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Using Keyword Variants

Updated March 11, 2026

Keyword variants help you rank for multiple related search terms, not just your primary keyword.

What are Variants?

These are related searches from your Google Search Console data.

  • Primary Keyword — "Best Running Shoes"
  • Variants — "Cheap running shoes", "Nike running shoes review", "Running shoes for men"

These are real terms people type into Google. If you include them in your article, you can rank for them too.

How to Use Them

  1. Open the Optimize Tab: In the editor sidebar, click Optimize.
  2. Select "Keyword Variants": You will see a list of related terms.
  3. Check Usage:
    • Frequency — How many times you used it
    • Search Volume — How popular the term is
  4. Insert Naturally: Don't just list them. Write sentences that answer the intent behind the variant.
    • Bad: "We also have cheap running shoes and running shoes for men."
    • Good: "If you are on a budget, check out our picks for cheap running shoes. We also have a dedicated guide on running shoes for men."

Best Practices

  • Prioritize High Volume — Focus on variants with the most monthly searches. These drive the most traffic if you rank for them
  • Aim for 3–5 variants — Including a handful of high-volume variants is plenty. More than that starts to feel forced
  • Use in Headings — H2s and H3s are great places for variants (e.g., H2: "Best Cheap Running Shoes"). Search engines give extra weight to heading text
  • Don't Force It — If a variant is irrelevant (e.g., "Kids shoes" in an article about adult shoes), ignore it

Common Questions

What does the Frequency column mean?

Frequency shows how many times you've used that variant in your content. A frequency of 0 means you haven't mentioned it yet. There's no strict target number — aiming for 3–5 high-volume variants (as mentioned in Best Practices) is a good starting point, but the key is to make sure each one appears at least once in a natural context.

Do keyword variants affect my Entity Score?

Variants and entities are related but separate. Including a variant often covers related entities too, which can improve both your variant coverage and entity score simultaneously.

What's Next?