Published Date
Originally published March 4, 2024 on aemorph.com/keyword-research/.
March 4, 2024
Last Updated
January 15, 2025
23 minutes read
Have you been wondering how keyword research is done? It is one of the most important but often overlooked parts of an effective content marketing strategy. Without optimising your content for the right keywords, your website and blogs are nearly impossible to rank well organically in search engines.
Keyword research lets you find out what terms people type into search engines and how popular those terms are. Understanding this data lets you optimise your content to reach your target audience.
This comprehensive beginner's guide to keyword research walks you through finding ideas, analysing keywords and choosing the right keywords. It also gives you tips, strategies and keyword research tools that lay the foundation for more traffic, leads and sales on your website or blog.
Part 1:
Keyword Research Basics
Understanding the power of keywords is fundamental to the success of your website or blog. Keywords are the foundation of your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategies.
As with anything, start with a basic understanding before you get into the nitty-gritty.
So, start with the basics of keyword research.
What Is Keyword Research?
Keyword research is a process used in search engine optimisation (SEO) to find and analyse the search terms that a user types into search engines like Yahoo, Bing and Google when looking for products, services or general information. Use this data to create better content that your target audience is more likely to find.
Keyword research is a way to know more about your target audience and understand what they seek. It is also a way to discover the most popular words and phrases in search engines.
Use this information to improve your website or blog by making sure your content uses the right keywords. The keyword research process ultimately improves your ranking in search engines.
Why Is Keyword Research Important?
Keyword research is important because it lets you understand what people search for online.
By understanding which keywords people use, you also optimise your website or blog better for those terms and understand what the searcher wants. You then answer the questions most people in your audience want answers to.
Effective keyword research gives you insights into current marketing trends and helps you centre your content on these topics, which helps you rank higher in SERPs and attract traffic to your website.
Part 2:
How To Find Keyword Ideas
You now understand what keyword research is and how important it is to your site. But how do you find keyword ideas? There are many tools and methods for researching keywords for your content.
Here is how to find keyword ideas effectively. There are different ways to find keywords for your site for free:
1. Brainstorming Keywords
The first and most basic way to develop keyword ideas is to brainstorm them yourself. Think about your target audience and what they search for. Put yourself in their shoes and consider what keywords they use when looking for your content.
Start by listing your target audience persona, their needs and the questions they have.
Use this as a guide:
- Audience Persona :
- Name:
- Their needs:
- Questions they have:
Once you have your persona and their needs, brainstorm a list of potential keywords. A mind map or a simple list works.
Also think about the main topics or themes your site covers and develop relevant keywords from there. This method seems simple, but it is quite effective in generating initial keyword ideas.
Don't worry about getting specific at this stage; just come up with as many ideas as possible by putting yourself in their shoes.
Ask your team members for help; ask them for all the ideas and questions your target persona has.
2. Analyse The Competition
Another way to find keyword ideas is by analysing your competitors. Look at the keywords they use in their content and see if there are any gaps or opportunities for you to target similar keywords.
Review their blog posts or check out their sitemap for content ideas.
Example:
If you are looking for ideas for a home décor site, check out a competitor's website like West Elm or Crate & Barrel.
Then look at their blog posts and see what topics they write about. Also check out their sitemap to get an idea of all the different types of content on their site.
Looking at your competitor's website gives you some great ideas for topics to write about on your site. Also, pay attention to the long-tail keywords your competitors do not target. These longer, more specific phrases are often easier to rank for but still bring valuable traffic to your site.
If you have a budget for tools, try SEMrush, Ahrefs or other keyword research tools. These tools show you certain keyword phrases and all other keywords related to the keywords you are trying to rank for.
3. Use Keyword Research Tools
Keyword research tools are a great way to find new keyword ideas. These tools help you find relevant and high-performing keywords for your content.
Some popular keyword research tools include Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs and Moz Keyword Explorer. These tools allow you to search for keywords related to your topic or niche and provide data on search volume, ranking difficulty and competition.
These tools also help you find related keywords and long-tail phrases your competitors are not targeting. With the right keyword research tool, you easily generate a list of potential keywords for your content.
4. Check Google Suggest
Google Suggest is a feature in Google's search engine and a great source of keyword ideas, as it shows what people commonly search for related to your topic or niche.
As you start typing a query into Google, it begins to suggest other possible searches related to your initial query. These suggested search queries give you some great ideas for targeting additional keywords.
To find these keyword suggestions, start typing your initial query into the Google search bar and then scroll down to the bottom of the page. You see a list of suggested queries to target.
Example:
If you are looking for ideas for a home décor site, start by typing "home decor" into the Google search bar.
Google then suggests other related queries such as "home decor ideas", "home decorating items" and "home decor stores".
