Editor's Note: this is a post from a guest author. Our mission at SemanticWeb.com is to chronicle the transition from academic research to mainstream adoption. It is possible that SEO will be an early driver for mainstream adoption of semantic web technology. So we were pleased to find Chris Lewis who is focused on this to write a six part series of posts on using semantics for Search Engine Optimization.

In January 2010, Matt Cutts (Google employee responsible for commentary on search engine optimization tips and issues) revealed that 70% of all Google search engine queries now include the use of semantic synonyms (alternate word meanings).

Google's move made semantics important to anybody responsible for SEO.

Why Semantics Is Important For SEO

There is a substantial trend in the evolution of online search as people become more sophisticated in their knowledge of search engines and learn that more specific search terms (usually longer search phrases) deliver more accurate search results. For websites trying to rank for specific search terms, this represents both an opportunity and a competitive threat in the battle for audience share, especially for on-page content optimization.

Proper optimization of page content for semantic relevance helps a website to rank for multiple search words rather than relying on a single word or search phrase. For example, a site focused on the keyword “motorcycle” can optimize its landing page for additional semantically-relevant words like motorcycling, bikes and biker as well as industry brand names that Google recognizes as semantically relevant including Harley-Davidson, Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda.

Sites that choose to ignore the value and power of a semantic approach to their search engine optimization efforts will fail to rank for alternate keywords and search terms resulting in an overall decline in their organic search engine traffic and migration of potential visitors to their competition.

Semantics and Semantic Search is the new frontier for organic SEO. Webmasters and SEO specialists alike need to master this new field to sustain their search marketing efforts and to dominate their online niches.

What Is Coming In This Series

The proper application of semantics to a web site requires an understanding of the following areas:

• How to research keywords on Google for Semantic alternatives

• How to create a Semantic Content Map for a web site

• How to structure a website for semantic leverage

• How to structure page copy for semantic relevance

• How to use semantic markup codes

Over the next five weeks we’ll look at each of these areas in turn, providing information, tools and resources to assist you in mastering the Semantic Web as a traffic-generator for your web site and an integral part of your search engine optimization efforts.

Tomorrow we will post on How To Research Semantic Keywords.

Chris Lewis is the author of this post. Chris Lewis is the Founder of Search Engine Semantics, a site which offers consulting services, information guides and online resources for the correct implementation of Semantics for SEO.
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