Keyword clustering is an important part of building topical authority in SEO, but it can be a bit of a drag, especially when you're not using any paid SEO tools. When you're creating new content, it can be tricky to work out whether a topic should be broken into smaller subtopics. For example, should "home workouts" and "no-equipment home workouts" be targeted with one page or two?
Good news: Spresso's got your back with a FREE Google Sheets template powered by GPT-3.5 Turbo. With it, you can:
- Create multiple keyword clusters from one seed topic.
- Expand each cluster with a list of related keywords.
- Pull out the search intent, and write title tags and meta descriptions for each keyword.
- Whip up an article outline for the keywords you choose.
But before we dive into setting up the sheet, let's talk about keyword clustering.
What is keyword clustering?
Keyword clustering is all about grouping similar keywords together. Think of a keyword cluster as a bunch of keywords that all revolve around the same topic and can be targeted on a single page.
For example, if your cluster is "home workouts", your related keywords might be:
- Home workouts
- No-equipment home workouts
- Home workouts for beginners
- Quick home workouts
- Home workout routines
These keywords all relate to the same topic and can be targeted together on one page.
What are the benefits of keyword clustering?
Here's why keyword clustering can boost your website's rankings:
- Your page can rank for multiple keywords.
- Your content sounds more natural. No more keyword stuffing.
- A cluster of keywords can have a much higher search volume than a single keyword.
- It's easier (and more rewarding) to rank for many low-volume, low-difficulty keywords than to chase one high-volume keyword.
Ready to get started? Let's dive in.
Free keyword clustering and content planning Google Sheets template
To use this sheet, you'll need your own API key from OpenAI. Don't worry, I'll guide you through it. Follow these step-by-step instructions and you'll be set up in no time.
Create a copy of the template
First, make a copy of the Google Sheets template using the link below.
Get an API key from OpenAI
Sign up and create your account on the OpenAI platform.
Once you're signed up, create your API key on the API keys page.
Due to new policies, you might have to verify your phone number and load some credits before you can start using the API key. To verify your phone number, click the Start verification button.
You can add your payment method and load up credits on the billing screen.
Set up the keyword clustering and content planner template
Go to the "Setup" sheet of the template and paste the key you just got from OpenAI into the relevant cell, as shown in the image.
Generate keyword clusters
Let's say our website is all about search engine optimisation. We can enter "SEO" in the seed topic field. Once you've done that, look at the top navigation and you'll see a new menu item called "Keyword Research & Clustering". Click it and select Generate Keyword Clusters.
Once the script has finished running, go to the Keyword Clusters tab and have a look at the clusters it generated.
Prepare new sheets for selected clusters
Once you have your keyword clusters, tick the checkboxes next to the ones you want to work on. Then go to the Keyword Research & Clustering menu and select Prepare New Sheets for Selected Clusters.
This creates a new sheet for each cluster you selected, so every cluster gets its own space.
In our example, we're selecting "seo tools" and "local seo" as the clusters we want to explore.
Generate keywords, search intent, title tags and meta descriptions for selected clusters
Go to the tab of the cluster you want to work on first. We'll open the "local seo" cluster and follow steps 3 to 6 one at a time. Make sure the script has finished running for one step before you move on to the next.
- Step 3 generates a list of long-tail keywords based on the cluster.
- Step 4 extracts the search intent for each keyword.
- Step 5 generates title tags for pages targeting each keyword.
- Step 6 generates meta descriptions for pages targeting each keyword.
Depending on the search intent and context of the keywords, you might create a separate page for each keyword or a single page targeting several. This sheet helps you analyse that and gives you more related keywords to include on your page.
If you decide to target multiple keywords on one page, use the title tag and meta description of your primary keyword. These title tags and meta descriptions are just a starting point. You know your target audience better than any AI algorithm, so always tweak them based on what you think will work best.
Generate an article outline for the selected keyword
In this step, click the cell of the keyword you want an outline for, then select Generate Article Outline from the menu.
Pros and cons of using this template
Pros
- It's incredibly cheap. The content generated in this entire tutorial cost us less than $0.01.
- No sign-up needed for paid SEO tools.
- Easy to set up.
Cons
- It doesn't include search volume for keywords. (I'm planning to add this in the next update.)
- Google Sheets' 6-minute script timeout applies. That's why each script runs separately, to avoid timeout issues.
- There's no way to enter your brand identity or tone of voice for generating titles and descriptions. (Planned for a future update.)
Let me know what you think of this template. If you have any questions or issues, reach out at nimit@spressostudio.com.