5. Review "People Also Ask"
When you search in Google, you see a section called "People also ask." This section of Google search results shows common questions related to your initial query and gives you additional keyword ideas. "People Also Ask" gives you great ideas for questions to answer in your content.
To do this, search on Google and scroll down to the "People also ask" section. You see a list of questions people have asked about your topic. Click on any of these questions to expand it and see more related questions.
If you are looking for ideas for a home décor site, start by searching for "home decor".
Google then shows you a list of questions in the "People also ask" section, such as "What is meant by home decor?" "Is interior design the same as home decor?" and "How to make your home decor?".
A tool called AlsoAsked allows you to enter a keyword and see what questions people ask about that topic.
Also try AnswerThePublic, a great tool for finding questions that people ask about a particular topic.
Just enter a keyword to generate a list of questions related to that term.
6. Research Related Search Terms
In addition to using "People Also Ask" and keyword research tools, you also find new keyword ideas by researching related search terms.
When you search on Google, notice the section at the bottom of the results called "Searches related to." It gives you some great ideas for additional topics to write about.
To find these related topics, search on Google and scroll down to the bottom of the page. You see a list of related searches to target.
Example:
If you are looking for ideas for a home décor site, start by searching for "home decor".
Google then shows you a list of related searches such as "affordable home decor", "home decor shop", "ikea home decor" and "home decor stores".
Use all these tools to get more keyword ideas for your business.
Part 3:
How To Analyse Keywords
Now that you have a question and keyword list, how do you determine which ones to target? This is where keyword analysis comes in.
Keyword analysis is researching and analysing keywords to determine their relevance, competition and potential for driving traffic. Doing this lets you identify valuable keywords to target in your content and optimise it for search engines.
Here are a few things to consider when analysing keywords:
Search Volume
The first thing to look at is the Search Volume for each keyword. It indicates the number of times a keyword is searched for within a given timeframe. Search volume gives you an idea of how many people actually search for that term.
Get an idea of the search volume for a keyword using Google Keyword Planner. Just enter a keyword, and it gives you an estimated range of monthly searches for that term.
Also try Google Trends to see how the popularity of a particular keyword has changed over time.
It is helpful to see if there is potential for growth in the search volume for a particular keyword.
High search volume keywords are often highly competitive, and ranking for them attracts significant visitors. Nonetheless, do not dismiss lower search volume keywords outright, as they often represent niche markets with less competition, offering opportunities for highly targeted, quality traffic.
Keyword Difficulty
Another thing to look at is the Keyword Difficulty. It measures how difficult it is to rank for a particular keyword. It takes into account the strength of your competitors and their ranking positions.
Keyword difficulty ranges from 1 to 100, with 1 being the easiest to rank for and 100 being the most difficult.
Target keywords with a reasonable search volume that are not too difficult to rank for. A good rule of thumb is to target keywords with a keyword difficulty of less than 50.
Several different tools check keyword difficulty, but most are not free keyword research tools. Some of the popular keyword difficulty tools are Moz, Ahrefs and SEMrush.
It is crucial to consider keyword difficulty when choosing which keywords to target. Balance high search volume and low competition keywords to maximise your chances of ranking high in SERPs.
Short-Tail Keywords
Group your keywords, starting with short-tail keywords. Short-tail keywords, also known as head terms or broad keywords, are usually one or two words long. They have high search volumes and attract a lot of traffic.
An example of a short-tail keyword is "keyword research."
While short-tail keywords seem attractive because of their high search volume, they also come with fierce competition. Big brands often dominate these keywords, making it challenging for smaller websites to rank for them.
Mid-Tail Keywords
Mid-tail keywords are more specific, usually two to three words long. These keywords have lower search volumes and competition compared to short-tail keywords.
An example of a mid-tail keyword is "keyword research tools."
Targeting mid-tail keywords helps you reach a more targeted audience while attracting decent traffic. These keywords are a good option to target if you are just starting with SEO.
Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer keyword phrases with three or more words. These keywords have low search volumes and competition but often convert better because they target a specific audience.
An example of a long-tail keyword is "how to do keyword research for a blog."
Long-tail keywords are generally easier to rank for because there is less competition. They are a great option because you start ranking for these keywords relatively quickly.
Click-Through-Rate (CTR)
The click-through rate (CTR) is the number of people who click on your listing in the search results divided by the total number of people who see your listing.
For example, if your listing is shown 100 times and you get five clicks, your CTR is 5%.
This metric is important because it gives you an idea of how relevant your listing is for a particular keyword. Even if you rank high for a keyword, a low CTR means you see little traffic from that keyword. That is why it is crucial to choose keywords that have a high CTR potential.
The higher your CTR, the more likely you are to rank for the right keyword.
Review your CTR in Google Search Console: go to Search Traffic > Search Analytics and then filter by clicks and impressions.
This shows you the CTR for each of your listings in the search results.
