How to Conduct Keyword Research

Keyword research is one of the most important steps in any successful SEO strategy. It helps businesses understand what potential customers are searching for online and how to create content that matches those queries. When done correctly, it can increase website visibility, attract the right audience, and improve organic search rankings. In this guide, I'll walk you through the main steps using SEranking — though you're welcome to follow along with any other SEO tool.

1. Understand Your Target Audience

Before selecting keywords, it is important to understand who your customers are and what they are searching for. Think about the problems your customers want to solve and the information they are trying to find.

Consider these questions before starting your research:

• What products or services are they looking for?
  For example, if you run an SEO company, they may be searching for SEO services or consultants.
• What problems are they trying to solve?
  A client might want to increase their online visibility and appear first on Google when their services are searched.
• What words or phrases might they type into a search engine?
  In the SEO market, popular searches include terms like "SEO consultant", "SEO strategy", and "SEO services".

Understanding your audience helps you identify keywords that are relevant and valuable for your business.

2. Brainstorm Initial Keyword Ideas

Start by creating a list of basic keywords related to your business, products, or services. These are often referred to as seed keywords.

For example, using Cloudtree.ie as our case study — if you select Cloudtree as your project in SEranking, press Rankings, then Detailed, you can scroll down to see all brainstormed keywords.

SEranking project overview for Cloudtree.ie

Keyword list view in SEranking

These initial keywords provide a starting point for deeper research.

3. Use Keyword Research Tools

Keyword research tools help you expand your list of keywords and provide valuable data on search volume, competition, and trends. Popular tools include:

• SEranking — Offers keyword suggestions, search volume, difficulty scores, and competitor analysis.
• Google Keyword Planner — Free tool that provides keyword ideas and traffic estimates.
• Ahrefs — Comprehensive SEO tool with keyword research capabilities.
• Ubersuggest — Provides keyword suggestions and SEO metrics.

Using these tools, you can identify additional keywords related to your initial list and gather data to inform your strategy.

4. Analyse Search Volume and Competition

When choosing keywords, it is important to balance search volume and competition.

• Search volume refers to how many people search for a keyword each month.
• Keyword difficulty indicates how hard it may be to rank for that keyword.

High search volume keywords tend to be more competitive, while lower volume keywords may be easier to rank for. A balanced strategy typically includes both. Here is how to interpret the numbers:

Search volume and difficulty stats for "software company in ireland"

Search Volume

"Software company in ireland" has a search volume of 140, which is low but useful for niche targeting. Here is a general guide:

• 0–100 — Very low traffic
• 100–1,000 — Low, but good for niche keywords
• 1,000–10,000 — Medium traffic
• 10,000+ — High traffic

For steady, efficient website growth, target keywords in the 100–1,000 range.

Difficulty Level

The difficulty level for this keyword is 16, which makes it easy to rank for. Here is a breakdown of difficulty ranges:

• 0–10 — Very easy
• 11–20 — Easy
• 21–40 — Moderate
• 41–60 — Hard
• 61–100 — Very hard

Aim for keywords in the "Easy" range where possible, as these offer the best opportunity for new or growing websites.

5. Focus on Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases. Although they usually have lower search volumes, they often attract more targeted traffic with higher conversion potential.

Examples of long-tail keywords include:

• How to conduct keyword research
• Best SEO tools for small businesses
• Affordable digital marketing services in Ireland

These keywords face lower competition and are more likely to attract visitors who are ready to act.

6. Analyse Competitor Keywords

Looking at the keywords your competitors rank for can reveal valuable opportunities. By analysing competitor websites, you can identify gaps in your own keyword strategy and discover topics already performing well in your industry.

Competitor analysis can help you:

• Find new keyword ideas
• Understand market trends
• Identify content opportunities

To find your competitors in SEranking, click on Projects, find My Competitors, and click on SERP Competitors. You will see the top companies competing in your market.

Finding SERP competitors in SEranking

Top competing websites in your market

Organic vs Paid Traffic

Once you know who your competitors are, go to Competitive Research and enter their website address. Focus on organic traffic — this is traffic earned through search rankings rather than paid advertising. Organic traffic is more sustainable and more trusted by users than paid traffic.

Also check the Traffic Distribution by Country feature to understand where your competitors draw their audience from geographically.

Navigating to Competitive Research

Competitor website overview in SEranking

Organic vs paid traffic breakdown for a competitor

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7. Organise and Prioritise Your Keywords

Once you have collected a list of potential keywords, organise them into categories based on topics or search intent. Grouping keywords helps structure your website content and improves your overall SEO strategy.

Keywords can typically be grouped into:

• Informational keywords — users looking to learn something
• Transactional keywords — users ready to take action or make a purchase
• Local search keywords — users searching for services in a specific location

Prioritise keywords based on their relevance to your business, search volume, and ranking difficulty.

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8. Integrate Keywords into Your Content

After selecting the right keywords, incorporate them naturally into your website content. Keywords should appear in:

• Page titles
• Headings
• Meta descriptions
• Website content body
• Image alt text

Avoid keyword stuffing — content should always remain natural and valuable to the reader. For Cloudtree.ie, the core services are Data Analysis, Web and App Development, and Search Engine Optimisation, so those terms are prioritised throughout the site content.

Data Analysis keyword integration on Cloudtree.ie

Web and App Development keyword integration

Search Engine Optimisation keyword integration

Conclusion

Keyword research is a critical component of any successful SEO strategy. By understanding your target audience, brainstorming initial ideas, using keyword research tools, analysing search volume and competition, focusing on long-tail keywords, analysing competitor keywords, organising and prioritising your keywords, and integrating them into your content, you can improve your website's visibility and attract the right audience.

Remember to continuously monitor and update your keyword strategy as search trends and user behaviour evolve over time.