How to Do Keyword Research for SEO – A Beginner’s Guide

Doing Keyword research for SEO is an art. Do you agree?

Would you talk to people who don’t speak your language? 

You’d either need to learn their language or find a way to make them understand you, which can take a lot of time and effort. 

Now, imagine talking with a group really interested in what you have to say, actively looking for you. 

Can you imagine how great that would feel?

It totally makes sense, right? 

We all prefer things to be easy, saving time and energy. 

It’s about focusing on specific people and topics to make a real impact, rather than trying to do a hundred things at once. 

In the past, even winning battles often started by taking small areas first. 

It’s like how keyword research for SEO works. 

Start with simple keywords and work your way up to harder ones, just like lifting weights. It’s safer to start with lighter weights and build up gradually to avoid getting hurt. 

Similarly, when picking keywords, start with the easy ones, but remember, this doesn’t mean you can’t rank for harder ones later. 

Train your website to handle tougher keywords by mastering the easier ones first. 

Don’t let your ego get in the way; it’ll only lead to failure. 

So, how do you get your website to rank higher? 

By carefully choosing keywords, creating content around them, and making sure your site is set up for search engines. 

It’s pretty straightforward, isn’t it? 

I’ll show you how I do keyword research. 

Just remember, the main goal is to really understand your audience and create content or a website to meet their needs.

First, let’s look at how we can do keyword research using free resources. 

Advanced keyword research might need premium tools, which are great for analyzing deeply and understanding how Google decides which websites rank at the top of search results (often called SERP).

But don’t worry, let’s begin with the basics and then move on to more advanced techniques. Let’s get started!

What is a funnel?

Before you do anything, there’s something crucial you should know. 

In SEO, it’s really important to understand what people are looking for when they search. 

Usually, before someone lands on your website, they’ve gone through a journey. This journey, from how they started to how they found your product or service, is called a “Funnel”. 

But don’t worry, let me simplify it for you. 

There are three main stages in the funnel: 

• Top of the Funnel (ToFu)
• Middle of the Funnel (MoFu) and 
• Bottom of the Funnel (BoFu). 

Different businesses use different frameworks based on what works best for them. 

It’s not one size fits all. 

As a beginner starting a new brand or trying to rank a new website, it’s crucial to understand what people are searching for. 

What do I mean by that?

Well, anyone who uses a search engine goes through a process: they identify their problem, search with intent-based keywords, find solutions, research, and then make a decision. 

That makes sense, right? 

Need an example? 

Let’s say your washing machine is old and causing trouble. You’d research new ones based on your needs and budget, consulting with others before making a purchase. This whole process is the journey. 

Now, while doing keyword research, many people make a mistake by focusing only on those ready to buy (BoFu). Instead, target those in the early stages of the funnel. 

Use keywords like “how,” “what,” “which,” “where,” “why,” and “best.” Focus on informational keywords rather than transactional ones. 

By answering people’s questions, you build trust and authority, reaching more potential customers and building your brand. 

Sounds good, right? I hope you understand why targeting informational keywords is important. Oh, I almost forgot to mention,

What is an Informational Keyword?

Well, 

Informational keywords are ones that users use when they want to find out more about a specific topic. 

They help users understand and learn more deeply about that topic.

Usually, these keywords are longer phrases.

Long-tail keyword?

It might sound complicated, but trust me, understanding this is like winning half the battle. 

Just bear with me for a few minutes. 

So, what exactly is a long-tail keyword? 

When you’re doing keyword research, it’s all about understanding what users are looking for. 

Knowing their intent behind a keyword helps you create clear and relevant content. 

There are three types of keywords: 

• Head Keywords (like “Washing machine”), 
• Body Keywords (like “Best washing machines”), and 
• Tail Keywords (like “Best washing machine under 15,000”). 

The tail keyword, with longer phrases, is often called the “long-tail keyword.”.

These longer, more specific keywords have less competition compared to shorter ones. Many people make the mistake of focusing on head keywords just because they have a higher search volume. 

However, these keywords often lack clear intent, making it hard to create relevant content. Instead, focus on specific long-tail keywords that match users’ needs. 

They may have a lower search volume, but they’re easier to rank for. Now, let’s dive into the actual topic: 

How to Do Keyword Research for SEO 

I’ve made this article long because understanding why keyword research is crucial helps you avoid picking the wrong keywords. 

So, how do you do keyword research for SEO? 

You can use free tools like Ahrefs’ keyword generator tool or AlsoAsked.com to extract search queries and see what people are looking for. 

You can also analyze competitors’ pages, use autocompletion suggestions by Google, and look at related searches. 

The tools may vary, but the process remains the same. 

Start with broad ideas and then narrow down your focus to primary, secondary, and LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords. 

Let’s start with

Primary keyword research for SEO 

For example, let’s explore the broad topic of “Best washing machine”.