7 Best Keyword Clustering Tools to Improve Topical Authority (Tested)

You know how books are grouped by genre,  author, or subject matter in a library?

Keyword clustering does the same for your website’s content strategy. This strategy involves organizing keywords into relevant groups, helping you create thorough, high-ranking content.

To help you achieve this, we’ve explored and tested the best keyword clustering tools (both paid and free).

These tools streamline SEO clustering so your content is both comprehensive and optimized.

Plus, we have insights from Writesonic’s Head of Inbound Marketing to answer your burning questions about keyword clusters.

Ready to transform your SEO strategy with clustering tools? Let’s get started.

What are keyword clusters, and why does it matter for SEO?

Keyword clustering is grouping related keywords into clusters based on their relevance and search intent.

This helps you create content comprehensively covering a topic, making it more organized and authoritative for readers and search engines.

Why does it matter?

Search engines like Google understand the context and user intent behind search queries.

By using topic clusters, you align your content with this understanding, making it more relevant and likely to boost search engine rankings.

Example of keyword clustering

Let's say you run a fitness blog and want to create content around "healthy eating."

Instead of targeting just "healthy eating," you group related keywords into clusters to cover the topic comprehensively.

Here's a representation of how you might cluster these keywords:

1. Main topic: Healthy eating

• Cluster: What are the benefits of eating healthy
• Benefits of healthy eating
• Advantages of a balanced diet
• Why eat healthily
• Cluster: Healthy eating tips
• Tips to eating healthy
• How to eat healthily
• Simple healthy eating habits
• Cluster: Healthy recipes
• Healthy recipes for weight loss
• Easy healthy recipes
• Healthy meal ideas
• Cluster: Healthy eating for specific groups
• Healthy eating for kids
• Healthy eating for seniors
• Healthy eating for athletes

When you organize your keywords into these clusters, your content has a better chance of addressing various search intents related to "healthy eating," improving your site's relevance and authority.

Ultimately, SEO clustering is a great way to plan your content and better understand what subtopics you should cover for your blogs.

Top 7 keyword clustering tools for content marketers

Investing in the right keyword grouping software is essential to get the most out of your SEO strategy.

These tools help you plan your keyword research efforts, ensuring your content is comprehensive and ranks well.

Here's a quick look at the best keyword grouping tools worth trying out:

Now that you have an overview of the top topic cluster tools let’s explore what makes each platform unique and how they can enhance your SEO strategy.

1. Writesonic

If you’re looking for an AI assistant that automates content writing and organizes your keywords intelligently, you must try Writesonic.

This AI-powered content optimization platform has a built-in keyword cluster tool. This tool uses advanced algorithms to group related keywords by analyzing search intent and context.

Writesonic's AI analyzes volume, keyword difficulty, and the number of keywords associated with a topic cluster through an easy-to-use dashboard.

The AI topic clustering feature creates a visual map or diagram of keywords. It takes the keywords you input and forms clusters based on their semantic or contextual similarities.

This method helps you visualize the relationships between different keywords and understand how they integrate within your target broader topic or theme.

Key features:

1. Integration with AI Article Writer: Identify relevant keywords and use them to create high-quality content–all under one platform.
2. AI topic clustering: Automatically groups keywords based on search intent for better relevance.
3. SEO optimization checker: Provides real-time metrics on keyword competitiveness and search volume.
4. Competitor analysis: Helps you understand and outperform your competitors’ keyword strategies.
5. In-depth research: Supports content with comprehensive, up-to-date data.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface for all skill levels
• Comprehensive suite of content creation and SEO tool
• Powerful AI for precise keyword analysis and clustering
• Seamless integration with tools like Zapier and Google Search Console

Cons:

• Premium features may be costly for smaller businesses

Pricing: Writesonic offers different price plans depending on whether you’re an individual user or want to use it as a team. Individuals can start with a free version, while premium plans range from $12/month to $79/month for teams.

