Keyword research is the process of identifying and analyzing search terms that a user enters into a search engine’s search box to find relevant information. Keyword research is an important part of marketing strategy to attract organic traffic, run ad campaigns, and more. This helps marketers use keyword research to guide SEO strategies, optimize content, and attract targeted traffic.

How to Perform Keyword Research 

• Set your goals  ( know optimizing goals like traffic, conversions, etc.)
• Understand your audience ( Identify what they search for)
• Use tools to find the keywords (Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs)
• Analyze metrics of keywords ( search volume, difficulty, CPC)
• Check competitors’ keywords (See what keywords they rank for)
• Organize & prioritize keywords ( Group keywords by relevance and intent)

Types of Keywords 

• Short-tail keywords: Broad terms (e.g., “shoes”), high volume, low intent
• Long-tail keywords: Specific phrases (e.g., “running shoes for flat feet”), 
• Branded keywords:  brand names
• Competitor keywords: Keywords your competitors rank for
• Niche keywords: Highly targeted to specific audiences
• LSI keywords – Related terms that support the main keyword

Data-driven keyword research provides insights to identify high-performing keywords and align content with user intent and relevance.