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Keyword Research

Keyword research identifies which terms the target audience actually uses when searching.

What Is Keyword Research?

Keyword research is the systematic analysis of the search terms a target audience uses to search for a specific topic. Instead of guessing which terms might be important, keyword research uses data to identify relevant terms.

Which search terms are entered, and how often? What questions are being asked? How intense is the competition for a particular term? What is the intent behind a search term?

Keyword research draws on various sources, including specialized tools, suggestions from the search engine itself, related questions, and terms for which competitors are already ranking.

The result is a well-organized overview of relevant terms, grouped by topic and intent—a solid foundation for numerous strategies.

Where did keyword research originate?

As search engines grew in importance starting in the 2000s, so did the need to quantify the terms people were using to search. Search engines subsequently provided tools for planning paid ads that also displayed search volumes and related terms.

Since then, keyword research has been a fundamental discipline that precedes any well-thought-out content and search strategy.

Why is keyword research important?

Without the right keywords, you’re producing content on a whim—and possibly using terms that no one is searching for. Or even in a language that doesn’t resonate with your target audience.

Keyword research helps channel your efforts in the right direction and reveals where there is genuine demand, where competition can be overcome, and what phrasing your target audience actually uses. Gut feelings are transformed into a data-driven foundation, ensuring that every subsequent action addresses verifiable demand rather than aiming at nothing.

Benefits

  • Keyword research ensures that efforts are directed toward topics with genuine demand.
  • It often reveals surprising, easily attainable opportunities.
  • It provides firsthand insight into the language of the target audience.
  • Keyword research allows you to assess the competition.
  • It forms a common, data-driven foundation against which content, structure, and campaigns can be aligned.

Challenges

Search volumes are snapshots. They fluctuate seasonally and change with trends, which is why keyword analysis must be updated regularly.

The intent behind a keyword is sometimes ambiguous and requires experience to interpret. Added to this is the seemingly endless number of possible search terms, which must be organized and prioritized sensibly.

Without a solid methodology, this can quickly result in confusing lists that are of no use to anyone.

Example

A provider of photovoltaic maintenance wants to set up a resource section. Before doing so, they conduct keyword research. It shows that “photovoltaic maintenance costs” and “is it worth cleaning a solar system” are frequently searched for, but the competition is manageable.

Instead of creating general articles about solar systems, the company writes targeted content addressing these specific questions. Within a few months, the company ranks for terms that attract genuinely interested prospects.

Related terms

Keyword A keyword is a search term that users enter into a search engine to find something. Search Volume Search volume indicates how often a term is searched for on Google. Long-tail keyword A long-tail keyword is a search query that is searched for relatively rarely and is often very specific. Search Intent Search intent is the actual goal behind a search query.