The Ultimate Guide to Keyword Research

akinsolaesther Updated on February 27, 2025February 27, 2025

Ever entered a query on Google and you get a list of possible or related queries to that one you had in mind? Yeah, those are keywords at play. These keywords are how businesses position themselves for visibility before their target audience. For example, a travel agency with vacation offers across South East Asia might incorporate keywords like ‘best vacation spots in South East Asia’ or ‘best countries in South East Asia’ into their website. If you want your business to be right in the face of your target audience, then you need this guide to keyword research.

This article discusses what keyword research is and outlines all the steps for successful keyword research. Following this guide will put your business website on the top of Google search results for those who need your business.

What is Keyword Research?

Keyword research is a method of looking for the best words that match the interest of the people when they go online to search for products or services. It is that process where SEO experts and professionals identify and analyze search terms or queries users use when searching for a product or service or even general information on that service. The goal of keyword research is always for Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Getting Started: Understanding Keyword Research Basics

You need to understand who your audience are and what they are looking for online. Keyword tools give you an idea of how they are looking for it. Your business will need to create a varying number of Buyer Personas based on the different types of customers you want to reach. When creating your buyer personas, you can use the following format.

Choose topics that are most relevant to your business. There are so many keywords on topics and niches. When searching for keywords, it can be difficult to figure out which ones to focus on to get the best results. For example, if you are a beauty and fitness e-commerce retailer, you might write down these topics; active wear, workout shoes, gym accessories, nutritional supplements, etc.

Finding The Right Keyword: How To Find Keyword Ideas

Before diving into how to find keyword ideas, it’s essential to understand the different types of keywords available. Keywords can be categorized based on intent and length:

1. Short-Tail Keywords – These are broad and highly competitive keywords, usually one to two words long (e.g., “travel tips”). They have high search volume but low specificity.

2. Long-Tail Keywords – These are more specific, longer phrases (e.g., “best travel tips for solo female travelers”). They have lower competition and higher conversion rates.

If you don’t have a long-tail SEO strategy, you’re missing out.

Aleh Barysevich, Founder of SEO PowerSuite

3. Branded Keywords – These include brand names (e.g., “Nike running shoes”) and are essential for brand visibility.

4. Non-Branded Keywords– These don’t reference a specific brand and are more general (e.g., “best running shoes”).

5. Transactional Keywords – Used by users who are ready to take action (e.g., “buy waterproof hiking boots”).

6. Informational Keywords – Searched by users looking for knowledge or guidance (e.g., “how to choose the right hiking boots”).

7. Navigational Keywords – Used when users are searching for a specific website or brand (e.g., “Amazon login”).

8. LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) Keywords – These are contextually related words that help search engines understand content better (e.g., for “coffee,” LSI keywords might include “caffeine,” “brewing,” “espresso”).

How to Find Keyword Ideas

Once you understand the types of keywords, the next step is to generate keyword ideas. Here’s how:

1. Use Google Autocomplete

Start typing a keyword into Google’s search bar, and it will suggest commonly searched phrases. This gives insight into what users are looking for.

2. Check Google’s “People Also Ask” and Related Searches

Google’s “People Also Ask” section provides questions related to your topic. The “Related Searches” at the bottom of the results page also offers variations of your keyword.

3. Use Keyword Research Tools

There are free and paid tools that help you generate keyword ideas, including:

– Google Keyword Planner

– Ubersuggest

– Ahrefs Keyword Explorer

– SEMrush

– AnswerThePublic

4. Analyze Competitor Keywords

Look at the keywords your competitors are ranking for. You can use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to analyze their content and find keyword gaps.

5. Leverage Forums and Social Media

Platforms like Quora, Reddit, and Facebook groups are goldmines for keyword ideas. Look for common questions and trending discussions in your niche.

6. Explore Industry Blogs and Online Communities

Reading blog comments, FAQs, and industry discussions can help you uncover niche-specific keyword ideas.

7. Use Google Trends for Seasonal and Trending Keywords

Google Trends helps identify search trends over time, showing you which keywords are gaining popularity and when to target them.

Analyzing the Keyword: Elements of Keyword Research

Finding keyword ideas is just the first step; the real challenge is determining which keywords are worth targeting. To do this, you need to analyze several key elements that influence how effective a keyword will be for your content. These elements include keyword relevance, search volume, keyword difficulty, and user intent. Additionally, checking your competitors’ keyword strategy can provide valuable insights.

1. Keyword Relevance: Is the Keyword a Good Fit for Your Content?

Keyword relevance refers to how well a keyword aligns with your content, audience, and business goals. Choosing relevant keywords ensures that your content attracts the right visitors—people who are genuinely interested in what you offer.

What are they searching for? What problems are they trying to solve? If your website is about travel, targeting a keyword like “best SEO practices” wouldn’t make sense. Search for the keyword and analyze the top-ranking pages. If they align with your content’s intent, the keyword is relevant. If your keyword is relevant but too broad, consider narrowing it down to a long-tail keyword (e.g., instead of “travel tips,” use “best travel tips for solo travelers in Europe”).

2. Search Volume: How Many People Are Searching for This Keyword?

Search volume refers to the number of times a keyword is searched within a given period, usually measured monthly. High search volume means more potential traffic, but it also means more competition.

Use Google Keyword Planner (free but requires a Google Ads account). Try tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Ubersuggest, or Moz for detailed volume data. Additionally, consider seasonality—some keywords have fluctuating search volume (e.g., “best Black Friday deals” will spike in November).

Pro Tip: Don’t focus only on high search volume. A well-targeted low-volume keyword with high conversion potential can be more valuable than a high-volume keyword with low relevance.

3. Keyword Difficulty: Can You Rank for This Keyword?

Keyword difficulty (KD) measures how hard it is to rank in the top search results for a keyword. It’s usually scored from 0-100, with higher numbers indicating greater difficulty. Websites with higher DA (like Wikipedia or Forbes) dominate search results, making it harder for new sites to rank. Even if a keyword has low competition, weak content won’t rank well. The more quality backlinks a page has, the harder it is to outrank it. If a keyword has high difficulty, look for variations with lower competition or focus on long-tail keywords that are easier to rank for.

4. User Intent: What is the Searcher Looking For?

User intent (also called search intent) is the purpose behind a search query. Search engines prioritize content that matches user intent, so understanding it is crucial for ranking well.

Types of Search Intent:

Informational: Users want to learn something (e.g., “how to pack for a long trip”).
Navigational: Users are looking for a specific website or brand (e.g., “Airbnb login page”).
Transactional: Users are ready to take action (e.g., “buy hiking boots online”).
Commercial Investigation: Users are researching before making a decision (e.g., “best travel insurance for backpackers”).

5. Checking Your Competitors: Learn from What’s Working

Analyzing your competitors can give you insights into which keywords are driving traffic for them and how you can compete. First, search for your target keyword and note the top-ranking sites. Using SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest can show you which keywords your competitors rank for. Study Their content strategy by checking their word count, content format (listicles, guides, reviews), and keyword placement. Look for keywords your competitors rank for that you don’t, and create content around those. If their page ranks high due to strong backlinks, you may need a link-building strategy to compete.

Click here to watch a short video on keyword research

The Best Keyword Research Tools

Below are some of the best keyword research tools that can help your business beat the competition and win the SEO game.

Conclusion

Ranking your business at the top of Google is not an easy task, as the search engine algorithm changes frequently and it can be challenging at times. But with the best keyword research tool and the right formula, you are well on your way to improving your organic traffic and sales conversion. For more tips and tricks on SEO, check out Zippa Marketing.