How to Search Keywords for Your Website: A Beginner’s Guide

Want more people to find your website? Start with keyword research.

Whether you're running a blog, an online store, or a business website, the words you choose matter. Keyword research helps you understand what your target audience is actually searching for—and how you can create content that answers their needs.

In this blog, we’ll break down the keyword research process step by step, using tools and strategies anyone can apply.

🔍 What Are Keywords?

Keywords are the words or phrases people type into search engines like Google when they're looking for something. For example, someone might search:

• “best budget travel destinations”

• “how to fix a leaking faucet”

• “organic skincare for dry skin”

Your job is to figure out which keywords your potential visitors are using—and then create content that matches those searches.

🧠 Step 1: Understand Your Audience

Before you dive into tools, think about your audience:

• Who are they?

• What are they interested in?

• What problems are they trying to solve?

Example: If you run a fitness blog for new moms, your audience might search for things like “postpartum workout at home” or “safe exercises after pregnancy.”

🛠️ Step 2: Use Keyword Research Tools

There are many tools to help you discover the right keywords. Some are free; others offer more advanced features for a fee.

Free Tools:

• Google Search Suggestions – Start typing a query and see what Google suggests.

• Google Keyword Planner – Free if you have a Google Ads account.

• AnswerThePublic – Shows questions people ask around a topic.

• Ubersuggest – Offers free basic data like search volume and competition.

Paid Tools (with free trials):

• Ahrefs

• SEMrush

• Moz Keyword Explorer

• KWFinder

Look for:

• Search Volume – How many people search for this per month?

• Keyword Difficulty (KD) – How hard is it to rank for this keyword?

• CPC (Cost Per Click) – Indicates commercial value (for businesses or product pages).

🧩 Step 3: Look for Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases. They're easier to rank for and tend to attract more qualified traffic.

Instead of targeting:

• “yoga”

Try:

• “beginner yoga routine for flexibility at home”

These keywords may have less volume but higher intent—meaning people are more likely to take action.

🧪 Step 4: Analyze Your Competitors

Find out what keywords your competitors are ranking for. Here's how:

1. Search your topic in Google.

2. Check the top 5–10 results.

3. Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest to analyze those pages.

4. Look for keywords they’re targeting—and gaps you can fill.

Pro tip: Look at their meta titles, URLs, and headings for keyword clues.

📋 Step 5: Organize Your Keywords by Intent

Not all keywords are the same. Group them by search intent:

• Informational: "how to make sourdough bread"

• Navigational: "Dropbox login"

• Transactional: "buy iPhone 14 case"

• Commercial investigation: "best DSLR camera under $500"

Creating content that matches the intent behind a search will increase your chances of ranking and converting.

🏗️ Step 6: Build Content Around Your Keywords

Once you’ve gathered your keywords:

• Choose a primary keyword for each page/post.

• Use secondary keywords to support the main topic.

• Naturally include them in:

  • The title

  • Meta description

  • Headers (H1, H2, etc.)

  • Image alt text

  • URL (if possible)

  • The first 100 words of your content

Avoid keyword stuffing—focus on readability and value.

🔄 Step 7: Review and Update Regularly

SEO isn’t one-and-done. Review your keyword strategy every few months:

• Are your rankings improving?

• Are your keywords still relevant?

• Can you expand or update existing content?

Trends, algorithms, and user behavior evolve—your keyword strategy should, too.

🚀 Final Thoughts

Keyword research is the first step toward making your content discoverable. It’s not about guessing—it’s about understanding your audience, using data, and crafting content that serves a real purpose.

When done right, keyword research can help your website climb search rankings, attract the right visitors, and grow your business or blog organically.

Need help choosing the right keywords for your niche? Let us know your website’s topic and I’ll help you brainstorm: https://www.digitdok.com/contact-form