How do I find good keywords?

Good keywords should have: 1) Sufficient search volume (people are searching); 2) Reasonable competition level (chance to rank); 3) Relevance to your business; 4) Clear search intent. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush for research.

What are long-tail keywords?

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific search terms, usually consisting of 3-5 or more words. While they have lower search volume, they also have less competition and usually higher conversion rates. For example, 'SEO' is a short-tail keyword, 'how to do e-commerce website SEO' is a long-tail keyword.

What should keyword density be?

Modern SEO no longer emphasizes specific keyword density numbers. Google uses semantic understanding and can identify related words and synonyms. It's recommended to use keywords naturally, focusing on content quality rather than repetition count. Over-optimization may be penalized.

How many keywords should I optimize per page?

It's recommended to focus on 1 main keyword and 2-3 related secondary keywords per page. The main keyword should be in the Title Tag and H1, secondary keywords can be used in H2s and body text. Avoid optimizing for multiple unrelated keywords on the same page.

Complete Keyword Research Guide: From Beginner to Expert

Q: What is keyword research?

Keyword research is the foundational SEO work of finding the words and phrases your target audience uses in search engines. By understanding what people search for, you can create content that meets their needs and gain more organic traffic.

Keyword research is the foundation of SEO, determining what content you should create and how to optimize pages. This article will teach you the complete keyword research process, from finding keywords to building a content strategy.

1. What is Keyword Research?

Keyword Research is the process of finding the words and phrases your target audience uses in search engines. By understanding what people search for, you can:

Create content that meets user needs
Discover new content opportunities
Understand the market and competitors
Increase website organic search traffic
Optimize existing page rankings

2. Keyword Types

Keywords can be classified by length and intent:

By Length

Short-tail

1-2 words, high volume but highly competitive

Example: "SEO" "marketing"

Mid-tail

2-3 words, moderate volume and competition

Example: "SEO tutorial" "website marketing"

Long-tail

3+ words, lower volume but clear intent and high conversion

Example: "how to do e-commerce website SEO"

By Search Intent

Informational

Want to learn something

"what is SEO"

Navigational

Want to find specific website

"Ahrefs login"

Transactional

Want to buy or take action

"buy SEO course"

Commercial Investigation

Want to compare before deciding

"Ahrefs vs SEMrush"

→ Learn more about search intent

3. Keyword Research Process

Complete keyword research includes the following steps:

Brainstorm Seed Keywords

List basic terms related to your business. Think: What would customers search? What problems do your products/services solve?

Expand Keyword List

Use tools to expand seed keywords, find related variations, long-tail terms, and question-based queries.

Analyze Keyword Metrics

Check search volume, competition level, keyword difficulty and other data to evaluate each keyword's value.

Analyze Search Intent

Check SERP results to understand the user intent behind each keyword.

Select Target Keywords

Based on search volume, competition, intent and business relevance, select priority keywords to optimize.

Map to Pages

Map keywords to existing pages or plan new pages, build a content strategy.

4. Keyword Metrics

When evaluating keywords, consider the following metrics:

Search Volume

Average monthly search count. Higher volume means more potential traffic, but competition may also be fiercer.

Keyword Difficulty (KD)

Ranking difficulty level (0-100). New sites should target lower difficulty keywords first.

CPC (Cost Per Click)

Price advertisers are willing to pay. High CPC usually indicates high commercial value.

Search Trend

Search volume changes over time. Prefer keywords with stable or rising trends.

Golden rules for keyword selection:

New sites: Choose difficulty < 30, volume 100-1000 long-tail keywords
Medium authority sites: Difficulty 30-50, volume 500-5000
High authority sites: Can try higher difficulty competitive keywords

5. Keyword Tools

Commonly used keyword research tools:

Free Tools

Google Keyword Planner: Official Google tool, requires Google Ads account
Google Search Console: See keywords your site already ranks for
Google Trends: View search trends and seasonality
Google Autocomplete: Type in search box to see suggestions
People Also Ask: View related questions

Paid Tools

Ahrefs: Powerful keyword research and competitor analysis
SEMrush: Comprehensive SEO and marketing tools
Moz: Keyword difficulty analysis and suggestions
Ubersuggest: More affordable option

6. Building a Keyword Strategy

Transform keyword research into an actionable content strategy:

Topic Cluster Strategy

Use one "Pillar Page" to cover the core topic, then multiple "Cluster Content" to dive deep into subtopics, and interlink them all.

Example: SEO Topic

Pillar Page: "Complete SEO Guide" (short-tail keyword)
Clusters: "On-Page SEO" "Technical SEO" "Keyword Research" "Backlinks" (long-tail keywords)
All cluster content links back to pillar page

→ Learn more about Programmatic SEO & Topic Clusters

Keyword mapping principles:

Each page maps to only 1 main keyword
Avoid multiple pages competing for the same keyword (keyword cannibalization)
Merge similar keywords to the same page
Decide page type based on search intent (blog, product page, comparison page)

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about keyword research