Keyword research is the process of finding the words and questions people type into search engines, and deciding which of them your content should target. It is the starting point for SEO, blogging and even Google Ads campaigns.
Step 1: List your seed keywords
Start with broad terms that describe your topic, product or service. For a bakery, seed keywords might be “birthday cake”, “custom cakes” and “cupcakes”. Write down 5 to 10 seeds.
Step 2: Expand your list
Use free sources to find variations: Google’s autocomplete suggestions, the “People also ask” box, related searches at the bottom of the results page, and keyword tools such as Google Keyword Planner. Note longer phrases such as “chocolate birthday cake delivery”.
Step 3: Understand search intent
Every keyword has a purpose behind it:
- Informational: the searcher wants to learn (“how to bake a sponge cake”).
- Navigational: they want a specific website or brand.
- Commercial: they are comparing options (“best cake shop near me”).
- Transactional: they are ready to act (“order custom cake online”).
Search the keyword yourself and look at what already ranks. If the results are all guides, a product page will struggle to rank, and the other way round.
Step 4: Group keywords into clusters
Many keywords mean the same thing. Group closely related terms into clusters, and plan one page for each cluster instead of one page for every variation. This avoids pages competing with each other.
Step 5: Prioritise
For each cluster, consider relevance to your business, search volume, how strong the current results are, and how valuable a visitor would be. Beginners often get faster results by targeting specific, longer phrases with clear intent.
Step 6: Map keywords to pages
Create a simple spreadsheet with columns for cluster, main keyword, intent, target page and status. This becomes your content plan.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing keywords only because they have high volume.
- Ignoring search intent.
- Repeating the keyword unnaturally in the text.
- Creating many thin pages for tiny keyword variations.
Keyword research, search intent and keyword clustering are practised hands-on in the SEO module of our Full Stack Digital Marketing course.
Want to learn this step by step? Explore the practical courses at Digi Codexis Institute.
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