How to Do Keyword Research: A 7-Step Process That Maps Topics to Pages

To do keyword research, list the problems your customers search to solve, find the exact phrases they use, check what intent sits behind each phrase, see who already ranks, and assign each phrase to one page on your site. The result is a map of topics and pages, not a spreadsheet of keywords you never use.

Keyword research has changed. Search engines understand meaning, people ask long conversational questions, and AI tools answer them directly. But the basic job is the same: find out what your audience wants and decide where you can serve them best. This guide gives a seven-step process that works for small sites and large ones, with templates you can copy. For the wider picture of how SEO fits together, start with our SEO guide.

What keyword research is for

Keyword research answers four questions.

1. What do people search for? The words and questions your customers actually use.
2. Why do they search? The intent: to learn, compare, buy or find a place.
3. How competitive is it? Who ranks and how hard they would be to beat.
4. Which page should own it? One topic, one page, so your pages do not compete with each other.

The fourth question is the one most guides skip, and it is where much of the value lies. A list of keywords with no page assigned is not a plan.

Step 1: Start with your customers, not a tool

Tools suggest keywords. Customers tell you which ones matter. Begin with sources that tools cannot see.

• Sales calls and emails. Write down the questions people ask before they buy, in their words.
• Support tickets and live chat. They show what confuses people after they buy.
• Reviews, yours and competitors'. They reveal what customers value and complain about.
• Your site search. If visitors search your own site, those phrases show gaps.
• Forums and communities. People describe problems in plain language.

Aim for 30 to 50 raw phrases and questions. Do not worry about volume yet.

Step 2: Group phrases into topics

Group your raw phrases into topics, each representing one thing a customer wants. For example, a Manchester accountancy firm might have topics such as "limited company accounts", "self assessment", "VAT registration" and "choosing an accountant". Each topic can have several related questions. This stops you thinking in single keywords and starts you thinking in subjects, which is how search engines and AI systems increasingly understand content. Our guide to topical authority explains why this matters.

Step 3: Expand with tools

Now use tools to find variations and see demand. Good free and paid sources include:

Source	What it gives you	Cost
Google autocomplete and related searches	Real phrasing and common follow-ups	Free
People Also Ask	Related questions shown for a query	Free
Google Search Console	The queries your site already appears for, with impressions and clicks	Free
Google Keyword Planner	Keyword ideas and search volume ranges, via a Google Ads account	Free with an account
Google Trends	Relative interest over time, seasonality and regional differences	Free
Paid SEO platforms	Volume estimates, difficulty scores, competitor keyword data	Paid
AI assistants	Question ideas and variations to test, not data	Free or paid

Treat volume numbers as estimates. Different tools give different figures, and a keyword with low volume can still be valuable if the people searching are ready to buy. Difficulty scores are each tool's own measure, so compare keywords within one tool, not across tools.

Search Console is the most underused source. Export queries from the last 16 months, then look for queries where you rank between positions 5 and 20 with decent impressions. These are often the quickest wins, because you already have some relevance.

Step 4: Identify the intent behind each phrase

Search intent is the reason behind a search. Look at the results to see what Google thinks people want.

Intent	Signals in the results	What to publish
Informational	Guides, definitions, videos, People Also Ask	A clear explainer or how-to
Commercial investigation	Comparisons, "best" lists, reviews	A fair comparison with criteria
Transactional	Product pages, service pages, shopping results, ads	A strong service or product page
Navigational	A brand's own pages	Make sure your brand page is excellent
Local	Map pack, local listings	Local page and Business Profile. See our local SEO checklist

If the results are all guides and you have a sales page, you are unlikely to rank. If the results are all product pages and you have a blog post, the same applies. Match the format that Google already rewards for that query, then make yours better.

Step 5: Check who ranks and what they miss

For each important keyword, open the top results and read them as an editor would.

• Who are they? Big brands, small specialists, forums, directories? A page full of giant sites is harder than one with small sites.
• What format? Long guide, short answer, tool, video, comparison table?
• How fresh? Dates and recent updates matter more on fast-changing topics.
• What are they missing? Unanswered questions, outdated information, no examples, no original data.

Your opening is the gap. Google's guidance on helpful content asks whether your page provides original information or a more complete description of the topic than others. Look for what you can add that the current top pages lack, whether first-hand experience, real data or a clearer explanation.

Step 6: Score and prioritise

You will have more keywords than time. Score each topic on four things, from 1 to 3.

Factor	1 (low)	3 (high)
Business value	Unlikely to lead to a sale	Leads directly to enquiries or revenue
Relevance	Loosely related to what you sell	Core to your offer
Chance of ranking	Dominated by strong sites you cannot beat soon	Weak or outdated results, or you already rank
Your ability to be better	You have nothing unique to add	You have first-hand expertise or data

Multiply or add the scores and start with the highest. Do not choose by volume alone. A keyword with 100 searches a month from people ready to buy can be worth far more than one with 10,000 searches from people who will never become customers.

Step 7: Map each topic to exactly one page

This is the step that prevents keyword cannibalization, where two of your pages compete for the same search and neither performs well. Create a keyword map with these columns.

