3 Easy Tips for Picking the Best Keywords

Choosing keywords for your website is both an art and a science. Not only do you work through a standard process in researching keyword phrases, you need to understand the psychology and motivation of your buyer. People search the web to find information, answers and a solution to satisfy an immediate need.

1. Website Focus: Match Intent, Not Just Volume

Start by looking at what your website is selling. Choose phrases that are highly relevant to what you offer. If someone typed in your targeted phrase, will they want to buy or request a quote? Don’t start by looking at phrases with the highest search volume.

Going Deeper: Understanding Search Intent Types

When analyzing website focus, you need to categorize keywords by what the searcher actually wants:

Commercial Investigation Intent (“best leather sofa,” “leather sofa reviews”)

• User is researching before making a purchase decision
• They need comparisons, detailed specifications, pros and cons
• Your content should provide comprehensive buying guides and honest reviews
• Perfect for building authority and capturing email leads

Transactional Intent (“buy leather sofa online,” “leather sofa free shipping”)

• Ready to purchase right now
• They need clear pricing, availability, and trust signals
• Your content should be product pages with strong calls-to-action
• Focus on conversion optimization, not education

Informational Intent (“how to clean leather sofa,” “leather vs fabric sofa”)

• Learning or solving a specific problem
• They need comprehensive guides and step-by-step instructions
• Your content should establish expertise and build trust
• Great for top-of-funnel awareness and soft product introductions

Navigational Intent (“Ashley Furniture leather sofa,” “IKEA Kivik sofa”)

• Looking for a specific brand or product
• Limited opportunity unless you are that brand
• Best to target only if you carry or review that specific product

The Keyword Difficulty Myth

Traditional SEO tools assign a “keyword difficulty” score based on how many backlinks competing pages have. This metric is fundamentally flawed because:

• It ignores content quality: A page with 100 backlinks but poor content can absolutely be outranked by superior content
• It doesn’t measure intent matching: High difficulty keywords often have misaligned results you can exploit
• It overlooks SERP features: Featured snippets and People Also Ask boxes offer opportunities regardless of difficulty
• It misses satisfaction gaps: Existing content may rank but fail to actually help users
• It assumes you can’t compete: Domain authority isn’t everything when you match intent better

Instead of keyword difficulty, evaluate these factors:

SERP Intent Alignment Score

1. Search your target keyword in an incognito browser
2. Examine the top 10 results objectively
3. Ask yourself: “Do these pages actually answer what I’d want if I searched this?”

Look for these opportunity signals:

• Intent mismatches: Transactional keywords showing informational blog posts
• Satisfaction gaps: Reviews that are outdated, generic, or obviously biased
• Format mismatches: Text-heavy results when users clearly want videos or interactive tools
• Depth issues: Superficial listicles on topics requiring genuine expertise

Example: For “best ergonomic office chair,” if the top results are generic affiliate listicles from 2021 with no actual product testing, you have a massive opportunity to create genuinely tested reviews with videos, measurements, and current 2025 models.

Content Gap Analysis

Examine what’s currently ranking and identify:

• Missing subtopics that users obviously care about
• Questions people ask that aren’t answered in existing content
• Outdated information or discontinued products
• Lack of visual aids (comparison tables, videos, infographics)
• Thin content (300-500 words on complex topics deserving thousands)
• Generic advice with no unique insights or real experience
• Poor user experience (slow loading, aggressive ads, outdated design)

Tools for finding gaps:

• AnswerThePublic.com: Discover question variations
• AlsoAsked.com: Related questions people search
• Reddit and Quora: Real questions from frustrated real users
• Google’s “People Also Ask” section: Direct insight into related queries

Commercial Value Indicators

Search volume alone tells you nothing about value. A keyword with 50,000 monthly searches but no commercial intent is worthless for most businesses. Instead, calculate a Commercial Value Score:

Number of Google Ads showing (0-4) × 2 = ___ points
Shopping results present = +3 points
Review stars visible in results = +2 points
Price ranges showing in SERP = +2 points
Featured snippet present = +1 point

Score 8-11: High commercial value - prioritize these
Score 5-7: Moderate value - good secondary targets
Score 0-4: Primarily informational - use for awareness only

If advertisers are paying money to appear for a keyword, that’s proof people actually buy from those searches.

