How to Find SEO Keywords
Finding the right SEO keywords is one of the most important steps in crafting an effective digital marketing strategy. These keywords are the foundation for helping your website appear in search engine results, and ultimately, drive organic traffic to your site. But how do you find the best keywords for your business? It’s not just about guessing what people are searching for—it requires a combination of research, tools, and strategy.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of finding SEO keywords that are relevant to your audience and can help you rank higher on search engines like Google.
Start with Brainstorming
Before diving into the tools and data, take a step back and think about your business and audience. What are the most important topics related to your products or services? What problems are your customers trying to solve?
How to Brainstorm Keywords:
- Think like your audience: If you were searching for your own product or service, what would you type into Google? Start with basic terms and work your way to more specific phrases.
- List out your main topics: These might be the categories or services you offer. For example, if you run a fitness studio, topics might include “yoga classes,” “personal training,” or “home workout plans.”
By brainstorming a list of topics and related terms, you’ll create a strong foundation for your keyword research.
Use Keyword Research Tools
Once you’ve brainstormed some ideas, the next step is to use keyword research tools to get data on search volumes, trends, and competition. These tools can help you discover how often people search for specific terms and suggest related keywords that you may not have thought of.
Top Keyword Research Tools:
- Google Keyword Planner: A free tool provided by Google Ads. It’s great for getting an overview of search volumes and trends for different keywords.
- SEMrush: This tool provides detailed insights into keyword difficulty, search volumes, and competitive analysis. You can also see which keywords your competitors are ranking for.
- Ahrefs: Another popular tool that offers keyword suggestions, search volumes, and ranking data, along with insights into backlinks.
- Ubersuggest: A beginner-friendly tool that generates keyword ideas based on your input and gives you key data on search volume and competition.
How to Use These Tools:
- Enter your brainstormed keywords into the tool.
- Look at the search volume (how many times people search for that term each month) and keyword difficulty (how hard it will be to rank for that keyword).
- Pay attention to the suggested keywords, as they often provide valuable long-tail keyword ideas you may not have considered.
Focus on Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are phrases that are longer and more specific than general keywords. While they may have lower search volumes, they are often less competitive and attract more targeted traffic. For example, instead of targeting the highly competitive keyword “shoes,” you might focus on “best running shoes for beginners.”
Why Long-Tail Keywords Matter:
- More specific intent: People using long-tail keywords are often closer to making a purchase or taking action because their search is more precise.
- Less competition: It’s easier to rank for long-tail keywords because fewer businesses are targeting them, compared to broad, short-tail keywords.
- Higher conversion potential: Visitors who find your site through specific searches are more likely to be interested in what you’re offering, leading to higher conversion rates.
To find long-tail keywords, use tools like AnswerThePublic (which shows you questions people are asking related to your keywords) or explore the “related searches” section at the bottom of Google search results.
Understand Keyword Intent
Not all keywords are created equal, and understanding the intent behind a search is crucial. Keyword intent refers to what the user is looking to achieve with their search—whether they want to find information, make a purchase, or compare products.
Types of Keyword Intent:
- Informational: The user is looking for answers or knowledge (e.g., “how to fix a leaky tap”).
- Navigational: The user is searching for a specific website or brand (e.g., “Facebook login”).
- Transactional: The user is ready to make a purchase (e.g., “buy eco-friendly coffee mugs”).
- Commercial Investigation: The user is researching before making a purchase (e.g., “best laptops for students”).
By identifying the intent behind the keywords, you can create content that matches what your audience is looking for, whether it’s educational blog posts, product pages, or buying guides.
Analyse Your Competitors
Your competitors can offer a wealth of information when it comes to finding valuable SEO keywords. By analysing the keywords they are ranking for, you can discover opportunities and gaps in your own keyword strategy.
How to Analyse Competitors’ Keywords:
- Use SEO tools: Tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz allow you to enter your competitor’s website and see which keywords they rank for, how much traffic they receive, and where you might be able to compete.
- Check their content: Look at your competitor’s blog posts, product pages, and meta descriptions. Which keywords do they focus on, and how can you improve upon their strategy?
- Identify gaps: Look for keywords where your competitors are underperforming or haven’t optimised their content. These gaps can be opportunities for you to outrank them with better, more targeted content.
Use Google’s “People Also Ask” and “Related Searches”
Google provides a wealth of keyword ideas directly within its search results. As you search for your target keywords, look out for the “People Also Ask” section, which contains questions related to the keyword you entered. These are excellent sources for long-tail keyword ideas and content inspiration.
How to Use “People Also Ask” and “Related Searches”:
- Search for your primary keyword on Google.
- Scroll through the results and look at the “People Also Ask” section for questions related to your keyword. These can be turned into blog post titles or FAQs.
- At the bottom of the page, explore the “Related Searches” section for additional keyword ideas.
Both of these features offer valuable insight into what people are actively searching for, giving you the chance to tailor your content to match those queries.
Prioritise Keywords with Low Competition and High Relevance
Once you’ve gathered a list of potential keywords, it’s time to prioritise them. Not all keywords are worth targeting, and it’s important to focus on those that provide the best balance between search volume, competition, and relevance to your business.
How to Prioritise Keywords:
- Relevance: The keyword must be highly relevant to your business and content. It should align with what your target audience is searching for.
- Search Volume: While long-tail keywords tend to have lower search volumes, you still want to ensure there’s enough interest to justify targeting them.
- Keyword Difficulty: This refers to how hard it will be to rank for a particular keyword. Focus on keywords that have a lower difficulty score, as they will be easier to rank for, especially if your website is new or not highly authoritative yet.
Balancing these factors will help you identify the most valuable keywords that have a realistic chance of driving traffic to your site.
Organise Your Keywords by Topic
After you’ve done your research and compiled your keywords, it’s helpful to organise them into categories or themes. This will make it easier to structure your content and ensure that your website is covering all relevant areas.
How to Organise Your Keywords:
- Group by topic: Cluster keywords that relate to the same topic or service. For example, if you’re running a fitness website, you might have a group of keywords related to “yoga classes” and another group related to “personal training.”
- Map keywords to content: Assign each keyword (or group of keywords) to a specific piece of content. This ensures that each keyword is being addressed and optimised on the right page.
Having an organised keyword list will also help you plan future content and ensure that your website covers a wide range of relevant search terms.
Conclusion
Finding the right SEO keywords is a vital part of building a successful digital marketing strategy. By understanding your audience, using the right tools, and focusing on long-tail keywords and search intent, you can attract more relevant traffic to your site and improve your search engine rankings.
Remember, SEO isn’t a one-off task. It requires ongoing monitoring and optimisation to stay competitive in search engine results. With a thoughtful keyword strategy in place, you’ll be well on your way to growing your online presence and reaching your target audience more effectively.
FAQs
It’s a good idea to revisit your keyword strategy regularly, at least every few months, or when there are significant changes in your industry or audience behaviour.
It’s best to avoid targeting the exact same keyword on multiple pages, as this can lead to keyword cannibalisation, where your pages compete against each other in search results.
Short-tail keywords are broad, general terms (e.g., “running shoes”), while long-tail keywords are more specific phrases (e.g., “best running shoes for marathon training”).
Focus on one primary keyword per page, along with a few related keywords to support the main topic. Ensure your content remains natural and valuable to readers.
While paid tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs offer more detailed insights, you can still find valuable keyword data using free tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or Google Trends.