2. KeyClusters

KeyClusters stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness in keyword clustering.

Utilizing real-time Google SERP data, this tool groups keywords that show similar search result patterns.

This feature not only prevents keyword cannibalization but also enhances topical relevancy.

The output is provided in Excel files, making it easy to plan content that aligns with SEO strategies. You can further customize these clusters based on your specific needs, making it a flexible and powerful tool for enhancing your SEO strategy.

Key features:

1. Automated clustering: Uses sophisticated algorithms to group keywords based on search intent and relevance.
2. Detailed keyword analysis: Provides insights into keyword performance, helping you identify high-potential keywords and optimize your content accordingly.
3. Customizable clusters: Allows you to manually adjust keyword groups to fit your needs better, providing flexibility in your content strategy.
4. Integration capabilities: Works seamlessly with other popular SEO tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs.

Pros:

• Highly accurate keyword clustering
• Easy to use, even for SEO beginners
• Integrates well with other SEO tools for a more unified workflow

Cons:

• Limited additional features compared to more extensive SEO tools
• Premium pricing plans can be a bit steep

Pricing: KeyCluster doesn’t offer fixed monthly subscriptions. Instead, users can opt for various pay-as-you-go pricing options depending on the number of keywords to analyze. These plans range from $9 for 1000 keywords to $129 for 30,000 keywords.

Also check out: 13 Best Free Keyword Research Tools for 2024

3. SE Ranking

SE Ranking is an all-in-one SEO platform that offers a robust keyword clustering tool among its many features.

It’s ideal for businesses of all sizes looking to enhance their keyword strategy and overall blog SEO performance.

SE Ranking's Keyword Grouper tool segments keywords and plans SEO architecture, offering insights into keyword variations and related terms.

The platform also provides detailed reports on keyword performance and SEO analysis, helping you measure the effectiveness of your content strategy and make data-driven decisions.

Key features:

1. Supports PPC campaign grouping for better quality scores
2. Includes keyword research, site audits, and competitor analysis to provide a comprehensive SEO solution.
3. Generates detailed reports to track your SEO performance and keyword rankings.

Pros:

• Comprehensive all-in-one SEO platform
• Detailed analysis and reporting features
• Suitable for businesses of all sizes and skill levels
• User-friendly interface

Cons:

• Can be overwhelming for beginners due to the extensive range of features
• Higher pricing tiers for advanced functionalities

Pricing: SE Ranking provides various subscription options tailored to different user needs. Pricing plans start from $65/month and go up to $259/month. Teams can select a pricing model based on the number of seats and projects they require and the number of keywords they want to track.

4. Keyword Insights

Keyword Insights specializes in clustering up to 2.5 million keywords, offering detailed insights into how keywords should be grouped and targeted.

With its data-driven approach, this keyword grouping tool forms clusters that ensure your content is both comprehensive and highly relevant to your audience.

Enter a list of keywords, and the system’s AI will analyze them, considering search intent and relationships between keywords.

The system checks for keywords in the top 10 results, and if a keyword shares 30% or more URLs in common, it will be considered a cluster. Users can change the percentage level in advanced settings.

Key features:

1. Data-driven clustering: Uses AI to analyze and group keywords based on their relationships and search intent.
2. Search intent analysis: Identifies the intent behind keywords, helping you create content that meets user needs and expectations.
3. Detailed metrics: Provides insights into keyword performance, competition, and search volume, helping you optimize your content strategy.
4. Integration capabilities: Easily integrates with other SEO tools like Google Analytics and Search Console, enhancing your overall strategy.

Pros:

• Focuses on search intent for precise clustering
• Provides detailed metrics and insights to inform your content strategy
• Easy integration with other SEO tools
• Offers AI article writing and content briefs apart from keyword research features

Cons:

• Can be a bit pricey for smaller businesses
• Steeper learning curve for new users

Pricing: Keyword Insights offers both monthly/annual subscriptions and pay-as-you-go pricing options for flexibility. The plans vary depending on the number of seats and keyword searches. Users can also opt for a 4-day trial for $1.

