How To Do Keyword Research For SEO
In order to create content that is optimized for search engines (SEO), keyword research is crucial. It’s regarded as the top priority for many firms. In fact, as of today, in 2023, Google has tallied almost 3 trillion searches. With such a startling statistic, it is clear why keyword research is necessary. It’s crucial to reach more consumers, but in order to reap the rewards, you must also reach the correct ones. In this article, we’ll explain what keyword research is, why it’s crucial for your website or business, and all the best practices for carrying it out effectively.
What are keywords?
A keyword is a term or phrase that describes the subject matter of your material. A keyword is a term that an internet user enters to look for a topic that interests them when discussing SEO. You probably already know that you type search terms into Google or other search engines to get results unless you’ve been living under a rock.
For instance, you might look up running advice if you want to start off as a casual runner. Maybe you’re seeking the best jogging shoes. You’re probably going to do a search for the most significant running sneakers. Those are keywords, and anybody who uses a search engine makes use of them.
What is proper keyword research?
The process of choosing the keywords you should include in your written content to help drive traffic to your website is known as keyword research. Businesses and marketers use the method of keyword research to find out what people are looking for. It’s how they determine which words are the most widely used.
In order to improve the SEO rankings of new or current content on search engine result pages (SERPs), effective keyword research findings are included in both. Both SEO and general marketing goals might benefit from keyword research. Furthermore, while developing new page content or items, keyword research can help marketers find phrases they may not have otherwise considered.
The Importance of Keyword Research for SEO
There are many advantages to keyword research. Gaining insightful knowledge about your audience, the potential for more organic traffic, and better search engine rankings are a few of them.
Find insightful information about your audience
By revealing the terms that your target audience is searching for, keyword research will help you understand what they desire. You’ll discover the queries they are posing to search engines in order to get assistance with issues they are having. Keyword research can help you reach potential clients who are looking to buy running shoes if your company sells them. Using a keyword research tool is one effective approach to measuring this. They are excellent resources for assisting you in learning what people are looking for based on a certain search keyword. There are numerous tools available that can be useful. Later, we’ll talk briefly about those.
Increase Your Organic Traffic
Organic traffic is traffic that your SEO-optimized content has earned for you. And your search engine rating rises as you receive more organic traffic. Additionally, since organic traffic is free, Marketing Experts agree that spending time and effort on an effective keyword strategy and other SEO tactics is worthwhile. This enables you to climb the search results pages without using PPC advertising. Additionally, you will have a significantly higher click-through rate than even paid ads if your content is ranking highly organically.
Enhances position in SERPs
You may improve your position in search results by conducting keyword research. More people will be able to find you based on their search terms if you choose the proper keywords. You have a greater chance of being spotted and drawing more visitors to your website as you climb the search engine ranks.
Obtains additional clients
You are better positioned to address their wants if your website includes strong SEO copywriting and keywords that target the relevant consumers. It’s a smart idea to research keywords based on search intent rather than volume in order to increase your revenue.
Create a Keyword Plan for SEO
It is advantageous to have a solid strategy in place before beginning keyword research. By doing this, you’ll be more likely to select the appropriate keywords, achieve better search engine rankings, drive more traffic to your website, and attract new clients. Your whole SEO approach, which includes developing SEO content and employing sound SEO practices, will be greatly aided by a solid keyword strategy. Here are a few critical components to consider when developing a keyword strategy for your website:
Understand your business (what you offer).
A fantastic starting point for keyword research is to have a thorough grasp of your website or business as well as what you have to offer (products, services, content, etc.). This makes it easier to decide what kinds of subjects and content to add to your website. If your business offers hosting services, your website probably has information (landing pages, blog posts, etc.) regarding such services (such as “WordPress Hosting” or “Page Speed Optimisation”). provides you with a starting point for your keyword research.
Understand your audience and what they are looking for.
