So, SEO. Big thing, right? Everyone says “keywords matter” and “you gotta optimize,” but barely anyone explains what the heck to do with all them keywords. When I first started, I thought I could just toss a bunch of phrases into some blogs and boom—rank #1. Spoiler alert: that ain’t how it works. That’s where keyword mapping comes in. It ain’t flashy, but let me tell you, it’s a total gamechanger.
What Even Is Keyword Mapping?
Okay, picture this: you’ve got a whole list of keywords—dozens, maybe hundreds. Now what? Keyword mapping is basically matching those keywords to pages on your website, but in a smart way. Not just randomly slapping ’em in wherever they fit. You give each one (or each group) a home. Somewhere it belongs. Makes your site easier for Google (and actual people) to make sense of.
I like thinking of it like, um, sorting laundry? Kinda boring, kind of crucial. You wouldn’t put your socks in the freezer. Same goes for keywords.
Why’s It Matter, Though?
Short version: it helps stuff rank, and it stops your own pages from competing against each other. Yes, that’s real—content cannibalization is a thing and it’s ugly. Mapping also makes it way easier for visitors to find what they want. It’s like, tidy.
Also? It helps you see what content you don’t have yet. Like maybe you’ve got articles about DSLR cameras, but nothing for mirrorless. Keyword map shows you that hole clear as day.
Step One: Dig Up Some Keywords
Before mapping anything, I gotta gather the goods. This is where I whip out tools like SEMrush, Google Keyword Planner, or Ahrefs. (Sometimes Ubersuggest if I’m feelin’ cheap.)
I usually start with seed terms—like “bike repair” or “vegan baking”—depending on what I’m working on. From there I dig into long-tail variations, questions folks are asking, and phrases that kinda mean the same thing. LSI stuff.
Once I’ve got a fat list, I toss it all into a spreadsheet. Not fancy, just enough to keep track.
Step Two: Figure Out What People Actually Want
This part’s big. Every keyword has intent behind it. People googling “how to clean sneakers” don’t want to buy shoelaces. They want a step-by-step guide, maybe with pictures.
So I type each keyword into Google (yes, manually—deal with it) and snoop around the top ten results. Blog post? Product page? Video tutorial?
I jot down what the searcher’s tryna do—learn, buy, compare, whatever. That way, I’m not trying to rank a product page for an info query. Doesn’t work.
Step Three: Audit What You’ve Already Got
If your site’s been around a while (like mine), you probably got pages. Lots of ’em. And some of ’em might already be ranking. Or trying to.
So I crawl the site using Screaming Frog or Search Console, grab all the URLs, titles, and whatnot. Then I start matching ’em with my keywords list.
Sometimes I find pages that are super close to perfect. Other times, I’m like—wow, that’s way off. Either I update the page or plan to build something new. No point reinventing content that’s already crushing it.
Step Four: The Map Itself
Now we’re gettin’ serious.
I create a new sheet (usually in Google Sheets so I can share it with folks). Columns go like this:
-
Keyword
-
Search Volume
-
Intent
-
Target Page
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Type (blog, category, product, etc.)
-
Status (existing page, needs editing, needs to be built)
Here’s a fake line from one I made last month:
| Keyword | Volume | Intent | URL | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| best travel mugs 2025 | 2,900 | Commercial | /blog/best-travel-mugs-2025 | Blog Post | New |
See? Clean. Organized. And the best part? It actually works.
Step Five: Content Time
So once I got the map? Time to write. Or optimize.
For existing pages, I’ll tweak the titles, sprinkle in keywords naturally (don’t overdo it, please), and rework any sloppy H1s. I’ll update meta descriptions too, since they help get clicks.
For new stuff, I follow the keyword’s lead. If it’s a “best of” list, I don’t write a long narrative. I build a ranked list, short blurbs, call-to-actions. Tailored for search intent, ya know?
Oh—and images. Always use at least one, and give it alt text with the keyword if it makes sense. Just don’t keyword-spam everything. Google ain’t dumb.
Step Six: Watch and Adjust
So the map’s done, the content’s up, and… you wait.
Not forever. Just a bit. A couple weeks maybe.
I use Search Console and Ahrefs to track how stuff’s performing. Like, is the page climbing in rankings? Are people clicking it? Or bouncing fast?
Every few months, I go back and revise the map. Sometimes keywords die off. Sometimes trends change. No point having a “top 2023 laptops” page live in mid-2025, right?
A Few Final Rambles
Look—I get it. Keyword mapping sounds kinda dry. Like spreadsheet torture. But it really ain’t. Once you get in the flow, it’s almost like detective work. You find clues. You build a strategy. You connect dots.
If you’re running a site and not mapping keywords, you’re flying blind. And in SEO, blind don’t get traffic.
Anyway, that’s how I do it. Might be a bit messy, a little inconsistent, but hey—it works. Google likes structure, and this is how you give it to ’em without being a robot.
Also, you can learn more about Keyword Blog Posts here.