How to Do Keyword Research That Actually Brings Traffic

 

You’re here because you want more people to find your site. Keyword research is how you make that happen. It’s the bridge between what you write and what people are already searching for. Let’s walk through it step by step, so you get real results.

 

Why Keyword Research Matters Right Now

Keywords are the words or phrases people type into search engines. Using the right ones means your content can show up when someone needs exactly what you offer.

Search engines evaluate how well your page answers a searcher’s query. When you target the keywords people are actually using, you help the algorithm—and your future readers—at the same time. It's how your content becomes findable.

 

What You’ll Need Before You Begin

Before jumping into the research itself, make sure you’ve got three simple things ready:

·         A main topic or goal.
What’s the one thing you want to rank for? Maybe it’s “homemade sourdough recipes.” Keep that idea in focus as you work.

·         A keyword research tool.
Google’s Keyword Planner (free with a Google Ads account) works well, or use premium tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest. These show real search volumes and related terms.

·         A place to track your keywords.
A spreadsheet or even a Google Doc works fine. You’ll use it to jot down what you find—along with monthly search volumes and other notes.

 

Step-by-Step Keyword Research

Here’s how to go from a general topic to a clear set of keywords you can actually use.

1. Brainstorm Some Base Keywords

Start with a few phrases that someone might search, based on your main topic. These are called “seed keywords.” If your focus is sourdough, ideas might include:

·         “easy sourdough bread”

·         “how to start a sourdough starter”

·         “why is my bread dense”

·         “no-knead sourdough recipe”

You’re not trying to be perfect here—just get a rough batch of ideas on paper.

2. Plug Those Ideas Into a Keyword Tool

Now, enter each of those seed terms into your keyword tool. It’ll return a list of related keywords, along with search volume (how often people search for it) and keyword difficulty (how hard it is to rank).

For each keyword, note:

·         Monthly search volume

·         Competition or difficulty score

·         The likely intent (Is the person looking for a recipe? A fix? A guide?)

You’re looking for search terms that match what your content offers.

3. Choose 10–20 High-Quality Keywords

From what your tool gives you, narrow things down. Prioritize keywords that:

·         Have at least 100 monthly searches (or whatever makes sense in your niche)

·         Show moderate or low competition

·         Match the intent of your content

This is your short list—the ones you’ll build content around.

4. Group Your Keywords by Intent

Sort your selected keywords into 2–4 logical themes. This helps you plan content that stays focused.

For example, you might break them down like this:

·         Recipes: “easy sourdough recipe,” “simple sourdough loaf”

·         Troubleshooting: “why is my sourdough dense,” “how to fix sourdough that won’t rise”

·         Starter care: “how to feed sourdough starter,” “maintain sourdough starter long term”

Each of these keyword clusters can support its own blog post or page.

5. Choose a Main Keyword for Each Page

From each group, pick one primary keyword that has a solid search volume and matches your goals. That’s the keyword you’ll target in your title, intro, and headings.

Let’s say “easy sourdough recipe” gets 880 searches/month and fits your content perfectly—that’s your main one.

6. Pick 3–5 Supporting Keywords

Add a few more keywords from the same intent group to support your primary term. These reinforce your topic and help capture related searches.

For instance:

·         “simple sourdough recipe”

·         “no-knead sourdough bread”

·         “how to make sourdough bread at home”

These should naturally appear throughout your content without forcing them in.

7. Check the Competition

Search your main keyword on Google and look at who’s ranking. Are the top results all from massive sites like Food Network or The New York Times? If so, consider narrowing your focus with a long-tail keyword—something like “easy sourdough recipe for beginners.”

This makes it easier to compete while still targeting people with clear intent.

 

How to Use Keywords in Your Content

Once you’ve picked your keywords, it’s time to write your content in a way that naturally includes them.

Here’s how to do it without sounding robotic:

·         Use your main keyword in the title and H1 heading. Keep it human—“Easy Sourdough Recipe for Beginners” works well.

·         Include that same keyword once in the first 100 words of your post.

·         Place supporting keywords in subheadings (H2s or H3s) or sprinkle them into the body text.

·         Add keywords naturally in your meta description, image alt text, and URL if you can.

And most importantly: write for humans first. If a keyword doesn’t fit naturally, don’t force it. Google is smart enough now to reward genuinely helpful content that happens to include the right phrases.

 

What Success Looks Like (And How to Track It)

After publishing your keyword-optimized post, give it a few weeks. Then open up Google Search Console (or your SEO tool of choice).

Check for:

·         Impressions – Are people seeing your page in search results?

·         Clicks – Are they actually clicking through?

·         Query reports – Do your target keywords appear under “Queries”?

If a keyword is underperforming, tweak your title or intro to better reflect how people actually search. If it’s doing well, look for similar keywords you could create related content around.

 

Case in Point: Sourdough Blog

Let’s say you run a small baking blog and want to write a post on beginner-friendly sourdough.

You brainstorm a few seed terms:

·         “sourdough for beginners”

·         “quick sourdough loaf”

·         “no-knead sourdough”

After checking Keyword Planner, you find:

·         “easy sourdough recipe” – 880 searches/month, medium difficulty

·         “simple sourdough recipe” – 390 searches, low difficulty

·         “how to make sourdough bread at home” – 250

·         “no-knead sourdough recipe” – 150

·         “why is my sourdough loaf dense” – 120

You group these by intent, and decide to target “easy sourdough recipe” as your main keyword. But after Googling it, you see huge sites dominate the top results. So you refine your focus to “easy sourdough recipe for beginners.”

Your final keyword plan looks like this:

·         Main keyword: easy sourdough recipe for beginners

·         Supporting keywords: simple sourdough recipe, how to make sourdough at home, no-knead sourdough recipe

You write a post using those keywords in headings and throughout the content. A few weeks later, you check Search Console and see some clicks and impressions.

You also notice the query “how to start sourdough for beginners” showing up. So, you update the post with a small section or FAQ targeting that. That one tweak leads to more clicks—because now you’re answering more of what people are asking.

 

Final Thoughts

That’s the full process—simple, focused, and designed for action. Keyword research isn’t about stuffing in phrases; it’s about listening to what people search and helping them find your best, most relevant content.

Do that consistently, and search traffic won’t just be a hope—it’ll be a system.