Keyword Research 101: Find Keywords You Can Rank For

Keyword research is the compass of SEO. Get it right and every piece of content targets something people actually search and you can realistically rank for. Get it wrong and you pour effort into terms that never drive traffic. Here’s how to do it properly.

What is keyword research?

Keyword research is the process of finding the words and phrases your audience types into search engines, then prioritising which ones to target based on opportunity. It tells you what to create and how to optimise it.

Understand search intent

Every keyword reflects an intent:

• Informational — “how to do X” (researching)
• Commercial — “best X” (comparing before buying)
• Transactional — “buy X” / “X near me” (ready to act)
• Navigational — looking for a specific brand or page

Match your content type to the intent. A product page won’t rank for a “how to” query, and vice versa — a principle central to our on-page SEO guide.

Brainstorm seed keywords

Start with the core topics your business covers. List the terms a customer might use — including the problems you solve, not just your product names. Google’s autocomplete and “People also ask” boxes are free idea generators.

Expand with keyword tools

Tools turn seed ideas into hundreds of opportunities with data attached. Popular options include Ahrefs, Semrush, and the free Google Keyword Planner. Google Trends helps you spot rising topics.

Evaluate the key metrics

For each keyword, weigh:

• Search volume — how many people search it monthly
• Keyword difficulty (KD) — how hard it is to rank, based on competition
• Intent — does it match what you offer?
• Business value — will it attract people likely to convert?

Target low-difficulty, high-intent keywords

Especially for newer sites, chase “low-hanging fruit”: keywords with decent volume, low difficulty, and clear intent. Long-tail keywords — longer, more specific phrases like “affordable web design for dentists” — have less competition and higher conversion rates. Backlinko has excellent guidance on finding these.

Study the competition

Look at who currently ranks for your target keyword. If the top results are huge, authoritative sites, it’ll be hard to break in. If they’re weaker or the content is thin, there’s an opening. This also reveals the content format Google favours for that query.

Build topic clusters

Group related keywords into clusters around a core topic, with a main “pillar” page and supporting articles that interlink. This structure builds topical authority — exactly how this blog links clusters to our service pages.

The takeaway

Smart keyword research finds the intersection of what people search, what you can rank for, and what grows your business. Prioritise intent and achievability over chasing huge, competitive terms. Want a data-driven keyword strategy built for your business? Our SEO service starts with exactly that — and pairs it with our link building strategies to help you rank.

Further reading

• Moz keyword research guide
• Semrush keyword tools
• Google Search Central blog