How to do keyword research: a step by step guide

What keyword research is and why it matters

Keyword research is the process of finding and analysing the search terms people use, then choosing which ones to target. It tells you three things: what people want, how many are searching, and how hard it will be to rank.

Done well, it keeps your content focused on business value. It stops you writing blog posts nobody reads, and it shows you gaps where competitors are weak. It also prevents keyword cannibalization, where two of your pages compete for the same search.

Step 1: Build a list of seed keywords

Seed keywords are the short, broad terms that describe what you do, such as "roof repair", "family lawyer" or "running shoes". Do not open a tool yet. Start with your own knowledge.

Step 2: Expand seeds with keyword tools

Now feed your seeds into tools to find variations, questions and long tail phrases.

Export everything into one spreadsheet. At this stage you want quantity. You will filter later. Our guide on how to use Google Keyword Planner covers the free tool in detail.

Step 3: Find keywords your competitors rank for

Competitor research shows proven demand. Enter two or three competitor domains into a keyword tool and look at the terms they rank for that you do not.

1. 1Pick competitors that rank for your main terms, not just businesses you compete with offline.
2. 2Run a competitor keyword report in Semrush or Ahrefs.
3. 3Filter for keywords where they rank in the top 20 and you do not rank at all.
4. 4Look at their top pages by traffic to spot content types that work.
5. 5Add relevant gaps to your sheet.

Step 4: Check search intent for each keyword

Search intent is the goal behind a search. It decides what kind of page can rank. The fastest way to check it is to search the keyword yourself.

If the top results are all guides, a sales page will struggle. If they are all service pages and a map pack, a blog post will struggle. Match what already ranks, then do it better.

Step 5: Judge keyword difficulty

Tools give a keyword difficulty score, but treat it as a starting point. Look at the actual results too.

Step 6: Prioritise by business value

Not every keyword is worth chasing. Score each one on value, not just volume.

A local service keyword with 90 searches a month and strong buying intent can be worth far more than a broad informational term with 10,000 searches and no buyers.

Step 7: Group keywords into topics

Modern search engines understand that many phrases mean the same thing. One strong page can rank for dozens of related terms, so group keywords by intent instead of making a page for each phrase.

1. 1Sort your list by topic, such as "roof repair", "roof replacement" and "roof inspection".
2. 2Within each topic, group keywords that share the same intent and would be answered by the same page.
3. 3Choose one primary keyword per group, usually the one with the clearest intent and best volume.
4. 4Keep the rest as secondary keywords and natural variations for headings and FAQs.
5. 5Note informational groups that can support commercial pages as guides.

Step 8: Map keywords to pages

The final output of keyword research is a keyword to URL map. It lists each page, its primary keyword and its secondary keywords. This map is what keeps your site organised as it grows.

Check the map before you create any new page. If a keyword is already assigned, improve that page instead of making a new one.

Where to use keywords on the page

Once a page has its keywords, use them naturally. Search engines understand variations, so there is no need to repeat a phrase over and over.

Avoid keyword stuffing. Write for the reader first and the keywords will follow.

Keyword metrics explained

How to read a search results page before targeting a keyword

1. 1Search the keyword in a private window, set to the right country and city.
2. 2Note the content types that rank: guides, product pages, service pages, tools or videos.
3. 3Note the sites that rank: big brands, niche blogs, forums or local businesses.
4. 4Check for SERP features: map pack, featured snippet, AI Overview, People Also Ask or shopping results.
5. 5Open the top three results and list the subtopics they all cover.
6. 6Decide whether you can create something more helpful, more current or more specific.

If the top results are all huge brands with very strong pages, look for a more specific long tail version you can win first.

Keyword research for different types of business

Free and paid keyword research tools compared

Our guides to Google Keyword Planner and finding long tail keywords go deeper on the free options.

Worked example: keyword research for a dental clinic

Imagine a dental clinic in Pune that offers check ups, implants, braces and emergency care. Seed keywords come from its services and patient questions. Tools and Google suggestions expand them into hundreds of phrases, which are then grouped and mapped.

Each group gets one main page, and each question becomes an FAQ or a supporting article that links to the right service page.

How to prioritise your keyword list

Keyword research for AI search

People ask AI assistants longer, conversational questions, such as 'what is the best way to fix a leaking tap without calling a plumber'. These questions often show up as long tail keywords, People Also Ask questions and forum threads. Adding clear answers to these questions on your pages helps both classic rankings and AI citations.

Track which questions your customers ask most and make sure each has a direct, well structured answer on your site. See AEO vs GEO vs SEO for more.

Keeping your keyword research up to date

1. 1Review your keyword map every quarter.
2. 2Check Search Console for new queries you appear for but have not targeted.
3. 3Watch Google Trends for rising topics in your industry.
4. 4Update pages when search intent changes, for example when results shift from guides to videos.
5. 5Remove or merge pages that target keywords nobody searches.

Understanding the four types of search intent

Some keywords mix intents. 'Emergency plumber' is local and transactional, so the best page is a service page with a phone number at the top, not a long guide.

How to find keyword gaps against competitors

1. 1List three to five competitors that rank for your main services, not just the biggest brands.
2. 2Enter their domains in a keyword gap tool in Ahrefs or Semrush.
3. 3Filter for keywords they rank for in the top 10 where you do not rank at all.
4. 4Remove keywords that do not fit your business.
5. 5Group the rest by topic and add them to your keyword map.
6. 6Prioritise gaps with clear commercial intent first.

Gaps are often the fastest way to find valuable topics you have missed.

How to estimate traffic from a keyword

Search volume alone can mislead. A page that ranks first for one keyword usually ranks for many related terms too, so total traffic can be much higher than the main keyword's volume. Tools like Ahrefs show this as traffic potential.

At the same time, not every search becomes a click. Featured snippets, AI Overviews, maps and ads all take clicks. Backlinko's research found that the first organic result gets about 27.6% of clicks on average, and the top three together get about 54%. Use these figures as rough guides when you estimate what a ranking could be worth.

Keyword group volume (all variations)   2,400 searches per month
Expected position                        3
Estimated click share at position 3      about 11%
Estimated monthly visits                 about 260
Conversion rate                          3%
Estimated leads per month                about 8

Keyword research checklist

1. 1Seed list built from services, products and customer questions.
2. 2Ideas expanded with Google suggestions and at least one keyword tool.
3. 3Competitor keywords and gaps reviewed.
4. 4Intent checked for every keyword you plan to target.
5. 5Difficulty and business value scored.
6. 6Keywords grouped into topics with one primary keyword per group.
7. 7Every group mapped to one existing or planned page.
8. 8No two pages share the same primary keyword.
9. 9Questions saved for FAQs and supporting articles.
10. 10Plan reviewed every quarter.

Expert tips for better keyword research

Common keyword research mistakes