Keyword research: know what your customers search for
Keyword research shows which words your customers type into Google when they look for what you offer. Without that research you write on gut feeling and hope it ranks. On this page you will read how it works, what long tail keywords are, how to group keywords and what it costs to have it done for you.
What is keyword research?
Keyword research is finding and assessing the search terms your audience uses in Google and other search engines. For each keyword you look at three things: how many people search for it, how hard it is to rank for and what someone who types it actually wants. It is the foundation of every SEO approach: without the right keywords, even the best copy never reaches its reader.
Many businesses publish pages and blog posts hoping they will be found for something. Success only comes when you write for the words your customers really use. That gives you:
- The right visitors: people who are already interested in your product or service.
- Less wasted effort: you only spend time on search terms with proven potential.
- Hidden opportunities: keywords your competitors overlook.
- More enquiries and sales: you target searchers who are ready to buy or book.
- One direction for all your marketing: the same keywords guide your SEO, your content and your ads.
What are long tail keywords?
Long tail keywords are long, specific searches, usually of three or more words, that few people search for per term, but where it is clear what the searcher wants. Think of affordable SEO for restaurants instead of SEO, or loft conversion in Bristol instead of loft conversion.
The name comes from the shape of search demand in a graph. A small number of broad keywords gets an enormous number of searches: the head. Behind it follows a long tail of thousands of specific search terms, each with little volume. Together, those specific searches make up a large share of all searches in Google.
For small and medium-sized businesses, long tail keywords are often the fastest route to results. There is less competition, so you can rank high sooner. And because the question is so specific, the visitor is more likely to become a customer. Someone searching for loft conversion is still exploring; someone searching for loft conversion in Bristol wants a quote.
Features of a long tail keyword:
- Three or more words, often in the form of a question or a specific need.
- Lower search volume per term, but a clearer search intent.
- Less competition, so more achievable for smaller websites.
- Often a higher conversion rate, because the searcher already knows what they want.
- Very suitable for service pages, blog posts and FAQs. Keywords that include a place name are often long tail too.
Caribe Car Rental, Bonaire · website, SEO and Google Ads
- 41%more visitors from Google, in 6 months
- 26%more revenue in the first 3 months
- 7,8times back on Google Ads: every euro returned €7.80
Short tail and long tail keywords: the difference
| Short tail | Long tail | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | One or two words | Three or more words |
| Example | seo, loft conversion | seo agency for online shops, loft conversion in Bristol |
| Search volume | High | Low per term, large in total |
| Competition | Heavy | Limited |
| Search intent | Broad and vague | Specific and clear |
| Chance of a customer | Lower | Higher |
| Best place | Homepage and overview pages | Service pages, blog posts and FAQ |
Search intent: what does the searcher want?
Two keywords can sound almost the same and still mean something very different. That is why every keyword is classified by the purpose behind it: the search intent.
- 01
Informational
The searcher wants to know something, such as what is seo or how does a loft conversion work. Explanations, guides and blog posts fit here.
- 02
Navigational
The searcher is looking for a specific website or brand, such as a company name plus login. Here you mainly rank for your own name.
- 03
Commercial
The searcher is comparing options before buying, such as best seo agency or loft conversion cost. For this commercial search intent, comparisons, prices and reviews work well.
- 04
Transactional
The searcher wants to buy, book or request a quote now, such as get an seo audit. These keywords belong on your service and product pages.
Grouping keywords
Grouping keywords means sorting the keywords you have found into clusters that belong together, so that each group gets one page on your website.
A list of hundreds of loose keywords is worth little; only when you group them do you know which pages you need and what should be on them.
Keywords belong together when they are about the same topic and have the same search intent. A handy test: if Google shows largely the same results for two keywords, they belong on the same page. So seo costs, how much does seo cost and seo prices fall into one group, but what is seo does not, because that searcher wants an explanation, not a price.
Within each group you choose one main keyword for the title and the H1. You work the rest naturally into the copy, together with semantic keywords: words and concepts that belong to the topic, such as crawling, backlinks and meta description for SEO. That is how Google recognises that your page covers a topic fully.
