SEO / Keyword Strategy
Turn what you learned in Plan into one prioritized list of the topics, keywords and AI prompts your content will target.
A keyword strategy turns everything you learned in the Plan phase into one prioritized list of the topics, keywords and AI prompts you want to show up for. It groups related searches into topic clusters, matches each cluster to a persona and a stage of the buyer journey, and assigns one page on your site to own each cluster.
Without one, content gets written based on whatever idea comes up that week. You end up with several pages competing for the same search while the questions your buyers actually ask go unanswered. A keyword strategy gives every blog post, landing page and update a clear reason to exist.
It builds on your technical SEO, AI visibility and content audits, and it becomes the editorial queue for new blog articles and the page list for pillar content. Once it's set up, a monthly check on rankings and AI mentions and a quarterly refresh keep it current as your offers and buyers change.
Signs you need this
- You write blog posts without knowing what you want them to rank for
- Several of your pages compete for the same search
- You're not sure which keywords actually bring in leads
- Competitors rank for services you offer and you don't
- You added a new offer or persona and your content hasn't caught up
End results
- Topic clusters built from your buyers' real questions, each matched to a persona and journey stage
- One target page for every cluster, whether it's a page you already have or one you need to create
- A priority order based on business value, difficulty and the size of the gap
- Rank tracking and AI prompt tracking with a baseline to measure against
- An editorial queue your blog and landing page work can pull from
Common questions
What's the difference between a keyword and a topic cluster?
A keyword is a single search phrase, while a topic cluster is a group of related searches that one strong page and a few supporting posts can cover together. Planning by cluster keeps you from writing several thin posts that compete with each other.
Should I go after high-volume keywords?
Usually not at first. High-volume keywords tend to be the most competitive and the least specific, so you'll often get more leads from lower-volume searches that match exactly what you sell and who you sell to.
How do AI prompts fit into a keyword strategy?
People ask AI tools longer, more conversational questions than they type into Google. Tracking a set of those prompts alongside your keywords shows whether AI tools mention you for the same topics you're trying to rank for.
How many topic clusters should I start with?
Three to five is plenty for most businesses. Start with the clusters closest to the services you want more of, and add more once those pages are built and ranking.
How often should a keyword strategy be updated?
Check rankings and AI mentions monthly, and refresh the map every quarter with new questions from sales and support. Update it sooner if you add an offer, a persona or a new market.
