Finding the Right Search Terms for Your Business with Keyword Research

Keyword research is the starting point of any SEO campaign. Before you write a single word of content or optimise a single page, you need to know what your potential customers are actually typing into Google. Get this wrong and everything else is wasted effort. You’ll be optimising for terms nobody searches for, or targeting terms so competitive you’ll never rank for them.

 

In 15 years of running SEO campaigns we’ve lost count of how many times a new client has come to us targeting completely the wrong keywords. They’ve been chasing vanity terms with huge search volume but zero buying intent. Or they’ve assumed they know what people search for without checking the data. Keyword research takes the guesswork out of SEO and replaces it with evidence.

 

What Is Keyword Research?

 

Keyword research is the process of finding and analysing the search terms that people type into search engines when looking for products, services, or information related to your business. The goal is to identify which terms are worth targeting, which terms you have a realistic chance of ranking for, and what type of content each term requires.

 

Good keyword research tells you three things: what people are searching for (the keywords themselves), how many people are searching for each term (search volume), and what they expect to find when they search (search intent). All three matter. A keyword with high volume but wrong intent is useless. A keyword with perfect intent but no volume won’t drive any traffic.

 

What Is Search Intent and Why Does It Matter?

 

Search intent is what the person is actually trying to accomplish when they type a query into Google. It’s arguably more important than the keyword itself, because if your page doesn’t match what the searcher wants, Google won’t rank it, no matter how well optimised it is.

 

There are four main types of search intent:

 

Informational. The person wants to learn something. “What is SEO” or “how to fix a leaking tap.” These searches need educational, explanatory content.

 

Commercial. The person is researching before making a decision. “Best SEO agency London” or “Dyson vs Shark vacuum.” These searches need comparison content or detailed service pages.

 

Transactional. The person is ready to buy or take action. “Buy running shoes online” or “book dentist appointment.” These searches need product or service pages with clear calls to action.

 

Navigational. The person is looking for a specific website or brand. “Rapid SEO London” or “BBC News.” These searches are about finding a known destination.

 

The simplest way to check intent is to Google the keyword yourself and look at what’s currently ranking. If the top results are all blog posts, Google has determined the intent is informational. If they’re all service pages, the intent is commercial or transactional. Your page needs to match that format.

 

Head Terms vs Long-Tail Keywords

 

Head terms are short, broad keywords with high search volume. “SEO,” “plumber,” “shoes.” They’re incredibly competitive and usually too vague to convert well. Someone searching “shoes” could want anything from running shoes to shoe repair.

 

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases with lower search volume but much higher intent. “Affordable SEO agency in London,” “emergency plumber Bromley 24 hour,” “waterproof trail running shoes for women.” These are the terms where you’ll find realistic ranking opportunities and visitors who are much more likely to become customers.

 

For most businesses, especially small and medium-sized ones, long-tail keywords are where the money is. You probably won’t rank for “plumber” nationally. But you can absolutely rank for “plumber in [your area]” or “boiler installation [your town].” This is the approach we take with the majority of our clients and it’s where we consistently see the fastest results.

 

How Do You Actually Do Keyword Research?

 

There are several approaches, ranging from free methods to paid tools. Here’s what works:

 

Start with Google itself. Type your service or product into Google and look at the autocomplete suggestions that appear. These are real queries that people are actually searching for. Scroll to the bottom of the results page and check the “Related searches” section. Look at the “People also ask” box for question-based keywords. All of this is free keyword data straight from Google.

 

Use Google Search Console. If you already have a website, Search Console shows you the actual queries people are using to find your site, how many impressions each query gets, and your average position. This is invaluable for finding keywords you’re already close to ranking for and could push onto page 1 with some focused on-page optimisation.

 

Use keyword research tools. Paid tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Google Keyword Planner (free with a Google Ads account) let you explore keyword ideas, check search volumes, assess competition, and find related terms. They’re not essential for basic research, but they make the process faster and more thorough.

