Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) is an area of Google’s algorithm that gives the search engine assistance in displaying results that are most relevant to the terms being searched. Content writers on legal subjects, like criminal, or civil law, that familiarize themselves with this process are able to generate pages that are optimized better and gain higher rankings.
When specific topics are searched, Google is better able to find the connection of words that are similar and linked to the key topic. For instance, words like fracture, head injury, post traumatic stress disorder, blow to the head, memory loss, and pain killers, can be additional words used on an optimized page about “brain injury attorney”. When a page has been optimized with LSI, the page will rank high with Google.
Webmasters that gain a thorough knowledge on the link made by the search algorithm with words that are related, as well as the depth of their relation, they will also gain the ability to create content that Google recognizes as relevant.
Keyword Density Once Again Matters, But With a Twist
There is an additional advantage for those using SEO whose goal is to have pages rank high when they have an awareness of LSI. It used to be that “money” keyword stuffing was advantageous, and we were told not to worry about keyword density. Well it matters again, but with a twist. Now you need related words to buttress hose money words. Bottom line, today, Google does not allow high keyword densities that were commonly used before. In fact, the search engine only expects a page to have a keyword density of 1% or 2%, compared to 5 or 7%, or MORE, that was regularly used in the past. It actually borders on spamming when a higher percentage is used. Matt Cutts calls it “aggressive”, or “over-optimization.”
Investigation and Testing is Key
When an adequate amount of investigating is done by writers/authors, they gain an additional set of words that are relative to the once optimized keyword or phrase, in addition to relative synonyms. The result is they will finally craft great content that does not have a keyword density that Google will perceive as being excessive.
Example
One example would be a web page with the optimized phrase ‘wrongful death attorney’; the word “death” could be replaced with the word “fatal loss.” There are numerous words that work well when they replace others. This helps to eliminate issues with Google raising red flags for spamming and possible similarity, and it will not cause a negative impact to the optimization of a page.
Use the Google Keyword Tool
It is actually very simple to benefit from Latent Semantic Indexing by locating words that are comparative. A preferred word or phrase that a page will be optimized for can be searched using Google’s free keyword tool (external tool) http://www.googlekeywordtool.com/. You will want to leave the box unchecked that prompts a search for terms that are closely related. https://adwords.google.com/o/Targeting/Explorer?__c=1000000000&__u=1000000000&ideaRequestType=KEYWORD_IDEAS.
This just gives those that only include the main keyword. After obtaining the list, writing becomes considerably easier and it also helps to ensure search results are of high quality, as this action delivers content to Google’s search algorithm.
Conclusion
LSI is a game changer for lawyers and attorney all over the world. If you want to rank, you need to do it right now! We hope all you lawyers who lost rank, can benefit from LSI!
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