If you’re lookin’ to finally figure out how to do keyword research for SEO without spinning your wheels or drowning in data, this is THE post for you.
I’m gonna walk you through a keyword research process that *actually* makes sense.
As an SEO consultant, I’ve been doing keyword research for YEARS. And honestly? It’s my favorite part of SEO. Not kidding.
Because its one of the ONLY ways to get real marketing data based on what people are ACTUALLY searching for online.
Instagram & TikTok ain’t got shit on that 😜
SEO keyword resarch data connects you to the unlimited potential of what people are typing into Google right now, looking for *exactly* what you offer.
If you’re newer around here: I’m Mariah, an SEO consultant & educator. I help business owners learn SEO with a no-bs approach so they can get found online without hiring an agency or spending years figuring it out on their own.
Let’s get into it…
First; WTF are keywords???
The term “keyword” is a bit misleading because a “keyword” is NOT limited to a single word.
Keywords are words & phrases that people type into search engines to find information on a specific topic.
Any term used in a search via search engines, regardless if it’s a single word or a long phrase, can be considered a keyword.
For example, each one of these options could be considered it’s own keyword
- Flowers
- Floral shop
- Floral shop buffalo ny
- Buffalo flower shop
- Which flowers attract humming birds
Why is SEO Keyword Research Important?
Keyword research is the process of figuring out what words and phrases REAL people type into search engines when they’re looking for something online.
Once you know those phrases, you can start to connect YOUR website pages and blog posts to those phrases, increasing the chances that your brand shows up as the perfect solution when someone searches for them.
That’s the whole idea…
You & your brand/business showing up in search results for the things people are searching for.
Without keyword research, you’re basically creating content and hoping search engines (like Google & AI tools) figure out who to show it to. Sometimes that works. Usually it doesn’t, at least not consistently or strategically.
When you create content from a keyword-first perspective & do keyword research before anything else, every page and blog post you’ll create will actually have a much clearer purpose.
You’ll already know there’s an actual audience searching for it, what they want when they search, annnnnnd you’ll have a much better shot at ranking in search results.
So ya, keywords are pretty important.
Because keywords are essentially the middle man between YOUR content, and search results. Think of keywords like signals that help search engines and AI tools understand what your page is about and who it’s for.
(Getting lost in some of the SEO terms here? Check out this SEO glossary for business owners that breaks down all the basics for you — bookmark it if ya need it.)
Step 1: Start With Brainstorming (No Tools Yet!)
I know you probably wanna jump straight into an SEO keyword research tool (because they’re pretty fun TBH), but hold on. Before you open anything, start with your own brain, because YOU know your business and your audience wayyyyyyy better than any tool does.
For each page or topic you want to rank for, ask yourself:
- What would someone type into Google to find this page?
- How would a client describe the problem this page solves?
- What words would someone use if they didn’t know any of my industry jargon?
- What phrases have clients actually said to me when asking about this?
The key thing here is to be LITERAL.
Like, painfully literal.
People tend to search exactly how they talk, and they talk simply.
If you’re a bookkeeper, someone isn’t searching “financial management solutions for entrepreneurs.” They’re searching “bookkeeper for small business” or “how to find a bookkeeper.”
Keep it literal.
Keep it simple.
And don’t make the keyword or the phrase TOO specific yet. We’re gonna use a keyword research tool to dive deep, but right now, think about the basic terms….
- Bookkeeper buffalo ny
- Bookkeeper software
- Accounting services
- Tax prep services
- Monthly bookkeeping
Write down 3 to 5 rough keyword ideas per page that someone might type in to FIND that page.
These ideas don’t have to be perfect. You’re just warming up your brain and getting a starting point before the tool does its thaaang.
Step 2: Use a Keyword Research Tool to Dig Into Real Data
It’s tool time 🥳
There’s honestly a shit ton of SEO keyword research tool options.
Some are better then others.
Some are more expensive then others.
I have a whole post breaking down my top 5 favorite SEO keyword research tools if you want the full comparison, but here’s the short version:
Free options to start with:
- Google Keyword Planner (you need a Google Ads account, but you don’t actually have to run any ads)
- Semrush’s free plan — limited to 10 searches a day, but genuinely useful for getting started. I also have a full walkthrough on how to use Semrush for free if you want step-by-step help setting it up.
- Ubersuggest’s free plan – limited searches, and not my favorite interface, but it’s an option!
- Google Search (explained in the next section!)
Budget-friendly paid options:
- Keysearch is my favorite for people who want a real tool, with solid data, without the big price tag. Use the code MARIAHMAGAZINE to save after the trial.
- RightBlogger has a keyword research tool built in if you’re already using it for other content stuff. This is a great all-in-one option.
The tool I use most: Semrush. It’s pricier, but the data is really good and the Keyword Magic Tool specifically is one of my favorites. They do have a free plan and a 14-day pro trial, so you can absolutely test it before committing to anything.
