Keyword research for beginners is essential for building SEO success. This step-by-step guide will help you get started the right way.
Step 1: Understand Your Audience
Before starting keyword research for beginners, it’s important to understand your audience.
- What problems are they trying to solve?
- What language do they use?
Step 2: Brainstorm Broad Topics
List main topics, look at the example for a marketing site: SEO, Blogging, Email Marketing, Guest Posting
Create a list of 5–10 broad topics your website covers. These will become the core “buckets” for your keyword research. Think of each one as a future blog category or landing page theme.
Step 3: Use Tools for Keyword Ideas
- Google Search (autocomplete + People Also Ask)
- Ubersuggest
- Keyword Planner
- Ahrefs / SEMrush / Moz (if available)
Use free and paid tools to explore what people are actually searching for. Enter your broad topics and see which specific keyword phrases show up. These tools give you ideas plus valuable data like volume and trends.
Want more free tools? Check out our Top 10 Free SEO Tools for Beginners.
Step 4: Analyze Search Volume and Competition
Don’t just go for high-volume keywords — they’re often too competitive. Choose keywords that strike a balance between decent traffic and realistic ranking chances, especially if your site is new.
Pick keywords with:
- Medium to high search volume
- Low to moderate difficulty (for new sites)
Example:
“how to start guest blogging” is easier to rank than “SEO.”
Step 5: Focus on Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer and more specific. They’re perfect for keyword research for beginners because they attract more qualified visitors and are easier to rank for than short, generic keywords.
For instance, these are longer, more specific phrases like:
“Best free keyword tools for beginners”
“How to optimize blog posts for SEO in 2025”
Step 6: Organize and Plan Content
Once you’ve gathered 20–50 solid keywords, group them by intent or topic. Build blog posts, FAQs, or landing pages around each group. This helps you cover a topic in-depth and rank for multiple variations.
Mastering keyword research for beginners is the first step toward building a strong SEO strategy. When you target the right keywords, your content can drive traffic, leads, and long-term growth.
Need help doing keyword research for your blog? Contact us or explore our blogs.
