To boost your SEO, it's essential to work on the SEO lexical field of your web content.
But what is it really? Why is it important to vary it? And in practice, what should you do to diversify it and which tools should you use?
Discover all our advice on this subject in this article!
SEO lexical field: what is it?
Learn more about the definition of the lexical field, as well as its difference from the semantic field below. Two major SEO concepts that are often confused!
Definition of the lexical field in SEO
The lexical field groups all the words that belong to a common theme. For example, the lexical field for nature could be: wood, forest, clearing, river, path, grass, leaf, oak, pine, plant…
In SEO, it is essential to determine the lexical field of the keyword you want to rank for. By using a variety of related words and synonyms, you make it clear to Google what your page is about. As a result, you greatly increase your chances of ranking for the targeted keyword!
Difference between the terms "lexical" and "semantic"
To position a website well on the SERP, the SEO lexical field is not enough. It is also necessary to work on semantics, in other words the meaning of words.
The same word can have different meanings depending on context. For example, 'Avocado' can refer to a fruit, but also a profession (lawyer). And how can Google know whether your website offers guacamole recipes or the services of a legal specialist? Thanks to lexical and semantic fields!
SEO lexical field: why should you vary it?
Having a SEO lexical field varied is essential for good SEO, but not only that! It also helps improve website conversion and stand out from the competition. Explanations below.
From Keyword stuffing to a varied SEO lexical field
At the very beginning of the internet, it was very easy to please Google. You just had to repeat the targeted keywords over and over again: people spoke of Keyword stuffing, or keyword stuffing.
This practice is now obsolete. It is even punished by Google: websites that use it are penalized and disappear from the SERP (search engine results page).
Aiming for quality, Google has developed advanced algorithms over the years, such as:
- Panda and Phantom (" Quality "), penalizing sites with poor-quality content (Duplicate content, keyword stuffing…) ;
- Hummingbird (Hummingbird), aiming to understand search intent and provide even more relevant results (notably for long-tail queries);
It no longer limits itself to analyzing each keyword separately: it now studies the meaning of words. To do this, it pays attention to the whole web page:
- Target keyword localization;
- SEO lexical field ;
- Semantic field;
- Site structure and the page's place within the site;
- Presence of semantic cocoon, or of SEO silo.
To succeed in ranking well on the SERP, it is therefore essential to use a rich and varied lexical field, paying attention to the semantic aspect. The more related expressions you use to enrich your text, the better the impact in terms of traffic.
The importance of the SEO lexical field for conversion
Use a SEO lexical field relevant keyword is essential for ranking well on search engines, but that's not all! It also helps attract the audience we care about.
Indeed, getting the user's attention is one thing, but converting them into a customer is another. Once they arrive on the page, they will start reading the content. To keep their attention and hope they continue their visit (rather than increase the bounce rate), the words used also matter.
For example, using terms appropriate to the industry shows that the website understands the user's problem and can address it.
Working on the semantic aspect and answering the user's search intent also aim to satisfy our target. Intentions can be informational, commercial, transactional, or navigational. It is essential to study this before writing with a view to conversion.
The SEO lexical field to stand out from the competition
For companies operating in a competitive sector, working on their SEO lexical field is crucial. This will allow them to stand out from competing websites.
Take the example of a plumber newly established in Paris. Like many businesses, they would like to appear on the first page when searching “plumber Paris”. The problem is that this is a particularly competitive query…
So, rather than aiming for the top 3 on “Plumber Paris” right away, they will need to work on their SEO lexical field :
- By creating different pages optimized for local SEO: "Plumber Paris 75001", "Artisan Plumber 75002", "Artisan Plumber Paris 75003", etc.;
- By writing blog articles to rank for long-tail queries. These can be pages specific to the trade (e.g., "What is a plumber's rate?"). They can also be practical tips (e.g., "How to eliminate sewer odors?").
Combined with internal linking and backlinking, these different pages will help the site rank for many queries. This will attract traffic and potential customers. Little by little, recognized as an expert in their field, the site will rank better over the months… Eventually, Google may even place it first for “Plumber Paris”!
Our tips for creating a diversified SEO lexical field
To create a SEO lexical field diversified one, there are several best practices. Follow our tips below.
#1: Get inspiration from Google
Before diving headfirst into writing your articles, it’s essential to take the time to research your audience’s interests. What questions are they asking? What problems do they face?
For this, don’t hesitate to take a look on Google. Type the keyword you’d like your site to rank for, then glance at:
- Related searches, which are the other keywords users search for on this topic;
- "People Also Ask" (PAA), or "Other questions asked", giving you the questions users are asking (very useful for voice search SEO).
#2: Use SEO tools
To create a SEO lexical field varied, consider using tools dedicated to SEO. This will notably allow you to:
- To learn more about the topics searched by your target audience and to stay constantly informed about the latest trends;
- To know the most searched keywords on search engines;
- To check their search volume to get an approximate idea of the traffic they could generate for your website;
- To evaluate the importance of their use among competitors;
- To set up a semantic cocoon.
There are free tools, such as:
- Google Keyword Planner: to find new keyword ideas and learn their search volume;
- Google Trends: to study the search trend of a keyword;
- Answer The Public: to discover the most searched phrases and questions by Internet users;
- Synonymo: to find a word's synonyms and antonyms, thereby enriching the semantics of your content.
As well as paid tools, such as:
1.fr: to optimize your texts and obtain a SEO lexical field diversified;
- Textfocus: to check content optimization and obtain semantically related expressions;
- SEMRush: to verify the relevance of the targeted keyword, whether it is competitive or highly searched;
- Buzzsumo: to find trending topics and get content ideas;
- Yooda Insight: to learn competitors' strategies and retrieve their semantic silos;
- Coggle: to create the mind map of your semantic silo.
#3: Implement an SEO content strategy
After identifying the keywords you’d like to rank for, you need to develop your content strategy. For this, you must consider many parameters, such as:
- The website's structure. This notably involves creating semantic cocoon (topic cluster) allowing you to highlight your pillar page by linking different pieces of content together. It is also possible to use SEO silo for vertical linking according to themes (e.g., sales pages);
- The editorial line. You must define the tone to use to capture your audience's attention and convince them;
- The editorial calendar. You will define in advance the content to publish, so you stay one step ahead of your competitors;
- Content writing. You must think about SEO lexical field, about semantics, and the technical terms used by your target audience;
- as results come in. Finally, you need to analyze the results of your editorial strategy so you can optimize it if necessary.
Our tip to diversify your SEO lexical field
In summary, adopting a diverse SEO lexicon is essential for good search ranking. The Keyword stuffing is no longer enough! To rank well and attract qualified traffic, while standing out from the competition, you need to implement a real content strategy.
But for that, you need to know SEO best practices, a particularly complex field. Don’t hesitate to get support from SEO experts for your projects. Traffic boost guaranteed!
