How to Do Keyword Research for a Blog (Updated 2026)

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What You’ll Learn

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Why is Keyword Research So Important?

Here’s the thing: choosing the right keywords is basically like choosing the right address for your store.

Pick the wrong location, and nobody walks by. Pick the right one, and suddenly you’ve got a steady stream of exactly the people you want to reach.

But here’s what’s changed – it’s 2026 now, and we’re not just optimizing for Google anymore. AI is everywhere, and that changes everything.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to find keywords that actually work, how to think about search in the age of ChatGPT and AI overviews, and how to build a content strategy that gets you found – whether someone’s searching on Google, asking an AI chatbot, or using voice search. Ready? Let’s go.

Understanding Modern Search: Why Google isn’t the Only Player Anymore

Before we jump into tools and tactics, we need to talk about what’s changed. When I first started blogging, it was pretty simple: optimize for Google, get traffic. Done.

But now? People are searching in completely different ways:

They’re asking ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and other AI tools instead of Googling

They’re using voice search with Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant

They’re seeing AI-generated overviews at the top of Google results

They’re getting answers directly in the search results without clicking through

So, what does this mean for your keyword strategy?

You need to think about Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) just as much as SEO. That means writing content clearly enough that AI tools can extract and quote your answers directly.

Step 1: Start with What You Know (The Brain Dump)

Okay, let’s get practical. The first thing you want to do is grab a spreadsheet – Google Sheets, Excel, whatever works for you – and just start brainstorming.

Think about your niche and write down every single keyword or topic you can think of. Don’t filter yourself yet.

Look at Quora and Reddit (and forums) – what do people need help with?

Just dump everything out:

What questions do people ask you about your topic?
What problems are they trying to solve?
What would you search for if you were them?
What products or solutions exist in your space?

This brainstorm is gold because it’s based on real human insight. AI and tools are amazing, but they can’t replace understanding your audience at a gut level.

Step 2: Understand Search Intent (What Do People REALLY Want?)

Here’s where a lot of people trip up. They find a keyword with decent search volume and think, “Great, I’ll write about that!” But they never stop to ask:

What is the person actually looking for when they search this?

Google (and AI tools) care deeply about matching intent.

If someone searches “how to ride a bike,” they want instructions.

If an Amazon page selling bikes shows up first, Google knows it messed up.

There are four main types of search intent:

Informational: The searcher wants to learn something (“how to lose weight fast,” “what is a plant-based diet”)

Navigational: They’re trying to find a specific website or brand (“Facebook login,” “Nike official site”)

Commercial: They’re researching before buying (“best running shoes for beginners,” “iPhone 15 vs Samsung S24”)

Transactional: They’re ready to buy NOW (“buy iPhone 15 Pro Max,” “cheap flights to Paris”)

When you’re building your keyword list, think about what kind of content matches each keyword’s intent.

This will guide whether you write a how-to guide, a product comparison, a listicle, or something else entirely.

Step 3: Mine Google for Free Keyword Ideas

Before you spend a dime on tools, let me show you how much free data is just sitting there in Google, waiting for you to grab it.

a) Google Autocomplete

Start typing your topic into Google’s search bar and watch what pops up. Those suggestions? They’re based on what people are actually searching for right now. Google is literally telling you what’s popular.

Try adding different letters after your keyword to see more variations.

For example:

“vegan recipes a…” → “vegan recipes air fryer”
“vegan recipes b…” → “vegan recipes budget”

b) People Also Ask

When you search for something, scroll down and look at the “People Also Ask” section. These are actual questions people are asking. Each one is a potential blog post!

Click on one question, and Google expands it – then gives you even MORE related questions. It’s like a never-ending keyword goldmine.

Scroll to the bottom of the search results, and you’ll find “Related searches” (sometimes called “People also search for”). These are variations and related topics people explore.

Pro tip: Search for one of those related terms, and you’ll get a whole new set of related searches. You can keep going deeper and deeper into your niche this way.

Bitcoin Keyword Search Result at AlsoAsked

Step 4: Use Free Keyword Research Tools

Alright, now let’s level up with some actual tools. The good news? You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars a month to do solid keyword research.

a) Google Keyword Planner

This is Google’s own tool, and it’s completely free (you just need a Google Ads account – you don’t have to run any ads).

You can:

See search volume ranges for keywords
Find related keyword ideas
See how competitive a keyword is for advertisers

The interface isn’t the prettiest, but the data comes straight from Google, so it’s accurate.

b) Answer The Public

This tool visualizes questions, prepositions, comparisons, and alphabetical keyword variations.

It’s fantastic for finding question-based content ideas. You get a few free searches per day, which is usually enough to build a solid content plan.

c) AlsoAsked.com

This tool maps out the “People Also Ask” questions in a visual tree format. It’s brilliant for understanding how topics connect and finding content clusters. And, what people ask!

d) Ubersuggest

Neil Patel’s tool offers free searches (with limits) and shows keyword ideas, search volume, SEO difficulty, and even content ideas. The free version is solid for beginners.

e) Google Search Console

If you already have a blog, this is pure gold. Search Console shows you exactly what keywords your site is already ranking for – even if you didn’t intentionally target them. You’ll often find hidden opportunities here, keywords where you’re ranking on page 2 or 3 that just need a little boost to hit page 1.

A free keyword tool that can help with keyword research is Google’s Free Keyword Tool | WordStream

Step 5: Embrace Long-Tail Keywords (Your Secret Weapon)

Here’s the reality: if you’re just starting out (or even if you’re not), going after short, broad keywords like “weight loss” or “digital marketing” is basically pointless.

