How to Find the Right Keyword in 5 Steps

Preparing quality content alone is not enough to gain visibility in search engines. The content has to answer the topics users actually search for and the phrases they actually use. That is why choosing the right keyword sits at the foundation of successful SEO work.

When doing keyword research, it is not right to simply list the phrases with the highest search volume. The user’s search intent, the keyword’s level of competition, its relationship to the business’s products or services and its conversion potential must be evaluated together.

For example, the word “shoes” can be searched a lot. But it is unclear whether users want women’s shoes, men’s shoes, sneakers or shoe repair. By contrast, “women’s black leather boots buy” may be searched less but can represent a user with much stronger purchase intent.

This guide explains how to find the right keyword in 5 steps: setting a goal, building a keyword pool, analyzing search intent, comparing data and mapping keywords to pages.

What Is a Keyword?

A keyword is the word or group of words users type into search engines to find information about a product, service or topic.

A keyword does not have to be a single word. Examples:

SEO
Web design
SEO consulting
Web design company in Ankara
How to set up an e-commerce site
Instagram ad prices
Corporate SEO consulting quote

Each of these phrases represents a different user need and search intent. To learn how SEO works in general, see what does SEO mean.

What Is Keyword Research?

Keyword research is the process of working out which queries users make, how often they are searched and which content can meet them.

It can be done for purposes such as:

Choosing blog topics
Creating service pages
Planning product categories
Improving e-commerce product descriptions
Preparing a Google Ads campaign
Building content clusters
Discovering topics that bring competitors traffic
Reaching local searches
Understanding users’ problems
Finding queries with strong purchase intent

Why Is the Right Keyword Important?

A wrong keyword choice can mean no sales or customer inquiries even when traffic is high.

For example, if a company offering corporate web design focuses only on “website”, it may reach a very broad and vague audience. Phrases like “corporate web design company” or “get a company website built” can represent users closer to buying the service.

Choosing the right keyword can bring these benefits:

Winning qualified organic traffic
Answering users’ search intent
Showing the right pages for the right queries
Using the content budget more efficiently
Increasing conversion potential
Building topic authority over time

What Types of Keywords Are There?

Keywords can be divided into groups by length, intent, location and relationship to a brand.

Short-tail keywords are broad queries, usually one or two words (SEO, hosting, shoes). They have high volume and high competition, and their intent is often unclear.
Long-tail keywords are more detailed queries expressing a specific need (“corporate web design company in Ankara”, “SEO consulting for small businesses”). Their volume is lower, but competition is lower and conversion potential is higher.
Branded keywords are queries in which the user searches directly for a company, product or brand name (Soft Ajans, “brand name contact”, “brand name reviews”).
Non-branded keywords are general product and service queries without a brand name (SEO agency, web design company, Instagram ad consulting).
Local keywords relate to a specific city, district or region (web design Ankara, “digital marketing agency near me”). Local keywords matter for businesses that serve a defined area.

The 5 Steps to Finding the Right Keyword

Right keyword research can be carried out in these five core stages:

Step	Work to do	Main purpose
Step one	Define goals and target audience	Understand whose need will be answered
Step two	Collect keyword ideas	Build a broad keyword pool
Step three	Analyze search intent	Determine what the user wants to do
Step four	Review volume and competition data	Choose achievable opportunities
Step five	Map keywords to pages	Match the right query with the right content

Step One: Define Your Goal and Target Audience

Before using keyword tools, you must define what the business offers and who it wants to reach.

At this stage these questions should be answered:

Which products or services are offered?
Which product or service is the most profitable?
Which customer group do you want to reach?
In which cities or countries does the business operate?
What are users’ core problems?
Which features do customers care about?
What affects the buying decision?
Is the aim of the SEO work traffic, sales or applications?
Which pages’ visibility do you want to increase?

Define the customer profile. Keywords should be chosen from the language customers use when searching, not from the phrases the business uses. For example, a software company may describe its service as “corporate digital infrastructure”, while customers may search for “ready-made e-commerce software”.

Define the business goal. Before keyword research, the main goal must be defined clearly: increasing blog traffic, getting corporate service requests, raising e-commerce sales or winning local customers. The goal shapes which keyword types come first.

Step Two: Build a Keyword Pool

Once the goal and audience are defined, all keyword ideas that could relate to the business should be collected. At the first stage, a broad list can be prepared without thinking about volume or competition.

