How to Do Keyword Research for Blogging: A Step-by-Step Guide

Keyword research for blogging is the process of finding the words and phrases your target audience is searching on Google. It tells you what your ideal clients or customers want to know, how they ask for it, and whether enough people are searching to make a topic worth your time. 

As an SEO Writer & Consultant, I've spent the past six years writing and optimizing over 2,000 articles for clients across different industries. One client recently saw a 301% jump in website visitors in six months, primarily from blog posts created around keyword research. It really works, and I’ll share how you can do this too.

This guide walks you through a simple 7-step process for finding keywords that bring the right readers to your blog, plus how to write posts that show up in Google and AI search tools like ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews.

What is keyword research?

Keyword research means finding the exact words your ideal reader searches for, then writing content around that. It's a core part of search engine optimization (SEO), since Google and AI tools rely on your words to understand what your content is about and who it's for.  Rather than guessing what to write about, keyword research lets you have a strategy for actual traffic and leads.

Keywords fall into one of these categories based on the user’s intent: 

• Informational - The searcher wants to learn something (“how to start a blog”)

• Navigational - The searcher wants a specific site or brand (“Squarespace login”)

• Commercial - The searcher is comparing options before buying (“best blogging platforms”)

• Transactional - The searcher is ready to buy or sign up (“buy Squarespace subscription”)

Most blog content targets informational or commercial keywords, since blogging is usually meant to help readers learn or decide.

Why Keyword Research Matters for Your Blog

Skipping SEO keyword research means your blog posts have less opportunity to be found. While you can and should share your articles on social media, with your email list, or wherever you show up, keywords bring in organic traffic through Google and AI tools. 

Orbit Media's 2025 annual blogger survey found that only 22% of bloggers always use keyword research when writing, an opportunity for you to stand out from bloggers who skip this step. And 32% of surveyed bloggers reported strong results from consistent keyword research. I see this play out in my own work too, so I know it works.

Long-Tail vs Short-Tail Keywords

There are two main types of keyword phrases: long-tail and short-tail.

Long-tail keywords are longer phrases, usually three or more words. Since they’re more specific, they often get fewer searches but are easier to rank for and match what the searcher actually wants. For example, "how to do keyword research for a blog" is a long-tail phrase and very specific to what a searcher is looking for.

Short-tail keywords are shorter, broader phrases, usually one or two words. They tend to get more searches each month, but they're harder to rank for and can mean different things to different searchers. For example, "keyword research" is a short-tail phrase that someone might search when looking for a definition, tool, or guide.

I usually recommend targeting long-tail keywords for blog articles since you can reach a specific audience and have an easier chance for ranking. However, short-tail keywords can work sometimes too, especially for pillar topics that you can build out with supporting subtopic articles.

How to Do Keyword Research for Blog Posts: 5 Steps

1. Brainstorm Topic Ideas

Before you start keyword research for your blog, consider what your target audience might want to read about. What are their most common questions, problems, or goals? 

Think about emails you get, social media comments, or questions from past clients or customers. You can also check competitor blogs, forums, or Google's "People also ask" box for more ideas.

2. Use a Keyword Research Tool

A keyword research tool shows you real search data, like how many people search a phrase each month and how competitive it is. 

In your keyword research tool, type a general phrase related to your topic. It should be specific enough to describe your topic, but broad enough for the tool to suggest more phrases.

For example, if you blog about home organization, try "pantry organization" rather than a single word like "organization," or an overly specific phrase like "pantry organization for small kitchens on a budget."

My favorite keyword research tool is KeySearch. It's affordable and user-friendly. It also gives accurate data without the higher price tag other tools have. Try KeySearch free for 7 days, then use code KSDISC for 20% off.

3. Look at Search Volume & Competition

Once you find a keyword phrase you like, check its search volume and competition score.

Search volume tells you how many people search that phrase each month. Higher volume means more potential readers, but often more competition too.

Competition score (sometimes called keyword difficulty) tells you how hard it is to rank for that phrase. It's usually shown as a number or percentage. Lower scores mean less competition, so newer or smaller blogs have a better chance of ranking. Higher scores mean more established sites are already ranking, so it can be harder to compete.

As a general rule, look for phrases with decent search volume and low to medium competition.

4. Choose a Keyword Phrase

After you explore options, choose one keyword phrase that seems like a good fit for your blog post. A few things to consider:

• Does it match how your audience talks? Choose the phrase your reader would actually type, not just the one with the highest volume.

