Step 1: Seed Keywords from Customer Language
Don't start in a tool. Start in your customer's WhatsApp chats, sales call transcripts, Reddit threads, and Quora questions.
Write down 20 exact phrases customers use. These are your seed keywords. Tool data is noise; this is signal.
Step 2: Expand the List
Plug seeds into free tools: Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free).
Also harvest: Google autosuggest, 'People Also Ask' boxes, related searches at the bottom of SERPs.
Step 3: Filter by Search Intent
Informational: 'what is...', 'how to...' → blog posts.
Navigational: 'brand name X' → branded pages.
Commercial investigation: 'best X', 'X vs Y' → comparison content.
Transactional: 'buy', 'price', 'near me' → product/service pages.
Intent dictates page type. Mismatch intent = no ranking.
Step 4: Score Every Keyword
Create a simple scoring sheet: volume (Search Volume), difficulty (KD score from Ahrefs/Ubersuggest), intent value (your business value if you rank).
Score = Volume × Intent Value / Difficulty. Highest scores = best ROI targets.
Step 5: Map Keywords to Pages
One primary keyword per page. 3-5 closely related secondary keywords on the same page.
Build a master keyword map in Sheets with columns: URL, Primary KW, Secondary KWs, Intent, Status.
Step 6: Build Topic Clusters
Around each pillar keyword, group 8-15 cluster keywords. Internally link cluster → pillar.
This is exactly the topic-cluster model the IMS blog uses. Read our on-page SEO checklist.
Step 7: Track and Iterate
Track rankings in GSC weekly. After 90 days, review: which pages climbed, which stalled, which need refreshing.
SEO is iterative. The keyword research never really ends.
Get the Free Digital Marketing Roadmap PDF. A 90-day study plan covering Meta Ads, Google Ads, SEO, and content. Get yours →
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I do keyword research for free?
Use Google Keyword Planner (free with any Google Ads account), Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free for your own site), Ubersuggest (3 free searches/day), Google Search Console (free, shows what you already rank for), and Google autosuggest.
What is keyword difficulty?
Keyword difficulty (KD) is an estimate of how hard it would be to rank in the top 10 for that keyword based on the strength of currently ranking sites. KD <10 = easy, 10-30 = medium, 30+ = competitive.
How many keywords should one page target?
One primary keyword + 3-5 closely related secondary keywords. Avoid keyword stuffing. Google ranks for thousands of long-tail variants of your primary keyword automatically when content is strong.
How often should I update keyword research?
Quarterly review for stable sites. Monthly for fast-growing categories (AI, fintech, edtech). Add new trending keywords as they appear in your GSC data.