List core products and services. Write down every main product and service the business offers (for a digital agency: SEO, SEO consulting, web design, social media management, Google Ads management).
Use customer questions. Questions customers ask the sales team, the support team or social media accounts give valuable keyword ideas (“How long does SEO take?”, “How much does a website cost?”).
Check Google’s search suggestions. When a keyword is typed into the Google search box, queries users often make can appear as suggestions. Related searches and “People also ask” boxes add more.
Use Keyword Planner. Google Ads Keyword Planner can find new keyword ideas for a product or service, with average monthly searches, a three-month trend, competition and estimated cost per click.
Review Google Search Console data. If you already have a website, one of the most valuable keyword sources is Google Search Console: the queries that gave the site impressions and clicks, average positions and click-through rates.
Analyze competitor sites. Looking at which pages competitors get traffic from and which keywords they target helps discover new opportunities.
Use Google Trends. Google Trends helps compare changes in interest over time: finding seasonal searches, comparing two similar keywords and following rising topics.

Step Three: Analyze the Search Intent of the Keyword

Search intent expresses why a user makes a query. When choosing keywords, look not only at volume but also at the purpose behind the query. Search intent generally falls into four groups:

Informational: The user wants to learn about a topic (“What is SEO?”, “How do you place an Instagram ad?”, “What is talent management?”). Blog guides and explainer content fit these queries.
Commercial investigation: The user is researching options before buying a product or service (“best SEO tools”, “what to look for when choosing an SEO agency”, “WordPress SEO plugins”). Comparison and guide content fits.
Transactional: The user is close to an action such as buying, applying or getting in touch (“get SEO consulting”, “web design quote”, “buy an e-commerce package”). Service and product pages fit.
Navigational or brand: The user wants to reach a specific website, company or platform (“Soft Ajans”, “Google Analytics login”, “brand name contact”).

Search query	Search intent	Suitable content type
What is SEO?	Informational	Blog guide
Best SEO tools	Commercial investigation	Comparison article
SEO consulting prices	Commercial / transactional	Service page
Soft Ajans contact	Navigational	Contact page

Review the Google results page. One of the most effective ways to understand a keyword’s search intent is to look at which content types rank on the results page. If the results are mostly blog posts, the intent is informational; if they are mostly product or service pages, the intent is transactional.

Step Four: Compare Search Volume, Competition and Conversion Potential

Once the keyword pool and search intents are defined, keywords should be compared on data. The core criteria to evaluate are search volume, competition level, SEO difficulty, commercial value, conversion potential, seasonality, relevance to the business, current site authority and your capacity to produce content.

Search volume shows roughly how many times a keyword is searched in a given period. High volume can mean more traffic potential, but high-volume keywords are generally more competitive and vaguer.
Evaluating SEO competition. To understand a keyword’s competition level, look at the first-page results: the authority of the ranking domains, the scope and quality of their content and how well the pages match the intent.
Do not confuse Google Ads competition with SEO difficulty. The competition value in Google Ads Keyword Planner expresses advertisers’ interest in the keyword. It does not directly show organic SEO competition.
Check commercial value. If a keyword’s estimated cost per click is high, advertisers probably see the query as commercially valuable. But a high CPC alone does not guarantee conversions.
Measure relevance to the business. A keyword having high volume does not mean it suits the business. For each keyword ask: can we really help the user making this query? Do we have a suitable product, service or content?
Build a keyword scoring table. Keywords can be scored on set criteria (volume, competition, commercial value, relevance) to produce a priority order.

Step Five: Group Keywords and Map Them to Pages

Once the right keywords are found, it is not right to open a separate page for every keyword. Keywords that carry the same user intent should be merged into topic groups. This process can be called keyword clustering.

Merge keywords with the same search intent. For example, “SEO consulting”, “professional SEO consulting”, “corporate SEO consulting”, “SEO consulting service” and “SEO consultant company” carry a similar service intent and can be targeted on one page.
Map keywords to pages. Create a table: keyword group, main keyword and page type (about SEO → “what is SEO?” → blog guide; SEO service → “SEO consulting” → service page; SEO price research → comparison or pricing page).
Define primary and secondary keywords. Each page should have one core topic. The primary keyword states the page’s main goal, while secondary keywords are closely related queries that support the main topic.
Avoid keyword cannibalization. Keyword cannibalization is when more than one page on a website competes for the same or very similar queries (for example /seo-consulting/ and /professional-seo-consulting/). Use one strong page for one intent.

