Phrase Research: Find the Terms Customers Search
Phrase 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 Phrase Research Matters
Every campaign depends on targeting the right phrases. Optimising for the wrong terms, phrases 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 phrase 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
Phrase research is not a one-time activity. Search behaviour changes, new competitors enter the market, and business priorities evolve. I review and refine targets throughout the campaign.
Types of Search Phrases
Commercial Intent Phrases
Terms used by people ready to take action: make a purchase, request a quote, or contact a business. Examples: "pipefitter Parramatta," "organic ranking agency," or "accountant near me." These phrases have the highest conversion rates and are the primary focus of most campaigns.
Informational Phrases
Terms used by people seeking knowledge. Examples: "how to fix a leaking tap," "what is organic optimisation," or "do I need an accountant." These phrases do not convert directly, but they build topical authority and attract potential customers early in their research.
Geographic Phrases
Terms with geographic modifiers: suburb names, "near me" variations, and area-specific terms. For businesses serving a specific area, geographic phrases are often the most valuable because they indicate both intent and proximity. Geographic targeting strategies focus heavily on these terms.
Long-Tail Phrases
Longer, more specific search phrases. "Emergency electrician Bondi Junction open Saturday" is a long-tail phrase 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 Phrases
Searches that include a business name or brand terms. Branded phrases indicate existing awareness and typically have very high conversion rates. Monitoring branded search performance tracks brand awareness growth over time.
Phrase 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 research aligns with actual business objectives.
Step 2: Seed Phrase Discovery
I generate an initial list of seed phrases from multiple sources:
- Your existing website content and analytics data
- Google Search Console data showing what queries already trigger your pages
- Competitor analysis: phrases 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 phrase is evaluated against:
- Monthly search volume: How many times the phrase is searched per month in Australia
- Difficulty: How competitive the phrase 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 phrase and at what position
Step 4: Intent Classification
Every phrase is classified by intent:
- Transactional: Ready to buy or enquire ("hire ranking specialist")
- Commercial investigation: Comparing options ("agency reviews," "cost Australia")
- Informational: Seeking knowledge ("what is technical optimisation")
- Navigational: Looking for a specific website or brand
This classification determines which phrases are assigned to service pages (transactional), which to blog content (informational), and which are targeted through other means.
Step 5: Prioritisation and Mapping
Phrases are prioritised into tiers based on their combined value (volume × intent × achievability) and mapped to specific pages. Each page targets a primary phrase and a cluster of related secondary phrases. This prevents cannibalisation, multiple pages competing for the same term.
What I Deliver
The phrase research phase produces:
- Target list: A prioritised list of phrases organised by intent, difficulty, and assigned page
- Content map: A plan showing which pages need to be created or updated
- Competitor gap: Phrases your competitors rank for that represent untapped opportunities
- Quick wins: Phrases where you currently rank in positions 11–30 and can be pushed to page one
- Long-term targets: Competitive phrases that require sustained effort but represent significant value
This research forms the foundation of the ongoing campaign and is referenced throughout every phase of the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Phrase 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 phrases are worth targeting.
Phrases are prioritised based on three factors: commercial intent, achievable difficulty, and search volume. Phrases that score well across all three are prioritised first.
Informational phrases are used by people seeking knowledge, such as "what is organic optimisation." Commercial phrases indicate purchase or enquiry intent. Commercial phrases have a higher conversion rate because the searcher is closer to making a decision.
Discuss Your Requirements
Phrase research is the starting point of any effective campaign. Call to discuss how I can identify the right search terms for your business. No obligation.