Column	Example
Primary keyword	how much does an accountant cost for a limited company
Supporting keywords	accountant fees small business, monthly accountancy fee
Intent	Informational with commercial investigation
Target URL	/blog/accountant-cost-limited-company
Status	New / update / merge
Owner and review date	Content lead, review in six months

Rules for the map:

• One primary keyword per URL, and never reuse it.
• Close variants, such as plural and singular or "cost" and "price", belong on the same page.
• If two pages target the same intent, merge them or differentiate them clearly.
• Commercial terms such as "services" and "agency" belong on service pages, while informational terms belong on guides. Link between them.
• Before publishing, search your own site for the keyword to see whether you already have a page.

Long-tail and conversational queries

Long-tail queries are longer, more specific phrases, such as "how to set up conversion tracking for a Shopify store". They have lower volume each but often higher intent, and they make up a large share of all searches. AI search has pushed queries longer and more conversational. Google says AI Overviews and AI Mode may use query fan-out, running several related searches to build one answer, and also says its systems understand synonyms and meaning, so you do not need to capture every phrase variation. So do not create a separate page for each wording. Cover the topic well on one page, include natural variations and answer the neighbouring questions. Google warns that mass-producing pages for query variations mainly to manipulate results breaches its scaled content abuse policy.

Keyword research for AI search

AI assistants do not publish keyword data, so research for them is about questions and entities. Build a list of the real questions buyers ask, in full sentences, across the buying journey. Test them in AI tools monthly, record who is cited, and make sure each question has one owning page. We explain the process in our guide to getting cited by AI search engines.

Seasonality and trends

Use Google Trends to see when interest peaks. A gardening business should publish and refresh spring content well before spring. Check regional differences too. Terms can differ between the UK and India, for example in spelling, vocabulary and the products people look for. Research each market separately instead of assuming one list fits both.

A worked example

This example is invented. A small Manchester web design agency wants to attract enquiries. Their process:

1. Customer sources. Sales calls reveal repeated questions: how much, how long, template or custom, who owns the site.
2. Topics. "Website cost", "website timeline", "template vs custom", "website ownership and hosting", "choosing an agency".
3. Tools. Search Console shows impressions for "website design cost uk" at position 14. Autocomplete suggests "for small business" and "per page".
4. Intent. The results for cost queries are guides and agency pricing pages. Informational with commercial intent.
5. Competition. Top pages are agencies with vague ranges and no dates. Nobody explains what drives price.
6. Priority. High business value, strong chance of ranking, and the agency has real project data. Score high.
7. Map. The agency creates one page, "How much does a small business website cost in the UK", with honest ranges and drivers, linked to its web design service page.

It does not create separate pages for "website design cost UK", "web design pricing" and "how much is a website". They are the same intent and belong on one page.

Common keyword research mistakes

• Choosing keywords by volume alone.
• Targeting the same keyword with several pages.
• Ignoring intent and publishing the wrong kind of page.
• Researching only in English tools when your audience searches in another language or dialect.
• Treating difficulty scores as facts.
• Building a huge list and never mapping it to pages.
• Stuffing the exact keyword into a page unnaturally.
• Never revisiting the research as the market changes.

A keyword research checklist

• I have customer language from real conversations.
• Phrases are grouped into topics.
• I checked Search Console for queries I already rank for.
• I checked intent by reading the results.
• I know what the top pages miss.
• Topics are scored by value and chance.
• Each topic maps to exactly one URL.
• I have a review date to revisit it.

A worked example: keyword mapping for a gym

This is an invented example. A boutique gym in Didsbury wants more trial sign-ups. Here is how it builds its keyword map.

Raw phrases from customers

From enquiries and the front desk: "how much is a gym membership", "is there a gym near me with a pool", "personal trainer for beginners", "classes for over 50s", "do you have a creche", "gym with no contract", "what to expect at a first gym session".

Topics

• Pricing and contracts
• Classes and training styles
• Facilities
• Beginners and special groups
• Local and comparison

Search data and intent

Phrase	Intent	What currently ranks	Decision
gym membership cost didsbury	Local, commercial	Gym pages with vague pricing and a few directories	Create a clear pricing page with honest ranges
gym with no contract manchester	Commercial, local	Chains and comparison lists	Add a section to the pricing page about contract terms
personal trainer for beginners	Commercial investigation	National articles	Create a local beginners page with real trainers and a first-session walkthrough
classes for over 50s	Commercial, specific	Few local results	Create a dedicated page, strong chance to rank
what to expect at a first gym session	Informational	Generic national guides	Create a first-session guide with local detail and a video, and link to trial sign-up
best gym with a pool near me	Local, commercial	Map results	Optimise the Business Profile and facilities page

The map

URL	Primary keyword	Notes
/membership-prices	gym membership cost didsbury	Also covers no-contract options
/classes-over-50s	classes for over 50s didsbury	Link from classes page
/personal-training/beginners	personal trainer for beginners	Link from personal training page
/guides/first-gym-session	what to expect at a first gym session	Links to trial sign-up and beginners page
/facilities	gym with a pool didsbury	Supports the Business Profile

Each primary keyword is used once. Close variants live on the same page. The gym avoids creating separate pages for "gym prices", "gym costs" and "how much is a gym". They are one intent.

