Keyword Research
Keyword research is the process of identifying the search terms that potential customers use when looking for your products or services. It determines which pages to create, what content to write, and how to structure the information on your website.
Why Keyword Research Matters
Every SEO campaign depends on targeting the right keywords. Optimising for the wrong terms, keywords with no search volume, that do not match buyer intent, or that are too competitive for the current authority level, produces traffic that does not convert into business.
Effective keyword research identifies the terms at the intersection of three factors:
- Search volume: Enough people search for this term each month to make it worth targeting
- Commercial intent: The people searching are likely to become customers, not just information seekers
- Achievable difficulty: The competition is within reach given the website's current authority and resources
Keyword research is not a one-time activity. Search behaviour changes, new competitors enter the market, and business priorities evolve. I review and refine keyword targets throughout the campaign.
Types of Keywords
Commercial Intent Keywords
Terms used by people ready to take action: make a purchase, request a quote, or contact a business. Examples: "plumber Parramatta," "SEO agency Sydney," or "accountant near me." These keywords have the highest conversion rates and are the primary focus of most campaigns.
Informational Keywords
Terms used by people seeking knowledge. Examples: "how to fix a leaking tap," "what is SEO," or "do I need an accountant." These keywords do not convert directly, but they build topical authority and attract potential customers early in their research.
Local Keywords
Terms with geographic modifiers: suburb names, "near me" variations, and city-specific terms. For businesses serving a specific area, local keywords are often the most valuable because they indicate both intent and proximity. Local SEO strategies focus heavily on these terms.
Long-Tail Keywords
Longer, more specific search phrases. "Emergency electrician Bondi Junction open Saturday" is a long-tail keyword with very specific intent. These individually have lower search volume but collectively represent a significant portion of a website's organic traffic. They also tend to have higher conversion rates because the search intent is more specific.
Branded Keywords
Searches that include a business name or brand terms. Branded keywords indicate existing awareness and typically have very high conversion rates. Monitoring branded search performance tracks brand awareness growth over time.
Keyword Research Process
Step 1: Business Understanding
Before looking at search data, I need to understand your business, your customers, and your competitive landscape. What services or products do you offer? What geographic areas do you serve? What does a valuable customer look like? This context ensures the keyword research aligns with actual business objectives.
Step 2: Seed Keyword Discovery
I generate an initial list of seed keywords from multiple sources:
- Your existing website content and analytics data
- Google Search Console data showing what queries already trigger your pages
- Competitor analysis: keywords your competitors rank for
- Industry terminology and common customer language
- Google's auto-suggest, "People Also Ask," and related searches
Step 3: Data Analysis
Each potential keyword is evaluated against:
- Monthly search volume: How many times the keyword is searched per month in Australia
- Keyword difficulty: How competitive the keyword is based on the authority of currently ranking pages
- Cost-per-click data: The Google Ads CPC provides a proxy for commercial value
- SERP features: What types of results appear and what this means for organic click potential
- Current rankings: Whether you already rank for the keyword and at what position
Step 4: Intent Classification
Every keyword is classified by intent:
- Transactional: Ready to buy or enquire ("hire SEO agency")
- Commercial investigation: Comparing options ("SEO agency reviews," "SEO cost Australia")
- Informational: Seeking knowledge ("what is technical SEO")
- Navigational: Looking for a specific website or brand
This classification determines which keywords are assigned to service pages (transactional), which to blog content (informational), and which are targeted through other means.
Step 5: Prioritisation and Mapping
Keywords are prioritised into tiers based on their combined value (volume × intent × achievability) and mapped to specific pages. Each page targets a primary keyword and a cluster of related secondary keywords. This prevents keyword cannibalisation, multiple pages competing for the same term.
What I Deliver
The keyword research phase produces:
- Keyword target list: A prioritised list of keywords organised by intent, difficulty, and assigned page
- Content map: A plan showing which pages need to be created or updated
- Competitor keyword gap: Keywords your competitors rank for that represent untapped opportunities
- Quick wins: Keywords where you currently rank in positions 11–30 and can be pushed to page one
- Long-term targets: Competitive keywords that require sustained effort but represent significant value
This research forms the foundation of the ongoing SEO campaign and is referenced throughout every phase of the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Keyword research is the process of identifying the search terms that potential customers use when looking for products, services, or information related to your business. It involves analysing search volume, competition levels, and commercial intent to determine which keywords are worth targeting.
Keywords are prioritised based on three factors: commercial intent, achievable difficulty, and search volume. Keywords that score well across all three are prioritised first.
Informational keywords are used by people seeking knowledge, such as "what is SEO." Commercial keywords indicate purchase or enquiry intent, such as "SEO agency Sydney." Commercial keywords have a higher conversion rate because the searcher is closer to making a decision.
Discuss Your SEO Requirements
Keyword research is the starting point of any effective SEO campaign. Call to discuss how I can identify the right search terms for your business. No obligation.