How to Actually Use the Tools
Take one of the keyword ideas you brainstormed in Step 1 and type it into whatever tool you’re using. The tool will spit back a list of related keyword ideas along with data about each one.
The 3 main things you’re looking at right now are search volume, keyword difficulty, and related variations. Don’t worry about what any of that means just yet, I’ll break it all down in the next step.
For now, your job is to scan the list and write down any phrases that feel relevant and accurate to your page. You’re looking for different ways people might describe the same thing your page covers.
For example, if you’re doing keyword research for a web design services page, you might type in “web design services” and see results like:
- web design services for small business
- custom web design services
- affordable web design services
- web design services near me
- web design for eCommerce
- responsive web design services
Some of those will fit your business. Some won’t (like if you don’t do eCommerce sites, skip that one).
Just collect the ones that make sense and move on.
Need help deciding which tool is best for you?
Sometimes it’s easier to see it than read about it. Here are a few quick tutorials to help you get a feel for each one.
Ubersuggest: Straightforward & beginner-friendly
If you want something straightforward and beginner-friendly to get started, try Ubersuggest.
Keysearch: Budget-friendly & in-depth data
If you want solid data without the high price tag, Keysearch is my go-to recommendation:
Semrush: My personal favorite
If you want powerful data (and don’t mind a bit of a learning curve), Semrush is the one I use most:
Step 3: Use Google Itself for Free Keyword Research
Don’t have the budget for a tool right now? Doing a straight up Google search is actually a solid keyword research resource if you know what to look for.
The catch is that Google won’t show you search volume or difficulty numbers the way a tool would, so you’re using it more for discovery than data, but sometimes that’s good enough!
Google Autocomplete
Start typing your keyword into the Google search bar and pay attention to what pops up in the dropdown. A lot of people think those suggestions are based on their personal search history.
They’re not.
Those are based on popular searches across all users, which makes them super useful for understanding how people actually phrase things.
Write down any suggestions that feel relevant to your page.
People Also Ask
Search your keyword and look for the “People Also Ask” section partway down the results page. This shows you the questions people commonly search around your topic.
Heads up: sometimes these are super helpful. Sometimes they’re completely useless for your specific page LOL.
Ignore the ones that don’t apply, but keep an eye out for questions that could turn into helpful blog posts or FAQs down the road.
Related Searches
Scroll all the way to the bottom of the search results page and look for “Related Searches.” These are more keyword variations that Google surfaces based on common search patterns.
Same deal; some will be useful, some won’t. Grab the ones that fit.
Even without numbers attached, this whole Google process is a great way to really understand how people search, which (if you haven’t noticed) is very, very literally.
Step 4: Evaluate Your Keywords
Okay, so now you’ve got a list of keyword ideas. Before you just pick one and run with it, you need to evaluate whether it’s actually a good fit for your page. This is the part that makes the difference between keywords that bring in real traffic and keywords that don’t do a damn thing.
Here are the 3 things that tend to matter most…
Search Volume
Search volume is how many people search that exact phrase per month. Higher volume sounds better, but it’s not the whole picture. A keyword with 100 searches per month from people who are ready to hire you is worth more than a keyword with 10,000 searches per month from people who are just browsing.
As a general rule, you usually want to see some search volume (not zero), but you don’t need to chase the biggest numbers, especially when you’re starting out.
Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty (sometimes called KD%) is a score that estimates how hard it would be to rank for that keyword based on how competitive it already is. Most tools show this as a number from 0 to 100.
0 = easy to rank for
100 = harder to rank for
For newer websites or sites that are still building authority, you generally want to target lower difficulty keywords. Going after a keyword with a 90 difficulty score when your site is brand new is like showing up to a race you have no chance of winning right now.
Not that you’ll *never* show up for it, but it might take a LOT of time & money.
Start with lower competition keywords if you can, get some wins, build trust with Google, and go bigger over time.
Search Intent
This one is arguably the most important factor, and it’s also the one most people skip.
Search intent is what the person actually wants when they type in a keyword.
- Are they looking to buy something?
- Learn something?
- Find a specific website?
- Compare options?
If someone searches “what is keyword research,” they want an explanation. They’re learning. That’s called informational intent; a great fit for a blog post, but definitely not the right keyword for your services page.
If someone searches “SEO services” they’re closer to making a decision. That’s commercial or transactional intent, which is a much better fit for a services or sales page.
You can check search intent really quickly by just Googling the keyword and looking at what shows up.
👉 If the results are mostly blog posts and articles, it’s informational.
👉 If the results are mostly product pages, service pages, or local businesses, you’re looking at a more commercial keyword.
Some keywords can have numerous intents.
But we just wanna make sure the MAIN intent behind your keyword matches the type of page you’re trying to rank.
(Note: Some SEO keyword research tools like Semrush show you this information while you’re researching, which can be helpful!)