2. Customer Phrases: Think Like Your Buyer, Not an Expert

You will want to think like your customer, not an industry expert. Did you know most realtors instinctively want to be found for “real estate for sale” yet most people actually search for “homes for sale”?

The Language Gap Problem

This principle goes far deeper than most marketers realize. Industry jargon creates blind spots that cost you customers:

Common Industry vs. Customer Language Gaps:

• Realtors say “real estate” → Buyers search “homes”
• Dentists say “periodontal disease” → Patients search “bleeding gums”
• IT professionals say “network infrastructure” → Business owners search “WiFi setup”
• Lawyers say “personal injury litigation” → Victims search “car accident lawyer”
• Fitness trainers say “progressive overload” → Clients search “how to build muscle”

Why this happens:

• You live in your industry bubble and forget what it was like before you knew the terminology
• Your expertise makes simple concepts seem more complex than they are
• Customers are at the beginning of their learning journey
• People search based on their problem, not your solution

How to Discover Customer Language

Method 1: Direct Customer Research

• Review customer service emails and chat transcripts
• Note the exact words people use to describe their problems
• Pay attention to questions during sales calls
• Monitor customer reviews (yours and competitors’)
• Join relevant Facebook groups and subreddits to see how people talk

Method 2: “Also Asked” Mining

1. Search your main product or service category
2. Expand every “People Also Ask” question
3. Screenshot or document all related questions
4. These represent actual search behavior, not assumptions

Method 3: Autocomplete Research

• Type your main keyword into Google and note what autocompletes
• Try variations: “how to [blank]”, “why does [blank]”, “best [blank] for”
• Check YouTube autocomplete separately (different search behavior)
• Try question formats: who, what, where, when, why, how

Method 4: Voice Search Simulation Since over 50% of searches are now voice-activated on mobile, think conversationally:

Traditional keyword: “leather sofa care” Voice search: “how do I clean my leather sofa” Even better: “how do I remove wine stains from leather couch”

Notice the shift to:

• Full questions instead of keyword fragments
• Natural, conversational language
• More specific problem statements
• “I” and “my” pronouns

Customer Phrase Validation Process

Before committing to keywords, validate them:

Step 1: Search the phrase yourself

• Do the results actually help someone with this problem?
• Are the top results from competitors or unrelated sites?
• What SERP features appear (ads, shopping, videos, PAA)?

Step 2: Check related searches

• Scroll to bottom of Google results for “Related searches”
• These show variations people actually use
• Often reveal the true intent behind a query

Step 3: Assess commercial signals

• Are there Google Ads? (Proof of commercial value)
• Do shopping results appear? (Buying intent)
• Are review stars showing? (Comparison shopping phase)

Step 4: Analyze the searcher mindset Ask yourself: “If I searched this, what stage of the buying journey am I in?”

• Awareness: Just learning about the problem
• Consideration: Comparing different solutions
• Decision: Ready to buy, just choosing who from

Your content must match that stage or you’ll attract the wrong traffic.

3. Long Tail Phrases: Specificity Wins

More specific keyword phrases almost always have fewer competitors and it is much faster to get top rankings. Buyers tend to use highly specific phrases as well as singular rather than plural forms. A person looking for new furniture is more likely to type in “leather sofa” rather than “leather sofas.”

Why Long Tail Keywords Work Better

The specificity principle deserves deeper explanation:

Benefit 1: Intent Clarity

• “Furniture” = What do they want? Impossible to satisfy
• “Leather sofa” = Better, but still vague
• “Mid-century modern leather loveseat under $1000” = Crystal clear intent

The more specific the search, the more you know exactly what they need and can provide it.

Benefit 2: Lower Competition Misconception

The original advice says long-tail has “fewer competitors” but this is incomplete. More accurately:

Long-tail keywords have less link-based competition but that doesn’t matter. What matters is:

• Can you satisfy the specific intent better than current results?
• Are existing results generic or truly specific to this query?
• Do you have unique expertise, data, or perspective on this specific topic?

Example: “How to remove ink stains from leather sofa” might have a keyword difficulty of 35, but if all ranking pages are generic leather cleaning guides, you can dominate with a specific ink-stain-focused tutorial.

