Keyword research guide

Keyword research is the cornerstone of any successful SEO strategy. It's the process of identifying the words and phrases your target audience uses to find information, products, or services online. By understanding and targeting these terms, you can create content that not only answers user queries but also drives relevant, high-quality traffic to your website.
The journey begins with brainstorming. Put yourself in your customers' shoes. What problems are they trying to solve? What questions do they have? Start with a few "seed keywords" that broadly define your business or niche. For example, if you sell home decor, your seed keywords might be "interior design," "home staging," or "living room decor." Don't worry about being too specific at this stage.
Once you have your initial list, it's time to expand. This is where keyword research tools come in. Free tools like Google Keyword Planner or paid services like Ahrefs and Semrush can take your seed keywords and generate hundreds, even thousands, of related terms. These tools also provide critical data like search volume (how many people search for the keyword each month) and keyword difficulty (how hard it is to rank for that term). You can also look at "People Also Ask" and "Related Searches" on Google for more ideas.
The most crucial step is to analyze search intent. A keyword's intent reveals the user's goal. Are they looking for information ("how to paint a room"), comparing options ("best interior paint brands"), or ready to buy ("buy Benjamin Moore paint online")? Matching your content to the user's intent is key to ranking well and satisfying your audience. For example, an informational query is best suited for a blog post or guide, while a transactional query is perfect for a product or e-commerce page.
Finally, prioritize your keywords based on a combination of search volume, difficulty, and relevance to your business goals. Start by targeting "long-tail keywords"—longer, more specific phrases with lower search volume but often higher conversion rates. As your site's authority grows, you can gradually move on to more competitive, high-volume keywords.