 

Look at your competitors. Check what keywords your competitors are ranking for. Tools like Ahrefs and Semrush let you enter a competitor’s domain and see their top organic keywords. This shows you opportunities you might have missed and helps you understand what’s realistically achievable in your market.

 

Mapping Keywords to Pages

 

Once you have a list of target keywords, you need to assign each one to a specific page on your website. This is called keyword mapping, and it prevents two common problems:

 

Keyword cannibalisation. This happens when two or more pages on your site target the same keyword. Instead of one strong page ranking well, you end up with two weaker pages competing against each other. Every keyword should have one clear target page on your site.

 

Missing pages. If you have target keywords but no page that matches the intent, you need to create one. Your keyword research might reveal that people are searching for a service you offer but don’t have a dedicated page for. That’s a gap you need to fill.

 

We keep a simple spreadsheet for every client mapping each target keyword to its assigned page, along with the current ranking position and the search volume. It keeps everything organised and makes it easy to track progress. This connects directly to creating content with purpose rather than just publishing for the sake of it.

 

Keyword Research in the Age of AI Search

 

Keyword research in 2026 also needs to consider how people interact with AI search tools. Users asking ChatGPT or Google Gemini a question tend to phrase things more conversationally than they would in a traditional Google search. “What’s the best way to find an SEO agency in London” rather than “SEO agency London.”

 

This means your content needs to address natural language questions, not just short keyword phrases. The answer capsule approach, where you provide a direct, concise answer to a question at the start of a section, is particularly effective for getting cited in AI-generated responses. We’ve covered this in more detail in our guide to GEO and how zero-click searches are changing the landscape.

 

Keyword Research Is the Foundation of Effective SEO

 

Every successful SEO campaign starts with understanding what your customers are searching for. Without that understanding, you’re guessing, and guessing is expensive. Keyword research tells you where the demand is, what format your content needs to take, and which opportunities are realistic for your business.

 

If you’ve never done proper keyword research, or if your last round was more than a year ago, it’s worth revisiting. Search behaviour changes, new competitors appear, and the terms people use evolve over time. Staying on top of your keyword landscape is one of the simplest ways to stay ahead of the competition.

 

Want us to run keyword research for your business? Get in touch and we’ll identify the terms you should be targeting and show you exactly where the opportunities are.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What are the best free keyword research tools?

Google Search Console, Google’s autocomplete suggestions, and the “People also ask” section in search results are all free and valuable. Google Keyword Planner is free with a Google Ads account. For more advanced research, tools like Ahrefs and Semrush offer limited free versions and paid plans with significantly more data.

 

How many keywords should I target?

Each page on your site should target one primary keyword and a small cluster of closely related secondary terms. The total number of keywords across your site depends on how many products, services, or topics you cover. A typical small business website might target 8 to 12 main keywords across all its pages.

 

Should I target high-volume or low-volume keywords?

Both, but with different expectations. High-volume keywords drive more traffic but are harder to rank for and often have broader intent. Low-volume, long-tail keywords are easier to rank for and tend to convert better because they’re more specific. For most businesses, the best strategy is to target a mix, with an emphasis on the long-tail terms that match buying intent.

 

How often should I update my keyword research?

At least once a year, and more frequently if your industry changes quickly. Search behaviour shifts, new competitors enter the market, and Google’s own features (like AI Overviews) can change which keywords drive clicks. Regular reviews ensure you’re not targeting outdated terms or missing new opportunities.

 

What is keyword difficulty?

Keyword difficulty is a metric used by SEO tools to estimate how hard it would be to rank on page 1 for a given keyword. It’s calculated based on the strength of the pages currently ranking, including their backlink profiles and domain authority. It’s a useful guide for prioritisation, but it’s not absolute. A smaller site can still rank for a “difficult” keyword if its page is more relevant and better optimised than the competition.