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Overview

The Related Keywords block finds keyword variations and related search terms for a target keyword from Semrush. Use it to expand keyword lists, discover content opportunities, and find long-tail variations for SEO and content strategy.

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Configuration

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Keyword (Required)

The seed keyword to find related terms for. Example: 
crm software
You can reference placeholders from previous steps: {{step_1.output}} Tips:
  • Use specific seed keywords for focused results
  • Broad terms return more varied suggestions
  • Long-tail seeds find similar long-tail variations

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Keyword Type

Select the type of related keywords to discover. Options: Related Keywords (Default) Find semantically related keywords and variations relevant to your target keyword. Example for “crm software”:
  • crm
  • hubspot
  • customer relationship management
  • crm system
  • what is crm
Best for: Content ideation, keyword expansion, finding synonyms Broad Match Find keywords containing your target keyword phrase anywhere in the query. Example for “crm”:
  • best crm software
  • crm for small business
  • free crm
  • crm comparison
Best for: Long-tail discovery, specific use cases, buying intent keywords Phrase Questions Find question-based search queries related to your keyword. Example for “crm”:
  • what is crm
  • how does crm work
  • why use crm software
  • which crm is best
Best for: FAQ content, blog topics, voice search optimization

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Number of Results

How many keywords to return. Range: 1-1000 Default: 10 Higher numbers give more options but may include less relevant terms. Start with 10-50 for most use cases.

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Region (Optional)

Select the regional database for keyword data. Default: United States Choose the region matching your target market. Different regions return different keyword suggestions and metrics.

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Error Handling

Define what happens if the block fails to retrieve data. Options:
  1. Terminate Workflow: Stop execution immediately
  2. Continue Execution: Proceed to next step despite error
Select based on whether subsequent steps require the keyword data.

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Output Data

The block returns an array of keyword objects with comprehensive metrics:

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Keyword

The related keyword phrase. Example: "hubspot crm"

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Search Volume

Monthly average search volume. Example: "18100" (18,100 searches/month)

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CPC

Average cost per click in USD. Example: "24.92" ($24.92 per click)

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Competition

Paid search competition density (0-1). Example: "0.41" (Medium competition) Scale:
  • 0.00-0.33: Low competition
  • 0.34-0.66: Medium competition
  • 0.67-1.00: High competition

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Number of Results

Total search results for this keyword. Example: "25100000" (25.1 million results) 12 months of search volume trends (normalized 0-1). Example: "1.00,0.66,0.36,0.36,0.44,0.44,1.00,0.54,0.66,0.66,0.81,0.54" Values represent relative search volume per month. 1.00 = peak month, 0.00 = lowest. Use trends to:
  • Identify seasonal keywords
  • Spot growing/declining interest
  • Plan content timing
How closely related the keyword is to your seed keyword (0-1). Example: "0.5" (Moderately related) Scale:
  • 0.80-1.00: Highly relevant
  • 0.50-0.79: Moderately relevant
  • 0.20-0.49: Somewhat relevant
  • 0.00-0.19: Loosely related
Higher scores = more relevant. Use this to filter top matches.

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Keywords SERP Features

SERP features that appear for this keyword. Example: "1,6,9,14,15,20,21,36,51" Numeric codes representing SERP features like:
  • Featured snippets
  • People Also Ask
  • Images
  • Videos
  • Shopping results
More features = more complex SERP, potentially harder to rank.

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Sample Output

[
  {
    "Keyword": "hubspot",
    "Search Volume": "301000",
    "CPC": "8.98",
    "Competition": "0.58",
    "Number of Results": "42200000",
    "Trends": "0.66,0.66,0.66,0.54,0.66,0.66,0.81,0.66,0.66,0.66,0.66,0.66",
    "Related Relevance": "0.05",
    "Keywords SERP Features": "1,6,9,14,15,20,21,36,51"
  },
  {
    "Keyword": "crm",
    "Search Volume": "165000",
    "CPC": "16.63",
    "Competition": "0.48",
    "Number of Results": "252000000",
    "Trends": "0.44,0.36,0.36,0.36,0.44,0.44,0.44,0.44,0.44,0.44,0.44,0.36",
    "Related Relevance": "0.4",
    "Keywords SERP Features": "1,6,9,15,20,21,36,43,51,52"
  }
]

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Best Practices

  • Start with Related Keywords type for broad discovery
  • Use Questions type specifically for content ideation and FAQ pages
  • Use Broad Match to find long-tail variations with commercial intent
  • Filter results by Related Relevance to focus on closest matches
  • Combine with Keyword Overview to get full metrics for promising terms
  • Use Code block to filter results by search volume or competition
  • Request 50-100 results then filter programmatically for best matches
  • Check Trends field to avoid seasonal keywords (unless intentional)
  • Use loops to analyze related keywords for multiple seed terms
  • Save results to sheets for team review and prioritization

