How Do You Perform Keyword Research? A Step-by-Step Guide for 2026

You're staring at a blank Google Ads campaign or an empty content calendar, and the question hits you: what should I actually target? What are people searching for? Which keywords will bring in customers instead of tire-kickers? If you've been there—and most of us have—you know that guessing doesn't work. You waste budget on irrelevant clicks, create content nobody finds, and watch competitors somehow rank for everything that matters.

The good news? Keyword research isn't mysterious. It's a systematic process you can learn and repeat. When done right, it tells you exactly what your audience wants, how they search for it, and where your opportunities lie. Whether you're planning SEO content, launching PPC campaigns, or building a content strategy from scratch, the steps are the same.

This guide walks you through the complete keyword research process—from defining your goals to organizing keywords into actionable groups. No fluff about "understanding your customer journey" without practical steps. No outdated tactics that worked in 2015 but don't today. Just the framework that works in 2026, whether you're a solo marketer, agency owner, or freelancer managing multiple clients.

Let's get into it.

Step 1: Define Your Goals and Understand Your Audience

Before you open any tools or brainstorm keywords, you need clarity on what you're actually trying to accomplish. Keyword research for SEO looks different than keyword research for PPC. Content marketing has different priorities than product pages. If you skip this step, you'll end up with a massive keyword list that doesn't align with your actual business goals.

Start by asking: what's the primary purpose of this keyword research? Are you trying to drive organic traffic to blog content? Launch a Google Ads campaign that converts at a specific cost per acquisition? Build out landing pages for specific services? Each scenario requires different keyword priorities. SEO keyword research often focuses on search volume and ranking difficulty. PPC keyword research emphasizes commercial intent and cost-per-click economics. Content marketing might prioritize question-based queries and informational intent.

Next, create a simple audience profile. You don't need a 50-page persona document—just answer these questions: Who are you targeting? What problems do they have that your product or service solves? What language do they actually use when describing these problems? This matters because your customers rarely use the same jargon you do internally. A SaaS company might call their product a "customer data platform," but their prospects search for "tool to track customer behavior" or "how to see what users do on my website."

Now list 3-5 core topics or seed themes that your business naturally covers. If you run a PPC agency, your core topics might be "Google Ads optimization," "PPC campaign management," "search term analysis," "negative keyword strategy," and "ad account audits." If you're an e-commerce brand selling running shoes, your topics might be "marathon training," "running shoe reviews," "injury prevention," "trail running," and "beginner running tips."

Success indicator: You have a clear list of topics, you know your audience's language, and you've decided whether you're optimizing for traffic, conversions, or both. This clarity prevents you from chasing high-volume keywords that bring the wrong audience.

Step 2: Generate Seed Keywords and Initial Ideas

Now that you know your topics and goals, it's time to generate your initial keyword ideas—what we call seed keywords. These are the foundation you'll expand later using tools. The key here is thinking like a searcher, not a marketer. What would someone actually type into Google when they have the problem your business solves?

Start with a brainstorming session. Set a timer for 15 minutes and write down every term you can think of related to your core topics. Don't filter yourself yet—just capture ideas. If you're researching keywords for a PPC tool, you might write: "Google Ads optimization," "negative keywords," "search terms report," "PPC keyword research," "how to reduce wasted ad spend," "Google Ads management," and so on. The goal is quantity at this stage.

Next, mine your existing data sources. This is where most marketers miss easy wins. Open Google Search Console and look at the queries already driving traffic to your site. You'll often find variations and long-tail terms you never thought to target. Check your site search logs if you have an internal search bar—what are visitors searching for on your site? Review customer support tickets and sales call notes. The questions customers ask and the exact phrases they use are gold for keyword research.

Then use Google's free features for inspiration. Start typing your seed keywords into Google and watch what autocomplete suggests. These suggestions are based on real search volume—Google is literally showing you what people search for. Scroll to the bottom of search results and check "related searches." Click into a few results and look at the "People Also Ask" boxes. Each of these is a real query people are searching, and they often reveal question-based keywords you hadn't considered. For a deeper dive into this technique, learn how to use Google's related queries for new keywords to maximize your free keyword discovery.

Don't forget to check competitor sites. Look at their blog titles, service pages, and category names. You're not copying—you're identifying which topics and terms are worth targeting in your space. If three competitors all have content about "search term analysis," that's a signal the topic matters.

Success indicator: You have 20-50 seed keywords across your core topics. These don't need metrics yet—that comes next. You're building the raw material you'll refine and expand in the following steps.

