HOW TO DO KEYWORD RESEARCH

Keyword research is the foundation of SEO. Without the right keywords, your website is like a shop hidden down a dark alley, technically there, but impossible to find. Choosing the right keywords can boost your rankings, increase traffic and bring in the audience that wants what you offer. The trick is knowing where to look and how to pick the best ones.

The first step is understanding your audience. Think about what they might type into Google when looking for your product, service or content. If you run a coffee shop, people aren’t just searching for “coffee,”they might be looking for “best coffee shops in London” or “speciality espresso near me.” The more specific the keyword, the more likely you’ll attract the right audience.

Google is an excellent (and free) keyword research tool. Start typing a word into the search bar, and Google’s autocomplete will suggest popular searches. Scroll down the results page, and you’ll find the "People Also Ask" section, which shows common related queries. At the bottom, Google suggests additional searches people make. These are all real searches happening in real-time, so use them to your advantage.

SEO tools make keyword research much easier. Platforms like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush and Ubersuggest can show search volume, keyword difficulty and competition levels. The goal is to find keywords that get a decent number of searches but aren’t so competitive that ranking for them is impossible. If a keyword has thousands of searches but is dominated by big brands, consider targeting long-tail keywords instead, phrases that are longer, more specific and often easier to rank for.

Looking at your competitors can give you valuable insights. Check out the websites that rank well in your niche and see what keywords they’re using. Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush allow you to enter a competitor’s URL and see which keywords bring them the most traffic. This gives you a roadmap for which keywords are worth targeting and where you might have opportunities to outrank them.

Your own website is another great source of keyword data. Google Search Console shows the exact search terms people are already using to find your site. You might discover that you're ranking for keywords you haven’t optimised for yet, giving you an opportunity to refine your content and increase traffic.

Forums, social media and question-based platforms like Reddit and Quora can also reveal what people are searching for. If you notice a lot of people asking, “What’s the best running shoe for flat feet?” that’s a solid long-tail keyword to target in your content.

Keyword research isn’t about guessing, it’s about using data to understand what your audience is searching for and then optimising your content accordingly. By finding the right balance between search volume and competition, you can improve your rankings, drive targeted traffic and ensure that your website is visible to the people who need it most.