Researching in different markets and languages

Keyword research for the UK and India can differ in spelling, vocabulary and behaviour. Examples to check:

• Spelling and terms. UK and Indian English vary on some words, and local terms for services or products differ.
• Language mixing. Many Indian searches mix English with Hindi or regional languages, and may be typed in Roman script. Research the forms people actually use.
• Currency and units. Searches about price may include rupees or pounds, and different units for measurement.
• Intent differences. People in different markets may look for different things from the same service, such as financing options or payment methods.
• Tool coverage. Check whether your research tool covers the market and language, and verify volumes with other sources.

Create distinct pages where intent and details differ, and avoid duplicating pages with only a currency swap. See our international SEO services.

A spreadsheet template

Column	Purpose
Phrase	The search or question
Topic	The group it belongs to
Intent	Informational, commercial, transactional, navigational or local
Source	Customer, Search Console, autocomplete, tool, competitor
Volume estimate and tool	Rough demand, with the tool used
Current ranking	Where your site ranks now, if at all
Competition notes	Who ranks and what they miss
Value score	1 to 3
Chance score	1 to 3
Owning URL	The one page that owns it
Status	New, update, merge or ignore
Review date	When to check again

Common questions about keyword research

Question	Answer
How do I know if a keyword is too competitive?	Look at who ranks. If the results are dominated by large, authoritative sites with strong pages and you have nothing new to add, choose a narrower topic first
Should I target questions or keywords?	Think in topics and questions. Each page should answer a distinct question well, and may rank for many related phrases
What does zero search volume mean?	Tools estimate volume from limited data. Real searches may exist for low-volume terms, especially specific questions, so check intent and relevance
Do I need to include the exact keyword in the title?	Include the topic clearly, usually near the start. Exact-match stuffing is unnecessary, and Google says its systems understand meaning and synonyms
How long does it take to rank?	It varies. Google says some changes take effect in hours and others take months. Competitive terms usually take longer
Can I reuse keywords across my site?	Use a primary keyword once, on one page. Related and supporting terms can appear naturally elsewhere, without competing

Using Search Console for keyword research, step by step

1. Open the Performance report and set the date range to 16 months.
2. Filter queries using regular expressions or "contains" for question words such as how, what, why and cost.
3. Sort by impressions, and look for queries where your average position is between 5 and 20.
4. Check which of your pages appears for each query. If the page is not the one you want, note it as a possible cannibalization problem.
5. Export the data. Add columns for intent, value and decision.
6. For high-impression, low-click queries, review the snippet and the page. Improve the title and the first lines of the answer.
7. For queries with impressions but no good page, plan new content.

A checklist before you publish a page for a keyword

• I have searched my own site for this topic and found no competing page.
• I have read the top results and can name what mine adds.
• The page type matches the intent shown in the results.
• The title and first lines answer the question clearly.
• I have planned inbound links from related pages and outbound links to the pillar and service page.
• I have a review date and a metric to judge success.

A story of a keyword map that saved money

This is an invented composite. A Liverpool training company offering first aid courses to businesses had commissioned a freelance writer to produce 40 blog posts targeting every first-aid-related phrase she could find. The posts were reasonable, but traffic was disappointing, and the company's own course pages barely appeared in search.

A consultant reviewed the work and built a keyword map. He listed every post and every service page with its main keyword and intent. The results were revealing. Eleven posts targeted near-identical phrases, such as "first aid course for workplaces", "workplace first aid training" and "first aid at work course", and they competed with the company's own course page for the same searches. Another 15 posts answered general information questions with little value, such as "what is first aid?", where the results were dominated by large national organisations. Only about a dozen of the posts targeted questions where the company had a real advantage, such as "how many first aiders do I need in a small office?" and "what is the difference between emergency first aid at work and first aid at work?"

He recommended a different approach. Merge the competing posts into a single, thorough page on workplace first aid courses, redirect the others to it and make sure it was the clear owner of that intent, linking to the specific course pages. Retire the generic posts that offered nothing new. Expand the dozen genuinely useful posts, adding the company's trainers' experience, official guidance links and a downloadable checklist. And write four new pages on questions customers asked during sales calls, such as "how long does a first aid certificate last?" and "what happens if our first aider leaves?"

The result was a leaner, clearer site with about 20 pages instead of 40, each with a distinct purpose. The company saved on future content costs, because it stopped commissioning pages that added nothing, and enquiries from the new and updated pages grew over the following months. The consultant's summary was that keyword research is not about finding as many phrases as possible. It is about deciding which questions you can answer best, giving each a single home and saying no to the rest. The keyword map, a simple spreadsheet, was the tool that made that discipline possible.

Where we can help

We are a digital marketing agency in Manchester, UK and Mumbai, India. Our keyword research services produce a topic map tied to your revenue, with each topic assigned to a single page. Contact us and we will show you the quick wins we would start with.