Step 3: Expand Your List Using Keyword Research Tools

Your seed keywords are just the starting point. Now you'll use tools to expand that list into hundreds of variations, long-tail keywords, and related terms you never would have thought of manually. The right tool depends on your goals and budget, but the process is similar across platforms.

Let's start with free options. Google Keyword Planner is the go-to tool for both SEO and PPC keyword research. It's free if you have a Google Ads account (you don't need to run active campaigns). Enter your seed keywords and it returns related terms with search volume ranges, competition levels, and suggested bid prices. The search volume data is more accurate than most free tools because it comes directly from Google. Even if you're doing SEO, pay attention to the CPC column—high cost-per-click often signals commercial intent and keywords worth targeting. If you're new to this tool, check out our guide on how to use the Google Keyword Planner effectively.

Other free tools worth trying: Ubersuggest gives you keyword suggestions and basic metrics without requiring an account. AnswerThePublic visualizes question-based queries around your seed terms. Google Trends shows whether search interest is rising or declining over time, which helps you avoid investing in dying topics.

If you're serious about SEO keyword research, paid tools offer more robust features. Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz all provide keyword difficulty scores, SERP analysis, and competitor keyword data that free tools can't match. These tools show you which keywords your competitors rank for that you don't, reveal the exact pages ranking for specific terms, and estimate how much traffic those pages receive. The investment makes sense if you're managing multiple clients or building a significant content strategy. You can also validate keywords using third-party tools to ensure your research is accurate before committing resources.

Here's how to use these tools effectively: Enter your seed keywords one at a time. Export the results. Look for three types of keywords: variations (different ways to say the same thing), long-tail keywords (longer, more specific phrases), and question-based queries (how, what, why, when). Long-tail keywords typically have lower search volume but higher conversion intent. Someone searching "Google Ads tool" is browsing. Someone searching "tool to remove junk keywords from Google Ads search terms report" knows exactly what they want. For PPC specifically, understanding how to research long-tail keywords for Google Ads can dramatically lower your costs while improving conversions.

Don't ignore the "related keywords" or "also rank for" features. These often surface adjacent topics and terms you hadn't considered but that your target audience searches for. A keyword research tool might show that people searching for "negative keyword strategy" also search for "search query mining" and "wasted ad spend reduction"—all relevant topics you can target.

Success indicator: Your list has grown to 100-200+ keywords with basic metrics attached (search volume, competition level, and CPC if available). You're no longer guessing—you have data-backed keyword opportunities to evaluate.

Step 4: Analyze Search Intent and Keyword Metrics

You've got a big list of keywords with metrics. Now comes the critical part: understanding what searchers actually want when they type these queries. This is where most keyword research goes wrong. People chase high-volume keywords without considering whether those searchers are looking for what they offer. A keyword with 10,000 monthly searches means nothing if those searchers want something different than what you provide.

Search intent falls into four main categories. Informational intent means the searcher wants to learn something: "what is keyword research," "how does Google Ads work," "PPC best practices." These searchers aren't ready to buy—they're researching. Navigational intent means they're looking for a specific website or brand: "Google Ads login," "Ahrefs pricing," "SEMrush blog." Commercial intent signals they're evaluating options: "best keyword research tools," "Ahrefs vs SEMrush," "Google Ads management software reviews." Transactional intent means they're ready to act: "buy keyword research tool," "Google Ads management pricing," "sign up for PPC software."

To identify intent, look at the keyword itself and check the actual search results. Question-based keywords (how, what, why) usually signal informational intent. Comparison terms (vs, best, top, review) indicate commercial intent. Keywords with modifiers like "buy," "pricing," "trial," or "sign up" show transactional intent. Then search the keyword and see what ranks. If the top results are all blog posts and guides, it's informational. If they're product pages and pricing pages, it's transactional.

Now evaluate the metrics. Search volume tells you how many people search this term monthly, but don't obsess over it. A keyword with 500 monthly searches and high commercial intent often drives more revenue than a keyword with 5,000 searches and purely informational intent. Keyword difficulty (the score varies by tool) estimates how hard it is to rank organically. This matters for SEO but less for PPC. Cost-per-click is crucial even for SEO research—high CPC signals that advertisers find this keyword valuable, which usually means it converts well. Understanding how to benchmark keyword CPC vs industry average helps you identify whether a keyword's cost is reasonable for your market.

Here's what I look for in most accounts: keywords with decent search volume (100+ monthly searches), clear intent that matches my goals (informational if I'm building blog content, commercial or transactional if I'm optimizing for conversions), and realistic competition levels. A brand-new site probably can't rank for "keyword research" (too competitive), but "how to do keyword research for local businesses" might be achievable.