• Does it connect to your offer? Pick a phrase that ties back to what you sell, so the traffic you attract is more likely to convert.

• Does it fit the content you want to create? Make sure the phrase matches the type of post you want to write.

If you're doing keyword research for blogging on KeySearch, you can select all the phrases you like and save them to a list. This makes it easy to compare your options or come back to them later for future posts.

5. Search Your Keyword Phrase

Search your keyword phrase and look at the top few results. Are they blog posts, product pages, or something else? If the top results are all product pages and you want to write a blog post, that keyword's intent may not match your content type.

Once you know blog posts are ranking, check out the top few articles. See what they cover, how they're structured, and what questions they answer. Use this to understand what Google already considers helpful for that topic and to inspire your content.

Make sure your article is unique from what’s ranking. I like including specific examples and experiences, helpful visuals, and an FAQ section at the end of the post. 

Bonus: Create a Content Calendar

Once you've got a list of keyword phrases, you can choose one at a time or plan ahead. Every blog writer has their own rhythm for what works.

If you want to create a calendar, group your keyword phrases by content pillar, then schedule them out by week or month. Start with phrases that have decent search volume and low competition, so you can start seeing results sooner. 

In my blogging course, I have a lesson that covers content planning and includes the customizable content calendar: 

Common Keyword Research Mistakes to Avoid

Get the most from keyword research and blogging benefits by avoiding these mistakes:

• Focusing only on volume - A keyword with 10,000 searches a month might seem appealing but can be nearly impossible to rank for. A phrase with even a few hundred monthly searches can perform well if it speaks specifically to your target audience.

• Ignoring search intent - Make sure the keyword you're targeting already ranks blog articles in Google. For example, if you search a phrase and see mostly product pages, a blog article on that topic might not perform well.

• Keyword stuffing - Repeating your keyword over and over in a blog article doesn’t read well. While you should use your keyword phrase at least a few times in your article, use it naturally where it makes sense. 

• Researching once and never again - Search trends shift. Revisit your keyword list every few months, and update older blog posts if their target keyword has changed or their rankings have dropped.

Using Keyword Research to Optimize for AI

Keyword research for blogging also helps you show up in AI tools, like Claude and ChatGPT. These tools favor content that answers questions and covers topics clearly and quickly.

Here's how to format your posts with keywords, AI, and Google all in mind:

• Lead with the answer - Start each section by covering the main point, then go into further details.

• Write short, direct sentences - Get to the point, stay on the topic of your keyword phrase, and leave out any unnecessary fluff.

• Use simple language - Write plainly, and define any industry terms the first time you use them.

• Add structure - Use headers to break up the content, and work your keyword phrase into at least a couple of them.

• Cite your sources - Include dates and sources for any stats or claims you share.

Keyword Research for Blogging: FAQs

How to research keywords for a blog?

Start by brainstorming topics your target audience cares about, then use a keyword research tool to find relevant phrases. Considering each phrase's search volume and competition, choose one with decent volume and low to medium competition that fits your topic and audience.

Search the phrase in Google to confirm blog posts are already ranking for it before you write, because this tells you if Google sees the phrase as a good fit for blog content.

Can I use ChatGPT for keyword research?

ChatGPT can help you brainstorm topic ideas and generate a list of related phrases, but it doesn't show real search volume or competition data.

You can use ChatGPT to get topic ideas related to your offers and audience. But from there, use a keyword research tool, like KeySearch, to confirm which phrases are actually worth targeting.

How many keywords should a blog post have?

A blog post should target one primary keyword phrase, plus a few relevant secondary phrases. Use your primary keyword in the title, intro, headers, and naturally throughout. Sprinkle secondary phrases at least once each throughout the post where they fit naturally. 

The primary keyword is the one you most want to rank for. Secondary phrases help you rank for similar searches without repeating the same phrase too often.

For example, “pantry organization tips” might be your primary keyword phrase. “Pantry organization ideas” and “kitchen pantry organization” can be your secondary phrases.

Keyword Research for Blogging: Next Steps

Figuring out how to do keyword research for your blog can take time, but start by brainstorming topic ideas and exploring phrases in a keyword research tool. From there, choose one primary phrase for each blog article that has decent search volume and a low competition score.

If you'd rather hand this off, I offer a custom keyword research service. With this, I’ll share blog topic ideas along with primary and secondary phrases. This takes the guesswork out of it so you can get straight to writing articles your audience is searching for. 

Reach out to book keyword research and get your articles in front of the right people.