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Hello and welcome to SEO is not that hard.

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I'm your host, ed Dawson, the founder of the SEO intelligence platform, keywordfupoleasercom, where we help you discover the questions people ask online and learn how to optimize your content for traffic and authority. I've been in SEO and online marketing for over 20 years and I'm here to share the wealth of knowledge, hints and tips I've amassed over that time. Hello, welcome back to SEO is not that hard. It's me here and today I'm on to the next step in our growth framework. Now, if you haven't heard the previous two, three episodes about this, then do go back and listen to them first. This is all about the framework that I've developed over many years of doing SEO, building content sites building and ranking them many years of doing SEO, building content sites building and ranking them. And this is just a framework that I use to decide what content to build and how to build it, and I'm putting it into this framework so that I can share it with people and explain exactly how to go through the process, how Keywords People Use can help you do it. Don't have to use Keywords People Use. The process can still be done manually or using using a variety of other tools, but obviously keywords people use is built around this philosophy of mine about how we create content based on the questions people are asking online the real questions people are asking, and how that stands up well with google and how it also stands up well with the new search generative experience things like chat, gpt and perplexing others, because they're still looking for sources which answer the questions that people are asking. So I've still got to base their responses on authoritative information online and this is how this framework helps you build that authoritative topical authority that you need to you know really topic, your niche, your area, your business in such a complete way that you become the go-to source. So we're on to step two now, which is refine. So, just as a reminder, the growth itself is an acronym and it sums up all the steps that you take to build a content flywheel. Okay, so growth stands for the six steps, which are gather, refine, optimize, watch, tune, hone and repeat, and of these ones, we've covered gather in the last episode in this series. Um, it's not the last episode in the podcast, because these are coming out roughly every couple of weeks. Um, it's the last. It's the last episode in this series. So, if you just go back, search for growth framework in the podcast, you'll see it come up. So now we're on to step two, which is the refined step. This is like a um, yeah, essentially it's like a small book work in progress, and it's a document I'm shared online as I'm working on it, so you can go and see where we're at what it looks like. It's open for suggestions and there's details in that document how to get in touch with me to make any suggestions. Thank you for those that have been in touch. Um, please do get in touch. It's really helpful to hear what people think and where, if it's not clear, I can straighten it up that kind of thing. So I'm going to now read out the refine section that we've got to so far. So here we go.

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Step two refine, clustering and prioritizing questions. Now that you've gathered a rich, unfiltered collection of questions, the next step is to bring order to the chaos. Refining means transforming that raw data into meaningful clusters, a structured roadmap for your content strategy. In this chapter, we'll explore why clustering is essential and how the clustering process works. How to interpret the clustering results and, ultimately, how to prioritize which clusters to build content around. Why we refine the lists into clusters.

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When you initially gather questions, you capture a wide variety of user queries. At this stage, the goal is to collect as much raw data as possible. However, this mass of data can be overwhelming, and that's where clustering comes in. Organising by theme Clustering groups similar or related questions together. Instead of dealing with hundreds or even thousands of individual queries, you end up with thematic clusters that reveal the main topics your audience is interested in. Eliminating redundancy. Many questions are variations of the same underlying query. Clustering helps you identify those overlaps and consolidate them into single, comprehensive topics, revealing user intent. When similar questions are grouped together, the underlying intent becomes clearer. For instance, clusters might reveal that users are not just interested in improving website speed, but are specifically concerned with reducing image file sizes or optimising server response times. This clarity guides you in creating more targeted and useful content. Creating a structured roadmap. A well-clustered list, serves as a blueprint for your content creation process. Each cluster can evolve into a dedicated page, blog post or even a series of posts, ensuring your site covers a topic comprehensively, which organically builds topical authority.

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How clustering works? Clustering is the process of grouping questions based on their semantic similarity and shared intent. Here's how you can approach clustering, both manually and by leveraging the tools available in Keywords People Use. The clustering process Keywords People Use relies exclusively on a search clustering process, a method that leverages real-world search engine output to group similar questions. So, instead of depending on generic algorithms based on lexical or semantic similarity, our system takes each search term and submits it to Google. It then collects the top organic search results for that query. The magic happens when we compare these results. By analysing the shared organic links among different queries, we can determine which questions naturally belong together. When three or more queries return a significant number of overlapping URLs, it indicates that Google views these queries as closely related. In terms of user intent, this approach is superior because it bases clustering on actual search engine behavior, reflecting how Google interprets and ranks content, rather than on inferred word similarity. So by aligning clusters with Google's own signals, you build content strategies that are more likely to resonate with your audience and perform well in organic search rankings.

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Secondly, manual adjustments. While automation does the heavy lifting, there is value in a human touch. Once the tool suggests clusters, take a moment to review them. You might notice subtle nuances that the algorithm overlooked. Perhaps a cluster could be split further, or two clusters might be merged for a more cohesive topic. And thirdly, using keyword lists for clustering the raw questions you saved in keyword lists and keywords people use from step one, and now your input. Import these lists into the clustering module. The tool will generate clusters automatically. Because you saved all the questions without filtering, at this stage you have the flexibility to review and adjust clusters as needed without having lost any potential insights.

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Visualizing the clusters Many SEO tools offers a visual map or diagram to represent clusters In keywords people use. For instance, you'll see clusters represented in groups of nodes on a graph, with overlapping areas indicating closely related queries. This visual representation helps you quickly grasp which topics are densely packed with questions and which areas might need more exploration. How to interpret clusters. Once your questions are grouped into clusters, it's time to dig into what each cluster tells you about your audience's needs. Understanding the content themes. Core topics versus subtopics. Each cluster generally represents a core topic within your niche. For example, within the broader subject of website performance, you might see clusters around image optimization, server performance and caching strategies. The primary cluster indicates a central theme, while smaller sub-clusters can suggest more specific angles or questions under that main topic.