You might also like: The Ultimate Guide to Keyword Research

5. SEO Scout

SEO Scout offers keyword research and optimization tools that focus on creating tightly clustered content that boosts relevance and authority on Google.

The tool groups related keywords into clusters, ensuring your content addresses various search intents and ranks well in search results.

To help your efforts even more, SEO Scout provides actionable insights and recommendations for content optimization, helping you improve your content’s performance and SEO effectiveness.

The custom reporting features allow you to track your progress and measure the success of your SEO strategy.

SEO Scout uses natural language processing to analyze your keyword's top 30 Google results. You can also edit content and get topic and FAQ suggestions pulled from Quora and Google Suggest.

Key features:

1. Keyword clustering: Groups related keywords for comprehensive topic coverage, improving your site’s relevance and topical authority.
2. SEO analysis tools: Suggests People Also Ask questions and comes equipped with a keyword planner, rank checker, and SEO testing tools
3. Content optimization: Offers recommendations to enhance your content’s performance and SEO effectiveness, ensuring that your content meets search engine guidelines.
4. Custom reporting: Generates detailed SEO keyword cluster reports, helping you track your progress and measure the effectiveness of your strategy.

Pros:

• Comprehensive SEO tool suite
• Accurate keyword clustering based on search intent
• User-friendly interface, suitable for users of all skill levels

Cons:

• Premium features can be costly
• Advanced functionalities may require some learning and adjustment

Pricing: SEO Scout offers monthly and annual plans for all budgets. The Starter plan's monthly subscription starts at $49/month and goes up to $199/month for the Agency plan. Users can also opt for a 7-day free trial.

6. Keyword Clarity

Keyword Clarity is a free tool that simplifies keyword clustering. It's accessible to everyone, from seasoned SEO experts to beginners.

This platform is perfect for organizing your keywords effectively without breaking the bank.

With Keyword Clarity, you can quickly group related keywords based on search intent.

The tool makes it easy to visualize keyword groups through a customizable diagram, and you can import CSV data from Google Sheets to simplify the keyword research process.

Key features:

1. Interactive tree visualization aids in identifying semantic groups without complex spreadsheets
2. Direct integration with Google Search Console for real-time data utilization
3. Ability to customize and reorder keywords to discover new clusters

Pros:

• Completely free to use
• User-friendly interface
• Provides clear and actionable insights

Cons:

• Limited features compared to paid tools
• Manual adjustments are required for perfect clustering
• No use of AI

7. ZenBrief

ZenBrief offers a straightforward approach to keyword clustering without any cost.

This free keyword grouping tool can help you organize your keywords effectively, making it a great option for small businesses and individual content creators.

ZenBrief’s free keyword clustering tool works by having users input a list of keywords, which it then groups based on search intent.

With this, users can get basic insights into keyword performance, helping them understand which keywords are most valuable for their content strategy.

The tool's user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and use, even for those new to SEO.

Key features:

1. Quick and automatic keyword grouping
2. Provides basic insights into keyword performance
3. Easy to navigate and use, making it suitable for users of all experience levels
4. Integrates with other SEO tools like Google Analytics and Search Console

Pros:

• Free to use, making it accessible for everyone
• Simple and intuitive interface
• Effective keyword grouping for better content organization

Cons:

• Lacks advanced features found in paid tools
• Basic SEO analysis may not be sufficient for detailed strategies
• Only works if you have more than 30 keywords at hand

Also check out: 10 AI SEO Tools (Free and Paid) That Deliver Results

Writesonic’s Head of Inbound Marketing answers your questions about keyword clustering!

At Writesonic, we live and breathe content creation.

Our team understands the ins and outs of keyword and topic clustering, ensuring we bring you the best strategies and tools to optimize your content.

