Keyword Research: How to Find the Right Keywords

Introduction

Keyword research is the starting point of any SEO strategy. It consists of discovering what people search for on Google related to your business, to create content that answers those searches.

If you write without knowing what people search for, it’s like shooting blind. In this article you’ll see how to do keyword research step by step, with free tools.

What a keyword is

A keyword is what a person types in Google. For example:

• “how to make a website”
• “cheap hosting”
• “Japanese restaurant Madrid”

Each keyword has:

• Search volume: how many times it’s searched per month.
• Difficulty: how hard it is to rank (based on competition).
• Intent: what the user wants (inform, buy, compare).

Types of search intent

Google classifies searches by intent:

Intent	What the user searches for	Example
Informational	Learn something	”what is SEO”
Navigational	Reach a specific website	”miHosting login”
Transactional	Buy something	”buy cheap hosting”
Comparative	Compare options	”WordPress vs Joomla”

To sell, look for transactional keywords. To attract traffic, informational. The ideal is to combine both.

Step 1: Initial brainstorming

Before using tools, think: what would my ideal client search for? Write down 20-30 ideas. Think about:

• Questions your clients ask you.
• Problems you solve.
• Products or services you offer.
• Topics related to your sector.

Step 2: Use keyword tools

Google Suggest (free)

The simplest tool: type in Google and look at the suggestions that appear. They’re real searches.

Google Related Searches (free)

At the end of any search, Google shows “related searches”. They’re keywords people also search.

AnswerThePublic (free)

Go to answerthepublic.com, type your topic and it shows all the questions people ask about that topic. Very useful for blogs.

Google Keyword Planner (free)

At ads.google.com, in Tools → Keyword Planner, you can see each keyword’s search volume. You need a Google Ads account, but don’t need to create campaigns.

Google Trends (free)

At trends.google.com you see if a search is going up or down over time. Useful for trending topics.

Ubersuggest (free with limit)

Neil Patel’s tool that gives you volume, difficulty and keyword ideas. Free up to 3 searches per day.

Step 3: Evaluate and select

For each keyword, evaluate:

1. Volume: do people search this? (if it’s 0, not worth it).
2. Difficulty: can I compete? (if difficulty is very high, look for variants).
3. Intent: does this search bring me clients or just traffic?
4. Relevance: is it really related to what I offer?

The most effective strategy to start: look for long tail keywords (long, specific phrases). They have less volume but less competition and more conversion.

Long tail example

• “hosting” → very competitive, almost impossible.
• “cheap WordPress hosting in Spain” → less volume, but achievable and very relevant.

Step 4: Organize your keywords

Create a spreadsheet with:

Keyword	Volume	Difficulty	Intent	Article to create
cheap hosting	5,400	High	Transactional	Comparative guide
what is hosting	1,900	Medium	Informational	Educational article
free WordPress hosting	880	Medium	Transactional	Step-by-step guide

Organizing keywords lets you plan your content calendar with sense.

Step 5: Create content for each keyword

For each selected keyword:

1. Create a page or article optimized for that keyword.
2. Include the keyword in the title, URL and first paragraph.
3. Answer the search intent (inform, sell or compare).
4. Make the content more complete than the competition’s.

Useful tips

• Start with long tail. It’s easier to rank long, specific phrases.
• Look at what the competition ranks for. Search your keyword in Google and see what websites appear.
• Don’t chase maximum volume. Better 100 very relevant visits than 10,000 that don’t buy.
• Update your research. Searches change; review your keywords every 6 months.
• Use questions as titles. “How to install WordPress?” is a better title than “WordPress installation”.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need paid tools for keyword research?

No. With Google Suggest, Keyword Planner and AnswerThePublic you can do good research for free.

How many keywords should I target?

Start with 10-20 well selected. Better few and well done than many mediocre.

One keyword per page or several?

One main per page, but you can include 2-3 related secondary ones.

How long does it take to rank a keyword?

It depends on difficulty. Long tail can rank in 3-6 months. Competitive ones, more than a year.

Can I change keywords later?

Yes. If a keyword doesn’t work, you can re-optimize the article for another.

Keyword research: the foundation of SEO

Keyword research is what separates amateur SEO from professional. Without knowing what your client searches for, you write blind. With good research, every article you publish has a clear purpose.

If you need help with your SEO strategy, at miHosting we advise you. Open a ticket from your client panel.