Benefit 3: Conversion Rate

The specificity-to-conversion correlation is dramatic:

• “Sofa” (broad) → 0.5% conversion rate
• “Leather sofa” (mid) → 2% conversion rate
• “Caramel leather sofa 84 inches modern” (specific) → 8% conversion rate

Why? Specific searchers know exactly what they want. They’re past the browsing phase.

Benefit 4: Voice Search Alignment

Voice searches are naturally longer and more conversational:

• Typed: “pizza near me”
• Voice: “where can I get gluten-free pizza delivery within 30 minutes”

Optimizing for long-tail prepares you for the voice-first future.

The Singular vs. Plural Nuance

The original advice about singular forms needs clarification. This isn’t a universal rule:

When singular works better:

• Shopping queries: “leather sofa” (looking at one item)
• How-to searches: “how to train a puppy” (one process)
• Definition searches: “what is blockchain” (one concept)

When plural works better:

• Comparison shopping: “best electric cars” (comparing multiple)
• List-based intent: “coffee shops near me” (want multiple options)
• Collection browsing: “mid-century modern chairs” (exploring variety)

The real principle: Match the form that reflects the searcher’s mindset. Don’t blindly choose singular or plural—think about what the person actually wants to see.

Long Tail Keyword Research Process

Step 1: Start with seed keywords (15 minutes) List 10-20 core terms describing what you offer:

• Think from customer perspective, not industry jargon
• Include problems you solve, not just products you sell
• Consider different buying stages (awareness, consideration, decision)

Step 2: Expand with modifiers (30 minutes)

Take each seed keyword and add modifiers:

Quality modifiers: best, top-rated, premium, budget, affordable, luxury Action modifiers: buy, find, compare, choose, get, hire, order Question modifiers: how to, what is, why does, when should, where can Demographic modifiers: for beginners, for seniors, for small business Location modifiers: near me, in [city], local, [region] Feature modifiers: with [feature], without [feature], [size], [color] Time modifiers: fast, same-day, overnight, weekend, emergency

Example expansion for “leather sofa”:

• Best leather sofa for small spaces
• How to clean leather sofa naturally
• Leather sofa vs fabric sofa durability
• Budget leather sofa under $800
• Where to buy real leather sofa online
• Modern leather sofa with chaise
• Pet-friendly leather sofa options

Step 3: Validate with search behavior (2 hours)

For each promising long-tail phrase:

1. Search it in Google incognito
2. Analyze what actually ranks
3. Identify content gaps and weaknesses
4. Note SERP features (featured snippets, PAA, videos)
5. Check commercial value indicators (ads, shopping results)

Step 4: Prioritize by opportunity score

Create a simple spreadsheet with these columns:

• Keyword phrase
• Estimated monthly searches (use free Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner)
• Search intent type (informational, commercial, transactional)
• Content gap severity (1-10: how poorly do current results satisfy intent?)
• Your unique advantage (1-10: do you have special expertise, data, or perspective?)
• Commercial value score (0-11 using formula from earlier)

Priority formula:

(Content Gap × 2) + Commercial Value + Your Unique Advantage = Opportunity Score

Keywords scoring 20+ are your highest opportunities regardless of search volume or difficulty.

Advanced Long Tail Strategy: Intent Gap Arbitrage

This is where long-tail gets really powerful. Look for keywords where searcher intent doesn’t match current results.

How to identify intent gaps:

1. Find long-tail keywords with commercial signals (ads present)
2. Search them and examine top 10 organic results
3. Look for mismatches:
   • Buying-intent keyword but only informational blog posts rank
   • Comparison-intent keyword but no actual comparison content
   • How-to-intent keyword but only product pages rank
   • Local-intent keyword but only national brands appear

Example opportunity:

• Keyword: “project management software for creative agencies under 5 people”
• Intent: Very specific comparison shopping
• Current SERP: Generic “best project management software” listicles
• Gap: No one addresses the creative agency + small team combination
• Your opportunity: Create exactly what they’re searching for

Why this works:

• Google’s algorithm isn’t perfect at understanding nuanced intent
• Most SEO content targets broader terms
• Specific intent = less competition + easier to rank + higher conversion
• User engagement signals (time on page, low bounce rate) boost rankings

Topical Clustering with Long Tail

Modern SEO isn’t about individual keywords—it’s about comprehensive topic coverage. Structure content as:

Pillar Content (comprehensive hub)

