Keyword Research Guide: How to Find the Right Keywords
A step-by-step keyword research guide for small business owners — covering search volume, keyword difficulty, search intent, free and paid tools, and common mistakes to avoid.
Founder & Lead Developer at Metorox Software LLC — 10+ years of full-stack development experience building custom software, WordPress plugins, SaaS platforms, and digital marketing solutions for small businesses. Learn more about Ryan →
Keyword research is the foundation of every successful SEO strategy. Before you write a single blog post or optimize a single page, you need to know what your potential customers are actually searching for. This guide walks you through the entire process — from understanding the basics to building a keyword list that drives real traffic.
Whether you're a small business owner doing SEO yourself or working with an agency, understanding keyword research will help you make better decisions and get better results. For a broader look at SEO strategy, see our 5 SEO strategies for small businesses.
What Is Keyword Research?
Keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing the search terms that people type into search engines when looking for products, services, or information. It helps you understand what your audience is searching for so you can create content that ranks and drives qualified traffic.
Good keyword research answers three questions: What are people searching for? How many people are searching for it? How hard is it to rank for that term?
Key Metrics to Understand
Search Volume
The average number of times a keyword is searched per month. Higher volume means more potential traffic, but also more competition.
💡 Tip: Don't chase only high-volume keywords. Long-tail keywords with lower volume often convert better because they signal more specific intent.
Keyword Difficulty (KD)
A score (usually 0–100) indicating how hard it is to rank on page one for a keyword. Higher scores mean more established sites dominate the results.
💡 Tip: New sites should target keywords with difficulty under 30. Established sites can compete for 40–60. Above 70 requires significant authority.
Search Intent
The reason behind a search query. The four main types: Informational (learning), Navigational (finding a site), Commercial (comparing options), Transactional (ready to buy).
💡 Tip: Match your content type to the intent. A transactional keyword needs a product/service page, not a blog post.
Cost Per Click (CPC)
What advertisers pay per click for a keyword in Google Ads. High CPC keywords often indicate high commercial value.
💡 Tip: High-CPC keywords are worth targeting organically — if advertisers pay $10+ per click, ranking organically for that term has significant value.
Keyword Research Tools
You don't need expensive tools to do effective keyword research. Start with free tools and upgrade only when you need more data.
Google Keyword Planner
Free (Google Ads account required)Best for: Getting search volume data directly from Google. Best for paid search but useful for organic too.
Limitation: Shows volume ranges, not exact numbers, unless you run active campaigns.
Google Search Console
FreeBest for: Finding keywords you already rank for. Shows impressions, clicks, and average position.
Limitation: Only shows data for your own site. No competitor data.
Ubersuggest
Free (limited) / $29/moBest for: Beginner-friendly interface with keyword suggestions, difficulty scores, and content ideas.
Limitation: Data accuracy can vary. Limited free searches per day.
AnswerThePublic
Free (limited) / $9/moBest for: Finding question-based keywords. Shows what people ask around a topic.
Limitation: No volume data on the free tier. Best used alongside other tools.
Ahrefs
From $99/moBest for: The most comprehensive keyword data, competitor analysis, and backlink research.
Limitation: Expensive for small businesses. Overkill for basic research.
Semrush
From $129/moBest for: All-in-one SEO platform with keyword research, site audits, and competitor tracking.
Limitation: Steep learning curve. Expensive for small teams.
Our Recommendation for Small Businesses
Start with Google Search Console (free, shows your existing rankings) + Google Keyword Planner (free, shows volume data) + AnswerThePublic (free, shows question keywords). This combination covers 80% of what you need without spending a dollar.
Step-by-Step Keyword Research Process
Follow this 6-step process to build a keyword list that drives real traffic. This is the same process we use for our SEO clients.
Start with Seed Keywords
Seed keywords are broad terms that describe your business or topic. For a theatre ticketing company, seeds might be: 'theatre tickets', 'event ticketing', 'seat reservation'. For a real estate agent: 'homes for sale', 'real estate agent', 'buy a house'.