You must think about what your audience (or potential consumers) is looking for in addition to what you have to offer. It’s usually best to first establish what your specific target consumer is looking for on your site before researching keywords that a general audience is searching for. Based on consumer personas and/or customer journey maps, you may already have a solid notion of what this is. You may locate the perfect keywords that will increase both site traffic and conversion rates by having this understanding of your target demographic
Be Aware of Your Competitors
When it comes to keyword research, knowing what your competitors are doing might help you decide what to do and what to avoid. Take the time to learn who your primary rivals are if you don’t already know them. To outrank your direct competitors in the search results, you must conduct research on them. Take a look at the types of articles they are writing, the subjects they are covering, and which ones are doing the best.
This will assist you in creating a keyword approach that, in many ways, mimics the tactics of your rivals. Additionally, you will be able to notice their top keywords and see if they are missing any high-volume keywords that would be beneficial for your company.
Be Aware of Your Search Engines
It will be easier for you to replicate the procedure for your own keyword strategy if you understand how search engines index top-ranking material in accordance with keyword usage. Learning about search engine ranking pages (SERPs) and how they index and display featured snippets depending on the keywords you employ and the organization (or schema markup) of your content is also a good idea. WordPress has a ton of plugins that you may add to your site if you’re seeking quality tools or assistance with your schema.
Knowledge of Data
You may review your present content and get suggestions for new topics or keywords to pursue by looking at the data collected by Google Analytics and the Google Search Console on your website. Learn everything you need to know about the present state of your content and the material of your competitors by using the analytics tools at your disposal. It is relatively simple to install these tools with the WordPress Analytics plugin.
Choose Best Keyword Research Tools
You can find a ton of free SEO tools that can help you with keyword research and SEO. Consider using good tools like SEMrush, Ahfers, Moz, and Google Ads: Keyword Planner.
The Basic Steps for Keyword Research
There are certain suggestions you can use to succeed while doing keyword research. Let’s talk about each one separately so that you can better understand how to improve SEO on your website.
List topics that are appropriate for both you and your audience.
You must have a clear notion of the themes and phrases you want to target before conducting in-depth keyword research. The most effective ones will make sense for both your company and your potential clients. This is why it will be beneficial to have a thorough understanding of both your company and your target market.
Using the content that is most pertinent to you, generate some keyword ideas. Choose 5–10 subjects to focus on as a starting point for your investigation. Similar to the primary categories for a blog, these are likely to be repeated throughout your website and have the most weight in your material. Additionally, look into hot subjects to see what people are searching for that you may provide content for.
For topic ideas, take into account search intent and related search terms.
In terms of matching queries to user intent, Google is the master. As a result, you may perform keyword research for your own brand using Google’s search bar. You can find a tonne of topic ideas for your website using this strategy, and you can also find some great secondary keywords. Three Google features—autocomplete, people also ask, and similar searches can generate high-volume terms.
Autocomplete on Google
When you begin to type a keyword into the Google search bar, autocomplete appears. Google will try to anticipate your next keystrokes by compiling a list of the most popular user searches. Predictions are modified as you type based on the characters you enter. Let’s use the example of our running shoes. Google will autocomplete a list of the most popular search terms linked to running shoes as you begin to input.
You’ll see a section labeled “People also ask” below the first few results after entering a search query into the search bar. You can find more queries or terms by clicking through those results. These are the inquiries about that particular search keyword that are most frequently requested. Talk about a lot of searches! Let’s look at the search term “running shoes” once more. Google returns this set of terms after running the query.
Google presents us with even more queries full of high-volume keyword options as we scroll through the results
By employing this technique, you might also get ideas for blog posts in addition to keyword suggestions.
Similar Searches
Consider looking at relevant search terms to obtain some inspiration for keywords in addition to user intent. Consider using Google to look up running shoes as an example. Google gives you a “people also ask” area with a few frequently asked questions beneath the top search results. This is a crucial stage that many keyword research strategies skip. They are referred to as “seed” keywords. They serve as a general foundation for creating longer keywords with modifiers. One or two words can make up a seed keyword, and they are prime candidates for optimization.
