How do you find the right keywords before writing a blog post?

Well, before you write your blog post, you need to find keywords that have a high search volume. But that’s not all there is to finding the right keywords. The real goal is to understand what your audience is looking for, why they are looking for it, and what kind of content will best answer their question.

A good keyword research process integrates SEO, AEO, GEO, and EEAT principles to create content that is useful for people and modern search engines.

1. Start With Your Main Point

Define the topic you want to write about first, explicitly. What is the main problem your content will solve?

Say your topic is keyword research. Some potential primary keywords could be:

• Blog keyword research

• Finding keywords

• Blog keyword research

• Researching keywords for SEO

Choose one main keyword that is most relevant to your topic and the search intent of your audience.

2. Grasp Search Intent

What is the person looking to know or do when they search for this keyword? Ask yourself this before you choose a keyword.

Generally, there are 4 types of search intent:

• Informative: The user is asking for information.

• Commercial: The user is researching products/services.

• Transactional: The user is ready to take action or make a purchase.

• Navigational: The user is looking for a specific website, brand, or page.

It’s not so much about picking a keyword because it has a high search volume, but rather about matching your content to search intent.

3. Search for Related Questions and Keywords

With your main keyword in hand, search for closely related keywords, topics, and questions.

For example, if your main keyword is "blog keyword research", some related terms might be:

• Long-tail keywords

• Search volume for keywords

• Keyword difficulty

• Search purpose

• SEO keyword tools

• Low-competition keywords

• Competitor keyword analysis

• Related keywords

You may also use common questions as headings or FAQ sections. This can make your content more reader-friendly and also more optimised for Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO).

4. Scan the Search Results

Search your main keyword and check out the pages already ranking.

See also:

• Top-ranked pages' topics

• Common headings and subheadings

• People Also Ask questions

• Related questions

• Featured snippets

• Content categories

• Insights your competitors are lacking

The aim is not to duplicate competing articles. Instead, use the search results to understand what Google finds relevant and where you can provide something better or more useful.

5. Search for Long-Tail Keywords

Examples of long-tail keywords are:

How to find low-competition keywords for a new blog post

not just:

Keywords

Long-tail keywords can be useful as they tend to have more specific search intent and can be easier to target, especially for new websites.

But do not choose keywords just because they have low competition. Also, ensure they are relevant to your audience and your content.

6. Check Out Your Competitors

Read some competing articles to see:

• The keywords they target

• Conversation topics

• Questions solved by them

• Content holes

• Lost examples

• Bad or stale information

This will allow you to identify opportunities for creating content that is more comprehensive and truly helpful.

7. Build a Keyword Cluster

Make a cluster of related words. Don't repeat a word again and again in your article.

Like, for example:

Main keyword:
Blog keyword research

Keywords:

• Keyword research for SEO

• Long-tail keywords

• Search intent by keyword

• Keyword difficulty

• Tools for keyword research

• Low-competition keywords

This strategy helps you build topical authority while keeping the content natural and reader-friendly.

8. Optimise for GEO and AEO

Modern search optimisation is more than just SEO.

Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is about providing clear and direct answers to questions. Use descriptive headings, concise explanations, FAQs, lists, and well-structured information.

GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is the art of creating content that can be quickly digested and referred to by AI-powered search and answer engines. If your content has a clear structure, original insights, factual information, trustworthy sources, and strong topical coverage, it can be more useful in AI-driven search experiences.

9. Follow EEAT Guidelines

Good articles are more than keywords.

Add EEAT – Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness by adding:

• First-hand experience

• Examples in original language

• Sources you can trust

• Up-to-date, accurate information

• As appropriate, expert comment

• Easy explanations

• Tips that help

It should always be the aim to create content that is genuinely useful to the reader, not content that is just written to rank.

10. Make Your Content Outline Prior to Writing

Once you’ve done your keyword research, organise your findings in a logical outline.

A simple routine is:

Primary topic → Primary keyword → User intent → LSI keywords → Queries → Competitor analysis → Content gaps → Keyword group → Content framework

Then you have a road to follow before you start writing.

Last Word

The best keyword research strategy is NOT to find one keyword and then keep on repeating it again and again in your blog post. It's about identifying your audience, search intent, related topics, competitors, and content gaps.

Combine keyword research with SEO, AEO, GEO, and EEAT and you can build content that is more discoverable, more understandable to search engines and artificial intelligence systems and, more importantly, more useful to real readers.

Also Read: How Does GEO Differ from Traditional SEO?

Source & Reference:

• Google Search Central – SEO Starter Guide

• Ahrefs – Beginner’s Guide to Keyword Research

Finding the right keywords before writing a blog post starts with understanding what your target audience is searching for and why. Begin with the main topic, identify the search intent, and then use keyword research tools to discover relevant terms and variations. Look for keywords that balance search volume, competition, relevance, and user intent rather than choosing keywords only because they have high search volume. Analyze competing pages to understand which terms and subtopics Google considers relevant. Finally, select one primary keyword and several closely related semantic keywords that naturally support the topic.

1. Understand the Search Intent

Before choosing keywords, determine what users actually want to know. Search intent usually falls into four categories:

• Informational: Users want to learn something.

• Navigational: Users are looking for a specific website or page.

• Commercial: Users are researching products or services.

• Transactional: Users are ready to take an action or make a purchase.

For example, someone searching “how to choose running shoes” has informational intent, while “buy running shoes online” has transactional intent. Your keyword should match the purpose of your blog post.

2. Start With a Seed Keyword

A seed keyword is the basic phrase that describes your topic. If your blog is about email marketing, possible seed keywords could include:

• email marketing

• email marketing tips

• email marketing strategy

• email campaign ideas

These initial terms can be expanded into more specific long-tail keywords.

3. Use Keyword Research Tools

Keyword research tools help identify search demand, competition, related searches, and keyword variations. Popular options include Google Keyword Planner, Google Search Console, Semrush, Ahrefs, and Moz.

Don't focus on search volume alone. A keyword with moderate volume but strong relevance and clear intent can generate more valuable traffic than a high-volume keyword that does not match your content.

4. Analyze the Search Results

Search your potential keyword on Google and examine the top-ranking results. Look at the topics they cover, questions they answer, headings they use, and the type of content Google is ranking.

This helps you identify content gaps and related subtopics that your article should address. It also shows whether your planned article matches the current search intent.

5. Select Primary and Secondary Keywords

Choose one primary keyword that represents the main topic of your article. Then select related keywords, synonyms, questions, and long-tail phrases as secondary keywords.

For example, for a post targeting “how to find keywords”, related terms might include:

• keyword research

• SEO keyword research

• keyword research tools

• long-tail keywords

• search intent

• keyword difficulty

• semantic keywords

Use these naturally instead of repeating the same phrase unnecessarily.

6. Consider Relevance, Competition, and Business Value

The right keyword should be relevant to your audience and realistic for your website to target. Consider:

A strong keyword strategy combines these factors rather than relying on a single SEO metric.

Conclusion

The best way to find keywords before writing a blog post is to combine audience research, search intent, keyword research tools, competitor analysis, and SERP analysis. Choose a relevant primary keyword and support it with closely related semantic and long-tail keywords. This approach creates content that is useful to readers while making the topic easier for search engines and AI search systems to understand.

FAQs

1. What is the first step in keyword research?

The first step is to understand your target audience, topic, and search intent before selecting specific keywords.

2. Which tool is best for finding keywords?

Tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Google Search Console, Semrush, Ahrefs, and Moz can help with keyword discovery and analysis.

3. Should I choose keywords with high search volume?

Not necessarily. Relevance and search intent are often more important than high search volume. A lower-volume keyword can attract more qualified visitors.

4. How many keywords should a blog post target?

Generally, focus on one primary keyword and several closely related secondary keywords. The exact number depends on the topic and its depth.

Also read : How to Know the Right Keyword Count for a Web Page?