What is Keyword Stemming and Why It Matters for SEO?

Keyword stemming refers to Google’s capacity to recognize and understand the different forms of the same word in a specific search query. Instead of showing results only for the exact terms that you typed in, SERPs will also include other variations of the original word.  The name “stemming” comes from the fact that a “word stem” – the base or root form of a word – is used to analyze the meaning of the search query and display relevant results. In other words, Google’s smart enough to pick up on the variations of a word – along with the “stem word.”  Here’s we explore what is Keyword Stemming and Why It Matters for SEO?

Why is keyword stemming important?

Keyword stemming lets Google go beyond the “exact match” keyword recognition and match the original keyword to its variations when relevant. Considering that Google’s focused on providing better and more relevant search results, the importance of keyword stemming is undeniable.  And at the same time, it also benefits content creators. It allows them to write in a more “natural” manner, include some variations of their main keyword, and, most importantly, avoid keyword stuffing – while still matching the user’s search query and ranking in SERPs.

Can you use keyword stemming in SEO?

Yes, keyword stemming can be helpful SEO-wise, but not in the way you might have imagined it to be.  Google can recognize a “keyword stem” and return search results that contain certain variations of that keyword. You’ll notice this in most SERPs. So, you can potentially increase your chances of ranking for multiple queries by including these keyword variations in your content.  That does not mean that keyword stemming is an official ranking factor – or that you should start doing it manually just to increase your chances of ranking for more keywords, though.

How to Prevent Google from Using Keyword Stemming

You may encounter specific situations where you want Google to provide results more related to your search query. In this instance, you will use the quotation search operator” 

For example, this is what we get when we search for “run shoes”:

In this case, Google will return results that contain run shoes. Google may still include some stemmed keywords, like running shoes, in the results, but they will be much lower than if they were not in quotes.

How does keyword stem work?

Google has been using keyword stemming for a long time, but the algorithm has recently become even more advanced. Google can now identify plurals, misspellings, abbreviations, and even synonyms of a term. So, instead of only showing results for the exact term you searched, Google will also show results for variations of that word. When you search the term “PPC advertising,” Google displays results that use similar and related words like PPC, pay-per-click, advertising, and ads.

Benefits of keyword stemming for SEO

Keyword stemming can help improve the quality of your content and boost SEO. Here’s why you should take advantage of keyword stemming:

• Help Google index and rank your content: Exact keyword optimization is an ineffective and outdated tactic that sounds unnatural. Keyword stemming helps Google make sense of your content and could help your page rank for multiple keyword variations.
• Improve content quality: Keyword stuffing is out, and keyword stemming is in! Stuffing your content with keywords will not help you rank in the search results. Instead, use stemming to create content that’s enjoyable and ranks well.