• Broad topic: “Complete Guide to Leather Furniture”
• 3,000-5,000 words covering all subtopics at surface level
• Links to all cluster content
• Targets shorter, higher-volume terms

Cluster Content (specific deep-dives)

• “How to Remove Different Stains from Leather Sofas” (long-tail)
• “Best Leather Conditioners for Different Leather Types” (long-tail)
• “Leather vs Bonded Leather vs Faux Leather: Complete Comparison” (long-tail)
• “Fixing Cat Scratches on Leather Furniture” (long-tail)

Benefits of this structure:

• Captures hundreds of long-tail variations naturally
• Internal linking passes authority between pages
• Builds topical authority in Google’s eyes
• Each cluster page ranks for its specific long-tail terms
• Pillar page eventually ranks for competitive head terms

Going Beyond: Implementation & Validation

Your answers will help you choose the right phrases that will bring buyers and not just lookers. You need to understand the psychology of how and why people search.

Psychology-Driven Keyword Selection

Understanding search psychology means recognizing these patterns:

Problem-Aware vs Solution-Aware Searches

Problem-aware (early stage):

• “Why does my back hurt after sitting”
• “How to stay focused while working from home”
• These people don’t know what solution they need yet

Solution-aware (later stage):

• “Best ergonomic office chair for lower back pain”
• “Standing desk vs ergonomic chair”
• They know the type of solution, choosing between options

Decision-ready (final stage):

• “Herman Miller Aeron chair discount code”
• “Buy Steelcase Leap V2 free shipping”
• Ready to buy, just finding the best deal

Match your content to their awareness level or you’ll attract visitors who aren’t ready for what you offer.

Question-Based Search Patterns

People asking questions are in learning mode:

• “How” questions = seeking instructions or explanations
• “What” questions = seeking definitions or comparisons
• “Why” questions = seeking understanding or reasoning
• “Where” questions = local intent or sourcing
• “When” questions = timing or triggers
• “Who” questions = seeking experts or providers

Each question type requires different content formats and depth.

Emotional Triggers in Search

People search differently based on emotional state:

Urgent/stressed searches: (fast, emergency, quickly, now, today, help)

• “Emergency plumber near me”
• “Fast relief for migraine”
• These need immediate, clear solutions

Anxious/uncertain searches: (safe, best, reliable, trusted, reviews, scam)

• “Is [product] a scam”
• “Best doctor for [condition]”
• These need trust signals and social proof

Aspirational searches: (luxury, premium, professional, expert, advanced)

• “Professional photography equipment”
• “Luxury kitchen remodel ideas”
• These need quality signals and elevated presentation

Recognize the emotional context and address it in your content.

On-Page Keyword Implementation

Use your keywords visibly on each web page for maximum benefit. Keywords used on your web pages will attract visitors as they search and then engage them once they arrive.

Strategic keyword placement (priority order):

1. Title tag (most important)
   • Include primary keyword near the beginning
   • Keep under 60 characters for full display
   • Make it compelling, not just keyword-stuffed
   • Good: “Best Ergonomic Office Chairs for Back Pain (2025 Reviews)”
   • Bad: “Office Chairs – Ergonomic Chairs – Best Chairs – Buy Chairs”
2. H1 heading (primary topic)
   • Should match or closely relate to title tag
   • Use natural, readable language
   • Include primary keyword phrase
   • Only one H1 per page
3. URL slug
   • Short, descriptive, includes keyword
   • Use hyphens, not underscores
   • Good: /ergonomic-chairs-back-pain/
   • Bad: /product-category-page-123/
4. First 100 words
   • Include primary keyword naturally
   • This is often used for featured snippets
   • Answer the query immediately
5. Subheadings (H2, H3)
   • Use variations and related long-tail keywords
   • Structure content logically
   • Each heading answers a specific question
6. Image alt text
   • Describe images accurately
   • Include relevant keywords naturally
   • Helps with image search and accessibility
7. Meta description
   • Doesn’t directly impact rankings but affects click-through rate
   • Include primary keyword
   • Compelling call-to-action
   • 150-160 characters

Modern keyword usage principles:

• Natural language over keyword density: Write for humans first
• Semantic variations: Use synonyms and related terms (Google understands context)
• Topic coverage over keyword repetition: Comprehensively cover the topic
• Answer questions directly: Especially for featured snippet opportunities
• Match intent visibly: User should immediately see this is what they searched for