Step 5: Keep Track of Keywords for Other Pages Too
This is something that happens to literally everyone when they start doing keyword research: you find a TON of keywords that don’t fit the page you’re currently working on, but they seem really good for something else…
Don’t ignore them.
When you’re doing research for your services page, you might stumble across keywords that would be perfect for a blog post, a new offer page, or something you haven’t built yet.
That’s the thing about keyword research; it’s a BIG OLE’ RABBIT HOLE.
It’ll start to show you where all the opportunities are across your whole site, not just the one page you’re focused on.
My suggestion?
Keep a running list somewhere organized.
If you want a system that’s actually built for this, my SEO Keyword Planner is a simple-to-use spreadsheet that helps you collect, sort, and map keywords to the right pages without losing your mind or your notes.
It’s what I use to keep everything in one place instead of scattered across random-ass docs and sticky notes.
Or you can whip up your own spreadsheet, notion board, or doc. Whatever works for your brain!
Step 6: End Up With a Keyword List Per Page
By the time you’re done with the steps above, you should have something like 3 to 10 keyword ideas per page you’re researching. Maybe a few more, maybe a few less.
It doesn’t really matter *how many* you have, it’s about QUALITY over quantity. For now, having a solid list of possibilities is the win.
AND your page/post can always show up for MORE keywords then you expect (because there’s usually infinite ways of phrasing and rewording the same thing).
The Part of Keyword Research That Makes Everything Make Sense
You’ve now got a list of keyword ideas. You’ve used a tool. You’ve seen the data.
So now you might be thinking:
“Okay cool, but how the hell do I pick the right one??”
Here’s the rule I want you to remember…
Good keyword research = balancing popularity, difficulty, and relevance.
Not just one of those. All 3 of them.
Yes, it can feel like a lot to juggle, but here’s why…
You pick a keyword with high search volume because it looks exciting, but it has nothing to do with your actual offer?
Congrats, you’ve just optimized a page that won’t convert.
OR
You pick something super relevant, like exactly what you do, but the difficulty is through the roof and every result is a massive, authoritative site?
You’re not getting on page one anytime soon.
ORRR
You find a low-difficulty keyword and think you’ve hit the jackpot, but no one is actually searching for it?
Love that for you.
Truly. But also, no traffic sucks.
This is why we don’t chase one metric.
We’re looking for alignment between all 3. A keyword that:
- Makes sense for your page
- Is realistic for you to rank for
- And has actual search demand behind it
That’s the sweet spot.
AND ALSO, try not to overthink it…
Pick the keyword that makes sense.
KNOW that your page can show up for numerous keywords, just by targeting one.
Build a page that clearly answers it.
And move on.
Once you start getting some data & gaining traction, you can ALWAYS come back into this page/post and update, change or reevaluate the keywords.
But right now? We gotta make a decision, and go with it.
After optimizing for the new keyword, you’ll wanna keep an eye on it from Google Search Console to see how it’s doing. If you don’t have that set up yet or feel you need a refresher, head to my Google Search Console Setup: How to Get Started post next and keep this momentum going.
FAQ: SEO Keyword Research for Business Owners
Does my website platform matter for keyword research?
Nope. Whether you’re on Squarespace, WordPress, Showit, Wix, or anything else, the keyword research process is the same. Platform is irrelevant here.
How many keywords should I target per page?
One primary keyword per page, plus a handful of supporting, related phrases. You’re not stuffing as many keywords as possible onto a page — that actually hurts you. You’re optimizing around one clear topic with supporting context woven in naturally.
What if I can’t find keywords with high search volume in my niche?
This is really common, especially in smaller or more specific industries. Lower volume doesn’t mean a keyword is bad. Remember that a keyword that gets 50 searches a month from highly qualified, ready-to-buy people can be way more valuable than a keyword with 5,000 searches from people who have no interest in hiring you.
Focus on relevance and intent, not just numbers.
AND you might not be considering ALL the keyword options (that would be impossible), so I’d say, choose a literal keyword that describes the topic, and go for it.
If you set up Google Search Console (mentioned above), you’ll be able to see what other related words & phrases search engines start to associate with this page.
Do I have to pay for a keyword research tool?
Not at first. Google Autocomplete, People Also Ask, and Related Searches can get you started without spending anything. If you want real search volume and difficulty data, a tool is helpful, but you can absolutely start for free with free plans, and free trials, and upgrade later.
Ready to Go Deeper on Choosing the Right Keyword?
Gathering keyword ideas is one thing. Choosing the perfect keyword for each page (one that’s the right difficulty, the right intent, and actually has a shot at ranking for your specific site) is a whole other skill.
If you want me to walk you through that in real time, with examples, I cover exactly that in the Perfect SEO Keyword Workshop. You’ll learn my exact process for evaluating and choosing keywords, the most common mistakes I see people make (and why they tank results), and what actually makes a keyword worth going after.
It’s pay-what-you-want, which means you genuinely just choose what feels right. No pressure, no gimmicks. Grab the replay whenever you’re ready.
