Most keyword clouds sort words by volume and colour them at random. They look busy and say nothing. A useful cloud groups queries by what the searcher wants and which page answers them.
TL;DR: Cluster by intent first, then by landing page. Size words by clicks, fade the ones that are declining, and act on clusters, not individual words.
1. Start with intent
Four groups cover most sites: problem-led queries, comparisons, branded searches and support questions. Each one needs a different kind of page.
| Cluster | Example | Best page |
|---|---|---|
| Problem-led | product analytics | Guide |
| Comparison | larkfield vs looker | Comparison page |
| Branded | larkfield pricing | Product page |
2. Map clusters to pages
If one cluster lands on three different pages, those pages compete. If a cluster lands on no page you'd choose, it's a content gap.
3. Read the cloud
- Big and bright: protect it. These queries drive your clicks today.
- Big and faded: investigate. Demand is there but you're losing it.
- Small and bright: grow it. New demand you're starting to win.
4. Act on clusters
Write one brief per cluster, not one per keyword. The brief names the page, the queries it should own and the competitors ranking above it.
Try it on your own queries in the keyword cloud.
