How to import keyword concepts

Import your keyword concepts in bulk using a CSV file. This is the fastest way to populate your keyword library when you have many concepts to add.

Before you start

Before importing, make sure you have:

A CSV file with your keywords (you can download our template from the import modal)
Your keywords organized by concept name
Optional: keyword groups already created (or they'll be created automatically)

Downloading the template

Go to Keywords in your dashboard
Click the Import button
Click Download template to get a pre-formatted CSV
The template includes example data and your existing groups

CSV columns explained

Your CSV file should have a header row with these columns:

Required column

Column	Description
concept_name	The main concept name that appears in your library. This is the primary identifier for the keyword concept. Example: "portland plumber"

Optional columns

Column	Description
concept_group	Group name for organizing concepts. If the group doesn't exist, it will be created automatically. Example: "Services"
review_phrase	How customers might mention this concept in reviews. Used for matching keywords in customer feedback. Example: "great plumbing services"
aliases	Alternative names for this concept, separated by pipes `\|` or commas. Helps with broader matching. Example: "plumber\|plumbing"
search_terms	Keywords for SEO rank tracking, separated by pipes `\|`. The first term is the canonical (primary) search term. Example: "plumber portland oregon\|best plumber portland"
ai_questions	Questions for AI visibility monitoring, separated by pipes `\|`. These are questions people might ask AI chatbots. Example: "What does a plumber do?\|Who is the best plumber in Portland?"
funnel_stages	Marketing funnel stage for each AI question, separated by pipes `\|`. Values: top, middle, or bottom. Should match the number of ai_questions. Example: "top\|bottom"
rank_tracking_group	Name of an existing rank tracking group to add this concept to. The group must already exist. Example: "Main Keywords"

Column aliases

The import system accepts various column name formats. All of these will work:

Standard name	Also accepts
concept_name	phrase, keyword, keywordphrase
concept_group	keyword_group, group
review_phrase	customer_phrase
search_terms	search_terms (pipe-separated)
search_query	searchphrase
aliases	alias, alternative_terms
location_scope	scope
ai_questions	related_questions, questions
funnel_stages	stages
rank_tracking_group	rank_group

Location scope values

If using the location_scope column, valid values are:

local - Neighborhood or city level
regional - State or multi-city area
national - Country-wide
global - International

Example CSV content

concept_name,concept_group,review_phrase,aliases,search_terms,ai_questions,funnel_stages,rank_tracking_group
portland plumber,Services,plumbing services,plumber|plumbing,plumber portland oregon|best plumber portland,What does a plumber do?|Who is the best plumber in Portland?,top|bottom,Main Keywords
emergency plumbing,Services,emergency plumbing help,24 hour plumber|urgent plumbing,emergency plumber near me|24/7 plumber,How do I handle a plumbing emergency?,middle,
drain cleaning,,professional drain cleaning,clogged drain|drain unclogging,drain cleaning service portland,,,

Importing your file

Click Choose file and select your CSV
Review the preview showing your data mapped to columns
Click Import keywords to start the import
Review the results showing:
- How many concepts were created
- Any duplicates that were skipped
- Any errors that occurred

Handling duplicates

The system automatically detects duplicate keywords based on the normalized phrase (lowercased, trimmed). Duplicates are:

Skipped during import
Listed in the results so you know which ones weren't added
Not counted as errors

Troubleshooting

"Phrase is required" error

Every row must have a value in the concept_name (or phrase) column. Check for empty rows in your spreadsheet.

"Invalid location_scope" error

The location_scope value must be exactly one of: local, regional, national, or global.

"Rank tracking group not found" error

The rank_tracking_group must match an existing group name exactly. Create the rank tracking group first, or leave this column empty.

Excel CSV encoding issues

If you see strange characters, ensure your CSV is saved with UTF-8 encoding:

In Excel: Save As → CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited)
In Google Sheets: File → Download → Comma-separated values

Tips for success

Start with the template - It includes proper formatting and example data
Use pipe separators - For multi-value fields like search_terms and aliases, use | between values
Match funnel stages to questions - The number of funnel_stages should match the number of ai_questions
Create groups first - While groups are auto-created, creating them beforehand lets you set custom display orders
Test with a small batch - Import 5-10 keywords first to verify your format is correct
Keep concepts focused - Each row should represent one distinct concept, not a list of keywords