Google will show you a few frequently asked questions on the subject you searched for in an effort to predict your next query. This gift from Google offers a lot of benefits. By way of illustration, you may concentrate your search on the top-rated running trainers as well as the best brand of running shoes or trending running shoes.
Google will also offer you similar searches. These are potential searches based on the initial keyword search for running shoes. In some circumstances, you may even receive some brand names to use in your keyword research. Good marketers frequently include keywords in their meta descriptions and title tags. Look through the first few pages of Google search results and pay attention to those sections as well.
Once you’ve compiled a solid list of potential themes and keywords, you can start looking into how well they’re currently doing in the search engines and use that information to narrow down your list.
Important Things to Consider When Doing Keyword Research
When researching keywords, there are a few crucial aspects to take into account. When creating keywords for your website, taking into account term difficulty, search volume, and search intent is quite beneficial.
Keyword Compatibility
Keyword difficulty comes first. This is a description of how challenging it will be to rank for a specific keyword. The harder it will be for your phrase to rank in search results, the higher the score. You can choose whether or not to modify your content to use that specific keyword after you know how high the ranking is
You can use the free keyword generator tool from Ahref to aid in your study. Just enter a keyword, and the free edition will show you the top 100 terms that are linked to your search. Additionally, you’ll be able to observe queries made in connection with your keyword, which is a terrific tool for choosing keywords. The keyword difficulty rating will be displayed after the first 10 results.
Search Volume of Keyword
This refers to the frequency with which a specific keyword is searched for at any given time. Finding the typical monthly search volume is a good place to start. Although search volume might teach you a lot, you should still be skeptical of the findings. Even though a keyword may receive a lot of searches, this does not necessarily translate into more visitors to your website. More competition often results from high search volumes.
Say, for illustration, that the keyword “running shoes” receives 20,000 searches per month. Despite being a large quantity, it does not reflect the searchers’ motivations. Another thing to keep in mind is that it doesn’t necessarily indicate that everyone who looked for it clicked on it. Many times, folks will find their desired outcome on Google and move on.
Having said that, your material must still be pertinent to what consumers are looking for. Therefore, it makes sense to consider search volume when conducting keyword research.
Search Intent
Google is going to start emphasizing search intent much more going forward. It will be far more difficult to rank in search engines if you don’t take the user’s search intent into account when choosing your keywords. Many of the top WordPress SEO plugins will show the keyword’s search intent. Learn about the different categories of search intent and use that knowledge to your advantage when selecting keywords for your website. The various search intent categories are as follows:
Are they using Google with navigational intent? As opposed to going straight to a URL, someone can search for the terms login or sign up.
Types of Keywords by Intent
Informational: This indicates that they are looking for details about a subject or the solution they need.
Observational: A user is seeking a specific type of good. They are probably seeking reviews or comparisons to help them choose the best product.
Transactional: This person is prepared to make the purchase because they are aware of what they desire. They are probably looking for the best bargain right now.
In actuality, you’ll want to check that the intention of the user’s keyword search aligns with the objective of your material. For instance, if the objective of your content is informational, you shouldn’t attempt to rank for a phrase that has a transactional (or commercial) search intent. Even if your traffic spikes briefly, users won’t benefit as much in the long run.
Organize your keywords by topic
You can begin organizing keywords under each of your main subjects and keywords after you have them. The act of clustering or grouping a set of terms together is known as keyword grouping. Include a variety of relevant keywords and keyword variations, such as queries, long-tail keywords, and short (stem) keywords. You should be able to get a ton of results from a keyword research tool that provides pertinent information to help you organize your keyword lists.
Using a spreadsheet is an easy way to begin organizing keywords. Include similar keywords under each of your core keywords (or themes) in the list. Then you may add a second column for search volume and color code each keyword according to its complexity. You can use this to find out who you should start making content for.