Validation & Continuous Improvement

Before publishing, validate your keyword strategy:

1. Search preview test
   • Google your target keyword
   • Look at the #1 result
   • Ask honestly: “Is my content better than this?”
   • If not, what would make it 10x better?
2. Intent confirmation
   • Show your content to someone unfamiliar with your business
   • Ask: “What do you think someone searching [keyword] wanted to find?”
   • If they don’t describe your content, you have an intent mismatch
3. Unique value proposition check
   • List what makes your content different from competitors
   • If you can’t list 3-5 unique elements, you’re creating noise, not value

After publishing, measure what matters:

For informational content:

• Average time on page (2-3+ minutes is good)
• Scroll depth (did they read most of it?)
• Bounce rate (under 60% is generally good)
• Pages per session (are they exploring more?)

For commercial investigation content:

• Click-through rate to product pages
• Email signup conversion
• Social shares and backlinks (indicates value)
• Return visitor rate

For transactional content:

• Conversion rate (purchases, quotes, calls)
• Revenue per visitor
• Cart abandonment rate
• Customer acquisition cost

Ranking position alone is a vanity metric. What matters is whether the traffic converts.

Monthly Keyword Maintenance Checklist

Review and adjust:

• Check Google Search Console for new keyword opportunities you’re already ranking for (position 8-20)
• Identify pages with high impressions but low click-through rate (improve titles/descriptions)
• Find keywords where you dropped in rankings (content may be outdated)
• Monitor new SERP features appearing for your keywords (adjust content to capture them)
• Update content with fresh information, statistics, and examples
• Expand successful content with new sections based on “People Also Ask”
• Review competitor changes in top 10 results
• Test new long-tail variations based on recent customer questions

Common Keyword Selection Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Targeting keywords you can’t support with content

• Don’t target “best CRM software” if you only have a 500-word generic article
• Comprehensive queries need comprehensive content (3,000+ words, data, comparisons)

Mistake 2: Ignoring search intent alignment

• Targeting “buy office chair online” with a blog post about ergonomics = wrong
• Match content type to intent: transactional = product page, informational = guide

Mistake 3: Keyword cannibalization

• Don’t create multiple pages targeting the same keyword
• Consolidate similar content or clearly differentiate the angle

Mistake 4: Forgetting mobile and voice search

• Desktop keyword research misses how people actually search on phones
• Test keywords by speaking them aloud—would you say it that way?

Mistake 5: No plan for content updates

• Keywords are not “set it and forget it”
• Rankings decay as content ages
• Plan quarterly updates for important pages

Mistake 6: Chasing trends without relevance

• Just because a keyword is trending doesn’t mean it fits your business
• Only target keywords you can genuinely help with

Mistake 7: Neglecting local modifiers

• If you serve specific locations, always include location-specific pages
• “Best Italian restaurant” vs “Best Italian restaurant in Portland”

Final Implementation Strategy

Your 30-day keyword implementation plan:

Week 1: Foundation

• Conduct comprehensive keyword research using the methods above
• Create intent classification spreadsheet
• Analyze SERP features and content gaps
• Score opportunities using the priority formula

Week 2: Content Planning

• Map keywords to buyer journey stages
• Plan pillar and cluster content structure
• Identify which existing pages to optimize vs. create new
• Create content brief templates with keyword targets

Week 3: Content Creation

• Start with highest-opportunity keywords (score 20+)
• Focus on satisfying intent perfectly, not just including keywords
• Implement proper keyword placement in all elements
• Add schema markup where relevant

Week 4: Optimization & Measurement

• Set up Google Search Console and Analytics tracking
• Create ranking tracking dashboard (free tools: Google Search Console, Ubersuggest)
• Establish baseline metrics
• Plan ongoing monthly audits

Remember: Keywords aren’t about gaming Google’s algorithm. They’re about understanding what real people need and providing it better than anyone else. When you genuinely help people solve their problems, rankings and traffic follow naturally.

The best keyword strategy is one that focuses relentlessly on search intent, content quality, and unique value—not on vanity metrics like search volume or keyword difficulty.

For more comprehensive guidance on implementing these keyword strategies within your overall SEO approach, check out our complete SEO Playbook for Small Business Growth.