A beginner’s guide to understanding tangential SEO

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, staying ahead of the competition requires innovative strategies that go beyond traditional SEO. One such approach that has gained traction in recent years is "Tangential SEO." In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the potential of tangential SEO and how it can transform your online business by leveraging connections and associations.

What is tangential SEO?

Tangential SEO is the art of forging connections and associations between your website and related industries or topics. Unlike traditional SEO, which mainly focuses on targeting specific keywords, tangential SEO broadens your reach by encompassing related keywords and themes. 

In other words, instead of just targeting specific keywords, you include other related keywords too. By doing this, search engines see your website as more important, giving it a higher position in search results. It helps you reach more people and grow your online business.

Example of tangential SEO

For example, let's say you run a fitness blog, and your primary focus is on "home workouts." 

In addition to creating content about home workouts, you also write about related topics like "healthy recipes" and "fitness equipment reviews." 

By doing this, your website forms connections with other fitness-related topics. Search engines notice this and may rank your website higher when people search for "home workouts" or other related fitness topics.

Search engines, including Google, have increasingly become adept at recognizing the relevance of tangential relationships, rewarding websites with higher rankings for demonstrating broader authority and interconnectedness.

Identifying tangential opportunities

To unleash the full potential of tangential SEO, thorough keyword research is essential. Here are some effective techniques to uncover tangential opportunities:

• Competitor Analysis: Start by analyzing your competitors' content and backlink profiles. Identify any tangential connections they might have and explore how you can tap into similar opportunities.
• Data-Driven Approaches: Leverage data analytics tools to identify untapped tangential keywords and topics. AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Ahrefs, and Google Bard can provide valuable insights.
• Semantic Search: Understand user intent and consider semantically related keywords. For example, if your business sells camping gear, relevant tangential keywords might include "outdoor adventures" or "hiking equipment."

Creating tangential content

Once you've identified tangential keywords, crafting content that fosters connections with related industries is the next step. 

Here's how to do it effectively:

• Natural Keyword Incorporation: Avoid stuffing tangential keywords awkwardly into your content. Instead, incorporate them naturally to enhance the user experience and avoid triggering search engine penalties.
• Multimedia Engagement: Engage your audience with multimedia content such as videos, infographics, and podcasts. This diverse content can facilitate tangential connections and appeal to a broader audience.
• Case Studies and Success Stories: Share real-life case studies and success stories related to your tangential topics. Highlighting the positive outcomes of using certain products or services can build trust with your audience and encourage them to explore tangential offerings.

Building tangential backlinks

Backlinks play a pivotal role in tangential SEO. High-quality links from related industries can significantly boost your website's authority. 

Consider the following strategies:

• Guest Posting and Collaborations: Reach out to influencers and businesses in tangential industries for guest posting opportunities. Collaborating on content can mutually benefit both parties and foster stronger connections.
• Link-Worthy Content: Create link-worthy content that stands out in your niche. Unique, valuable, and insightful content is more likely to attract backlinks from authoritative sources.
• Reciprocal Linking: While not without risks, reciprocal linking with complementary businesses can strengthen tangential relationships. Exercise caution and prioritize quality over quantity.

Tangential SEO and user experience

One of the underlying principles of tangential SEO is enhancing user experience through interconnected content. Here's how to achieve this synergy:

• Internal Linking: Strategically link your content to other relevant pages on your website. This encourages users to explore related topics, increasing their time on site and reducing bounce rates.
• Content Hubs: Create content hubs or clusters around broader topics that include both primary and tangential content. This structure establishes a clear relationship between different pieces of content.

Social media amplification for tangential SEO

Social media platforms provide an excellent avenue to amplify tangential content and foster relationships with influencers and industry experts:

• Engaging with Influencers: Interact with influencers in tangential industries by sharing their content, leaving insightful comments, and collaborating on joint initiatives.
• Shareable Content Creation: Develop easily shareable content, sparking conversations and engagements. Infographics, listicles, and how-to guides are examples of highly shareable formats.

Integrating tangential SEO with content marketing

Tangential SEO and content marketing go hand in hand, amplifying each other's impact. Here's how to integrate the two seamlessly:

• Complementary Topics: Identify topics that resonate with both your primary audience and tangential audiences. Creating content that bridges the gap can attract a broader readership.
• Cross-Promotion: Promote your tangential content through various channels, including newsletters, social media, and industry-specific forums. Encourage engagement and discussions.

Tangential SEO and local businesses

Local businesses can also benefit from tangential SEO strategies. Consider the following tactics:

• Local Networking: Engage with complementary local businesses and build partnerships. Collaborative efforts can lead to increased exposure in the community.
• Location-Based Keywords: Include location-based tangential keywords to capture local search traffic. For example, a local coffee shop might target "best study spots in [city name]."

Pros and cons of tangential SEO

Before fully embracing tangential SEO, it's essential to consider its advantages and potential drawbacks.

We have listed a few advantages and potential challenges of tangential SEO here:

Advantages:

• Diversification of keyword targets and potential traffic sources.
• Strengthening your online authority through diverse backlink profiles.
• Tapping into new audience segments and expanding market reach.
• Enhancing user experience by providing relevant, interconnected content.

Challenges:

• Balancing primary and tangential content without diluting brand focus.
• Potential risks of associating with unrelated or low-quality tangential sources.
• Time and resource-intensive efforts to establish tangential relationships.

How to find tangential keywords using AI tools

Leveraging AI-powered keyword research tools can significantly simplify the process of discovering tangential keyword opportunities:

SEMrush's Keyword Magic Tool: Enter your primary keyword and filter results to identify tangentially related keywords. Explore the "Questions," "Related," and "Broad Match" sections for additional insights.

Ahrefs' Keyword Explorer: Use the "Keyword Ideas" feature to find tangential keyword suggestions. Sort results by "Relevance" or "Volume" to prioritize the most impactful keywords.

AI Tools: AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard can also be used to find tangential keywords. You can ask AI tools to list tangential keywords, based on your primary seed keyword. On the other hand, if you don’t want to rely completely on AI tools, you can just ask the AI tools to list related industries and then conduct keyword research manually based on those industries. You can also conduct competitor analysis and find the most important keywords that the top-performing websites in those related industries are driving traffic from.

Measuring and analyzing tangential SEO performance

To ensure the success of your tangential SEO efforts, it's crucial to track and analyze key performance metrics:

• Organic Traffic: Monitor changes in organic traffic and identify trends related to your tangential content and keywords.
• Backlink Quality and Quantity: Keep track of new backlinks from tangential sources and assess their authority and relevance.
• User Engagement: Analyze user behavior metrics, such as time on page, bounce rate, and conversion rates, to gauge the effectiveness of your tangential content.

Our best tip is to keep a close eye on Google Search Console and find the exact queries that are driving traffic to your website. If any tangential keywords appear on that list, you know that your efforts have yielded results.

Conclusion

Incorporating tangential SEO into your digital marketing strategy can open up new horizons for your online business. By fostering connections and associations with related industries, you can boost your website's authority, expand your audience reach, and ultimately drive sustainable growth. 

Embrace the power of tangential SEO, and stay ahead of the competition in today's dynamic digital landscape.