How to Do Keyword Research (Even If You’re a Total Beginner)

Step 1: What Is Keyword Research and Why Is It Important?

At its core, keyword research is about discovering the exact terms people type into Google when looking for something whether it’s “best roofing company in Cleveland” or “how to fix a leaky faucet.”

Understanding these terms helps you:

• Create content that matches real search intent.
• Rank higher in organic search results.
• Drive qualified traffic (the people most likely to buy).
• Build topical authority around your business niche.

In short, keyword research tells search engines and users that your website has the answers they’re looking for.

Step 2: Understand Search Intent Before Choosing Keywords

Before you pick keywords, you need to know why people are searching. Every keyword has search intent, which falls into one of four types:

1. Informational – Users want to learn something.
   Example: “What is SEO?”
2. Navigational – Users want to find a specific website.
   Example: “Legacy Digital Marketing website.”
3. Commercial – Users are comparing options before buying.
   Example: “Best SEO tools for small businesses.”
4. Transactional – Users are ready to purchase.
   Example: “Buy SEO audit service online.”

If you align your content with the right intent, you’ll naturally attract better-quality leads.

Pro tip: Use a mix of all four types to build a balanced keyword strategy.

Step 3: Brainstorm Seed Keywords

Your seed keywords are the basic terms that describe your business, products, or services. They’re the foundation of your keyword research.

How to find seed keywords:

• List what you sell or offer (e.g., “SEO services,” “digital marketing,” “website design”).
• Think like your customer: what would you search for?
• Use Google’s autocomplete suggestions.
• Check your competitors’ website headings and titles.

Example: If you run a cleaning business, your seed keywords might be:

• “house cleaning”
• “office cleaning services”
• “deep cleaning near me”

Once you have 5–10 seed keywords, you’ll expand them into hundreds of long-tail opportunities.

Step 4: Use Keyword Research Tools

You don’t have to guess what people search for. Tools can give you real data like monthly search volume, competition level, and related terms.

Top free and paid keyword tools:

• Google Keyword Planner: Great starting point for beginners.
• Ubersuggest: Shows keyword volume, difficulty, and cost-per-click.
• Semrush & Ahrefs: Professional tools for advanced SEO campaigns.
• AnswerThePublic: Visualizes questions people ask around a keyword.
• Google Trends: Helps you spot rising search trends.

Start with one or two tools. You’ll quickly learn how to identify keywords that have a good balance of high search volume and low competition.

Step 5: Expand to Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that often convert better because they match clear intent.

For example:

• Short-tail: “digital marketing”
• Long-tail: “affordable digital marketing for small businesses”

Even though long-tail keywords have lower search volume, they’re easier to rank for and attract highly targeted visitors.

How to find long-tail keywords:

• Look at the “People also ask” section on Google.
• Check related searches at the bottom of search results.
• Use keyword suggestion tools.

Pro tip: Answer long-tail queries directly in your content to increase chances of being featured in Google snippets or AI-generated answers.

Step 6: Analyze Keyword Competition

Not all keywords are created equal. Some are too competitive for new websites, while others are hidden gems.

Check three things before targeting a keyword:

1. Keyword Difficulty (KD): Tools score this from 0–100. Aim for under 40 if you’re new.
2. Domain Authority (DA): See how strong competing websites are.
3. SERP Intent: Look at the top 10 results, do they match your content type?

Example: If the first page is filled with big brands, it may be smarter to target a niche long-tail keyword instead.

Step 7: Prioritize Keywords That Drive Conversions

Some keywords bring traffic, but not customers. Focus on those that attract buyers, not just readers.

Use this priority framework:

• High Intent + Moderate Competition = Best ROI
• High Volume + High Competition = Long-Term Goal
• Low Intent + Easy Competition = Brand Awareness

Use these keywords strategically across your homepage, service pages, and blog posts.

Step 8: Organize Keywords into Clusters

Keyword clustering helps you organize related terms into groups, so your content covers topics comprehensively.

Example:

Main Keyword: “SEO for small businesses”
Cluster:

• “local SEO tips for small businesses”
• “affordable SEO packages”
• “how to optimize Google Business Profile”

Creating content clusters helps build topical authority and improves internal linking for better crawlability.

Step 9: Map Keywords to Content

Each page on your website should target a specific keyword or cluster.

Example content mapping:

Mapping ensures you don’t accidentally compete with your own pages (keyword cannibalization).

Step 10: Track Keyword Performance Over Time

Once your content is live, track how your keywords perform.

Use Google Search Console to monitor:

• Impressions (how often your site appears in search).
• Click-through rate (CTR).
• Average position for each keyword.

You can also use Semrush or Ahrefs to track rankings and compare month-to-month progress.

If some keywords aren’t performing, update your content or target fresher terms with growing search volume.