{"id":12784,"date":"2026-01-20T10:54:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T09:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/legacy-12784"},"modified":"2026-10-15T23:34:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T21:34:46","slug":"keyword-research-step-by-step-to-the-right-search-terms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kloos.vonblock.com\/en\/blog\/keyword-research-step-by-step-to-the-right-search-terms\/","title":{"rendered":"Keyword Research: Step by Step to the Right Search Terms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Without the right keywords, any SEO strategy<\/a> is like a ship without a compass: you can’t really tell where you’re heading. However, keyword research<\/strong> isn\u2019t just about typing a few terms into a tool and picking the ones with the highest search volume. The best rankings<\/strong> come from understanding your target audience<\/a>, speaking their language, and knowing what they’re actually searching for. Anyone who ignores this may produce content<\/a>\u2014but misses the real goal: reaching people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brainstorming & Starting Point: Your Website and Target Audience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before using any tools, two questions should be answered: What do you offer, and who’s searching for it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keyword research<\/strong> always starts with the target audience<\/strong>. What problems do your customers want to solve? What exactly do they search for when they need your service but don’t know your brand yet? For example, if you sell project management software, consider whether potential customers are more likely to search for “project management software,” “team task management”, or “task planning tool.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also worth translating your offering into everyday language. Internal terminoloy and industry jargon are rarely used as search queries<\/strong>. It helps to collect typical customer questions<\/strong>\u2014for example, from emails, consultations, or comments. Many successful keywords originate from the language your customers naturally use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Keyword Ideas with Google Suggest & Co.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The next step is to compare your initial ideas with real search queries<\/strong>. Google itself provides valuable clues here: through autocomplete <\/strong>suggestions as type, the \u201crelated searches\u201d<\/strong> box at the bottom of the results page, and the \u201cPeople also ask\u201d <\/strong>module.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These suggestions are based on real search data<\/strong> and show which phrasings and follow-up questions are commonly used. This makes it easy to quickly get a feel for your target audience’s language and identify terms that may be worth targeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Analyzing Search Volume, Competition & Relevance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A list of keywords alone is not enough. Now it’s about evaluating which keywords are worth pursuing. High search volume<\/strong> matters, but it’s not everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What matters most is whether the keyword actually fits your site and whether ranking for it is realistic. A term like \u201cproject management\u201d may have a high monthly search volume, but it is extremely generic and highly competitive. A more specific term like \u201cproject management tool for small teams\u201d is less competitive, and often more effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professional keyword tools<\/a> such as Ahrefs and SEMrush show not only search volume but also metrics such as keyword difficulty<\/strong> (how hard it is to rank well for a keyword), CPC<\/strong> (cost per click in Google Ads), and CPS<\/strong> (clicks per search). This information helps you assess how much effort it will take to become visible for a given term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good keyword research is therefore not about finding “the best” terms, but the right ones\u2014relevant to your target audience<\/strong>, your offering<\/strong>, and realistic in terms of ranking potential<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A good keyword is defined by more than just its search volume. Above all, it fits the target audience, matches the user’s search intent, and is relevant to your offering. Only when all three factors work together does a keyword have realistic ranking potential.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Different Types of Keywords: Short-Tail, Mid-Tail & Long-Tail<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Keywords can vary in length and specificity, which affects their search volume and ranking potential<\/strong>. They are generally divided into the following types:<\/p>\n\n\n\n