On this page
- 1. Define the audience and the task
- 2. Build a seed list
- 3. Review Search Console before creating new pages
- 4. Research the market in Visibility
- 5. Inspect the actual search results
- 6. Group by intent and choose a page
- 7. Prioritize business fit and useful evidence
- 8. Create a RankWell brief before drafting
- 9. Keep a decision record and measure outcomes
Keyword research is the process of identifying the searches your intended audience uses, understanding what they need, and deciding which pages should answer them. A useful keyword plan connects customer questions to specific content decisions.
Start with business fit and intent, then use search data to compare opportunities. A high-volume phrase or low difficulty score alone does not establish that a page will rank or bring customers.
1. Define the audience and the task
Write down what you sell, whom you help, and the questions that arise before and after a purchase. Collect language from sales conversations, support requests, product onboarding, and existing website searches where available.
For an IT service business, possible research subjects include employee onboarding, device returns, and support coverage. These are starting ideas, not verified low-competition keywords. Research the actual market before committing to content.
2. Build a seed list
Group your ideas by service, problem, audience, and stage of the decision. Include both broad subjects and specific questions. Avoid restricting the list to terms your team uses internally if customers describe the task differently.
| Subject | Question to investigate | Potential page type |
|---|---|---|
| Service evaluation | What does managed IT support include? | Service explanation |
| Practical task | What should an employee laptop return checklist include? | Checklist |
| Buying decision | How is support priced for a small office? | Pricing explanation |
| Existing customer need | How do I request access for a new employee? | Help article |
Swipe the table to see all columns.
3. Review Search Console before creating new pages
Inspect the Search results performance report for pages already receiving relevant impressions. Filter a page and review its queries. An existing article may need a clearer explanation or missing example rather than a new URL.
Record clicks, impressions, CTR, average position, and the date range together. Google’s metric definitions explain why property impressions are not the same as total query volume. Compare like periods and account for the searcher’s market and device where relevant.
4. Research the market in Visibility
Open Visibility > Keywords > Research, select the relevant market, and investigate a seed topic. Review the available signals and save useful ideas for planning.
- Volume: an estimate of search demand, not visits your page is guaranteed to receive.
- Difficulty: a tool-specific comparison that still needs a results review.
- Advertising metrics: information about paid search, not organic difficulty.
- Missing values: incomplete evidence, not proof that nobody searches or competes.
Use the volume interpretation guide when sources disagree. Check Google Trends for seasonality while remembering that its interest scale is relative.
5. Inspect the actual search results
Look at the formats and tasks represented in the current results: guides, comparisons, product pages, local results, videos, or discussions. A query can have mixed intent, so inspect the evidence rather than assigning a category from one word.
Read the strongest relevant pages and identify a useful contribution your business can make. That might be a clearer process, first-hand example, original data, or an answer to an unresolved question.
A forum ranking highly does not automatically indicate weak competition. Searchers may want personal experience. Likewise, a low third-party authority score does not prove a page has no useful links or will be easy to replace.
6. Group by intent and choose a page
Several related phrases may belong on one page. Split them only when the reader needs a meaningfully different answer. This prevents publishing repetitive articles merely because the wording differs.
For each group, record an existing URL or a proposed new page. Choose an action: improve, create, consolidate after review, or defer. Keep established URLs when the underlying purpose remains the same.
7. Prioritize business fit and useful evidence
Compare audience relevance, observed demand, current visibility, the information gap, and the team’s ability to produce a strong answer. A specific low-volume question can be valuable when it helps qualified customers. A broad popular query can be a distraction if it attracts the wrong audience.
Longer phrases are not automatically easier, and there is no universal difficulty score below which a new website can reliably rank. Use metrics to narrow the list, then make an editorial decision.
8. Create a RankWell brief before drafting
Go to RankWell > Articles > Plan before you write > Check opportunity. Enter the buyer question and review the existing-content evidence. Save a content brief or draft with AIMEE once the action is clear.
The brief should include the audience, direct answer, required steps, source links, original examples, current product facts, and relevant next step. Review the draft’s article, search preview, media, and sources before publication.
Use descriptive headings and natural terminology. Do not fill every heading or image alternative with the exact phrase. Do not turn another publisher’s article or video into a lightly reworded substitute; contribute your own expertise and appropriate attribution.
9. Keep a decision record and measure outcomes
Maintain a worksheet with query group, intent, market, source date, existing URL, action, owner, and release date. Add the reason behind the decision so the next review has context.
After recrawling, compare the same page and query groups over equivalent periods. Review qualified actions as well as clicks. A ranking change can reflect several factors, so avoid crediting every gain or decline to a single keyword edit.
For the next step, use our Search Console opportunity workflow and keyword report guide.
Reviewed and updated October 2, 2026.
Written by
Julia McCoy has contributed articles to BrandWell on content marketing, writing, and search engine optimization. This archive retains her original bylines; individual articles may be updated by the BrandWell editorial team.
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