Action: Write down 5–10 broad terms that describe what you do. Don't overthink it — these are just starting points.
Expand with Keyword Tools
Enter your seed keywords into Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest. These tools will generate hundreds of related keywords with volume and difficulty data.
Action: Export the results and look for keywords with 100–1,000 monthly searches and difficulty under 40. These are your sweet spot.
Analyze Search Intent
For each keyword, Google the term and look at the top 10 results. What type of content ranks? Blog posts (informational intent), product pages (transactional), comparison articles (commercial)? Your content must match what Google expects.
Action: Categorize each keyword as Informational, Commercial, or Transactional. This determines what type of page you need to create.
Check Competitor Keywords
Look at what keywords your competitors rank for that you don't. In Ahrefs or Semrush, enter a competitor's domain and look at their top organic keywords. In Google Search Console, compare your performance to industry benchmarks.
Action: Identify 5–10 keywords your competitors rank for that you could realistically target within 6 months.
Prioritize and Group
Not all keywords are worth targeting immediately. Prioritize based on: business relevance (will this traffic convert?), search volume (is there enough demand?), and difficulty (can you realistically rank?).
Action: Create a spreadsheet with columns: Keyword, Monthly Volume, Difficulty, Intent, Priority (High/Medium/Low). Aim for 20–30 target keywords to start.
Map Keywords to Pages
Each page on your site should target one primary keyword and 2–3 secondary keywords. Don't target the same keyword on multiple pages — this creates 'keyword cannibalization' where your pages compete against each other.
Action: Create a keyword map: list each page URL and its primary + secondary keywords. Every new page you create should have a keyword assigned before you write a word.
Common Keyword Research Mistakes
Avoid these mistakes that waste time and prevent your content from ranking.
✗ Targeting only high-volume keywords
Fix: High-volume keywords are dominated by large sites with massive authority. A new site targeting 'SEO' (135,000/mo) will never rank. Target 'SEO for small business owners' (320/mo) instead — you can actually win.
✗ Ignoring search intent
Fix: If someone searches 'best CRM software', they want a comparison article — not a product page. If you create a product page, Google won't rank it because it doesn't match what searchers expect.
✗ Targeting one keyword per page
Fix: Each page should target a primary keyword plus 3–5 semantically related secondary keywords. Google understands context — a page about 'keyword research' should also mention 'search volume', 'keyword difficulty', and 'search intent'.
✗ Keyword stuffing
Fix: Repeating a keyword 20 times doesn't help — it hurts. Write naturally. If you're writing about keyword research, the keyword will appear naturally. Focus on covering the topic comprehensively.
✗ Skipping competitor research
Fix: Your competitors have already done keyword research. Look at what they rank for. If a competitor ranks #3 for a keyword and their content is mediocre, you can outrank them with better content.
✗ Not updating your keyword list
Fix: Search trends change. New keywords emerge. Old ones decline. Review your keyword list quarterly and add new opportunities based on what's working and what's changed in your industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many keywords should I target?
Start with 20–30 target keywords across your site. Each page should have 1 primary keyword and 2–4 secondary keywords. Quality beats quantity — 20 well-researched keywords will outperform 200 poorly chosen ones.
How long does it take to rank for a keyword?
New sites typically take 6–12 months to rank for competitive keywords. Low-competition keywords can rank in 2–4 months. The timeline depends on your site's authority, content quality, and how many backlinks you build.
What's a good keyword difficulty score to target?
New sites: target KD 0–30. Sites with some authority (6–12 months old): 30–50. Established sites with strong backlink profiles: 50–70. Above 70 is very competitive and requires significant authority.
Should I focus on branded or non-branded keywords?
Non-branded keywords (terms that don't include your company name) are where the growth is. Branded keywords bring back existing customers. Non-branded keywords attract new customers who don't know you yet.
Related Articles & Resources
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