Grouping also prevents your own pages from competing with each other. If two pages target the same keyword, Google does not know which one to show and both often rank worse. This is called keyword cannibalisation.
How the keyword research works
Four steps, from your customer to a plan you can start on straight away.
- 01
Audience analysis
First your business, your goals and your ideal customer. What problems do they have, what words do they use themselves, and where are they in their customer journey when they search?
- 02
Collecting and assessing keywords
With tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Semrush and Ahrefs, hundreds of possible keywords are collected and assessed on search volume, difficulty and relevance. Long tail variants, seasons and emerging topics are included too.
- 03
Competitor analysis
Which terms bring your competitors their traffic, where do they rank poorly and which keywords do they ignore entirely? That is where your opportunities are.
- 04
Keyword strategy
The keywords are grouped and linked to pages on your website. If a page is missing, you will hear which one to create. Everything gets a priority: what delivers quick results and what you build up for the long term.
Outsourcing keyword research: what does it cost?
At Growetic, keyword research is included in every SEO package, from €399 per month. The bigger the package, the more keywords are researched and worked out. So you do not pay separately for a list; the research is used straight away to improve your pages. See the SEO packages and prices for the exact differences.
Only want a standalone piece of research, for example for a new website or a new service? Then you get a tailored price up front, depending on the size of your website and your industry. What you get in both cases:
- A keyword report with search volume, difficulty and search intent per keyword.
- Insight into your competitors' keywords.
- A prioritised list, grouped by page and aligned with your goals.
- Advice on how to use the keywords in your copy and your SEO.
Frequently asked questions about keyword research
How much does keyword research cost?
At Growetic, keyword research is included in every SEO package, from €399 per month; the bigger the package, the more keywords are researched. If you only want a standalone piece of research, you get a tailored price up front. That depends on the size of your website and how competitive your industry is. So you always know where you stand in advance.
What are long tail keywords?
Long tail keywords are long, specific searches, usually of three or more words, such as loft conversion in Bristol. Fewer people search for each term than for a short keyword, but the searcher knows exactly what they want. That means less competition and a better chance that a visitor becomes a customer. Ideal for smaller websites.
How long does keyword research take?
That depends on the size of your website and your industry. For smaller businesses the research is often ready within a few days. For larger websites or highly competitive markets it can take a week or longer to arrive at a complete report and a worked-out strategy. You will hear in advance how long it will take for you.
Which tools are used for keyword research?
The research uses professional tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, Ahrefs and Google Search Console. These provide reliable data on search volumes, difficulty and competitors' rankings. Search Console also shows which keywords your website already appears for. Those are often the quickest wins: terms where you sit just outside the first page.
How often should I update my keyword research?
Update your keyword research at least once a year. If your industry changes quickly, or you add new products or services, do it more often, for example every six months. Search behaviour changes: new terms appear, seasons shift and competitors focus on different words. An up-to-date list keeps your SEO on course.
Can I also use the keyword research for Google Ads?
Yes. The same insights help you improve your Google Ads campaigns: you target more relevant search terms and waste less budget on clicks that deliver nothing. For ads a few things are added, such as negative keywords and keyword match types. Read more about this under keyword research for Google Ads.
Does keyword research guarantee higher rankings?
No. Keyword research is the foundation, but your rankings also depend on the quality of your copy, your backlinks and the technical side of your website. What the research does do is make sure you focus your efforts on the right opportunities. That makes it much more likely your SEO will work, and you waste no time on the wrong words.
Read next
- Search engine optimisationSEO: how to rank higher in GoogleWhat is SEO and how does it work? Learn how search engine optimisation moves you higher in Google, what you can do yourself and when outsourcing is smarter.
- Outsource SEOSEO services from someone you can simply callOutsource SEO with fixed-price SEO services: packages from €399 to €2,499 per month, cancel any month. See exactly what you get and what it costs.
- SEO analysisSEO audit: see exactly what is holding your website backGet an SEO audit for €199: technical health, content, backlinks and competitors examined, with a clear report and a concrete action plan for your website.
- Google AdsGoogle Ads keyword research: only pay for the right clicksGoogle Ads keyword research: search intent, match types and negative keywords, so you only pay for clicks from people who are likely to become customers.
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