To dive deeper into this topic, we chatted with Writesonic’s Head of Inbound Marketing, who shared some valuable insights on mastering keyword clustering with our AI-driven tools.

Here's what we learned from him:

1. How do you handle keyword overlap in clustering to avoid redundancy and ensure diverse content coverage?

Keyword overlap can be tricky, but we tackle it head-on with Writesonic's advanced AI algorithms.

We can place similar but distinct keywords into separate clusters by analyzing the context and intent behind each keyword.

This way, each piece of content covers a unique aspect of the topic, reducing redundancy and ensuring comprehensive coverage.

Plus, our AI identifies gaps and opportunities for new content, keeping our strategy diverse and effective.

2. How do you integrate keyword clusters into existing content frameworks?

Integrating keyword clusters into existing content frameworks is a seamless process with Writesonic.

We start by mapping out our current content and identifying where new clusters can fit in.

Our AI Article Writer suggests internal links and connections between old and new content, creating a cohesive and well-structured framework.

This not only enhances the topical relevance of our site but also improves user navigation and engagement by linking related topics and ensuring a smooth content flow.

3. How do we measure the impact of keyword clustering on long-term SEO performance versus short-term gains?

We measure the impact of keyword clustering efforts using a mix of metrics.

For short-term gains, we monitor improvements in search rankings, organic traffic, and user engagement metrics like time on page and bounce rate.

In terms of long-term SEO performance, we analyze trends over a longer period, such as the growth in organic search traffic, the increase in the number of keywords our site ranks for, and improvements in domain authority.

4. What are the precision and limitations of automated keyword clustering compared to manual methods?

Automated keyword clustering with Writesonic is highly precise because it can process and analyze large datasets quickly, something manual methods can't compete with.

The AI identifies patterns and relationships between keywords that might be overlooked manually.

Of course, automation significantly reduces time and effort, but it can sometimes miss context-specific nuances that a human would catch.

To balance this, we combine automated clustering with periodic manual reviews to ensure accuracy and relevance.

5. How do you address the challenge of balancing high-competition keywords with low-competition long-tail keywords within clusters?

At Writesonic, we use our AI to create clusters with an optimal mix of high-competition and low-competition long-tail keywords within each cluster.

High-competition keywords help us achieve broad visibility and attract a large audience. In contrast, low-competition long-tail keywords allow us to target more specific queries, which often convert better and have less competition.

Combining these two types of keywords within each cluster ensures that our content can attract a wide range of search intents, from broad informational searches to specific, intent-driven queries.

Writesonic’s real-time data and fact-checking continuously monitor performance and suggest adjustments, ensuring that we maintain an effective balance that drives both traffic and engagement.

There’s no doubt that keyword clustering is a game-changer for your SEO strategy.

By grouping related keywords, you can create content that truly resonates with your audience and ranks higher on search engines.

And with the right tools, you’ll see your site’s performance improve in no time. So, start clustering those keywords and watch your SEO soar.

Supercharge your content with Writesonic today!

Ready to take your SEO to the next level?

Writesonic's AI-powered keyword clustering tools can help you create precise, optimized content that stands out.

Join thousands of marketers already seeing the benefits of smarter keyword strategies.

Frequently asked questions

1. What does topical authority mean in SEO?

Topical authority is an SEO strategy in which a website aims to become a recognized expert on specific topics. The goal is to clearly communicate the site's focus to search engines to enhance its chances of ranking well for keywords related to those topics.

2. What is keyword clustering in SEO?

Keyword clustering in SEO involves grouping together keywords that share the same or similar intent. This allows a single page to target multiple related keywords, which can be more efficient than creating separate pages for each term.

For example, a cluster might include several keywords conveying a similar meaning.

3. What is meant by keyword grouping?

Keyword grouping refers to the technique of organizing related keywords into clusters. These clusters can then optimize content by incorporating multiple related terms from the same group into your content.

This approach helps target a broader range of search queries with a single piece of content.