Keyword Research for Beginners: How to Find the Right Words to Rank on Google

Ever wonder how some blogs show up on Google — while others stay invisible?

It all starts with keyword research.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to find the exact words and phrases people search for — and how to use them to bring real traffic to your blog 🔑✨

🤔 1. What Is Keyword Research, Exactly?

Keyword research is the process of discovering what your audience types into Google — so you can create content around those topics.

Examples:

• “How to start a blog”
• “Best WordPress plugins”
• “Email marketing tips”

It’s not about guessing.
It’s about knowing what people actually search for.

💡 2. Why Keyword Research Matters

Here’s why it’s essential for blogging:

• ✅ Tells you what your audience wants
• ✅ Helps you write content that ranks
• ✅ Increases your chances of showing up on Google
• ✅ Boosts traffic without paid ads

📌 SEO without keyword research = shooting in the dark.

🧠 3. Types of Keywords You Should Know

🔹 Short-Tail Keywords

Broad and competitive
Example: “blogging”

🔹 Long-Tail Keywords

More specific, easier to rank for
Example: “how to start a blog with no experience”

🎯 Start with long-tail keywords — they bring more targeted traffic.

🛠️ 4. Best Keyword Research Tools (Free & Paid)

✅ Free Tools:

• Google Search Suggestions
  Just start typing in Google and see what it recommends
• Google’s “People Also Ask” box
• Ubersuggest – great for beginners
• Answer the Public – shows questions people ask
• Google Trends – see what’s rising in popularity

💼 Paid Tools (for future growth):

• Semrush
• Ahrefs
• KeySearch (affordable and beginner-friendly)
• KWFinder

📌 You don’t need paid tools to start — but they help later.

🔍 5. How to Do Keyword Research (Step-by-Step)

✅ Step 1: Start with a Topic

What do you want to write about? Example: “email marketing”

✅ Step 2: Use Google to Explore

Type it in and look at:

• Auto-suggestions
• Related searches
• Questions people ask

Write down phrases that appear naturally.

✅ Step 3: Check the Keyword Difficulty

In tools like Ubersuggest or KeySearch:

• Look at Search Volume (how many people search it)
• Check Difficulty (how hard it is to rank)

🎯 Look for:
Low difficulty + decent volume = perfect beginner target

✅ Step 4: Choose Your Focus Keyword

Pick one main keyword per blog post.

Then build content around it using:

• Title
• Meta description
• Headings
• URL
• Body text

📌 Learn how in our On-Page SEO Guide

✅ Step 5: Collect Supporting Keywords

Use synonyms and related terms in your post.
Google understands topics — not just exact matches.

Example:
If your keyword is “email marketing for beginners”, include terms like:

• email list
• newsletter tips
• email tools
• Mailchimp / Brevo

✅ Final Thoughts

Keyword research doesn’t have to be hard.

Just remember:

• Know what people search for
• Choose specific, helpful phrases
• Build content around them naturally
• Track what works, then repeat

📌 Ready to use your keywords the smart way?
Jump to our full On-Page SEO Guide