Traffic Potential
The traffic potential is the number of people who potentially click on your listing in the search results. It differs from the CTR because it includes people who see your listing but don't click on it.
Understanding this potential is crucial in keyword analysis as it allows you to gauge the popularity and demand for specific keywords. It helps you assess if targeting a particular keyword is worth the effort based on its ability to drive significant organic traffic.
For example, if your listing is shown 100 times and you get five clicks, your traffic potential is 100.
If your traffic potential is high but you have a low CTR, it indicates that your listing is irrelevant to the keyword you are targeting.
Check your traffic potential in Google Search Console. Just go to Search Traffic > Search Analytics and then filter by impressions.
It shows you the traffic potential for each of your listings in the search results.
Cost Per Click (CPC)
The cost per click (CPC) is the amount of money you pay for each person who clicks on your listing in the search results. It is an essential metric for advertisers using paid search ads to target keywords.
However, it also has relevance in keyword analysis for organic search as it provides insights into the value and competition of a particular keyword.
For example, if you pay $1 per click and get five clicks, your CPC is $5.
This metric is important because it gives you an idea of how much it costs to get traffic from a particular keyword. Keywords with higher CPCs usually mean more competition, making it challenging to rank organically for those keywords.
Check your CPC in Google AdWords. Go to Keywords > Ad group ideas and then filter by average CPC.
It shows you the CPC for each of your keywords.
Tools like Ahrefs show you all these metrics in one place.
Go to Keywords > Overview and filter by Difficulty, CPC, Volume and Traffic.
It shows you a list of all the keywords you are targeting, their difficulty, CPC, volume and traffic potential.
Part 4:
How To Choose the Right Keywords
After analysing your keywords based on the factors above, choose the right keywords to target. This step is crucial as it makes or breaks your SEO efforts.
Keep a few things in mind when doing this:
Relevancy
The first thing to consider is the relevancy of the keywords to your website or business. Choose keywords that align with the content on your website to attract the right kind of visitors.
The visitors you attract need to be interested in what you offer. Otherwise, they do not convert into customers or clients, leading to a high bounce rate and low conversion rates.
For example, if you run a blog about dogs, avoid targeting keywords like "cat food" or "pet supplies."
Make sure that the keywords you target are relevant to your business.
Search Intent
The second thing to consider is the search intent. What are people looking for when they search for those specific keywords?
Make sure that the keywords you target have the right intent. Search intent is the motivation behind a particular search. It is the reason why someone searches for something.
There are four types of search intent:
-
Informational: The user is looking for information about a topic.
-
Navigational: The user is looking for a specific website.
-
Transactional: The user is looking to buy something.
-
Commercial: The user is looking to compare prices or find a coupon before making a purchase
For example, if someone searches for "SEO services," they are probably looking to hire an SEO company.
If someone searches for "SEO tips," they are probably just looking for information and not necessarily looking to hire an SEO company.
Therefore, target keywords with commercial intent like "SEO services" over keywords with informational intent like "SEO tips."
Check the intent of a keyword by looking at the search results.
To do this, go to Google and search for your keyword. Type "SEO Services", for example, into the Google search bar.
Then, look at the search results and see what websites rank for that keyword.
If you see many websites selling products or services, the keyword likely has commercial intent.
If you see a lot of blog posts and articles, the keyword likely has informational intent.
Authority
The last thing to consider when choosing the right keywords is your website's authority. It refers to how trustworthy and credible your website is in the eyes of search engines.
Building authority for your website takes effort and time, but it is crucial as it greatly impacts your search engine rankings.
When choosing keywords, balance high-competition keywords that are more difficult to rank for but have high search volume against low-competition keywords with lower search volume that are easier to rank for.
It is also important to consider the authority of your competitors. If you run a new website, competing with well-established websites for highly competitive keywords is harder. In this case, targeting long-tail keywords or niche keywords is a more effective strategy.
Part 5:
Advanced Tips and Strategy
The previous sections of this guide covered the basics of keyword research and why it is essential for developing a successful SEO strategy. However, some advanced tips and strategies take your keyword research to the next level.
Here are some tips and strategies Aemorph uses in its keyword research.
Keyword Gap Analysis
Keyword gap analysis is a powerful technique that helps you uncover untapped keyword opportunities. It involves comparing your website's keyword rankings with your competitors', identifying the gaps in their keyword strategy and incorporating those keywords into your own strategy.
It allows you to target new, relevant keywords that your competitors do not yet target.
Aemorph uses Google Sheets to run a Keyword Gap Analysis for clients, with up to 15 competitors at a time, to find out which keywords a client does not rank for yet.
Ahrefs also does a Keyword Gap Analysis. Just go to Site Explorer > Enter your URL > Content Gap. Enter up to 10 competitors to analyse.
It shows you all the keywords your competitor ranks for.
