How to do a keyword search for SEO

Start with your target audience's actual search behavior, not what you think they should search for. Use Google's search suggestions, which appear as you type in the search bar—these reflect real queries people are entering. You can also check the "People also ask" section and the related searches at the bottom of Google's results page. These give you genuine intent signals that keywords have genuine search volume. For more systematic research, use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to pull keyword data at scale. These platforms show you search volume, keyword difficulty scores, cost-per-click data, and—critically—which pages currently rank for those terms. Enter seed keywords related to your client's business and let the tool generate related keywords automatically. This saves time compared to manually brainstorming and catches long-tail variations you wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

The real work happens when you filter aggressively for intent and opportunity. Search volume alone is misleading—a keyword with 100 monthly searches might be easier to rank for and more likely to convert than one with 10,000 searches. Look at the current search results for each keyword. If the first page is dominated by massive brands or news sites, your client probably won't rank there regardless of optimization effort. Instead, find keywords where the competition consists of thin content, outdated information, or mediocre websites. That's where you can realistically win rankings. Also match keywords to your client's actual service offerings. A web design agency targeting "affordable web design near [city]" makes sense; targeting "web design trends 2024" doesn't unless they're also running a content marketing strategy to capture informational searches.

Finally, segment keywords by stage of the buyer journey. Informational queries like "how to improve website speed" attract people researching solutions, not ready to buy. Transactional keywords like "hire SEO agency" or "web design services [city]" show buying intent. Your content strategy should address both, but understand which keywords drive immediate conversions versus long-term authority. Track which keywords your client's website already ranks for on page two or three—these are quick wins where better optimization can push them to page one. This combined approach of systematic research, honest competitive analysis, and intent-based filtering is how you find keywords that actually move the needle for client projects.