Every piece of content that ranks on Google started with keyword research. It’s the process of finding out what your audience actually searches for — and creating content that matches those searches.
Here’s how to do it, step by step.
What Is Keyword Research?
Keyword research is the process of discovering search terms (keywords) that people type into Google, assessing whether they’re worth targeting, and then creating content to rank for them.
The goal isn’t to find the keyword with the most searches. It’s to find keywords where:
- People are actively searching (there’s demand)
- You can realistically rank (competition isn’t too high)
- The searcher’s intent matches your content (they want what you’re offering)
Step 1: Generate Keyword Ideas
Method 1: Google Autocomplete (Free)
Type the beginning of a search query and see what Google suggests:
| You Type | Google Suggests |
|---|---|
| “best video editor” | best video editor for youtube, best video editor free, best video editor for beginners |
| “how to start a” | how to start a podcast, how to start a blog, how to start a youtube channel |
| “canva vs” | canva vs figma, canva vs photoshop, canva vs adobe express |
Pro tip: Use the alphabet method. Type “best video editor a,” “best video editor b,” “best video editor c” — each letter surfaces different suggestions.
Method 2: People Also Ask (Free)
Search any keyword on Google and expand the “People Also Ask” box. Each question reveals related searches with real volume.
These questions become FAQ sections for your articles or standalone article topics.
Method 3: Google Search Console (Free)
If you already have a website, Search Console shows you every query people used to find your site — including searches where you appeared but didn’t get clicked.
How to use it:
- Go to Search Console → Performance
- Sort by Impressions (high to low)
- Find keywords where your impressions are high but clicks are low
- These are keywords where you’re visible but not ranking well enough — optimize for them
Method 4: AnswerThePublic (Free, Limited)
Enter a topic and AnswerThePublic generates hundreds of questions, prepositions, and comparisons people search for:
| Category | Example Output |
|---|---|
| Questions | how to, what is, why does, when should |
| Comparisons | vs, or, and, like |
| Prepositions | for, with, without, near |
| Alphabetical | [topic] + a, b, c, d… |
Method 5: Paid Keyword Research Tools
| Tool | Starting Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs | $99/month | Comprehensive keyword data + competitor analysis |
| Semrush | $129.95/month | All-in-one SEO + marketing platform |
| Ubersuggest | $29/month | Budget-friendly keyword research |
| Mangools (KWFinder) | $29/month | Easiest interface for beginners |
| LowFruits | $25/month | Finding low-competition keywords specifically |
Recommendation for beginners: Start with free tools. Move to Ubersuggest or Mangools when you’re ready to invest. Ahrefs/Semrush when SEO is a primary growth channel.
Step 2: Evaluate Keywords
Not every keyword is worth targeting. Evaluate each one on three criteria:
Search Volume
How many times per month people search for this keyword.
| Volume | Category | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| 0-100 | Very low | Worth targeting only if highly specific and high-converting |
| 100-500 | Low | Great for new sites — easier to rank, still meaningful traffic |
| 500-2,000 | Medium | Sweet spot for most creators — enough traffic, manageable competition |
| 2,000-10,000 | High | Competitive — need a solid, comprehensive article |
| 10,000+ | Very high | Usually dominated by major sites — target as a long-term goal |
Keyword Difficulty
How hard it is to rank on page 1 for this keyword.
| Difficulty Score | Meaning | Can You Rank? |
|---|---|---|
| 0-20 | Very easy | New sites can rank within weeks |
| 20-40 | Easy | New sites with decent content can rank in 1-3 months |
| 40-60 | Medium | Need quality content + some backlinks |
| 60-80 | Hard | Need excellent content, backlinks, and domain authority |
| 80-100 | Very hard | Dominated by major publications — avoid for new sites |
Beginner strategy: Target keywords with difficulty under 30 and volume over 100. These are low-hanging fruit.
Search Intent
The most important factor. What does the searcher actually want?
| Intent Type | Example Keywords | What They Want |
|---|---|---|
| Informational | “how to edit videos,” “what is SEO” | Learn something |
| Commercial | “best video editing tools,” “canva review” | Compare options before buying |
| Transactional | “canva pro pricing,” “buy final cut pro” | Ready to purchase |
| Navigational | “canva login,” “youtube studio” | Find a specific site |
Prioritize commercial intent keywords. These visitors are actively looking for solutions — they’re closer to converting than informational searchers.
Step 3: Build Topic Clusters
Instead of targeting isolated keywords, build clusters of related content around core topics.
Cluster Structure
Pillar Page (broad topic, high competition)
├── Supporting Article 1 (specific subtopic)
├── Supporting Article 2 (specific subtopic)
├── Supporting Article 3 (specific subtopic)
├── Supporting Article 4 (comparison)
└── Supporting Article 5 (how-to)
Example Cluster: Video Editing
| Type | Keyword | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Pillar | best video editing software | 8,000 |
| Support | best free video editors | 3,000 |
| Support | how to edit videos for youtube | 1,500 |
| Support | davinci resolve vs premiere pro | 800 |
| Support | best video editors for beginners | 600 |
| Support | how to add subtitles to videos | 400 |
The pillar page links to all supporting articles. Each supporting article links back to the pillar and to related articles. This internal linking tells Google: “This site comprehensively covers video editing.”
Step 4: Prioritize Your Keyword List
Once you have 50-100 keyword ideas, prioritize them:
The Prioritization Matrix
| Priority | Volume | Difficulty | Intent | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 200+ | Under 30 | Commercial | Write immediately |
| Medium | 100+ | 30-50 | Commercial or informational | Write within 1-2 months |
| Low | Any | Over 50 | Any | Save for later when domain authority grows |
| Skip | Under 50 | Over 30 | Navigational | Don’t bother |
Organize in a Spreadsheet
Create a keyword tracking spreadsheet with these columns:
| Column | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Keyword | The search term |
| Volume | Monthly searches |
| Difficulty | Competition score |
| Intent | Info / Commercial / Transaction |
| Cluster | Which topic cluster it belongs to |
| Priority | High / Medium / Low |
| Status | Not started / In progress / Published |
| URL | Link to published article |
Step 5: Create Content That Ranks
Once you’ve chosen your keywords, create content that answers the search intent better than what already ranks.
The Skyscraper Method
- Search your target keyword on Google
- Analyze the top 3-5 results
- Note what they cover, what format they use, and what they miss
- Create content that covers everything they cover PLUS fills the gaps
- Make it more current, more comprehensive, and better formatted
Content Benchmarks
| Keyword Type | Content Format | Typical Length |
|---|---|---|
| “How to [X]” | Step-by-step guide | 1,500-3,000 words |
| “Best [X]” | Comparison/listicle | 2,000-4,000 words |
| “[X] vs [Y]” | Side-by-side comparison | 1,500-2,500 words |
| “What is [X]” | Definition + explanation | 1,000-2,000 words |
| “[X] review” | In-depth review | 1,500-2,500 words |
What to Read Next
- How to Optimize Blog Posts for SEO — apply your keywords to actual content
- Best Backlink Checker Tools — analyze the competition’s link profiles
- Google Analytics Guide for Creators — track your keyword rankings and traffic
