LSI - What is it? Here it is....

8 replies
One of the most recent SE marketing changes that must be addressed and incorporated into your web site marketing strategies for increased web site traffic involves Latent Semantic Indexing, also known as LSI.

What is LSI? First patented in 1988, LSI was first incorporated into Google's ranking system in 2006. The LSI concept is groundbreaking for search engine marketing and web site marketing strategies because it changes the way a search engine interprets and ranks webpages. With the old ranking system, relevant pages were determined by keywords and keyword phrases alone.

If the search engine didn't find any keywords, the page was considered irrelevant to the user, and ranked accordingly. This left many webmasters scrambling to jam their pages with keywords for increased web site traffic. These web site marketing strategies left something to be desired, and were unfair to webmasters who had good, relevant content.

LSI actually allows the search engine to examine a web page as a whole, looking for not only keywords, but also for words that are semantically close to keywords and keyword phrases. I think this is GREAT and long over-due. Changing your website marketing strategies, LSI significantly changes the way we need to use search engine marketing for increased traffic, because the SE's will be looking at a page in the same way a human does--concentrating on content and relevancy, and essentially classifying the web page as a whole. This is very exciting really.


For webmasters who use website marketing strategies that rely heavily on pages that incorporate only one keyword or keyword phrase, and don't include other content; that is semantically close and relevant, this could be a problem, and may result in a lot less traffic to your site.


Webmasters, who on the other hand, have developed web pages and web site marketing strategies that rely on natural content that incorporate both keywords and keyword alternatives, should have no problem. They will see increased web site traffic without having to change their search engine marketing techniques.


If you are wondering how you can implement web site marketing strategies that achieve increased web site traffic and are more compatible with LSI, you should focus on creating quality content that includes keywords, keyword alternatives, and mixed anchor text. This must include variation and words that relate to the general theme of a page which will be the best technique you can employ now that the rules of SE marketing game have changed.


The key is to move forward and not get frustrated with the change. LSI is a positive step for search engines and webmasters. By tweaking your web site marketing strategies to compliment the changes, you can create a better website and get the increase in website traffic that you need to be a success. No traffic = no success.

And that is, in a nutshell, what LSI is.
#lsi
  • Profile picture of the author Andy Money
    I've been experimenting with a lot of this with my articles, I agree it is a good thing. I think it could actually be easy to learn and apply.
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  • Profile picture of the author lakshaybehl
    Originally Posted by privateye2500 View Post

    One of the most recent SE marketing changes that must be addressed and incorporated into your web site marketing strategies for increased web site traffic involves Latent Semantic Indexing, also known as LSI.

    What is LSI? First patented in 1988, LSI was first incorporated into Google's ranking system in 2006. The LSI concept is groundbreaking for search engine marketing and web site marketing strategies because it changes the way a search engine interprets and ranks webpages. With the old ranking system, relevant pages were determined by keywords and keyword phrases alone.

    If the search engine didn't find any keywords, the page was considered irrelevant to the user, and ranked accordingly. This left many webmasters scrambling to jam their pages with keywords for increased web site traffic. These web site marketing strategies left something to be desired, and were unfair to webmasters who had good, relevant content.

    LSI actually allows the search engine to examine a web page as a whole, looking for not only keywords, but also for words that are semantically close to keywords and keyword phrases. I think this is GREAT and long over-due. Changing your website marketing strategies, LSI significantly changes the way we need to use search engine marketing for increased traffic, because the SE's will be looking at a page in the same way a human does--concentrating on content and relevancy, and essentially classifying the web page as a whole. This is very exciting really.


    For webmasters who use website marketing strategies that rely heavily on pages that incorporate only one keyword or keyword phrase, and don't include other content; that is semantically close and relevant, this could be a problem, and may result in a lot less traffic to your site.


    Webmasters, who on the other hand, have developed web pages and web site marketing strategies that rely on natural content that incorporate both keywords and keyword alternatives, should have no problem. They will see increased web site traffic without having to change their search engine marketing techniques.


    If you are wondering how you can implement web site marketing strategies that achieve increased web site traffic and are more compatible with LSI, you should focus on creating quality content that includes keywords, keyword alternatives, and mixed anchor text. This must include variation and words that relate to the general theme of a page which will be the best technique you can employ now that the rules of SE marketing game have changed.


    The key is to move forward and not get frustrated with the change. LSI is a positive step for search engines and webmasters. By tweaking your web site marketing strategies to compliment the changes, you can create a better website and get the increase in website traffic that you need to be a success. No traffic = no success.

    And that is, in a nutshell, what LSI is.
    The LSI thing is basically something that is not totally understood and known as of now.

    And I don't blame you, this is the only information that you can find on the 9internet right now as Google has never released their formula or somehthing and they've already begun implementing LSI!

    How do I know?

    Well, my elder bro is one CTO with Google and is involved directly with almost all the major policy changes! Obviously he isn't going to hide much from me! But yes, Google is not in a hurry to shift from Keyword based indexing to LSI... They'll do it solwly. And rest assured, I'll keep you guys posted!

    btw... This is one extensive summary of LSI... great for you if you understand even this much! Its a great start...

    Thanks privateye
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  • Profile picture of the author ptone
    Originally Posted by privateye2500 View Post

    If you are wondering how you can implement web site marketing strategies that achieve increased web site traffic and are more compatible with LSI, you should focus on creating quality content that includes keywords, keyword alternatives, and mixed anchor text. This must include variation and words that relate to the general theme of a page which will be the best technique you can employ now that the rules of SE marketing game have changed.
    Could you go into more detail with exactly how webmasters are supposed to use LSI on their websites?

    For example...if I have a website about dog training, and someone (using a search engine that incorporates LSI algorithms) searches for puppy training, then shouldn't the search engine KNOW that my site is what they are looking for?

    If I have to use dog and puppy (and any other keyword alternatives) in my site to target the "puppy training" keyword phrase, then how is that any different than not using LSI on the website? If I have to use the synonyms of my main keyword(s) on my site, then would that not remove the whole LSI concept?

    It seems to me that LSI is simply a better way for search engines to figure out what the searcher is looking for and I can't really see how a webmaster (or other content producer) can utilize LSI for improved search engine rankings.

    Maybe I can't see the forest for the trees, but you seem to have a lot of knowledge about LSI based on your post.
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