Keyword mapping

What is keyword mapping?

Keyword mapping is the process of assigning each target keyword, or keyword cluster, to one specific URL on your site. The result, a keyword map, is usually a spreadsheet listing each page with its primary keyword, secondary keywords, intent and status. It shows which pages to create, which to optimise and where two pages overlap.

Mapping comes after keyword research and keyword clustering. For existing sites, you start by recording what each page currently ranks for, then fill gaps with new pages. It is also a good base for internal linking, since pages in the same topic should link to each other.

Why keyword mapping matters for SEO

A keyword map prevents keyword cannibalization, stops you writing the same article twice, and makes it obvious which topics have no page yet. It also gives writers and developers one source of truth for titles, H1s and URLs.

It makes measurement simple: each page has a keyword to track, so you can see which pages are working.

How to create a keyword map

1. List your existing indexable URLs from a crawl or sitemap.
2. Record each page’s current top queries from Search Console.
3. Assign each keyword cluster to the existing page that best matches its intent.
4. Where no page fits, mark the cluster as a new page to create, with a proposed URL.
5. Flag any two pages targeting the same cluster and decide whether to merge or differentiate them.
6. Add intent, status and priority columns, and update the map whenever you publish.

Keyword mapping example

URL                          | Primary keyword          | Intent        | Status
/standing-desks              | standing desk            | transactional | live
/best-standing-desks         | best standing desk       | commercial    | update
/are-standing-desks-healthy  | are standing desks good  | informational | to write