Keyword research discovers the language people use when searching and the intent behind those searches. Match a real need with your experience and a useful page.
Start with your audience
Write down who you serve, what they are trying to do, and what stops them. Use customer questions, support requests, community discussions, and product feedback.
Build a topic list
Turn problems into broad topics, then collect specific questions. Google Trends compares interest over time. Search suggestions reveal wording. Treat these as ideas, not proof of search volume.
Keyword Planner gives ranges; Ahrefs and Semrush provide third-party estimates. Their numbers are modeled, so compare opportunities instead of forecasting exact visits.
Understand intent
Review search results to see whether people want to learn, compare, reach a specific site, or take action. Note the format and depth of several results.
Prioritize topics you can serve
- Does the need relate to your site?
- Can you add firsthand expertise or original examples?
- What page type best solves the task?
Map topics to pages
Group related phrases when one thorough page satisfies them. Create separate pages when people need different answers. This helps avoid thin pages competing with each other.
A first month plan
Choose one topic cluster. Review search results, talk with your audience, and create a substantial page plus distinct supporting pages. Track impressions, clicks, and queries in Search Console, allowing time for crawling and data.
Common mistakes
- Choosing topics only because a tool shows a large number.
- Assuming every phrase needs a separate page.
- Copying competitors without adding expertise.
- Writing for a keyword instead of the person behind the search.
Continue with on-page SEO or browse the tool directory.