Keyword research answers one question: what phrases do people type into search engines when they need what you offer? Get this right and content practically writes itself.
The trap is chasing volume. The winning move is matching intent.
The three types of intent
Every search falls into one of three buckets.
- Informational: the searcher wants an answer (a blog post fits).
- Commercial: they compare options (a comparison guide fits).
- Transactional: they are ready to buy (a product page fits).
Rank content for the intent behind the keyword, not just the keyword. A "best coffee maker" query is commercial — do not answer it with a general coffee article.
The practical process
- Brainstorm topics your customers care about.
- Expand with a keyword tool (free tools work).
- Group keywords by intent.
- Assess difficulty: can you realistically rank for this?
- Prioritize long-tail phrases where intent is clear and competition is low.
The output is a content plan: a list of articles matched to the searches you can win.
Keyword research FAQ
What tools should I use?
Google Keyword Planner and Google autocomplete are free. Paid tools add volume and difficulty data at scale.
How many keywords should I target per page?
One primary keyword plus a few closely related ones. Focused pages rank better than pages that try to cover everything.
