Keyword Research

What Is Keyword Research?

Keyword research is the process of discovering the search terms your target customers use, understanding what they mean by them (search intent), and using that information to create content that attracts qualified traffic.

Good keyword research is the foundation of an effective SEO strategy. It tells you what to create, how to optimise existing pages and where the biggest opportunities lie.

The Keyword Research Process

Step 1: Define Your Seed Keywords

Seed keywords are broad terms that describe your product or service. Start with what you know: what would someone type into Google to find you? What are your main service or product categories? What problems do you solve?

Example seeds for an SEO agency: “SEO services,” “SEO agency,” “improve Google rankings,” “local SEO.”

Step 2: Expand With a Keyword Tool

Enter your seeds into keyword research tools (Ahrefs, Semrush, Google Keyword Planner) to discover related terms, questions and long-tail variants. Look for:

  • Related keywords (same topic, different phrasing)
  • Long-tail variants (more specific, lower volume, higher intent)
  • Questions (what, how, why searches)
  • Comparison searches (X vs Y, best X for Y)

Step 3: Analyse Search Intent

Search intent is the reason behind a search query. Google classifies searches as:

  • Informational: “how does SEO work” β€” wants to learn
  • Navigational: “Ahrefs login” β€” wants a specific site
  • Commercial: “best SEO agency” β€” researching options
  • Transactional: “hire SEO agency London” β€” ready to buy

Create content that matches the intent: informational queries need guides, transactional queries need service/product pages.

Step 4: Evaluate Keyword Metrics

  • Search volume: How many monthly searches? Higher volume = more potential traffic
  • Keyword difficulty (KD): How hard is it to rank? Compare to your current domain authority
  • CPC: What do advertisers pay per click? High CPC = high commercial value
  • Click potential: Do searchers click results or get the answer from Google directly?

Step 5: Competitive Analysis

Look at who already ranks for your target keywords. Can you create something better? Check their content quality, backlink profiles and on-page optimisation. Find keyword gaps β€” terms competitors rank for that you don’t.

Step 6: Build a Keyword Map

A keyword map assigns your target keywords to specific pages. One primary keyword + 3–5 secondary keywords per page. No two pages should target the same primary keyword (keyword cannibalism).

Quick Wins: Where to Find Easy Keywords

  • Google Search Console β†’ pages ranking on positions 4–20 (push to page 1 with content updates)
  • Your competitors’ top-ranking pages (Ahrefs Site Explorer)
  • People Also Ask questions in Google results
  • Google Autocomplete suggestions

Why Search Intent Overrides Everything Else

You can have the most technically perfect page, the best backlinks and the most keyword-optimised content β€” and still not rank if your page doesn’t match search intent. Google’s primary job is to show the most relevant result for a query. Relevance is defined by intent.

The Four Types of Search Intent

Informational Intent

The searcher wants to learn something. Examples: “how to do keyword research,” “what is a backlink,” “why is my site slow.”

What to create: Comprehensive guides, tutorials, explanations. Long-form content that answers the question fully.

Navigational Intent

The searcher wants to reach a specific website or page. Examples: “Google Search Console,” “Ahrefs pricing,” “Facebook login.”

Mostly unwinnable unless you’re the brand being searched. Focus elsewhere.

Commercial Investigation Intent

The searcher is evaluating options before making a decision. Examples: “best SEO agency UK,” “Ahrefs vs Semrush,” “local SEO services reviews.”

What to create: Comparison pages, best-of roundups, case studies, service pages with strong proof points.

Transactional Intent

The searcher is ready to take action β€” buy, sign up, contact. Examples: “SEO agency London hire,” “buy SEO services,” “SEO audit free.”

What to create: Service/product pages, landing pages with clear CTAs, minimal friction to conversion.

How to Identify Search Intent

The easiest method: Google the keyword and analyse the top 10 results. What type of pages rank? What format? How long are they? This tells you exactly what Google believes satisfies that intent.

Intent Mismatch: The Most Common SEO Mistake

Creating a product page to rank for an informational query (or vice versa) is an intent mismatch. Google will not rank a product page for “how to improve your credit score” β€” it wants an article. Even the best product page will fail against an informational SERP.