If you’ve ever gotten a pitch from an SEO agency that touts their use of “LSI keywords,” consider it a red flag. The term sounds impressive, like some cutting-edge technique only elite experts understand. In reality, it’s something that does nothing for your website. Worse, it’s often used to make SEO work seem more complex (and valuable) than it actually is.
Let’s break down what “LSI keywords” really are and why Storyheart Media refuses to play that game.
What Are LSI Keywords?
LSI stands for Latent Semantic Indexing, a technique that analyzes relationships between words to understand meaning. Back in the early 2000s, this kind of semantic mapping seemed promising for search engines. So the idea was: if you include words related to your main keyword, Google would rank your content higher.
Unfortunately, that idea has stuck around much longer than it should have. Here’s what SEMrush has to say about it:
“LSI keywords don’t matter because Google has stated explicitly that it does not use latent semantic indexing to rank search results.” — SEMrush
That’s right, Google doesn’t use LSI. So if someone’s charging you for LSI keyword research, you’re paying for smoke and mirrors.
The Real Problem: SEO Theater
Unfortunately, some SEO companies rely on technical-sounding terms to justify their services. “LSI keywords” often appear alongside vague packages promising “semantic analysis” or “contextual keyword layering.” It sounds smart. It also sounds expensive. But none of it reflects how modern search works.
These services are what we call SEO theater: tactics that look useful but don’t actually move the needle. Sometimes, when I talk to prospective clients as the owner of StoryHeart Media, they’ll tell me their brother’s friend’s college roommate has an SEO company (there’s always someone), and this guy gave him a quote that includes this long list of all the things they’ll be doing, a big impressive list full of acronyms and technical jargon. When I’ve had the opportunity to review my competitors’ quotes, if I see LSI keywords, I know it’s a pig in a poke.
What Google Actually Uses
Instead of old-school semantic tricks, Google now uses much more advanced tech to understand content:
1. Knowledge Graph
Google connects billions of data points in its Knowledge Graph to understand relationships between people, places, and things. This helps Google answer queries directly and understand content beyond keywords.
2. Natural Language Processing (NLP)
Google uses NLP to identify key entities and understand sentence structure. It can tell the difference between “apple” the fruit and “Apple” the company without needing to see any LSI keywords.
3. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Google’s RankBrain and BERT systems use machine learning to interpret meaning from entire sentences rather than just matching words. This lets Google understand your content in context, not just by scanning for related terms.
At Storyheart Media, We Play It Straight
We’ve seen the shady tactics. We’ve read the bloated SEO reports filled with terms like “LSI keyword clusters” and “TF-IDF balancing.” That’s not how we operate.
At Storyheart Media, we follow a clear code of ethics. That means no fluff, no deception, and no outdated jargon designed to confuse. We give our clients real strategies based on real search engine behavior.
What We Do Instead
Here’s what you’ll get with us:
- Content that connects: We create copy that’s useful, readable, and aligned with search intent.
- Entity-focused strategy: We optimize your content around relevant topics and concepts, not just keywords.
- Up-to-date SEO: We stay current on Google’s algorithm changes and adapt our strategy accordingly.
- Transparent pricing: Our packages and pricing are straightforward. No tricks. No filler.
Don’t Fall for Buzzword SEO
If an agency is still pushing LSI keywords in 2025, they’re not just behind the curve, they’re misrepresenting what works. Smart SEO is about clarity, relevance, and adaptability. Not jargon.
When you’re ready to work with a team that respects your intelligence and your budget, give Storyheart Media a shout. We’ll show you what ethical, effective SEO really looks like.
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