Do you want to find out what the content marketing trend of 2024 is?
It’s not generative AI copywriting. It’s not video content. No, the biggest breakthrough in content marketing is strategic keyword entity modeling — and the majority of marketers aren’t doing it.
78% of B2B marketers use keyword research as part of their SEO efforts when creating content. The issue is, when they do keyword research, they’re still thinking old-school keyword-stuffing.
The truth is, search engines don’t think like us.
Google “gets” things, not strings. Your content needs to move beyond simple keyword targeting to entity-based optimization.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- What is an Entity-based Content Strategy?
- Why Keyword Research Is No Longer Enough
- The Entity Modeling Framework That Works
- Building Content That Google Actually Understands
- Advanced Entity Optimization Tips and Tricks
What is an Entity-based Content Strategy?
Entity-based SEO looks and feels nothing like traditional keyword optimization.
Here’s how it works: Rather than targeting individual keywords, you optimize for entities, real-world concepts that Google knows and understands.
Here’s an example to make this clear:
When someone searches for “Apple,” Google does not see just a word; rather, it knows that they could be talking about the company, the fruit or even the music label. That’s how the search engine’s entity recognition works.
For those who are creating unique works, this means that instead of keyword stuffing, your content will have clear relations between all the concepts you talk about.
Cool, right?
Google’s Knowledge Graph already contains more than 8 billion entities and 800 billion facts, a vast web of connected information that is the foundation of modern search results.
Why Keyword Research Is No Longer Enough
Keyword research is broken.
Want to know why?
Over 94% of keywords get ten or fewer searches per month. At the same time, search engines are becoming much better at understanding context and user intent.
With a standard keyword targeting, the following occurs:
- You optimize content around specific phrases
- Google has difficulty understanding the overall context
- Your content competes with millions of pages like it
- Rankings are unpredictable and difficult to sustain
Entity modeling solves these problems by targeting concepts instead of words.
When you optimize for entities, Google can associate your content with related topics, boosting your chances of ranking for a number of related queries at once.
The Entity Modeling Framework That Works
Are you ready to build an entity-centered content strategy?
Let’s take a look at the working framework that is used to generate maximum impact from content:
Step 1: Identify Your Primary Entities
Begin by identifying the primary entities in your industry. They should be:
- People: famous individuals, experts, historical figures
- Places: countries, cities, landmarks
- Organizations: brands, companies, institutions
- Concepts: methodologies, theories, processes
Step 2: Map Entity Relationships
Map out how your entities are related to one another. Google’s algorithm is getting really good at this.
For example, if your main topic is “content marketing,” your entity map might consist of:
- Content Marketing (main entity)
- SEO (connected process)
- Google (platform)
- HubSpot (company)
- Content Strategy (methodology)
Step 3: Create Entity Content Clusters
Produce high-quality content that covers your entity network. Each should:
- Be centered on one main entity
- Reference 3-5 related entities
- Have structured data markup
- Link to other pieces of content in your cluster
This helps Google understand your topical authority and improve your overall search visibility.
Building Content That Google Actually Understands
Most writers do the same mistake…
They write with the intent of other people reading, but they completely forget about search engines.
The solution? Design your content in a way that works for both.
Send clear entity signals throughout your content:
- Headings: Put your main entity in H1 tags
- Subheadings: Put related entities in H2-H3 tags
- Internal linking: Link to related entity content
- Schema markup: Help Google to understand your entities
Of course, do not forget about users. Your content should still provide value and serve as an answer to their questions.
The best entity-optimized content is the one that is easy to read by humans and, at the same time, sends strong signals to search engines about what is it is about.
Advanced Entity Optimization Tips and Tricks
Are you interested in taking your entity strategy to the next level?
Here are some of the more advanced tactics that make the difference between pros and amateurs:
Entity Disambiguation
Make sure it’s completely clear which entity you are writing about. For example, if you talk about “Apple,” help Google understand that you refer to the technology company and not the fruit.
Co-occurrence Patterns
Include entities that co-occur in your industry in your content. This will help Google to better understand your content’s context and improve your relevance score.
Authority Signals
Link to high-authority pages about your entities. Wikipedia, official brand websites, and industry publications all send strong entity signals.
Schema Markup
Implement structured data to explicitly define your entities. It will remove any ambiguity and help Google to categorize your content.
Metrics to Track for Entity Optimization
How can you know if your entity strategy is working?
Here are the top metrics to monitor:
- Knowledge Panel appearances: Is your brand being featured in Google’s Knowledge Graph?
- Featured snippet rankings: Entity-optimized content wins position zero
- Related searches: Are you ranking for queries that are related to your entities?
- Topic cluster rankings: How well do your related entity groups rank together?
The most successful content marketers track entity performance along with traditional keyword metrics.
Entity Modeling: Don’ts and Dont’s
Make sure that you don’t do the following beginner mistakes, which instantly kill entity optimization:
Don’t #1: Targeting too many entities in a single content piece. Maximum 1 main entity + 3-5 related entities.
Don’t #2: Randomly dropping entities. You should not just mention entities, but rather focus on their logical connection.
Don’t #3: Ignoring user intent. Entity optimization should enhance user experience, not replace it.
Don’t #4: Forgetting about schema markup. Schema is your direct channel to Google’s understanding of your content.
How to Build an Entity-First Content Calendar
Are you ready to change the way you look at your content strategy?
Here are the steps to create an entity-focused editorial calendar:
- Audit your current content: Identify gaps in your entity coverage.
- Conduct competitor entity mapping: See which entities your competitors own.
- Plan your entity clusters: Group related entities into content series.
- Schedule and release strategically: Release your entity content in logical sequences.
This systematic approach will help you ensure that you have great entity coverage while maintaining your quality.
Quick Implementation Checklist
Use the following checklist for your next content piece:
- The primary entity is clearly defined in the title and H1 tag
- 3-5 related entities mentioned in the text naturally
- Schema markup is in place
- Internal linking to related entity content
- External linking to high authority entity sources
- Clear entity disambiguation where applicable
Stick to this process, and you will see an improvement in your search visibility over time.
Wrapping Up Your Entity Journey
Strategic keyword entity modeling is not just another SEO trick; it’s the future of content optimization.
Focusing on entities rather than keywords, allows you to create content that:
- Ranks for a number of related searches.
- Builds long-term topical authority.
- Is effective for both users and search engines.
- Stays relevant long-term as algorithms evolve.
The content marketers that start mastering entity modeling today will own search results in the future.
So what are you waiting for?
Pick a core entity in your industry and build your first entity cluster around it. You will see results for yourself.
