Striking-Distance Keywords: What Are They & How to Target Them

Search engine optimization often requires a deep data dive, competitor research, and thoughtfully planned execution to raise the bar on performance. Finding the time can be challenging, which is why striking-distance keywords are advantageous for time-strapped marketers.

Striking-distance keywords represent a great opportunity for improved visibility and traffic in organic search. They’re like a gold deposit buried within a mountain, awaiting an SEO to come along and mine them. When targeted and optimized effectively, striking-distance keywords can often produce quick results that elevate a site’s performance. 

What Are Striking-Distance Keywords?

Striking-distance keywords are terms your site is on the cusp of ranking in the top five positions. When you search for these terms, your site is currently showing up on the bottom of page one or on page two of search results, with rankings in positions anywhere from spots six to 20.

Often, the pages these keywords rank require a little extra TLC to nudge them up on the search results. The perceived “lower amount of effort” required to optimize for these terms makes them an attractive element to boost your SEO strategy.

It should be noted, however, that not all striking-distance keywords are created equally. As with all keywords, it’s worth comparing ranking position against average search volume and competition. Factoring these metrics in can help you evaluate whether or not a particular keyword is worth your time and effort, even if it is a lower amount of effort to target.

For example, let’s say a small, independently owned hardware store is looking to rank for “framing hammers,” which has a volume of 9,900 searches per month, according to Google Keyword Planner. The business has built out its landing page and has a great selection of products with helpful videos and useful content. With all that effort, they’re ranking at position 15 on page two. 

A quick search results show that page one is dominated by Home Depot, Lowes, brand-name framing hammer manufacturers, and a Reddit how-to thread. Because of the independent hardware store’s lower link authority, as well as the steep competition that big brands dominate, it’s likely not worth the time and energy to push further. In this case, focusing on more long-tail or niche keywords or other opportunities will yield better results.

This isn’t meant to discourage the opportunity that targeting striking-distance keywords offers. It just means that, as with most aspects of SEO, a discerning, surgical approach is best. Gather a list of striking-distance keywords and carefully whittle it down to search terms that offer the best intersection of volume, beatable competition, and alignment with your business or website.

How Do I Find Striking-Distance Keywords?

There are three main methods of identifying striking-distance keywords, though their accuracy levels vary. Here are the three main methodologies:

• Method #1: Search Result Prospecting—Inspiration for SEO can often strike while the mind is allowed to wander. For those who prefer to explore and stumble upon striking-distance keywords organically, using Google’s Incognito mode can provide a more neutral view of where your site ranks in search results. For this method, check search results for priority and related keywords to see where your site lands and who your competition is. It’s time-consuming and messy, but sometimes, that’s an approach that allows SEOs the freedom to be curious.
• Method #2: Take Advantage of Third-Party Tools—Third-party tools, such as Moz and Semrush, allow users to get a quick overview of a site’s keyword rankings. Filtering by position can yield a treasure trove of opportunities, and at a glance, it’s easy to see ranking position, keyword volume, and difficulty, with links to the page that’s ranking best for that keyword.
• Method #3: Google Search Console—It’s best to get rankings data straight from the source when possible. Look at Google Search Console’s Search results performance data for this method. For ease, export the data into a spreadsheet or CSV and filter by ranking position. You’ll be able to assess striking-distance keywords by ranking position, impressions, clicks, and click-through rate. Thanks to the prominence of AI Overviews, Google shopping modules, and other search results features that contribute to zero-click search, it's a good idea to target search terms that could offer a greater potential for impressions, along with a chance at improved rankings and more clicks.

Many SEO professionals and agencies like JumpFly recommend Method #3 for the most accurate results; but ultimately, it will depend on your goals and current SEO status.

How Do I Optimize For Striking-Distance Keywords?

The fact that you’re already ranking for these search terms means that much of the hard work has already been done. The next step involves adding or tweaking elements to better match what searchers are looking for and offer a more informative, concise, and user-friendly experience than competitors trying to rank for the same keyword. 

As a first step for optimization, it’s best to start with analyzing search results. Use Incognito mode or Google’s Ad Preview & Diagnosis tool to see what pages rank in the top three positions for your striking-distance keywords, and then ask yourself the following questions. 

• How are these pages similar?
  • Compare their title tags, meta descriptions, and on-page content, and look for common threads. What information is present? Is there anything missing?
• What type of audience are they speaking to?
  • Is their content aimed at B2B or B2C? Is there an attempt to speak to a certain demographic?
• How do these pages convey authority and trustworthiness?
  • Are there certain trust features present on the pages, or is the article or page written from the perspective of an authority figure?
• What kind of visual elements do these pages incorporate?
  • Think of videos, images, charts, graphs, break-out boxes, headlines, and other features.
• What does the layout of each top-ranking page look like?
  • The use of space matters when it comes to creating a user-friendly experience. Large chunks of copy with nothing to break them up can be off-putting for users.

Once you understand what’s ranking, it’s time to see how it compares to your page. Start with looking at gaps in your page versus what’s on the top-ranking pages for the same keywords. Are there aspects that competitors discuss in-depth that are absent from your page?

What matters is that you hit all the points searchers are looking for in clear, concise, and compelling ways. This could mean adding a related video to the top of your page or updating a layout to make it more user-friendly if the amount of information on your page is similar to competitors’ pages. 

Don’t Just Copy Competitors’ Pages—Authenticity Matters

Google is smart enough to detect when sites create bland pages just for SEO. As part of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) and their commitment to elevating truly helpful content, Google looks for high-quality, authentic content designed for users. This means that SEOs can’t just duplicate the content on a competitor’s website. They have to tailor their content toward what the user is looking for while ensuring that it’s authentic, original, and fulfills a need.

Making content feel authentic sounds like a tall order, but there are plenty of ways to stand out. Exclusive images, photos, or visual data points highlight a distinct point of view. Proprietary data, such as a survey conducted by you or your website, could also separate your page from the competition. Your unique, creative voice (not AI-generated copy) is another way to impress upon Google that your page offers a fresh perspective.

The point is, when optimizing a page for striking-distance keywords, matching everyone else simply won’t cut it. You must prove that your page has the best user experience and the most helpful resources. Think to yourself, if I was someone looking for this page, what would I want to see?

Make Striking-Distance Keywords Part of Your SEO Strategy

SEO is a long game, and many tactics, whether technical or on-page, require a great deal of time, thought, and patience. This can be a disadvantage for marketers who need to produce measurable results.

Though they won’t help you rank for brand-new search terms, striking-distance keywords are a winnable solution that drives quicker growth while you balance a long-term SEO strategy. 

About the Author

Scott Waldyn SEO Account Manager at JumpFly

Scott Waldyn is an SEO Account Manager at JumpFly. He loves the challenge that SEO brings, especially as the field evolves. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, writing, discovering new coffee shops, and exploring bookstores.
 

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