How Do You Build a Content Map?

After keywords are grouped, a content map can be prepared. A sample topic cluster:

Home page: digital marketing
Main service page: SEO consulting
Sub-service pages: technical SEO, e-commerce SEO, local SEO, off-page SEO
Supporting blog content: what is SEO, how to do an SEO analysis, what is a backlink, what is a canonical URL, what is an H1 tag, how to write an SEO-friendly article

This structure helps search engines understand the site’s topic coverage and lets users move from information to the service.

How Should Keywords Be Used in Content?

Keywords should be used naturally and in a way that benefits the user. Places where a keyword can appear include the meta title, meta description, H1, H2 and H3 headings, the first paragraph, the body, the URL, image file names and alt text, internal link texts and the FAQ.

But repeating the same word constantly in every place is not right. Use synonyms, close variants and topic-related phrases. For SEO content methods, see how to write an SEO-friendly article.

What Should the Keyword Density Be?

There is no fixed keyword density ratio valid for all content. Making artificial repetitions to push a keyword to a certain percentage lowers content quality.

Wrong usage:

Those who want to get SEO consulting can compare SEO consulting prices among SEO consulting firms and get SEO consulting service.

Natural usage:

Professional SEO consulting covers developing the technical infrastructure, content and link profile together. When choosing a service, the scope of work and the reporting method should be evaluated.

The keyword should stay within the natural flow of the content’s main topic.

Tools You Can Use for Keyword Research

Tool	Main purpose
Google Keyword Planner	Search volume and keyword ideas
Google Search Console	The site’s real query data
Google Trends	Time- and region-based trends
Google search suggestions	Similar queries users make
Semrush	Competitor, keyword and backlink analysis
Screaming Frog	Page titles and technical structure
Google Analytics	Organic traffic and conversion analysis

For other tools you can use in SEO work, see the best SEO tools article.

How Do You Do Free Keyword Research?

A basic keyword research can be done without paid tools. Methods you can apply:

Review Google search suggestions
Check the related searches area
Look at “People also ask”
Use Google Trends
Review Search Console data
Analyze competitors’ titles
Research forum and social media questions
Use YouTube search suggestions
Review customer messages

For other marketing tools you can use for free, see free digital marketing tools.

How Do You Find Keywords for E-Commerce Sites?

E-commerce keywords can be classified by product, category, brand, feature and user intent. For a sample shoe store:

Main category keywords: women’s shoes, men’s shoes, kids’ shoes
Subcategory keywords: women’s sneakers, men’s classic shoes, kids’ boot models
Product feature keywords: black leather women’s boots, white-sole men’s sneakers, waterproof kids’ boots
Purchase keywords: buy women’s boots, affordable men’s shoes, discounted sneakers, free shipping women’s shoes

On e-commerce sites, the same product repeating across different filter and category pages needs to be managed carefully.

How Do You Find Keywords for Blog Topics?

Blog content mostly targets queries with informational and commercial investigation intent. Patterns that can be used to generate headings:

What is X?
How is X done?
What is X used for?
The difference between X and Y
Best X tools
What to look for when choosing X
How much does X cost?
How do you fix the X error?
Tips for X
A beginner’s guide to X

Blog content should be built not on temporary searches but on topics that stay lasting and up to date.

Keyword Choice for B2B Companies

In B2B businesses, even when search volume is low, the commercial value of a single customer can be high. So going only for high-volume keywords is not right.

B2B keyword examples: enterprise software solutions, B2B e-commerce software, automation systems for factories, corporate SEO consulting, wholesale product supplier, digital marketing agency for businesses.

The B2B buying process can be longer. Informational content, comparisons, technical documents and success stories should be used together.

Keyword Choice for Local Businesses

Local businesses can combine their main service keywords with city, district and neighborhood phrases, for example “web design company in Ankara” or “SEO consultant near me”.

When choosing local keywords, the areas you actually serve should be targeted. Pages that are copies of each other and of low quality should not be created for every city.

