A Simple Keyword Research Process
Here is a repeatable, beginner-friendly process to build a keyword list you can actually rank for.
The 5-step process
- Seed ideas — list the topics your business is about.
- Expand — use tools and Google autocomplete, “People Also Ask” and “related searches” to find variations.
- Add metrics — pull volume and difficulty for each idea.
- Map intent — label each keyword and decide the page type.
- Prioritise — pick winnable, high-intent keywords first.
Mini example
Seed: “running shoes”. Expand: “best running shoes for beginners”, “how to choose running shoes”, “running shoes under 5000”. Map: the first two are informational (blog), the third is transactional (category page).
Pro tips
- Keep a simple spreadsheet: keyword, volume, KD, intent, target page.
- Mine competitor pages to find keywords you are missing.
- Revisit your list every few months as you grow.
Common mistakes
- Skipping intent mapping and building the wrong page type.
- Never revisiting the list after the first round.
- Targeting hundreds of keywords with no priority order.
Summary
A good process is: seed ideas, expand them, add metrics, map intent, then prioritise winnable, high-intent keywords. A simple spreadsheet keeps it organised.