2014far greater than the primary keyword\u2019s volume. Those extra visits come from secondary keywords.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-195866\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-8.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1390\" height=\"1066\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-8.png 1390w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-8-554x425.png 554w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-8-768x589.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1390px) 100vw, 1390px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-195866\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-8.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1390\" height=\"1066\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-8.png 1390w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-8-554x425.png 554w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-8-768x589.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1390px) 100vw, 1390px\"\/><\/p>\n<h4>Step 2: Find secondary keywords via Related terms<\/h4>\n<p>I click <strong>Related terms \u2192 Also rank for<\/strong> and see keywords like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201ccoffee roaster\u201d (9.8K volume, KD\u00a067)<\/li>\n<li>\u201croaster\u201d (9.1K volume, KD\u00a03)<\/li>\n<li>\u201ccoffee bean roaster\u201d (2.1K volume, KD\u00a012)<\/li>\n<li>\u201cfresh roasted coffee\u201d (2.1K volume, KD\u00a020)<\/li>\n<li>\u201chow to roast coffee beans\u201d (1.9K volume, KD\u00a02)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Most of these share the same Parent Topic, confirming I can target them together.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-195867\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-9.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"974\" height=\"1326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-9.png 974w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-9-312x425.png 312w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-9-768x1046.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 974px) 100vw, 974px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-195867\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-9.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"974\" height=\"1326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-9.png 974w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-9-312x425.png 312w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/secondary-keywords-9-768x1046.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 974px) 100vw, 974px\"\/><\/p>\n<h4>Step 3: Map keywords to outline sections<\/h4>\n<p>Based on these secondary keywords, my outline might include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>H2: Why Roast Coffee at Home? (intro content)<\/li>\n<li>H2: Choosing a Coffee Bean Roaster (covers \u201ccoffee bean roaster,\u201d \u201ccoffee roasting machine\u201d)<\/li>\n<li>H2: How to Roast Coffee Beans at Home (covers \u201chow to roast coffee beans,\u201d \u201cfresh roasted coffee\u201d)<\/li>\n<li>H2: Setting Up as a Home Barista (covers \u201chome barista,\u201d \u201chome coffee\u201d)<\/li>\n<li>H2: Buying and Storing Roasted Coffee Beans (covers \u201croasted coffee beans\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Each secondary keyword naturally becomes a section of the article. I\u2019m not stuffing keywords; I\u2019m letting the search data guide my content structure.<\/p>\n<h4>Step 4: Write naturally<\/h4>\n<p>When I write each section, I use the keywords where they fit naturally. The H2 for the equipment section doesn\u2019t need to be \u201cCoffee Bean Roaster\u201d\u2014it can be \u201cChoosing a Coffee Bean Roaster.\u201d The keyword appears in the content, not forced into the heading.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>Advanced strategies: Clustering and mapping<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Once you\u2019re comfortable finding secondary keywords, you can take things further with keyword clustering and mapping. These techniques help you organize keywords at scale and align them with your content strategy.<\/p>\n<h3>What is keyword clustering?<\/h3>\n<p>Keyword clustering is the process of grouping related keywords based on search intent and SERP overlap. The idea is simple: if two keywords show similar search results, they likely share the same intent\u2014and you can target them with a single page.<\/p>\n<p>For example, these keywords would likely cluster together:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201chow to make espresso\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cespresso recipe\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cmaking espresso at\u00a0home\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cespresso brewing guide\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>They all have informational intent and probably return similar pages in search results. A SERP overlap analysis would confirm this by showing that the same URLs rank for multiple keywords in the cluster.<\/p>\n<p>Clustering helps you avoid a common mistake: creating multiple pages targeting keywords that should be on one page. This leads to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-cannibalization\/\">keyword cannibalization<\/a>\u2014where your own pages compete against each other in search results.<\/p>\n<h3>What is keyword mapping?<\/h3>\n<p>Keyword mapping takes clustering a step further. It\u2019s the process of assigning keyword clusters to specific pages in your content hierarchy.<\/p>\n<p>A simple keyword map might look like\u00a0this:<\/p>\n<table id=\"tablepress-526\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-526 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-720px\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n<th class=\"column-1\">Page<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-2\">Primary Keyword<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-3\">Secondary Keywords (Cluster)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">\/espresso-guide\/<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">how to make espresso<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">espresso recipe, espresso brewing, making espresso at\u00a0home<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">\/espresso-machines\/<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">best espresso machine<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">espresso maker, home espresso machine, espresso machine reviews<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">\/espresso-vs-coffee\/<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">espresso vs coffee<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">difference between espresso and coffee, is espresso stronger<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>This creates a clear content hierarchy where each page owns a cluster. No overlap, no cannibalization.<\/p>\n<p>Keyword mapping also reveals content gaps\u2014clusters you\u2019ve identified but don\u2019t have pages for yet. These become your content roadmap.<\/p>\n<h3>How to cluster and map keywords in Ahrefs<\/h3>\n<p>Here\u2019s a practical workflow:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 1: Export your keyword list<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Start with a large list of keywords from the Related terms or Matching terms reports. Export to\u00a0CSV.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 2: Use the Clusters view<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>, switch to the <strong>Clusters by Parent Topic<\/strong> tab. This groups keywords by their parent topic\u2014a proxy for search intent.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 3: Create your\u00a0map<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For each cluster, decide:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Does this cluster deserve its own\u00a0page?<\/li>\n<li>Which existing page should target this cluster?<\/li>\n<li>Is this cluster too small to prioritize?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Map clusters to URLs in a spreadsheet. This becomes your master cluster map for content planning.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/keyword-mapping-process.png\" alt=\"Keyword mapping process\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/keyword-mapping-process.png\" alt=\"Keyword mapping process\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 4: Check for cannibalization<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Use <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a> to see if multiple pages on your site <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-cannibalization\/\">already rank for the same keywords<\/a>. If they do, consider consolidating content or adjusting your targeting.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation\">\n<p>Tip<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n<p>Clustering and mapping is most valuable for larger sites with hundreds of\u00a0pages.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re just starting out, focus on finding secondary keywords for individual articles first.<\/p>\n<p>You can build toward a full cluster map as your content library grows.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Secondary keywords are the related terms that help your page rank for more searches. They\u2019re not extra work\u2014they\u2019re how you maximize the return on content you\u2019re already creating.<\/p>\n<p>To find\u00a0them:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Use the <strong>Also rank for<\/strong> report to see what top pages rank\u00a0for<\/li>\n<li>Check<strong> competitor pages<\/strong> in Site Explorer<\/li>\n<li>Look for variations in the <strong>Matching terms<\/strong> report<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The goal isn\u2019t to hit a keyword quota. It\u2019s to understand what topics your content should cover. If you address the same subtopics that successful pages cover, you\u2019ll naturally rank for the same secondary keywords.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script>!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\nif(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod?n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window,document,'script','https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');fbq('init','1511271639109289');fbq('track','PageView');<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/secondary-keywords\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most pages that rank #1 for a keyword don\u2019t just rank for that one term. They rank for hundreds\u2014sometimes thousands\u2014of related keywords. Secondary keywords are how you capture that extra traffic. They\u2019re the supporting terms that help your page rank for more searches without creating separate content for each variation. In this guide, you\u2019ll learn [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3219,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}