Answer first: Keyword research is finding the exact words your customers type into Google. Not guessing — using data. I spent 3 months targeting “SEO services” (impossible to rank). Then I found “affordable SEO Lahore” — 210 searches/month, ranked in 6 weeks, brought 8 clients. That’s keyword research.
TL;DR – Keyword Research in 4 Steps
| Step | Tool | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Seed keywords | Brainstorm + Google | 30 min |
| 2. Check volume | Keyword Planner | 1 hour |
| 3. Check difficulty | Free tools | 1 hour |
| 4. Pick 20 keywords | Spreadsheet | 30 min |
What Is Keyword Research
Keywords are the words people type to find your service. “Buy shoes online Lahore” is a keyword. “Shoes” is too broad. “Best running shoes for flat feet under 5000 PKR Lahore” is perfect — specific, buyer intent, low competition.
Keyword research is the backbone of SEO. Without it, you’re writing blind.
Online SEO Tools (Free First)
Don’t pay for tools when starting. Use free:
- Google Keyword Planner: Free, shows volume, competition
- Google Search Console: Shows what you already rank for
- AnswerThePublic: Free questions people ask
Paid tools like Semrush show more data: Domain Authority, Keyword Difficulty, Backlinks, Trust Flow. Useful later, not needed for first 20 keywords.
How to Learn Keyword Research (Using Free Tools)
Step 1: Keyword Overview
Enter your seed keyword in Keyword Planner. Select Pakistan or your target country.
- Volume: How many searches per month. Target 100-1,000 for new sites
- Keyword Difficulty (KD): How hard to rank. Under 30 is easy
- Intent: Why they search
- Informational: “how to do keyword research”
- Transactional: “buy Semrush”
- Commercial: “best SEO tools”
- Navigational: “Semrush login”
- Trends: Seasonal spikes. “Winter coats” peaks November-January
Step 2: Keyword Magic (Free Method)
Use Google autocomplete: type your seed + “a”, “b”, “c” — Google suggests real searches.
Filter by:
- Questions: “how,” “what,” “why” — great for blog posts
- Phrase Match: Contains your keyword in any order
- Related: Similar topics you didn’t think of
Step 3: Keyword Manager (Spreadsheet)
Create a simple Google Sheet with columns: Keyword, Volume, KD, Intent, Priority. Track 20-30 keywords. Update monthly.
No need for paid tools initially. We managed first 50 clients using just Keyword Planner and Sheets.
Automate Keyword Tracking
We built an n8n workflow: every Monday, it pulls Search Console data, checks rankings for our 30 target keywords, and emails a report. No manual checking.
FAQ
Q: How many keywords should I target?
Start with 20. One primary keyword per page.
Q: Free vs paid tools?
Free is enough for first 6 months. Upgrade when you’re making money from SEO.
Q: How long does keyword research take?
3 hours for initial 20 keywords, then 30 minutes weekly to refine.
Learned keyword research the hard way so you don’t have to. Need help finding keywords for your business? Contact us for a free keyword audit.