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User intent insights Look at the questions in each cluster. Are they how-to queries, why questions or what questions? The type of questions often indicates the depth of information the audience expects. This insight is crucial for planning how detailed your content should be. Frequency and density Some clusters will have a higher number of questions than others. A densely populated cluster signals a highly relevant or popular topic among your audience. In contrast, a sparse cluster might indicate an emerging topic or a niche area that could set you apart if you address it thoroughly.

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Evaluating quality within clusters. Relevance to your goals as you review each cluster, consider whether the underlying topic aligns with your website's overall mission and the needs of your target audience. Even if a cluster is dense, it's only valuable if it's relevant to your niche and business objectives. Content potential Assess whether the cluster offers a solid foundation for a comprehensive piece of content. Can you cover all the sub-questions in a single authoritative article or do they need to be split into a series? Understanding the content potential will help you in planning the scope of your future posts.

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Opportunities for link building and engagement Clusters that address common, pressing questions often become natural magnets for inbound links and social shares. As you interpret each cluster, consider its potential to build authority through organic link earning. How to prioritise clusters With your clusters clearly defined and interpreted, the next step is to decide which ones to tackle. First, prioritisation ensures that your content strategy is both strategic and manageable. So what are the criteria for prioritisation? First, audience demand and relevance. You want high engagement potential. Focus on clusters that contain questions frequently asked by your target audience. These are the topics that have the greatest potential to drive immediate traffic and engagement.

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An alignment with your brand Choose clusters that fit well with your brand's expertise and the message you want to convey. It's better to create authoritative content in an area where you already have credibility. Secondly content's depth and opportunity Comprehensiveness Prioritise clusters that can support in-depth content. A cluster that's rich in questions offers the chance to create a pillar article that comprehensively covers a topic. Gap identification Identify clusters where competitors might only have scratched the surface. These clusters represent opportunities to stand out by providing more detailed, nuanced content. Thirdly, strategic business goals Revenue potential Some topics directly relate to your business objectives, be it affiliate marketing, lead generation or product sales. Prioritise clusters that have potential to drive tangible business results. Scalability Consider how easily a cluster's content can be expanded over time. Clusters that allow for a series of related posts or continuous updates are ideal for long-term growth. Fourthly, competitive landscape Level of competition. Analyse how competitive each cluster is. While our approach isn't solely driven by keyword volume, understanding the competitive landscape helps in planning your content's angle and depth. Ease of ranking. Sometimes smaller, less competitive clusters might provide quicker wins, helping to build the momentum and topical authority that supports future content in more competitive areas.

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The prioritization process First of all, rank the clusters. Create a simple scoring system based on the criteria above. For example, assign scores for audience demand, relevance, content potential, strategic fit and competition. Tally these scores to determine which clusters hold the highest promise for you. Secondly, map out a content calendar. Once you've ranked your clusters, plan your content calendar around the top priority topics. Start with clusters that offer both immediate engagement and the opportunity to establish long-term authority. Thirdly, iterate and reassess. Publish content and gather performance data. Revisit your clusters to see if priorities shift. Use this ongoing process to refine your content strategy continuously.

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Okay, so hopefully, is um making clear what the refine um part of the process is. This is where we've taken all of the questions, queries, keywords that we found and we've put all of the questions, queries, keywords that we found and we've put them into the clustering process, gone to Google, done those searches, then collated those queries, questions, keywords, based upon common ranking URLs, and it works fantastically. We tried lots of different methods of sorting this clustering out. We've used AI, we've um, nlp, natural language, processing, all these things to try and make it work, and nothing ever get good as good results as cert clustering does. So, um, if you haven't tried it, do give it a go. It's really worth it, um. But I hope that takes you how we've gone now from.

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Obviously, the first section was gathering all those questions, not worrying about what questions we were gathering, not trying to filter them out, because this process, this clustering process, will now do that filtering for us group the right questions in with each other and then we can start to see these clusters emerging which we're going to build content around. So that's it for this step. I did say in the previous episode in this growth framework series that I was going to aim to get this section done and the next section, which is step three, the optimize section, and I did get the optimize section done by this deadline of today that I'd set myself. So thank you for helping provide that accountability. I think it's too much to get it all into one episode, so I'm going to do another episode that will be out. This is out on a Friday, so it'll be out. Next Monday will be that next step. So at the end of that episode, that's when I'll discuss what my next accountability milestone is that we're going to put on this. So, yeah, do have a read through, though Pleased to get in touch with any thoughts you have on this. And yeah, until next time.

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Remember, stay curious, keep optimizing and remember SEO is not that hard when you understand the basics. Thanks for listening. It means a lot to me. This is where I get to remind you where you can connect with me and my SEO tools and services. You can find links to all the links I mentioned here in the show notes. Just remember, with all these places where I use my name, the Ed is spelled with two Ds. You can find me on LinkedIn and Blue Sky. Just search for Ed Dawson on both.

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You can record a voice question to get answers on the podcast. The link is in the show notes. You can try our SEO intelligence platform Keywords People Use at keywordspeoplyusecom, where we can help you discover the questions and keywords people are asking online. Poster those questions and keywords into related groups so you know what content you need to build topical authority. And finally, connect your Google Search Console account for your sites so we can crawl and understand your actual content, find what keywords you rank for and then help you optimize continually refine your content, targeted, personalized advice, keep your traffic growing. If you're interested in learning more about me personally or looking for dedicated consulting advice, then visit wwweddawsoncom. Bye for now and see you in the next episode of SGA. Is not that hard.