Keyword research is one of the important parts of digital marketing, affecting SEO, paid ads, and marketing campaigns like X Ads. So, what is keyword research, why is it important, and how to do it for more productive results?

What are Keywords — Keyword Research

Keywords were originally created for organizing information. In digital marketing, we use keywords to target interested visitors. Simply put, it’s like a guessing game. For example, if we sell baseball hats, people searching for “baseball,” “baseball hats,” or “baseball apparel” look like potential target audiences. But if it’s that simple, why are there so many guides and discussions about keyword research? Actually, it’s not complex, but it’s not as easy as it seems. Here’s a breakdown:

Not All Keywords Are Equal

Keywords can vary greatly in different aspects:

Volume:
The keyword “baseball hats” likely has more search volume (more people searching) than a less popular sport keyword like “cricket hats.”

Specification/Broadness:
We mentioned “baseball” and “baseball hat.” It’s likely that most people searching for “baseball hat” are interested in buying one. But someone searching for “baseball” might just want to read news, learn the rules, or check scores. So for a store selling baseball hats, the keyword “baseball” might be too broad.

Price:
On Google ads (one of the most well-known search advertising platforms), bids/prices are determined by advertisers. The “keyword price” basically reflects how much an advertiser is willing to pay.

What makes an advertiser decide whether to pay $1, $5, or $50 per click? Not generosity! If they sell cars, houses, or high-end computers, $5–10 clicks can make sense, because their profit margins are high. But for a store selling $10–20 mugs, even $1–2 per click might be too expensive — not every click leads to a sale (see: conversion rate).

Competition/Difficulty:
Competition or difficulty is similar to price. If the price is high, organic competition is usually high too. Many advertisers try to rank organically to reduce advertising costs or to appear in organic results alongside ads.

E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust):
This is one of the most challenging areas. Search engines are very strict with keywords related to health, finance, and other sensitive topics. Getting ranked for these keywords requires strong brand authority and reliability. For example, health-related searches are usually dominated by doctors’ blogs or hospital websites. It’s very difficult for a generic site to rank for those queries.

How to Do Keyword Research

We’ve covered why not all keywords are equal. If you have a limited budget, choosing the most expensive or competitive keywords may not be the best option. Also, a keyword could be highly relevant and affordable but have very low search volume (like 5–10 searches per month), which won’t bring much business value.

1. Search Engines (Auto-completions and Related Searches)

Search engines’ auto-completions and related search suggestions are driven by real search behavior. They are excellent sources for discovering keyword ideas, and users are already familiar with these suggestions.

2. Google Tools

Google Ads Keyword Planner is great for discovering new keywords, checking search volume, and seeing competition. It’s fully integrated with Google ads, making it easy to use those keywords for campaigns.

Google Search Console isn’t built for keyword discovery, but it shows which search terms bring people to the website. It highlights strong areas and opportunities for improvement. Focusing on already successful keywords and strengthening them can also work well.

3. AI

AI tools like Gemini and ChatGPT provide good keyword suggestions for both SEO and paid search campaigns.

Example prompt:
- - -

My business is [your business]

My goal is [paid search / organic search / both paid and organic]

My campaign theme is [campaign theme]

Please recommend keywords.

Focus on:

[Lead to purchase / Popular but not too competitive / Must-cover keywords /Informative and good for branding]

- - -

4. Third-Party Tools

Third-party tools are also good resources for finding keyword ideas, difficulty levels, and for tracking organic rankings.

What to look for in a keyword research tool:

• Creativity & Alternatives:
  Good tools should provide keyword alternatives, gaps, and opportunities beyond simple guessing.

• Organic Keyword & Project Tracking:
  Track rankings for both clients and internal projects. Compare tools by price and tracking capacity.

• Country/Region/Language support:
  Make sure the tool supports the languages and regions being targeted.

Recommended Tools (in alphabetical order):

• Backlinko Tools

• Keyword Tool

• Neil Patel’s Ubersuggest

• Search Volume

• Wordstream Keyword Tools

Disclaimer: All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This content is for informational purposes only