Success indicator: Each keyword on your list has intent labeled (informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional) and priority metrics noted. You can now see which keywords align with your goals and which ones look good on paper but won't deliver results.

Step 5: Evaluate the Competition and Find Gaps

Metrics and intent matter, but they don't tell the whole story. You need to see who's actually ranking for these keywords and whether you can realistically compete. This step separates wishful thinking from actionable opportunities. The mistake most agencies make is targeting keywords where they're outgunned—going after terms dominated by massive sites with hundreds of backlinks when they're working with a six-month-old domain.

Start with a quick SERP analysis for your priority keywords. Search each term and look at the top 10 results. What type of content dominates? If you're targeting an informational keyword and the top results are all 3,000-word comprehensive guides from authority sites, you'll need to create something equally thorough (or better) to compete. If the results are thin, outdated, or don't fully answer the query, that's an opportunity.

Check the domain authority of ranking sites. You don't need an exact score—just eyeball whether these are established brands, niche authority sites, or smaller players like you. If the first page is all Forbes, HubSpot, and industry giants, you'll struggle to break in. If you see smaller blogs, individual consultants, or niche sites, the keyword is more accessible. Look at the publish dates too. If the top results are from 2019 and haven't been updated, you can create fresher content that ranks.

Now identify keyword gaps—terms your competitors rank for that you don't. If you're using a paid tool like Ahrefs or SEMrush, this is easy. Enter your domain and a competitor's domain, and the tool shows you the gap. These are often your best opportunities because they're proven keywords (your competitor gets traffic from them) with realistic difficulty (if they can rank, you probably can too). You can even identify negative keywords from competitor campaigns to learn what they're blocking and refine your own targeting.

What usually happens here is you find a mix of keywords: some are too competitive, some are perfect opportunities, and some are irrelevant despite appearing in your research. Focus on the sweet spot: keywords with clear intent, decent search volume, and competition you can realistically challenge. These are your "quick wins"—terms where you can rank within a few months with good content and basic optimization. For finding these opportunities, our guide on how to find low competitive keywords provides actionable strategies.

For PPC, competition analysis works differently. You're not trying to rank organically—you're evaluating whether the auction is worth entering. Check the CPC ranges in Google Keyword Planner. If a keyword costs $50 per click and your product sells for $99, the math doesn't work unless your conversion rate is exceptional. Look for keywords with manageable CPCs relative to your customer value and clear commercial or transactional intent.

Success indicator: You've identified 10-20 quick win keywords with realistic ranking potential, plus a list of longer-term targets to build toward. You know which keywords to pursue now and which to revisit once your site has more authority.

Step 6: Organize Keywords Into Groups and Map to Content

You've got a refined list of valuable keywords. Now you need to organize them in a way you can actually use. Random keyword lists don't help anyone—you need structure. This step is about clustering keywords by topic and intent, then mapping them to specific pages or campaigns. One page shouldn't try to rank for 50 unrelated terms. Instead, each page targets a tight group of related keywords that share the same intent.

Start by clustering keywords by topic. Look for natural groupings where multiple keywords are really asking the same thing or covering the same subject. For example, "keyword research process," "how to do keyword research," "keyword research steps," and "keyword research guide" all belong together. They're variations of the same search intent and should target the same page. Create a spreadsheet with columns for keyword cluster, primary keyword, related keywords, search intent, and target page.

For SEO content, map each cluster to either an existing page (that you'll optimize) or a new page you'll create. If you already have a blog post about keyword research, assign that cluster to the existing post and plan to update it. If you don't have content covering a cluster, add it to your content calendar. This prevents keyword cannibalization—the problem where multiple pages compete for the same terms and dilute your ranking potential.

For PPC campaigns, organize keywords into ad groups with tight thematic relevance. Each ad group should contain keywords that are closely related enough to share the same ad copy and landing page. If you're running Google Ads for a PPC tool, you might have one ad group for "negative keyword tools," another for "search term optimization," and another for "Google Ads management software." Each ad group gets tailored ads and sends traffic to the most relevant landing page.

Pay attention to match types in PPC. Broad match keywords cast a wide net but can trigger irrelevant searches. Phrase match gives you more control while still capturing variations. Exact match is the most restrictive but ensures you only pay for precisely relevant searches. Understanding how keyword match type affects your Google Ads performance is essential for structuring campaigns effectively. In most accounts I audit, I see too much reliance on broad match without proper negative keyword lists, which wastes budget on junk traffic.

