SEO From Scratch — Part 2: Keyword Research

Keyword research is the process of discovering the exact words and phrases your target audience types into Google. Without it, you are creating content in the dark — possibly writing about topics nobody searches for. This is the most important strategic step in your entire SEO plan.

Understanding the Four Keyword Types

Not all keywords are equal. Before building your list, understand these four categories:

• Head Keywords (Short-tail): 1–2 words. Example: "SEO services". Very high volume, extremely high competition. Avoid targeting these on a new site.
• Long-tail Keywords: 3+ words. Example: "affordable SEO services for small businesses". Lower volume, lower competition, higher purchase intent. Always start here.
• Informational Keywords: "How to", "what is", "why does". Great for blog content that builds authority.
• Commercial/Transactional Keywords: "Buy", "hire", "best", "pricing". Drive direct revenue but need domain authority first.

Step 1 — Build Your Seed Keyword List

A seed keyword is a broad term describing your business or service. From 5–10 seeds, you will grow a keyword universe of 50–300 targets.

1. Think like your customer. For a web design company, seeds might be: "web design", "website development", "WordPress developer", "build a website", "mobile app development".
2. Use Google Autocomplete. Type each seed into Google and note every autocomplete suggestion — these are real searches from real people. Example: "web design for..." → "web design for restaurants", "web design for small businesses".
3. Mine the "People Also Ask" (PAA) box. These question-based keywords are ideal for FAQ sections and blog posts, and are excellent for featured snippet targeting.
4. Check "Related Searches" at the bottom of Google results. The 8 suggestions shown are what users commonly search around your topic.

Step 2 — Filter Keywords by the Right Metrics

Once you have 50–200 keyword ideas, filter and prioritise using these metrics:

Metric	What It Means	Ideal Target (New Site)
Search Volume	Monthly searches for this keyword	100–5,000/month
Keyword Difficulty (KD)	How hard it is to rank on page 1 (0–100 scale)	Under 30
Search Intent	What the searcher actually wants	Must match your page type
CPC	What advertisers pay per click — signals commercial value	Higher = more valuable

Step 3 — The Four Types of Search Intent

• Informational — "I want to learn": Queries like "what is SEO", "how does Google rank websites". Create blog posts, guides, tutorials.
• Navigational — "I want to find a specific site": Queries like "Ahrefs login". Target your own brand name keywords here.
• Commercial — "I want to research before buying": Queries like "best SEO tools 2026". Create comparison articles and review posts.
• Transactional — "I want to buy or take action": Queries like "hire SEO agency". Create service pages and landing pages with clear CTAs.

Step 4 — Build Topic Clusters for Topical Authority

Modern SEO does not work one keyword at a time. Google rewards websites that demonstrate topical authority — deep expertise in a subject. You build this through topic clusters: one central "pillar page" supported by multiple related "cluster" articles that all interlink.