Mistakes in Keyword Research

Focusing only on high search volume: High volume does not always mean high sales. Evaluate search intent and conversion potential together.
Ignoring the user’s language: The technical phrases a business uses and the words customers use can differ. Prepare content in the customer’s language.
Opening a separate page for every keyword: Keywords with the same search intent can be targeted on one comprehensive page. Unnecessary pages can cause keyword cannibalization.
Mistaking Google Ads competition for SEO difficulty: The competition value in Keyword Planner does not directly show organic ranking difficulty.
Not examining search intent: Targeting an informational query with a sales page or a transactional keyword with a shallow blog post lowers performance.
Starting with very general keywords: New sites that focus on the broadest and most competitive keywords can go a long time without results.
Treating low-volume keywords as worthless: Long-tail and transactional queries can convert better despite being searched less.
Not checking existing pages: Before preparing new content, check whether an existing page already targets the same topic.
Repeating the keyword too much: Artificial repetition hurts readability and user experience.
Not tracking performance: Keyword research is not finished when content is published. Rankings, clicks and conversion data should be reviewed regularly.

How Do You Track Keyword Performance?

After content is published, you can track:

Keyword rankings
Impressions
Organic clicks
Click-through rate
Page traffic
Number of conversions
Conversion rate
Average engagement time
New queries
Branded and non-branded traffic

Situation	Work that can be done
High impressions, low clicks	Improve the meta title and description
Position between 8 and 15	Strengthen content and internal links
High traffic, low conversion	Review search intent and the CTA
Ranking is dropping	Check content freshness and competitors

How Often Should Keywords Be Updated?

A keyword list should not be prepared once and left unchanged for a long time. The list can be updated:

When a new product or service is added
When you expand to a new city or country
When user searches change
When new terms emerge in the industry
When competitors prepare new pages
When search volumes change
When new queries appear in Google Search Console
When content performance drops
When seasonal campaigns begin
When brand positioning changes

High-performing content should also be checked regularly, and outdated information and missing subtopics updated.

Keyword Research Checklist

Check area	What to do
Business goal	Define whether the aim is traffic, sales or applications
Target audience	Understand the user’s needs
Starting keywords	List products and services
Customer questions	Collect real user phrases
Search suggestions	Review similar and related queries
Search Console	Analyze current query data
Competitors	Identify content and keyword opportunities
Search intent	Separate information, research and purchase intent
Search volume	Evaluate traffic potential
Competition	Assess how realistic it is to rank
Page mapping	Match each keyword group to a page
Tracking	Set up reporting for rankings, clicks and conversions

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you find the right keyword?

First, the business goal and target audience are defined. Then keyword ideas are collected, search intents are analyzed, volume and competition data are compared, and suitable keywords are matched to the right pages.

What should the keyword search volume be?

There is no ideal search volume valid for every industry. In niche industries, even a keyword searched only a few times a month can have high commercial value.

Are high-volume keywords better?

Not always. High-volume keywords can be more competitive and vaguer. Low-volume queries with strong purchase intent can bring more conversions.

How many keywords should be used on a page?

There is no fixed number. One main topic and supporting keywords carrying the same user intent should be handled naturally.

What is a long-tail keyword?

It is a query of three or more words that expresses a more specific need. It usually has lower competition and higher conversion potential.

How do you find keywords for free?

You can do free research using Google search suggestions, related searches, Google Trends, Search Console, customer questions and competitor pages.

Can Google Ads keywords be used for SEO?

Yes. Volume, trend and commercial value data in Keyword Planner can support an SEO strategy. But advertising competition should not be treated as organic SEO difficulty.

What should the keyword density be?

There is no fixed ratio. Keywords and related phrases should be used naturally, and artificial repetition avoided.

Can the same keyword be used on more than one page?

A keyword appearing in different contexts is normal. But more than one page using the same search intent as its main target can create keyword cannibalization.

What should be done after choosing a keyword?

Match the keyword to a suitable page type, prepare comprehensive content, build internal links and track performance with Search Console and analytics tools.

Build a Data-Driven Keyword Strategy

Finding the right keyword is not just choosing the most-searched words. It requires understanding what the user is looking for, why, and what action they want to take after searching.

In the first step, the business’s goals and the customer group it wants to reach should be defined. Then a broad keyword pool should be built from products, services, customer questions, Google search suggestions, Search Console and competitor analyses.

The queries found should be classified by search intent, and search volume, competition, commercial value and relevance to the business should be evaluated together.

To get this process done professionally for your business, you can benefit from our SEO consulting service.