Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) is a new addition to Google’s search algorithm, which helps to better understand the content of a page and its topic. As every change in the algorithm affects the optimization of websites (SEO), so knowing about the LSI and how to use it properly, contributes to the better ranking of our website.
What are LSI keywords?
LSI keywords, also known as semantic keywords, are words related to the main keyword either as homonyms or as complementary. For example, the word “apple” alone may refer to fruit or the Aegean island. An additional word in the word “apple” is the word “trip” – if we want to refer to the island or “red” – if we want to refer to the fruit. Now search engines, such as Google, use LSI keywords to identify the relationship between entities on the Internet to better understand the written word.
In the past, search engines used the exact words of the search, but often the results were disappointing. By analyzing the query and conceptually connecting the words, they manage to produce better quality results. The motivation for LSI indexing is to fight spammers, who use a particular keyword multiple times within a page to trick them.
The LSI algorithm detects spun content
Spun content is an automated process of mechanically producing text from a source, parsing the words with homonyms, changing the syntax and the order of the sentences, so that the generated texts differ from each other and from the source. The main function of LSI is its ability to expect relevant words to appear depending on the subject of the text, so when confronted with words that are irrelevant to the subject, it considers it spun content.
How to apply LSI keywords in SEO?
The use of LSI keywords is done, as well as the known keywords, in various parts of the page such as the title, the headings and the main text of the page. To find the LSI keywords that Google will search for in our text, all we have to do is search for the keyword and navigate to the point of paging. There you will find the “relevant searches”, where are words or phrases that LSI indexing will look for.
For example, if we want to write a guide for Milo, if we search for the term “Milo” and see the relevant results we will see “Milos island”. Once we use this phrase to search for results, we will see words like “boats, beaches, hotels, photos, etc.” You understand that a proper page for holidays in “Milos” should contain content with the above terms in the right places.
But like all optimization techniques, the use of LSI keywords must be done in moderation. Excessive use (or abuse) will result in the removal of our website from search results and its label as spam.
