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How to Do Keyword Research in 2025 (Beginner-Friendly Guide)

How to Do Keyword Research in 2025 (Beginner-Friendly Guide)

Showing How to Do Keyword Research in 2025

If you're creating content without keyword research, you're basically guessing what people want.

Keyword research is how you find out exactly what your audience is searching for — and how to write content that shows up in those search results.

In this guide, you'll learn how to do keyword research step by step, even if you're a complete beginner.

What Is Keyword Research (And Why It Matters)?

Keyword research is the process of finding the words and phrases people type into search engines when looking for content, answers, or solutions.

In 2025, Google has evolved.

It now focuses on intent, context, and content quality more than ever.

That means you need to target keywords your audience is actually looking for — not just ones with high volume.

When done right, keyword research helps you:

  • Attract your ideal audience
  • Plan content that gets traffic
  • Rank higher in Google
  • Write blog posts people want to read

Types of Keywords You’ll Use

There are three main types of keywords to understand:

1. Short Tail Keywords

These are broad terms like “SEO” or “marketing.”

They get lots of searches but are extremely competitive and vague.

2. Long Tail Keywords

These are longer, more specific phrases like “how to do keyword research for a new blog.”

They usually have less competition and higher intent.

If you want to go deeper into long tail keywords, check out this related guide: How to Use Long Tail Keywords to Boost Your Blog Traffic in 2025

3. Related Keywords

These are words and phrases that naturally appear around your main topic.

Google uses them to understand your content better.

For example, if your keyword is “start a blog,” related keywords might include “blog niche,” “domain name,” or “WordPress vs Blogger.”

Step-by-Step: How to Do Keyword Research

Step 1: Understand Your Audience

Before using any tool, get clear on who you’re writing for.

Ask yourself:

  • What problems are they trying to solve?
  • What questions do they ask online?
  • What type of language do they use?

You can find real questions by checking:

  • Reddit
  • Quora
  • Facebook groups
  • YouTube comments
  • Competitor blogs

This gives you insight into what your ideal reader actually wants.

Step 2: Choose a Broad Topic (Seed Keyword)

Pick a general topic related to your niche. For example:

  • Travel blog: “budget travel”
  • Food blog: “healthy snacks”
  • Affiliate blog: “email marketing tools”

This seed keyword is your starting point for finding more specific phrases.

Step 3: Let Google Help You

Start typing your seed keyword in Google. You’ll see:

  • Autocomplete suggestions
  • “People Also Ask” questions
  • Related searches at the bottom of the page

These are all based on what real users are searching for — and they’re gold for finding content ideas.

Step 4: Use Free Keyword Tools

You don’t need to pay to start.

Here are some free tools you can use:

Ubersuggest: Great for search volume and keyword difficulty

AnswerThePublic: Shows real questions people ask around a topic

Google Keyword Planner: Gives average monthly searches and competition

Keywords Everywhere: A browser extension that shows data directly in search results

These tools help you discover keyword ideas based on your seed term.

Step 5: Look Beyond Just Search Volume

Don’t choose a keyword just because it has high volume.

Look at these factors:

Search Intent: Is the person looking for information, a product, or something else?

Competition: Can you realistically rank for it with your blog’s current authority?

Value: Will this keyword attract the kind of visitor you want?

Sometimes, a keyword with only 100 monthly searches is more valuable than one with 10,000 — because it's more targeted and easier to rank for.

Step 6: Check What’s Already Ranking

Search your keyword in Google and look at the top 10 results:

  • Are they big authority sites, or smaller blogs?
  • What kind of content is ranking — list posts, how-to guides, reviews?
  • Can you write something more useful or more up-to-date?

This helps you understand what Google already likes and what’s missing from the current results.

Step 7: Group Keywords by Intent

Not all keywords are equal.

Group them based on what the searcher wants:

Informational: “how to do keyword research”

Commercial: “best keyword research tool for beginners”

Transactional: “buy SEO tool monthly subscription”

Navigational: “Ahrefs login” or “Ubersuggest website”

This helps you plan content that targets every stage of the user journey.

Step 8: Use Keywords Naturally in Your Content

Once you’ve chosen your target keyword, use it strategically:

  • In your blog post title
  • In the URL
  • In the first paragraph
  • In at least one subheading
  • A few times in the body, naturally
  • In the image alt tags
  • In your meta description

Don’t overuse it.

Google rewards helpful content, not keyword stuffing.

Mistakes to Avoid in Keyword Research

Choosing only high-volume keywords that are too competitive

  • Ignoring search intent
  • Writing content before doing research
  • Using keywords unnaturally
  • Forgetting to update outdated keyword data

Final Thoughts

Keyword research doesn’t have to be complicated.

It’s simply about understanding your audience, finding out what they search for, and creating better content to match those searches.

Start small. Target low-competition, long tail keywords first.

Build traffic gradually.

And always focus on solving a problem or answering a question clearly.

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