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Common Use Cases

Use CaseConfigurationWhat to Look For
Content topic ideasQuestions type, 20-50 resultsHigh volume questions with low competition
Keyword expansionRelated type, 50 resultsHigh relevance, good volume, manageable difficulty
Long-tail discoveryBroad Match type, 100 resultsLower volume, lower competition, specific intent
FAQ content planningQuestions type, 30 resultsCommon questions, decent search volume
Competitor keyword gapsRelated type, multiple seedsKeywords they rank for that you don’t
Seasonal content planningRelated type, check TrendsKeywords with seasonal patterns matching your calendar
Voice search optimizationQuestions type, 50 resultsNatural language queries, conversational keywords
PPC campaign expansionBroad Match type, filter by CPCCommercial intent, reasonable CPC, good volume

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Understanding the Output

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Evaluating Keyword Potential

Ideal keywords have:
  • High volume (10,000+ for competitive niches, 500+ for niche)
  • Low competition (below 0.5)
  • High relevance (above 0.5)
  • Stable trends (no massive fluctuations)
  • Reasonable result count (not 500M+ unless you’re enterprise)
  • Flat trends: Consistent year-round interest
  • Seasonal peaks: Plan content before peak months
  • Growing trends: Rising interest, early opportunity
  • Declining trends: Avoid unless other signals strong
  • 0.80-1.00: Core keywords, highest priority
  • 0.50-0.79: Good supporting keywords
  • 0.20-0.49: Tangential, use selectively
  • 0.00-0.19: Too broad, probably skip

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CPC as Commercial Intent Indicator

  • High CPC (above $10): Strong commercial intent
  • Medium CPC ($2-10): Mixed intent
  • Low CPC (below $2): Mostly informational
  • $0 CPC: No paid competition, purely informational

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Workflow Examples

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Example 1: Blog Content Pipeline

  1. Related Keywords (Questions type): Get 30 question keywords
  2. Loop Block: Iterate through each question
  3. Keyword Overview: Get full metrics for each
  4. Code Block: Filter by volume and difficulty
  5. LLM Block: Generate content brief for each
  6. Google Sheets: Export content calendar

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Example 2: Keyword Clustering

  1. Related Keywords (Related type): Get 100 keywords
  2. Code Block: Group by relevance score
  3. Code Block: Calculate average metrics per cluster
  4. Google Sheets: Create prioritized clusters

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Example 3: Competitor Gap Analysis

  1. Domain Organic Keywords: Get competitor keywords
  2. Loop Block: For each competitor keyword
  3. Related Keywords: Find related terms
  4. Code Block: Compare with your current keywords
  5. Google Sheets: Export gap analysis

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Interpreting Different Keyword Types

  • Semantic variations of your seed keyword
  • Synonyms and alternative phrasings
  • Related concepts and topics
  • Mix of short and long-tail terms
  • Useful for comprehensive content covering a topic

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Broad Match Results

  • Contains seed keyword somewhere in query
  • Often includes modifiers (best, free, how to)
  • Longer phrases with specific intent
  • Good for finding buyer keywords
  • Useful for PPC campaign building

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Questions Results

  • Who, what, when, where, why, how queries
  • Perfect for FAQ sections
  • Great for featured snippet targeting
  • Voice search friendly
  • Natural language patterns

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Filtering and Prioritization

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High-Priority Keywords

  • Related Relevance above 0.7
  • Search Volume above your threshold
  • Competition below 0.4
  • Stable or growing trends
  • Manageable result count

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Content Opportunity Keywords

  • Questions with 1,000+ volume
  • Related Relevance above 0.5
  • Few SERP features (easier to rank)
  • Commercial CPC (valuable traffic)

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Low-Hanging Fruit

  • Search Volume 500-5,000
  • Competition below 0.3
  • High Related Relevance above 0.6 (very specific)
  • Fewer than 50M results

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Tips for Best Results

  • Start broad, filter narrow: Request 100 keywords, filter to top 10-20
  • Combine keyword types: Use all three types for comprehensive research
  • Check trends monthly: Seasonal patterns affect content planning
  • Use relevance scoring: Don’t ignore this metric, it’s crucial
  • Consider SERP features: Many features = harder to rank organically
  • Cross-reference with competitors: Are they ranking for these terms?
  • Test CPC correlation: High CPC often means high conversion value
  • Save everything to sheets: Manual review catches insights automation misses

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What’s Next

Now that you understand the Related Keywords block: