Quick Verdict

Look, keyword research isn’t rocket science, but most tools try to make you think it is so they can charge you $100/month. Google Keyword Planner is free and will get you 80% of the way there if you can stomach its boring interface. Ahrefs is the most accurate but costs as much as a nice dinner for two. Ubersuggest is cheap but sometimes lies to you. Start with Google’s free tool until you hit a wall, then consider paying.

Google Keyword Planner **** (4/5) — best free option
Ahrefs ***** (4.5/5) — most reliable data
Semrush **** (4/5) — Swiss Army knife, but expensive
Ubersuggest *** (3.5/5) — decent for broke beginners

So you want to figure out what people actually search for, right? I get it. I spent three hours once researching keywords for a blog about "orange cat behavior" only to discover nobody on earth types that into Google. My cat was not impressed. She just looked at me like "you wasted your afternoon, human." That’s when I realized keyword research is less about guessing and more about… well, not guessing.

Let me walk you through it. Not like a boring textbook — like we’re on a video call and I’m sharing my screen while eating a sandwich.

Step 1: Brainstorm Seed Keywords

Start with the most obvious words someone would type to find your stuff. If you sell dog beds, think "dog bed," "best dog bed," "large dog bed." Write down everything that pops into your head, even the dumb ones. I once wrote "purple dog bed with rhinestones" — turns out that’s a real thing people search for. Don’t judge.

Here’s the thing nobody tells you: your first list will be embarrassingly small. That’s fine. You’re not trying to win a contest. You’re just getting started.

What can go wrong: You’ll overthink it and end up with nothing. Just write. Even if it’s "dog." "bed." "dog bed." Move on.

Step 2: Use a Free Tool to Expand

Open Google Keyword Planner. Yes, it’s ugly. Yes, you need an Ads account. It’s free to make one, and you don’t have to spend a cent. Throw your seed list in there. It’ll spit out a bunch of related terms with search volumes (well, volume ranges — Google doesn’t want you knowing exact numbers because they’re jerks like that).

Here’s the shortcut nobody tells you: ignore the "high competition" column at first. Competition in Google Ads != competition for organic rankings. I learned this the hard way after skipping a "high comp" keyword that my friend ranked #1 for with a blog post written in ten minutes.

What can go wrong: You’ll see a term with 10k searches and think "jackpot!" — then realize it’s "dog bed mattress topper" and your site sells dog collars. Filter by relevance. Burned $200 on Semrush last March because I got excited by big numbers. Don’t be me.

Step 3: Analyze Search Intent

This is where most beginners mess up. Not every search is created equal. "Dog bed" could mean someone wants to buy one. "Why does my dog sleep on my pillow" means commiserate. "DIY dog bed" means instructions. You need to match your content to the intent.

Look at the search results for your keyword. If the top results are all product pages, then writing a blog post won’t help you rank. If they’re all listicles, write a listicle. Simple.

What can go wrong: I once targeted "best vacuum for pet hair" when my site was about dog grooming. Google