SEO · Keyword research
Keyword
research(06)Find the searches that turn into customers.
Not every keyword is worth chasing. I find what your customers actually type, what they mean by it and which searches are worth the work, then map each one to the page that should win it.
Illustrative keyword list. Volumes and scores are examples.
What is keyword research?
Keyword research is finding the words and questions people type when they need what you sell, then sorting them by what they mean, how often they’re searched and how hard they’d be to win. It’s the plan that tells you which pages to build and what each one should be about.
Why it matters
Without it, sites end up chasing popular words that never bring a customer, or writing pages nobody searches for. Good research points every page at a search real buyers make, keeps your pages from competing with each other and shows you where the quickest wins are, so effort goes where it pays.
How I do it
- Chapter 01 · 01–02Understand the searchesWhat people mean when they search, and what’s already working for your competitors.
- Chapter 02 · 03–04Find the openingsSpecific searches that are easier to win, and the ones that come with a town name.
- Chapter 03 · 05–06Make the planOne search per page, a page for every search that matters, and an order to do them in.
01 · Understand the searches
Search intent
What people mean, not just what they type.
Someone searching “how often to service a box truck” wants a guide. Someone searching “truck repair near me” wants a phone number. I sort every search by what the person is trying to do, so each one is matched with the kind of page that actually satisfies it.
Illustrative searches. Numbers are examples.
02 · Understand the searches
Competitor gaps
See what’s working for the businesses beating you.
I compare the searches your competitors rank for with the ones you do. The gaps show you demand you’re missing entirely, and topics they cover that your site doesn’t touch yet.
Illustrative competitors and rankings. Numbers are examples.
03 · Find the openings
Long-tail keywords
Smaller searches, closer to a sale.
Broad terms like “truck repair” are crowded and vague. Longer, more specific searches get fewer searches each, but they’re easier to win and the people typing them usually know exactly what they want. Together they often add up to more business than the big term.
Illustrative keywords. Volumes and scores are examples.
04 · Find the openings
Local keywords
The searches that come with a town name, or “near me.”
For a local business, the best searches often include a place. I find which services people look for in which towns, and recommend location pages only where you genuinely serve the area and have something specific to say about it.
Illustrative search volumes. Numbers are examples.
05 · Make the plan
Keyword mapping
One main search per page, and a page for every main search.
Mapping assigns each target search to a single page, so your pages stop competing with each other and every important search has a clear home. Searches with no good page become your content plan.
Illustrative map. Pages and numbers are examples.
06 · Make the plan
Opportunity sizing
Know what a keyword is worth before you chase it.
I estimate what each target could bring in, based on how often it’s searched, the clicks you’d get at a realistic ranking and how often those visitors become leads. They’re estimates, not promises, but they put the work in the right order.
Illustrative estimates. Numbers are examples.
Recognized · B2B SEO
Best B2B SEO Agencies
Named one of the 20 best B2B SEO agencies for 2026.
SEOS.co reviews and ranks SEO agencies by specialty. Ritner Digital made its 2026 list of the best B2B SEO agencies, recognized for B2B SEO, digital strategy and content marketing for B2B companies that want a focused partner.
SEOS.co20 Best B2B SEO Agencies for 2026
From the blog
More on keyword research
- Keyword researchHow to Do Keyword Research for a Cleveland Local BusinessFinding high-intent local searches and mapping them to the right pages, step by step.Read the post →
- Local searchesHow to Rank for “Near Me” Searches in IndianapolisWhat it takes to show up when someone searches for a service close by.Read the post →
- Opportunity sizingHow Many Leads Should a Website Get Per Month? The Actual MathWorking from visitors to leads to revenue, so traffic targets mean something.Read the post →
- Keyword mappingWhy Cleveland Businesses Need Separate Service Pages for SEOWhy each service needs its own page to own its own searches.Read the post →
- Paid vs. organicSEO Will Cut Your Google Ads Bill. Just Not in Month One.How to tell when a keyword you pay for is ready to be won organically.Read the post →
- Search intentYour 2026 SEO Report Says Traffic Is Up. But Did It Actually Produce Business?Why the right searches matter more than more searches, and how to tell the difference.Read the post →
Featured Client
True BlueAutos
A commercial truck dealership in Greensburg, Indiana. We built an SEO content strategy around the questions real truck buyers ask, and in about three months their Google visibility grew fast.
- +48%Google clicks
- +93%Search impressions
First vs. last 30 days, July–October 2026, Google Search Console. Search growth, not verified sales.
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