How to find and use secondary keywords: start with variants, then filter by search intent

To find secondary keywords, start by listing synonyms and more specific query variants of your primary keyword, then filter them by search intent, content scope, search volume, and other criteria. Only use keywords together if the same page can meet the search needs behind them. When writing, keep the primary keyword as the focus and incorporate secondary keywords naturally into the body or suitable subheadings, rather than cramming every related term into the article.

First, distinguish secondary keywords from other related terms

Under Semrush’s classification, a primary keyword represents a page’s central topic, while secondary keywords are its synonyms or more specific long-tail variants. For example, “vegan recipes” can be paired with “vegan meal ideas.” By contrast, “tofu” is related to the topic but is not another way of expressing the same query. (S5, S8, S15)

A keyword’s role as primary or secondary is not fixed. The same term may play different roles on different websites depending on their content strategies; a long-tail term can also be a primary keyword. Decide what the page should answer before assigning roles to candidate keywords, rather than classifying them solely by word count. (S5, S8)

At Procrustes, we plan, write, and update articles around the questions clients genuinely care about.

Find variants of the primary keyword, then choose the ones that fit

A 2023 Semrush article recommends using Keyword Magic Tool to find close variants of the primary keyword. Such tools provide a list of candidates, but you still need to assess whether the planned content meets the search intent behind each query. Informational queries, for example, are generally better served by explanatory articles. (S5)

• Check intent first: Does the searcher want to learn something, compare options, or buy a product? Do not group keywords on the same page just because their wording is similar.
• Then check topic scope: Can this page actually answer the query? If using the keyword requires adding unrelated sections, do not force it in.
• Finally, compare metrics: Use search volume and keyword difficulty to help set priorities, rather than simply chasing the terms with the highest search volumes. (S5, S21)

Use keywords together only when they address the same need

The point of keyword clustering is to group terms with the same search intent on a single page. Compare the search results for candidate keywords: similar pages and types of answers may indicate similar intent, but you still need to check whether your own content meets those needs. (S2, S15)

For example, if a recipe article targets “easy vegan recipes,” it should provide recipes that are easy to prepare, rather than simply include the keyword in a sentence. Semrush notes that including such variants may create opportunities to appear for additional queries, but adding them does not guarantee higher rankings or more traffic. (S8)

Let secondary keywords support the content, not replace its main topic

You can keep the primary keyword in the title tag, H1, and opening paragraph, while placing secondary keywords in body text or subheadings that genuinely address the search needs behind them. If a keyword makes a sentence sound unnatural, move it or remove it; there is no need to aim for a fixed keyword density. (S2, S21)

There is no uniform target number, either: different Semrush articles recommend one to five or four to ten secondary keywords per page. These are writing guidelines, not search engine rules. The scope and depth of the content, and whether readers need the information, matter more than reaching a quota. (S5, S21)