How can you organize and categorize keyword data?

To organize existing keyword data, start by putting it in a spreadsheet. You can then create categories based on specific terms and use sorting and conditional formatting to review each group. However, categorizing by wording is not the same as categorizing by search intent. If your goal is content planning, you also need to examine the needs behind the keywords, related subtopics, and follow-up questions. This makes a long list of terms easier to search, compare, and evaluate, rather than simply adding color to cells.

First, clarify why you are categorizing the data

In its 2019 discussion roundup, Semrush emphasized that keyword evaluation and selection should be tied to specific goals. It also highlighted the importance of understanding search intent, what users may search for next, and related subtopics. These were research recommendations at the time, not categorization standards mandated by search engines.

Before organizing your data, distinguish between two uses. If you simply want to find entries containing a particular term, word-based labels can help you filter them quickly. If you want to decide what content to create, you also need to understand what the terms mean and the needs behind them. Shared wording can be a starting point for grouping keywords, but it does not, on its own, mean that the whole group belongs in the same article.

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Use a category column to label keywords automatically

A 2023 Excel tutorial on Neil Patel’s website demonstrates how to organize keywords, search volumes, and other data in a spreadsheet, then add a “Category” column. For long lists, you can combine IF with SEARCH and ISNUMBER to return labels based on whether an entry contains a specified term, reducing the need to check each row manually.

• To organize keywords containing “tools,” you can label matching entries “Tools.”
• To find entries containing “local,” you can also create a “Local” label.
• Once the entries are labeled, sort by category to review keywords in the same group together.

This method answers “Does the text contain a specified term?” rather than “What is the user actually looking for?” A category column is therefore useful for initial organization. At the content-planning stage, you still need to review search intent and related subtopics. Formula-generated labels alone cannot tell you what content to create.

Let colors help you review the data, not decide your priorities

Another 2023 article on the same website introduces conditional formatting. You can set conditions that give matching cells a specified color—for example, when text contains particular characters or a number is greater than, less than, or equal to a set value. Conditional formatting can be used alongside sorting to highlight keywords, and color scales can show differences between low and high values.

For example, if your existing list includes a search-volume column, you can use a color scale to quickly identify relatively high and low search volumes, then review the data within each category. However, colors only reflect the conditions you set; a higher value does not necessarily mean a better fit for your content goals. Categorization makes data easier to read, but choosing keywords still requires considering your goals and users’ search needs.