Consider mapping your keywords as an alternative to keyword grouping. Because it enables you to make a map of relevant keywords for your website, keyword mapping is effective. To make this process simpler to monitor, using a keyword research tool like SEMRush would be necessary.
You may organize themes and information into clusters by grouping keywords. The cornerstone content that is a crucial component of your SEO keyword strategy will be supported and created by these clusters.
Be realistic while selecting keywords.
If your domain authority is high, you could be able to select more tough and competitive keywords. If you are just getting started, you should search for keywords that are less competitive but still have a volume of searches that are worthwhile. Generally speaking, it is advisable to start with those you have a good probability of placing first. Then, as your content and authority grow, you can target those challenging keywords.
In order to help you find the optimal term for your keyword strategy, the majority of keyword research tools will display many keyword variations along with their current volume and difficulty.
The stem (or seed) keywords are typically the ones that are hardest to rank for. Don’t be hesitant to target long-tail keywords, particularly those that are expressed as questions. Given how much Google weights user intent and how frequently voice searches on mobile these days take the form of questions, sometimes they will yield the greatest results
Research For Short and Long Tail Keywords
Google will object if a term or phrase is used too frequently on a post or page. It’s thought that this is keyword stuffing. It is best to mix up your target term with several keyword variations, such as short- and long-tail keywords, to avoid this. Researching keyword variations for your term is crucial for this reason.
Remember to use your target keywords only when they make sense while crafting your SEO content. Google will probably take note if the user finds it awkward or forced. Utilizing keyword stemming, which enables you to divide a target keyword phrase across an entire sentence and still be recognized as that target keyword, is one effective approach to achieve this.
Take a good, close look at your rivals.
Conduct a keyword gap analysis or competitive keyword analysis to gain an advantage over your rivals now that you are aware of what your keywords are and how to balance long-tail and short-tail keywords. Make a note of their top-ranking keywords and check to see if any high-volume keywords that would be useful for your company are absent. On the other hand, you may actively compete against your rivals by utilizing their top-ranking keywords in an effort to steal customers from them.
You can use a variety of tools to learn what your rivals are doing. SEMrush, Google’s Keyword Planner, or even just using the source code of a rival website are all options. Using Chrome, for instance, right-click the page and select View Page Source. Look for components like the title, meta, and h1 tags as soon as you get access to the source code.
Keep Focus on the effectiveness of your keyword
It’s crucial to monitor your keywords’ performance once you’ve taken steps to investigate them in order to aid you in your pursuit of high rankings. To achieve the desired outcomes, adjustments can (and probably will) be required. You may increase the effectiveness of your content strategy and boost website traffic by using keyword-tracking tools. Keyword tracking can give you fresh keyword suggestions to use in your content in addition to monitoring your current keywords.
Bonus Advice: Find Keywords by Location
You can present pertinent material to your visitors by understanding where they are and what they are searching for. This can help you gain insight into their browsing and purchasing habits. If your website receives a lot of traffic from New York, for instance, you can think about utilizing the phrase sneakers. Regional differences in terminology can exist. Customers in the North might refer to athletic shoes as sneakers, but those in the South might call them tennis shoes.
When creating your content, take into account using Google Search Trends to look up regional keywords. This will enable you to create content with particular geographic areas in mind. This is particularly helpful if your company operates locally. You can find out what search phrases your potential clients are using by using your location.
FAQs on keyword research
You must have questions, given all of the information being thrown at you. Not to worry. We have solutions.
What Sets Long-Tail and Short-Tail Keywords Apart?
Short-tail keywords often have up to three words, while long-tail keywords typically have four or more. Long-tail keywords are used for more focused searches, making them excellent for locating customers who are prepared to buy or who have a particular question they need answered. Because they are broad, short-tail keywords frequently have a large search volume. Short-tail keywords can be used as seeds, which is a useful tactic to aid in the long-term development of keywords.
How I Can Find What a User Is Looking For?
