Keyword research is the foundation of SEO. Choosing the right keywords ensures that your website ranks for relevant searches and attracts targeted visitors. In this guide, we’ll cover what keywords are, why they matter, how to choose them, and the best tools to find them.
Keywords are the words or phrases that people type into search engines to find information. These could be single words (e.g., “shoes”) or longer phrases (e.g., “best running shoes for beginners”).
📈 Rank on Google: Google uses keywords to understand your page and match it with relevant searches.
🎯 Target the Right Audience: The right keywords bring visitors who are actively searching for your content or products.
💰 Boost Conversions: Ranking for high-intent keywords means visitors are more likely to take action (buy, sign up, etc.).
🚀 Competitive Advantage: Using better keywords than your competitors helps you rank higher and gain more traffic.
Not all keywords are created equal! A keyword’s search intent determines why a user is searching for it. Choosing keywords without understanding intent can lead to low engagement and poor rankings.
1️⃣ Informational → (User wants to learn)
– Example: “What is SEO?”
– Best for blogs, how-to guides, tutorials
2️⃣ Navigational → (User is looking for a specific brand or website)
– Example: “Nike official store”
– Best for brand pages, business websites
3️⃣ Transactional → (User is ready to buy)
– Example: “Buy gaming laptop under $1000”
– Best for product pages, eCommerce sites
4️⃣ Commercial Investigation → (User is comparing options before buying)
– Example: “Best gaming laptop 2024 comparison”
– Best for reviews, comparison blogs, affiliate marketing
💡 Pro Tip: Always match your keyword with the right page type. Don’t target commercial intent keywords with an informational blog post – it won’t convert!
When choosing keywords, focus on 3 key factors:
💡 Pro Tip: New websites should target low-competition, long-tail keywords to rank faster!
– Free tool inside Google Ads
– Shows search volume & competition
– Best for finding keyword ideas
– Free with limited daily searches
– Shows keyword difficulty, volume, and related terms
– Ideal for small businesses & bloggers
– Simply search your keyword on Google
– Scroll to “People Also Ask” → These are questions people search
– Scroll to bottom of Google page → “Related Searches” = more keyword ideas
– Completely free & easy to use
🔗 SEMrush is a premium SEO tool used by professionals for keyword research, competition analysis, and tracking rankings.
– Go to SEMrush > Keyword Magic Tool
– Enter a broad keyword (e.g., “SEO tools”)
– Filter by:
↳ Search Volume (Look for 500–10,000 searches)
↳ Keyword Difficulty (Choose 30 or below for easy ranking)
↳ Search Intent (Choose “Transactional” for eCommerce, “Informational” for blogs)
– Go to SEMrush > Organic Research
– Enter a competitor’s domain (e.g., moz.com)
– Look at Top Organic Keywords → These are their best-performing keywords
– Find gaps where you can compete
– Go to SEMrush > Keyword Overview
– Enter a keyword → See its trends over time
– Helps you find seasonal keywords (e.g., “Christmas gifts 2024”)
💡 Pro Tip: Always combine SEMrush data with Google Keyword Planner & “People Also Ask” for maximum insights!
ꄗ Research: Use Google Keyword Planner, UberSuggest, or SEMrush to find high-volume, low-competition keywords.
ꄗ Primary Keyword: Make sure your main keyword matches search intent.
ꄗ Long-Tail Keywords: Use long-tail keywords for specific and targeted traffic.
ꄗ Keyword Placement: Insert primary keyword naturally in:
– Title Tag
– Meta Description
– URL
ꄗ Synonyms & Variations: Use LSI keywords to increase topical relevance.
ꄗ Competitor Analysis: Check what keywords competitors rank for and fill the gaps.
ꄗ Update & Refresh: Regularly update keywords to match trends & search behavior.
✅ Keyword research is not just about search volume – intent matters!
✅ Use free tools for quick keyword ideas, but SEMrush gives deeper insights.
✅ Track and update keywords regularly to stay ahead of competitors.