How to Use Secondary Keywords to Boost Your SEO Rankings

Introduction

Let’s face it—ranking on Google isn’t just about stuffing a page with one keyword anymore. In today’s SEO landscape, the smartest marketers are digging deeper. They’re optimizing for search intent, using structured content, and most importantly, leveraging secondary keywords to amplify reach and relevance.

1. What Are Secondary Keywords?

Secondary keywords are the supporting cast to your content’s main character: the primary keyword. They’re not the star of the show, but they’re essential to the story.

In SEO terms, a primary keyword is the main phrase you're targeting—usually the central topic of your page. Secondary keywords, on the other hand, are related terms, variations, and phrases that support the main keyword. These could be synonyms, subtopics, or user queries that align with the primary topic.

Example:

Primary Keyword: home workout
Secondary Keywords:

• ○ “best home workouts for weight loss”

• ○ “home workout plan no equipment”

• ○ “30-minute home workout routine”

• ○ “beginner home workouts”

These keywords still relate to your main topic, but they capture a broader range of search intent. They help search engines understand your content more fully, and they give your page more opportunities to rank in search results for multiple queries.

By naturally incorporating secondary keywords, you're not just optimizing for bots—you’re making your content more useful and relevant to real people searching for answers.

2. Why Secondary Keywords Matter

You might be wondering—if I already have a strong primary keyword, why bother with secondary ones?

Because modern SEO isn’t about ranking for just one term. It’s about visibility across the spectrum of what your audience is searching for. Here’s why secondary keywords are a game-changer:

More Ranking Opportunities

Google now understands topics better than ever thanks to semantic search and natural language processing. That means you can rank for a wider range of keywords—even ones you didn’t explicitly target—if your content covers related phrases and questions.

Capture Long-Tail Traffic

Secondary keywords often include long-tail queries, which are longer, more specific searches with lower competition. These can bring in highly targeted visitors who are more likely to convert.

Example: A primary keyword like “email marketing” is broad. But a secondary keyword like “best email marketing tools for startups” speaks to a more specific audience—and may have less competition.

Support Semantic SEO

Search engines now look at context. Using secondary keywords shows Google that your content covers a topic comprehensively, which can improve relevance scores and help you appear in featured snippets and People Also Ask boxes.

Improved User Experience

Secondary keywords reflect the variety of ways people search. When you include them naturally in your content, it becomes more engaging, answers more questions, and keeps users on the page longer—good signals for SEO.

3. How to Find Secondary Keywords

Finding the right secondary keywords isn’t just about brainstorming synonyms. You need to tap into actual search behavior. Here are a few practical ways to uncover them:

Google Search Suggestions

Start typing your primary keyword into Google’s search bar and see what autocomplete suggestions appear. These are based on real user searches and can spark ideas for secondary terms.

Example: Type “best running shoes” and Google might suggest “for flat feet,” “for trail running,” or “for overpronation.”

‘People Also Ask’ Boxes

Google’s People Also Ask section is gold for discovering related questions and phrases. These make excellent secondary keyword targets, especially for subheadings or FAQ sections.

SEO Tools (SEMrush, Ahrefs, Ubersuggest)

These platforms can help you identify:

• ○ Related keywords

• ○ Keyword difficulty

• ○ Search volume

• ○ SERP features (like snippets and questions)

Look for secondary keywords with decent search volume and a clear connection to your primary topic.

Google Search Console

If your site is already live, check Search Console for search terms you're already appearing for—but haven’t optimized around yet. These “accidental keywords” can be added to improve click-through and ranking potential.

Forums, Reddit, and Quora

These platforms are filled with natural language questions and discussions. Search your topic and observe how people phrase their problems. These can reveal pain points and keyword phrases worth targeting.

4. How to Use Them Effectively

Once you've gathered your list of secondary keywords, the real art begins: using them strategically without overdoing it.

Use Them Naturally in Content

Sprinkle secondary keywords into your paragraphs where they make sense. Avoid cramming them in awkwardly—Google can tell when you're forcing it. Instead, write like you're explaining something to a friend, and work the keywords in where relevant.

Optimize Subheadings (H2s, H3s)

Secondary keywords work well in subheadings because they help structure the content and tell search engines what each section is about. For example:

Instead of:“Choosing Shoes”
Try:“How to Choose Running Shoes for Beginners”

Meta Descriptions and Title Tags

Your meta description is your pitch to Google users. Including one or two secondary keywords can improve relevance and entice clicks—just don’t overdo it.

Image Alt Text and Captions

Google can’t “see” images, so using secondary keywords in your alt text and captions is a smart way to improve image SEO while reinforcing content relevance.

Internal Linking Anchor Text

If you're linking to related articles or guides on your site, use secondary keywords as anchor text. This helps Google understand what the linked page is about and strengthens topic clusters.

Avoid Keyword Cannibalization

Be cautious about using the same secondary keyword across multiple pages targeting the same topic. This can confuse search engines about which page to rank—resulting in none of them performing well.

5. Linking Strategy

Secondary keywords are also powerful when used as part of your linking strategy—both internally and externally.

Internal Linking

Use anchor text that reflects your secondary keywords when linking to related blog posts or product pages. This strengthens topical authority and helps search engines understand the relationship between content.

Example: In the hiking shoes article, link the phrase “hiking gear for beginners” to a separate gear checklist blog.

External Linking

Cite high-authority, trusted sources (like REI, Mayo Clinic, or expert blogs) using relevant secondary keyword phrases. This not only boosts credibility but also signals to Google that your content is part of a broader knowledge graph.

Tip: Keep external links set to open in a new tab so users stay on your site longer.

6. Common Mistakes

Even with good intentions, it’s easy to trip up when working secondary keywords into your content. Here are some pitfalls to avoid:

Keyword Stuffing

Trying to cram too many related keywords into one post can backfire. It makes your content harder to read and may trigger penalties from Google.

Fix: Prioritize natural usage. If a keyword doesn’t fit, leave it out.

Ignoring Search Intent

A secondary keyword might look promising, but if it doesn’t align with your page’s purpose, it can confuse both readers and search engines.

Fix: Only include secondary keywords that support the topic and add value.

Repeating the Same Keyword on Multiple Pages

Targeting the same secondary keyword across several blog posts can lead to keyword cannibalization—where your own pages compete against each other in search rankings.

Fix: Create a content map or keyword tracker to avoid overlap.

Over-Optimizing Meta Tags

Stuffing too many keywords into your title or meta description doesn’t help—it actually hurts click-through rates.

Fix: Focus on writing compelling, human-first copy that includes one or two keywords max.

Conclusion

Secondary keywords are one of the most underrated tools in a smart SEO strategy. They help you:

• Expand your reach across more search queries

• Increase visibility for long-tail and related topics

• Boost user experience by answering more questions

• Reinforce your primary keyword and overall topic authority

By taking the time to research and thoughtfully use secondary keywords, you’re not just chasing rankings—you’re building content that resonates with users and search engines alike.

Now it’s your turn: Audit one of your recent blog posts. Can you identify and integrate a few strategic secondary keywords to make it stronger?

Drop your results—or questions—in the comments below. Let’s keep the conversation going.