--- title: "Keyword research: from seed terms to a publishing plan." description: "Expand your seed keywords, classify intent, check competitors, and score business value. Rank the results into a content calendar you can maintain." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/keyword-research-process-guide" date: "2026-03-20" modified: "2026-09-25" --- ## Site navigation - [Scale With Search](https://scalewithsearch.com/) - Real estate - Real estate - [Real estate](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate) - Work - Start here - [Send your brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#send-your-brief) - [Prepare your six-question brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#prepare-your-six-question-brief) - Build - [Site build, content library with SEO, signal desk](https://scalewithsearch.com/work) - For your business - Trades and home services - [Auto body and collision shops](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/auto-body-and-collision-shops) - [Foundation and home repair contractors](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/foundation-and-home-repair) - [Garage door and fencing contractors](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/garage-door-and-fencing-contractors) - [HVAC contractors](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/hvac-contractors) - 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A company publishes 40 articles in a year. Twelve rank for queries nobody searches. Twenty rank for queries that bring visitors who never buy. Eight target keywords that the company had no chance to win. Keyword research decides which queries your content targets. Weak research produces content that ranks for nothing, traffic that does not convert, or effort spent on rankings you cannot reach. A repeatable process ties production to real search demand, winnable competition, and business goals. This article gives a seven-step process that works for any industry, site size, or level of SEO maturity. ## Know what keyword research does Keyword research does three jobs: - It validates demand. It confirms that people search for the topics you plan to cover. A page with no search demand gets no organic traffic. - It shows the competition. It reveals which keywords competitors rank for, and where they leave gaps. - It sets priorities. It separates valuable keywords, with good volume, reachable difficulty, and strong intent, from weak ones. Sites that skip research publish and hope the topics match what people search. Sites that do the research publish content that meets demand that already exists. ## Step 1: list the seed keywords Seed keywords are broad terms for what you sell, the topics you cover, and the problems you solve. You expand them into thousands of related keywords later. 1. List your products, services, and solutions. 2. List your industry terms. 3. List the problems your customers describe. 4. Review the titles and categories of your existing content. A CRM software company might start with: CRM, customer relationship management, sales software, contact management, sales pipeline, and lead tracking. Start broad. Do not jump to long-tail variants or single features yet. ## Step 2: expand the list Expansion turns each seed into hundreds of related queries. Use four sources. ### Keyword tools In Google Keyword Planner, enter the seeds and export the suggestions. Filter to a minimum volume, such as 10 searches each month. Keyword Planner shows volume ranges, not exact numbers, unless the Google Ads account has active spend. In Ahrefs Keyword Explorer, enter a seed and export three reports: `Matching terms` (queries that contain the seed), `Related terms` (queries on the same topic), and `Questions`. In the Semrush Keyword Magic Tool, enter a seed and export the list. Filter it by volume, difficulty, or word count. Ubersuggest, Moz Keyword Explorer, and Serpstat follow the same pattern: enter a seed, export the suggestions. ### Competitor keywords Competitor analysis shows the keywords that bring traffic to competing sites. In Ahrefs: 1. Open Site Explorer. 2. Enter a competitor's domain. 3. Open the `Organic keywords` report. 4. Export the keywords where the competitor ranks in the top 10. 5. Sort by traffic to find the keywords that bring the most visits. In Semrush: 1. Enter the competitor's domain in Domain Overview. 2. Open `Organic Research`, then `Positions`. 3. Export the keywords in positions 1 to 10. 4. Repeat for three to five main competitors. A project management software startup that analyzes Asana, Monday, and Trello this way can find more than 5,000 keywords its competitors rank for. ### Autocomplete and related searches Google's autocomplete and related searches show what people actually type. 1. Open Google. 2. Type a seed keyword and a space. 3. Record the suggestions. "CRM" leads to "CRM software," "CRM tools," and "CRM systems." 4. Run the search and scroll to the related searches near the bottom. 