Create a keyword map that shows which keywords go where. This becomes your implementation roadmap. For existing pages, note which keywords to add to titles, headers, and body content. For new content, you have a clear brief: target this keyword cluster, address this search intent, and compete with these top-ranking pages.

Success indicator: You have a keyword map showing which keywords go where—either mapped to existing pages for optimization or planned as new content. For PPC, you have ad groups structured with thematically related keywords ready to implement.

Step 7: Prioritize, Implement, and Track Results

You've done the research, analyzed the competition, and organized your keywords. Now comes execution. But you can't tackle everything at once—you need a priority system. This step is about deciding what to implement first, where to place your keywords, and how to measure success over time.

Create a priority matrix based on three factors: business value (how important is this keyword to your goals?), competition level (how hard will it be to rank or convert?), and effort required (how much work will it take?). High business value, low competition, and low effort? That's a priority one keyword—do it now. High value but high competition and effort? That's a long-term target you'll work toward. Low value regardless of competition? Probably not worth pursuing.

For implementation basics, here's where keywords go in your content. Your primary keyword should appear in the page title (H1), URL slug, meta description, and naturally throughout the body content. Include it in at least one H2 subheading. Use related keywords and variations in other subheadings and throughout the content. Don't force it—write for humans first, search engines second. Modern Google algorithms understand context and synonyms, so you don't need to repeat the exact phrase 20 times. For a comprehensive approach, learn what keyword optimization in Google Ads really means and why it matters for your budget.

For PPC implementation, organize your keywords into tightly themed ad groups, write ad copy that includes the keywords, and direct traffic to landing pages that deliver on the promise. Use negative keywords aggressively to prevent wasted spend on irrelevant searches. Understanding how negative keywords improve campaign performance is crucial for protecting your budget. In most accounts, the search terms report reveals that 20-30% of clicks come from junk queries that should have been blocked.

Set up tracking to measure results. For SEO, monitor your rankings for target keywords using tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or SEMrush. Track organic traffic to the pages you've optimized. Most importantly, track conversions—rankings and traffic mean nothing if they don't drive business results. For PPC, track click-through rates, conversion rates, cost per conversion, and return on ad spend. Review your search terms report weekly to find new negative keywords and identify high-performing queries to add as exact match keywords. Our guide on PPC performance metrics you need to track covers the essential KPIs for measuring success.

Keyword research isn't one-and-done. Search trends change, new competitors emerge, and your business evolves. Plan to revisit your keyword research quarterly. Check which keywords are gaining or losing search volume. Identify new opportunities based on what's working. Expand into adjacent topics as your authority grows.

Success indicator: You have an action plan with clear next steps, keywords are implemented in your content or campaigns, and you're tracking the metrics that matter. You know whether your keyword research is paying off.

Putting Your Keyword Research Into Action

Let's recap the complete process so you can reference it anytime:

Step 1: Define your goals (SEO, PPC, or content marketing) and understand your audience's language and problems.

Step 2: Generate 20-50 seed keywords through brainstorming, existing data mining, and Google's free features.

Step 3: Expand your list to 100-200+ keywords using tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush.

Step 4: Analyze search intent and metrics for each keyword—prioritize terms that match your goals with realistic competition.

Step 5: Evaluate the competition through SERP analysis and identify 10-20 quick win opportunities.

Step 6: Organize keywords into clusters and map them to specific pages or ad groups.

Step 7: Prioritize based on value and effort, implement keywords in your content or campaigns, and track results over time.

Here's the thing about keyword research: it's not a one-time project you check off and forget. It's an ongoing process that informs every piece of content you create, every campaign you launch, and every optimization decision you make. The marketers and agencies that win are the ones who treat keyword research as a living practice, not a static document.

Start with Step 1 today. You don't need fancy tools or weeks of preparation. Grab a spreadsheet, define your goals, brainstorm seed keywords, and build momentum. The research gets easier as you go, and the insights you uncover will shape your entire marketing strategy.

If you're running Google Ads campaigns, the work doesn't stop at keyword research. You need to continuously optimize based on what's actually happening in your account. That's where the search terms report becomes your most valuable asset—it shows you the real queries triggering your ads, the junk terms wasting your budget, and the high-intent keywords you should be targeting more aggressively.

Most PPC managers know this, but the manual process of reviewing search terms, adding negatives, and building out new keyword groups eats up hours every week. You're switching between Google Ads, spreadsheets, and multiple tabs just to make basic optimizations. Start your free 7-day trial of Keywordme and see how much faster you can optimize when everything happens right inside Google Ads—no spreadsheets, no context switching, just quick clicks that improve your campaigns in real time. After the trial, it's just $12/month to keep that speed and efficiency going.