Everyone misspells words from time to time. And as any analytics tool will show, misspelled Google searches happen every day. Google suggests potential corrections when it detects a misspelled word, but that doesn’t stop thousands of users from typing incorrectly spelled search terms into their search bar. This raises an interesting question: considering the number of misspellings that are searched daily, should your website focus on SEO for misspelled keywords relevant to you?
In the complex landscape of the English language, where irregularities and exceptions abound, misspellings are unsurprisingly common. Despite Google’s efforts to rectify innocent mistakes, targeting SEO for misspellings isn’t exactly necessary. However, it never hurts to boost your search engine optimization in any way possible. Let’s take a closer look at the relatively new territory of SEO for misspelled keywords.
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Why Optimize for Misspelled Search Terms?
A quick look at Google Analytics or another keyword analytics tracker will report how many misspelled keywords are searched every day. For instance, let’s consider the example keyphrase “cypress tree”. The correct spelling has over 90,000 searches per month. But even misspelled results turn up surprisingly large numbers. For instance, dropping one letter and searching “cypres tree” still shows that 270 people search for this incorrect spelling every month. “Cyress tree” gets 45 searches per month.
While neither of these search volumes seems too impressive compared to the number of searches garnered from the correct spelling, people are still searching for these errors. Moreover, the traffic generated by misspellings could easily be directed to a website optimized to target those errors.
How to Target Misspelled Keywords
Targeting misspelled keywords is a bit of a difficult line to walk. On the one hand, people are searching for them frequently. On the other hand, conventional SEO methods like strategic keyword usage don’t consider this method. After all, a website littered with misspelled words looks sloppy and unprofessional to users and Google alike. What’s the proper way to target these keywords without shooting yourself in the foot?
Some websites take an educational approach to their misspelled search term strategy. You may notice expressions such as “ ‘Cypress’ are often incorrectly spelled as ‘cypres’ ” in blog posts or articles about the topic in question. This particular integration is clever on multiple levels. Not only does the website successfully use both of its targeted search terms naturally, but it also manages to remind the audience how to spell it correctly next time!
Another strategy is to be subtle about integrating spelling errors. Hide commonly misspelled search terms relevant to you in places where users generally won’t find them, such as image tags. They’re still visible to Google, but not to most people reading your website. Just be careful not to overdo it! Even if your website looks great otherwise, too many spelling mistakes will still send up red flags at Google.
Pro Tip: If you try to target misspelled keywords and search terms, NEVER adopt the outdated SEO strategy of hiding them in invisible text on your website. Google will flag you and your efforts will backfire.
Creating a List of Misspelled Keywords
So, how do you find the right misspelled words to target in your updated strategy? You have multiple keyword research tools at your disposal. For commonly misspelled words in general, look up lists of frequent spelling errors on online dictionaries or similar sites to give you a general idea. Plus, these lists will help you brush up on your spelling skills!
For keywords relevant to your industry, use tools like Google Ads or Google Analytics to see how users misspell different keywords and how frequently these misspellings occur. You can also try an online typo generator (though they aren’t perfect) to simulate common errors, or even try misspelling certain search terms yourself to see what results you get. Making mistakes on purpose could become your best research strategy!
More Questions About Misspelled Search Terms
Does targeting misspelled keywords increase website traffic?
Yes, targeting misspelled keywords can potentially increase website traffic because some users search with misspellings, though the impact may vary. Depending on the specific keywords, uncontrollable factors like market competitiveness, the frequency of the misspelled search query, and how search engines show results will affect the volume of traffic.
Are there any risks or downsides to focusing on SEO for misspelled keywords?
Yes, there are risks and downsides to focusing solely on SEO for misspelled keywords. Overemphasizing misspelled terms can make a website appear unprofessional or spammy to both users and search engines. Additionally, it may not always result in quality traffic or conversions.
Are certain types of websites better suited for targeting misspelled keywords?
Yes, certain types of websites or industries may benefit more from targeting misspelled keywords. For example, businesses offering products or services with commonly misspelled names might see better results. Similarly, industries with less competition in search results may find it easier to rank for misspelled terms. However, it’s essential to assess the relevance and potential impact on the overall SEO strategy.
A New SEO Strategy!
When you’re working on improving your website’s SEO rankings and results, it’s easy to overlook the largely untapped potential offered by working on SEO for misspellings. It definitely shouldn’t encompass your entire content strategy. However, this unconventional method can help you rise in the search results as well as sneakily remind your audience how to spell.
Have a question? Contact us to learn more uncommon SEO tricks to give your website a competitive edge!
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2020