5. Record those queries. AnswerThePublic, AlsoAsked, and Keyword Sheeter collect these suggestions at scale. ### Questions Question keywords target informational searches and suit educational content. 1. Generate questions for each seed with AnswerThePublic or AlsoAsked. 2. Export them grouped by question word: what, how, why, when, where, and who. 3. Start with "how" and "what" questions. For "email marketing," the output includes "how to start email marketing," "what is email marketing automation," "why email marketing is important," and "when to send email campaigns." ## Step 3: collect the metrics ### Search volume Search volume estimates monthly searches for a keyword. More volume means more potential traffic, with three caveats: - Volume is often a 12-month average. Seasonal keywords swing above and below it. - Each tool estimates volume differently. Treat the numbers as a direction, not a count. - Tools undercount long-tail queries. A keyword that shows zero volume can still have real demand. ### Keyword difficulty Keyword difficulty (KD) estimates how hard it is to reach the top 10. Most tools base it on the links and authority of the pages that rank now. Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz all use a 0 to 100 scale, with different formulas. Ahrefs weights the backlinks needed to rank. Semrush weights the authority of the ranking pages. Moz weights the page and domain authority of the ranking pages. Read the scale as bands: | KD | Band | Who can target it | |---|---|---| | 0 to 20 | Easy | New sites | | 21 to 40 | Medium | Established sites with some authority | | 41 to 60 | Hard | Sites with a strong backlink profile | | 61 to 80 | Very hard | Sites with high domain authority | | 81 to 100 | Extreme | Major brands | Target keywords inside your site's authority range. A new site that targets KD 70 keywords wastes its effort. Build authority on KD 0 to 30 keywords first, through steady publication and link building, then move up. ### Traffic potential Traffic potential estimates the traffic you would get at position 1, including clicks and search features. Ahrefs reports it as `Traffic Potential`: the traffic the current top page gets from all the keywords it ranks for, not only the one you searched. For example, "best project management software" has 5,000 monthly searches but a traffic potential of 15,000 visits. The top page also ranks for more than 50 related keywords. Traffic potential finds keywords that unlock many rankings at once. ## Step 4: classify the search intent Search intent is what the searcher wants. Google ranks pages that satisfy the intent, not pages that only contain the words. The [search intent guide](/articles/search-intent-explained) covers the edge cases. | Intent | The searcher wants | Examples | Content that fits | |---|---|---|---| | Informational | To learn | "what is SEO," "how to do keyword research," "email marketing tips" | Guides, tutorials, explainers | | Navigational | A specific site or page | "Facebook login," "Ahrefs pricing," "Shopify support" | Homepages, product pages, brand pages | | Commercial investigation | To compare before a purchase | "best CRM software," "Ahrefs vs Semrush," "top email marketing tools" | Comparisons, reviews, roundups, buyer's guides | | Transactional | To buy or act | "buy iPhone," "Ahrefs free trial," "email marketing software pricing" | Product pages, pricing pages, signup forms | Confirm the intent in the search results: 1. Search the keyword. 2. Read the top 10 results. 3. Note the dominant content type: article, product page, comparison, or video. 4. Note the shared elements: length, structure, and features. For "best CRM for small business," the results are lists that compare 10 to 20 CRM tools, reviews, and comparison tables. The intent is commercial investigation. The page you need is a comparison with product summaries, pros and cons, and pricing. If you plan an informational guide and the results show product pages, your guide will not rank. It does not match the intent. ## Step 5: check the real competition Difficulty scores are a start. Read the top 10 results yourself and record six things: 1. Authority: are the sites major brands, such as Forbes, HubSpot, or Shopify, or smaller players? 2. Content quality: how thorough, visual, and original are the pages? 3. Backlinks: how many links do the ranking pages have, per Ahrefs or Semrush? An average of 500 or more means you need serious link building. 4. Page age: pages three or more years old have built authority, and they are harder to pass. 5. Freshness: are the pages updated? Google favors fresh content on topics that change. 