Keyword Cannibalisation
Keyword cannibalisation is a situation on your website where multiple pages target the same keyword. It causes them to compete against each other in search engine rankings.
It leads to decreased organic traffic and confuses search engines, as they struggle to determine which page ranks higher for the specific keyword.
To avoid this issue, Aemorph recommends regular audits of your content to identify any instances of keyword cannibalisation.
Also use SEO tools like Screaming Frog or SEMrush to identify website pages competing for the same keyword.
Once identified, consolidate these pages into one comprehensive piece of content and redirect the other pages accordingly.
Part 6:
Keyword Research Tools
When it comes to keyword research, many tools help you find the right keywords for your website. These tools use techniques and strategies to list relevant keywords to target in your content.
Here are some of the best keyword research tools. Here is each free and paid tool to use for your keyword research:
Google Trends
Google Trends is one of the free keyword research tools that shows you the relative search volume of keywords over time. It also provides related queries and rising trends, giving you a better understanding of what people search for.
Google Trends is useful to see if a keyword is growing or declining in popularity. Also use it to compare multiple keywords and see which one is more popular.
Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is one of the free keyword research tools that shows you the average monthly search volume for keywords. It helps you find new keyword ideas and provides search volume data.
To use Google Keyword Planner, you need a Google Ads account.
Answer the Public
Answer the Public is another free keyword research website that shows you the questions people ask about a certain keyword. It is useful to find new content ideas or new keywords to target, allowing you to create content that addresses their queries.
Moz Keyword Explorer
Moz Keyword Explorer is a paid keyword research tool that shows you the monthly search volume, difficulty and opportunity for keywords. It also provides other information like organic click-through rate, priority score, etc. Moz also has a free keyword research tool called MozBar.
Ahrefs Keywords Explorer
It is one of Aemorph's favourite keyword research tools. The Ahrefs Keywords Explorer is a paid keyword research tool that shows you the monthly search volume, difficulty and opportunity for keywords. It also shows additional information like top countries and languages for a particular keyword.
To use Ahrefs Keywords Explorer:
-
Log in to Ahrefs and go to keyword Explorer.
-
Type in the keyword or the keywords you want to check.
-
Choose the target country and hit search. It brings out all the data you want about that particular keyword, such as search volume, KD or Keyword Difficulty, etc.
SEMrush
SEMrush is another paid keyword research tool that provides in-depth keyword data such as monthly search volume, CPC (cost-per-click) and competition level. It also shows you related keywords, phrase match keywords and more.
To use SEMRush:
- Log in to your SEMRush account and go to Keyword Analytics > Overview.
- Type in the keyword you want to check and hit search.
Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is a free keyword research tool with keyword suggestions, search volume data and competition level. It also provides additional information like top page ranking for the keywords, backlinks, etc.
There are a lot of other keyword research tools out there, and the ones listed above are the free ones and some of Aemorph's favourite keyword research tools.
Keyword Research FAQ's
How keyword research is important in SEO?
Keyword research is important in SEO as it helps identify the words and phrases people use to search for information related to products, services or industries. This information is used to optimise a website's content, improve its visibility in SERPs, attract traffic, increase authority and ultimately lead to more conversions and revenue.
What is the best keyword research tool for SEO?
Several effective keyword research tools for SEO include Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, Moz's Keyword Explorer and others. The best tool for a specific situation depends on the user's needs, budget and required features.
How many keywords do I need for SEO?
There is no specific number of keywords to use for SEO. Instead, focus on using relevant keywords that reflect the page's content and the target audience's interests. Quality and relevance matter more than quantity when it comes to keywords.
How many keywords is too much?
Using too many keywords, especially irrelevant or spammy ones, harms the user experience and risks a website penalty from search engines. Focus on using a moderate number of relevant keywords that naturally fit into the content.
How do you solve keyword cannibalisation?
Solve keyword cannibalisation by consolidating content, setting up proper redirects, using canonical tags and clarifying the focus of each page. Make sure that each page targets a unique set of keywords and provides distinct value to users.
How many keywords is it worth tracking?
The number of keywords to track depends on the website's size, goals and available resources. Track the most relevant and high-potential keywords that align with the website's objectives and target audience.
Implementing Keyword Research
Keyword research is a vital part of SEO to find the right keywords that bring you traffic and help you rank higher on the search results page. Optimise your website's content using techniques like keyword gap analysis and avoiding keyword cannibalisation.
Use free tools like Google Keyword Planner to get started with keyword research, but Aemorph recommends paid tools like Ahrefs and Semrush if you have the budget. It is essential to research and find the best tools that suit your needs.
Conduct keyword research regularly to audit and refresh your content or update your keyword and content strategy. Alternatively, leverage an experienced SEO team and drive more organic traffic and conversions to your website hands-off.
See also the guides to tracking keyword rankings and the rank tracking tools review.