How to Find & Use Secondary Keywords to Boost Your SEO Traffic

If primary keywords are the main storyline of a page, secondary keywords are the supporting cast that fills in the gaps. They help search engines understand the bigger picture — and help your content rank for way more variations than you might expect.

Use them right, and you’ll turn one high-quality page into a magnet for dozens of relevant searches. Use them wrong… and you’ll miss out on traffic you could’ve earned without lifting much extra weight.

Let’s break down what secondary keywords are, why they matter, and how to find and use them like an actual SEO pro.

What Are Secondary Keywords?

Secondary keywords are closely related terms, synonyms, or natural variations of your primary keyword. Their job? Help search engines understand your topic more clearly — without forcing you to create extra pages.

Example:
Primary keyword: improve seo
Secondary keywords might include:

• “how to improve seo”
• “ways to improve seo”
• “best practices to improve seo”

These variations all point to the same core concept — giving search engines more signals to latch onto.

Why Secondary Keywords Matter for SEO

Secondary keywords expand your visibility without diluting your focus.

By using variations of your target keyword, you can rank for multiple search queries that share the same intent. That means:

• More organic traffic
• Higher conversions
• Wider reach
• More opportunities to satisfy user intent

This works because of semantic search — the way Google interprets messy human queries and maps them to the most relevant content.

Someone searching for:

• “vegan meal ideas”
• “vegan recipes I can make tonight”
• “family-friendly vegan dishes”

…is all looking for the same thing: vegan recipes.

Google groups these under one intent, but favors pages rich with natural variations. Ignore secondary keywords, and you rank for only one version. Use them, and you rank for all of them.

How to Find Secondary Keywords

Here are two fast, smart ways to uncover the variations your content should include.

1. Check Top-Ranking Pages

Start by analyzing the pages already dominating your primary keyword. 

What secondary keywords are they ranking for?

Pay attention to:

• Search volume – average monthly demand
• Keyword difficulty – how hard it is to rank
• Search intent – what users want when they search

This shows you which variations matter most to Google — and which ones you should use.

2. Explore New Keyword Ideas

Tools like Keyword Magic will generate hundreds of variations around your primary keyword.
Filter by:

• Search volume
• Personal Keyword Difficulty
• Search intent
• Topic relevance

You’ll walk away with a list of strong, natural secondary keywords to incorporate.

How to Use Secondary Keywords Correctly

Once you’ve gathered your keyword variations, it’s time to add them into your content without turning your article into a keyword piñata.

Use each secondary keyword at least once.

Most of them will fit naturally into sentences because they’re close variations of your main term.

Example:
“Check out these great vegan recipes” →
“Check out these great vegan meal ideas.”

You can also add secondary keywords to:

• Subheadings
• Image alt text
• Meta descriptions
• Body copy where context fits

Keep these rules in mind:

✔ Focus on search intent

Think about the user’s broader journey — not just the keyword.

✔ Don’t over-optimize

Keyword stuffing isn’t just outdated; it’s a ranking risk.

✔ Keep it natural

If a variation feels forced, move it elsewhere.

✔ Choose context carefully

Don’t use synonyms when defining your core term — clarity first.

✔ Stick to your primary keyword in strategic spots

Title tag, headers, and structural placements should stay primary.

How Secondary Keywords Differ From Other Keyword Types

Time to separate a few commonly confused keyword categories.

Secondary Keywords vs. LSI / Related Keywords

Despite the “LSI keyword” buzzword still floating around, LSI isn’t real — but related keywords absolutely are.

Related keywords are terms associated with your topic, but not necessarily variations of your primary keyword.

Example: 

Primary keyword: vegan recipes

Related keyword: tofu

People expect tofu to appear in vegan recipe content, but it won’t help you rank for “tofu.” To rank for that keyword, you’d need a separate page targeting it directly.

Secondary Keywords vs. Long-Tail Keywords

These two aren’t the same either.

• Long-tail keywords = more specific, lower-volume search terms
• Primary/secondary keywords = what you choose to target and reinforce

A long-tail keyword can be your primary keyword — or your secondary keyword.
The categories overlap, but they aren’t tied together.

Example:
Primary keyword: homemade coffee filters (long-tail)
Secondary keyword: homemade filters for percolator coffee pots (even longer-tail)

Use Secondary Keywords to Unlock More Organic Traffic

When you use secondary keywords strategically, your content ranks for multiple search variations — not just one.

They’re simple to find.  Easy to add. And powerful when used naturally.

Add them smartly, keep intent in focus, and watch your organic traffic grow — all without creating a single extra page.