Creating an account with a keyword research tool like Ahrefs is among the finest ways to do this. The best course of action if you are just starting out and don’t have the money to invest in a keyword research service is to Google your own keywords. When a person searches, Google does a great job of interpreting their intent. In addition to the three methods already stated, Google also offers autocomplete, people also ask, and similar searches when you put in a keyword. The Google search box itself can be used to learn more about the user’s purpose. It is an easy approach to begin with and is practical when creating fresh content.
How to find that keyword is effective?
Follow them. It takes a lot of maintenance and trial and error to achieve good SEO. You can’t just create a website with excellent content and expect visitors to pour in. Starting with researched keywords, you must then keep an eye on their performance. SEMrush is a fantastic resource for this. In order to track your keywords, they provide both free and premium plans. SEMrush’s free edition will help you identify what is and isn’t working for your website more than enough.
Which keyword research tool is best?
It’s a tricky question. Except if you want to pay for a full solution, there isn’t an all-inclusive option. You can choose an all-in-one solution like Ahref or a toolkit that includes Google Search Trends, Google Search, and SEMrush. Most likely, you’ll test a few before settling on the best option for you. We advise reading our article on the Top 5 Free and Paid Keyword Research Tools for SEO as a place to start. This will serve as a fantastic starting point for you to decide
Without keyword research, can my site rank?
It is possible, but not likely. Performing keyword research is an essential part of SEO. Without it, all you can do is gamble and hope for the best. The wisest course of action, given the level of competition on the internet nowadays, is to put in the effort to give yourself the best chance of appearing highly ranked in search results.
Despite my research, I’m still not ranking for the X keyword. “Why Not?”
Make sure that your website is indexed first. Your website cannot be crawled or ranked if it is not indexed. Don’t forget to add your website to Google’s search dashboard after that. Then make sure you aren’t preventing indexing by checking. If you are on a WordPress site, go to Settings > Reading and make sure the box labeled “Deny search engines access to this site” is not checked.
Find out where you are ranking if you have followed the preceding steps and are still not ranking. Start by typing your company name, primary keywords, secondary keywords, and any other terms or phrases you used in your content into Google. If you don’t appear on the first page of those queries, modify your search engine’s page-by-page search results. Once you know where you stand, you can take action to move up the rankings. Using your preferred keyword research tool, assess your keywords to see if they are declining in the overall rankings in Google searches. It could be time to reconsider your use of any declining keywords if you have any.
It’s crucial to remember not to drastically alter your material. When you change things up too much and too frequently, Google doesn’t like it. As we’ve already discussed, it takes time to do good SEO, so you need to put in the effort.
Can I reuse my focus keyword?
Generally speaking, it’s not a good idea to repeat focus keywords across multiple pages or posts on your website. In order to rank your post or page in search results, a term known as a “focus keyword” is used. You’re essentially shooting yourself in the foot if you employ the same focus keyword on different pages or posts. Finding distinctive emphasis keywords for each page you want to rank for is the best course of action. Utilizing them repeatedly can lower your search engine ranks and put you in a competitive situation. This process, known as keyword cannibalization, might actually lower your SERP rating. For advice and solutions to this SEO issue.
How many times in my content should I use a keyword?
One thing to think about is keyword density. You can use a term on a page or post an unlimited number of times; however, there is a limit. To assist you in striking the correct balance, employ an SEO plugin like Yoast or RankMath. Generally speaking, you should only use a keyword when it makes sense. When you attempt to force it, Google will detect it.
Final Wording on Keyword Research
Your complete SEO approach must include keyword research. Knowing your keywords and checking to see whether they complement your content will go a long way toward helping your website rank effectively in search engines.
To help you compile a list of the ideal keywords, keep in mind that excellent keyword research necessitates the use of the appropriate tools. It’s then up to you to successfully write the content employing those keywords. If you use Divi, you may want to think about using the Rank Math SEO plugin to assist you in selecting and including the appropriate keywords on your product and category pages.