6. Search features: do featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, or video carousels take clicks from the organic results? Skip the keyword when you see these signs: - Every ranking site has a Domain Rating of 70 or more, and yours is 20. - The ranking pages average 1,000 or more backlinks. - Amazon, Wikipedia, Forbes, and other major brands fill the results. - A snippet and question boxes push the organic results below the fold. ## Step 6: score business value High volume and low difficulty are not enough. Business value decides whether a ranking brings customers or only visitors. Score each keyword from 1 to 10 on four factors: - Conversion likelihood: transactional 8 to 10, commercial investigation 6 to 8, informational 3 to 5, navigational 1 to 3 (unless it is your brand). - Fit with what you sell. Irrelevant traffic does not convert. - Buyer stage: awareness is low value, consideration is medium, decision is high. - Order value: keywords that attract customers with larger orders score higher. Examples: | Keyword | Score | Reason | |---|---|---| | CRM software free trial | 9 | Transactional, decision stage | | best CRM for startups | 7 | Commercial, consideration stage | | what is CRM | 4 | Informational, awareness stage | | HubSpot login | 2 | Navigational, existing customers only | ## Step 7: rank the keywords and plan production ### Use a priority matrix Place each keyword on two axes: difficulty (easy to hard) and business value (low to high). 1. High value, low difficulty: priority 1. Target now. 2. High value, high difficulty: priority 2. Target after you build authority. 3. Low value, low difficulty: priority 3. Target if capacity allows. 4. Low value, high difficulty: priority 4. Skip. Put most of your effort into priority 1, then move to priority 2 as your authority grows. ### Build the calendar Turn the ranked keywords into a content calendar: | Keyword | Volume | KD | Value | Priority | Writer | Publish date | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | best CRM for small business | 2,400 | 35 | 8 | 1 | Writer A | 2026-03-01 | | CRM software pricing | 1,200 | 28 | 9 | 1 | Writer B | 2026-03-08 | Group keywords by topic cluster. Give each article one primary keyword and 5 to 15 secondary keywords from the same cluster. Publish the pillar page first, then the supporting articles. The [keyword clustering guide](/articles/keyword-clustering-content-teams) covers the grouping. ## Choose the tools | Tool | Strengths | Best for | Relative price, March 2026 | |---|---|---|---| | Ahrefs | Large keyword database, traffic potential metric | Full research and competitor analysis | Among the highest of those listed | | Semrush | Competitor analysis, keyword gap, position tracking | Competitive research, paid and organic search together | Among the highest of those listed | | Google Keyword Planner | Data from Google, useful for paid search research | Volume checks on a small budget | Free with a Google Ads account | | Moz Keyword Explorer | Easy interface, built-in priority score | Beginners and small businesses | Middle of the range | | Ubersuggest | Useful suggestions at low cost | Freelancers and startups | Lowest of the paid tools listed | Use Ahrefs or Semrush for serious SEO programs, Keyword Planner to check volume, and Ubersuggest when the budget is tight. Current prices are on each vendor's site. ## Add three advanced tactics ### Keyword gaps A gap analysis finds keywords competitors rank for and you do not. In Ahrefs, open the Content Gap tool and enter your domain and three to five competitors. Require at least two competitors to rank for each keyword. Export the keywords where you do not rank. The result is a list of proven keywords where you have no content. The [keyword gap analysis guide](/articles/keyword-gap-analysis) turns that list into a scored roadmap. ### Search features Featured snippets, People Also Ask, and video carousels often take clicks from the first organic result. Filter keywords with a featured snippet in Ahrefs or Semrush. Note the snippet's format (list, table, or paragraph), and write the section to match. Suppose the snippet for "email marketing best practices" is a numbered list. Add a numbered list near the top of your article. The [featured snippet optimization guide](/articles/featured-snippet-optimization) covers each format. ### Seasonal keywords Some keywords spike at fixed times: holidays, events, or tax season. Enter each candidate in Google Trends and look at five years of data. Publish two to three months before the spike. "Halloween costume ideas" spikes in September and October, so publish in July. ## Keep the research current Refresh the research each quarter, and each month in fast markets such as news and technology. New opportunities appear, competitors change, and volumes move. Measure whether the research works. Track rankings, organic traffic, and conversions for the keywords you targeted. If they move from unranked into the top 20 within three to six months, the research works. If an article does not rank after six months, check its difficulty and intent match again. Do not drop zero-volume keywords by reflex. Tools undercount niche queries. If a keyword is highly relevant and commercial, target it, and confirm demand with Google Trends or autocomplete. Weigh volume and difficulty together. A 10,000-search keyword at KD 80 is worthless if you cannot rank. A 50-search keyword at KD 10 is valuable if you can win it and it converts. 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