Keyword Cluster Sheet

I built this sheet to make that step quicker. You paste in your raw keywords and label each one with a cluster, and the Clusters tab totals the volume, averages the difficulty and counts the keywords for you.

From there, the Page plan tab turns each cluster into pages with working titles, URL slugs and planned internal links, ready to brief.

What’s included

• How to use: step-by-step instructions inside the sheet, from export to page plan.
• Raw keywords: paste your export with volume, KD, CPC, intent and parent topic, then assign each keyword a cluster.
• Cluster formulas: SUMIF, AVERAGEIF and COUNTIF fill in each cluster's total volume, average KD and keyword count automatically.
• Page decisions: record the dominant intent, page type, existing URL, whether you need a new page and the priority for each cluster.
• Page plan: working titles, URL slugs, supporting keywords, pillar or supporting role and the pages each one links to.
• Worked example: 20 keywords for a fictional online coffee roaster grouped into five clusters and planned out as pages.

How to use it

1. Export keywords from your keyword tool and paste them into the Raw keywords tab, keeping the column order.
2. Type a cluster name next to every keyword. Keywords that one page can answer belong in the same cluster.
3. Add each cluster name once in the Clusters tab. Total volume, Avg KD and the keyword count fill in automatically.
4. Choose the primary keyword, dominant intent and page type for each cluster, note any existing URL and set a priority.
5. Move your High priority clusters into the Page plan tab, decide which page is the pillar and plan the links between them.

Tips from my client work

• Spell cluster names exactly the same way in both tabs. The formulas match on the exact text, so a stray space will drop keywords from the totals.
• Not sure if two keywords belong together? Search both. If mostly the same pages rank for each, one page can usually cover both.
• Do not judge a cluster on volume alone. A small cluster with commercial intent and low KD can be worth more than a large informational one.
• Take volume and KD from one tool. Mixing sources makes the totals and averages hard to compare.

FAQs

What is keyword clustering?

Keyword clustering is grouping keywords that share the same search intent so one page can target all of them. It stops you writing separate pages for searches that want the same answer.

How do I decide which keywords go in the same cluster?

Check the search results. If two keywords show mostly the same ranking pages, they usually belong together. If the results are clearly different, they need separate pages.

Do I need a paid SEO tool to use this sheet?

No. A paid tool makes the export faster, but you can fill the sheet in from Google Search Console, Google Keyword Planner or any free tool that gives volume estimates. Leave KD or CPC blank if your source does not have them.