The competition is insane. You’re competing against massive authority sites with years of content and huge budgets.

But long-tail keywords? That’s where the magic happens.

What are long-tail keywords? They’re longer, more specific phrases with lower search volume but way less competition. 3+ words.

These 3+ words are also closer to what people actually search for.

Think about it. If you’re looking for shoes, you don’t just type “shoes” into Google. You search for something like:

“best running shoes for flat feet women”
“comfortable work shoes for nurses”
“Nike Air Force 1 size 9 sale”

Each of these long-tail keywords has less traffic than “shoes,” but they’re WAY easier to rank for. And when you rank for 50 long-tail keywords, that adds up to serious traffic.

Long‑tail keywords also convert better – especially for affiliate content – because they reflect clear buying intent.

Someone searching “best running shoes for flat feet women” is probably ready to buy. Someone searching “shoes”? Who knows what they want.

Step 6: Learn From Your Competitors (the Smart Way)

Want to know a shortcut? Look at what’s already working for your competitors. I’m not saying copy them—that’s lazy and won’t help you stand out. But you can absolutely learn from what they’re doing.

How to Research Competitors

Find your competitors: Google your main keywords and see who ranks on page 1. Those are your competitors.

Analyze their content: What topics are they covering? What keywords are they targeting? Look at their blog categories, popular posts, and the questions they answer.

Use free competitors tool: Tools like Ubersuggest and SEMrush (limited free version) let you plug in a competitor’s URL and see what keywords they rank for. (just use one to get solid insights)

Look for gaps: What are they NOT covering? Where can you add more value, more depth, or a different perspective?

The goal isn’t to copy – it’s to find inspiration and identify opportunities they’ve missed.

Step 7: Organize Everything in a Spreadsheet

By now, you’ve probably got hundreds (maybe thousands!) of keyword ideas floating around. Time to get organized.

Create a spreadsheet with these columns:

Keyword: The actual keyword phrase
Search Volume: Monthly searches (aim for 50+)
Competition/Difficulty: How hard it is to rank (look for low to medium)
Search Intent: Informational, commercial, transactional, or navigational
Content Type: What kind of content matches this keyword (blog post, listicle, product review, video, etc.)
Priority: High, medium, or low based on potential value
Status: Not started, in progress, published

This becomes your content roadmap. When you sit down to write, you know exactly what to tackle next.

Step 8: Optimize for AI and Answer Engines

AEO is about becoming the source that AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews pull from when they answer questions.

When someone asks an AI chatbot a question and it cites your blog? That’s AEO working.

In short, make your content easy to understand, easy to extract, and easy to trust.

How to Optimize for AI

Answer questions clearly and directly: AI tools love content that gets straight to the point. Include a clear answer in the first paragraph, then go deeper.

Use natural language: Write like you talk. AI models are trained on conversational text, so natural, flowing prose performs better than keyword-stuffed content.

Structure content with clear headings: Use H2s and H3s to break up your content logically. AI can parse this structure to understand what each section covers. The

Include FAQs: A frequently asked questions section is perfect for AI to pull from. Use schema markup if you can.

Focus on E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness matter more than ever. Show your credentials, cite sources, and demonstrate real experience.

Optimize for featured snippets: These concise answers that appear at the top of Google are often what AI tools cite. Use bullet points, numbered lists, and clear definitions.

Think voice search: People ask voice assistants questions differently than they type. Target conversational long-tail keywords like “what’s the best way to clean leather shoes” instead of just “clean leather shoes.”

Step 9: Create Content Based on Your Keywords

Alright, you’ve got your keywords. Now what?

a) Match Content to Intent

Informational keywords: Write blog posts, how-to guides, tutorials, or explainer videos. Example: “How to start a garden for beginners”

Commercial keywords: Create product comparisons, “best of” lists, or reviews. Example: “Best organic fertilizer for vegetable gardens”

Transactional keywords: Build product pages or landing pages with clear calls-to-action. Example: “Buy organic tomato seeds online”

b) Avoid Keyword Cannibalization

This is when multiple pages on your site target the same keyword, and they end up competing with each other. Google gets confused about which page to rank, so neither ranks well.

The fix? Use keyword mapping – assign each keyword to ONE specific page.

If you’ve already written about a topic, update that post instead of creating a new one.

c) Build Topic Clusters

Instead of isolated blog posts, create content clusters around main topics:

Pillar page: A comprehensive guide on the main topic (e.g., “Complete Guide to Container Gardening”)
Cluster content: Detailed posts on subtopics that link back to the pillar (e.g., “Best containers for herbs,” “How to water container plants,” “Container garden pest control”)

This structure helps Google (and AI) understand you’re an authority on the topic, which boosts all your related content.

Step 10: Track Your Progress

Keyword research isn’t a one-and-done thing. You need to track what’s working and what’s not so you can adjust your strategy.

a) Tools to Use

Google Search Console: See which keywords you’re ranking for, your average position, and click-through rates. Focus on keywords where you rank on page 2 – those are easy wins to optimize.
Google Analytics: Track which content gets the most traffic, where visitors come from, and how they behave on your site.
Rank tracking tools: Tools like Serpstat, Ahrefs, or SEMrush let you monitor your rankings over time for specific keywords.

b) What to Look For

Keywords climbing in rankings (keep doing what you’re doing!)
Keywords stuck on page 2 or 3 (update and improve those posts)
High impressions but low clicks (improve your title and meta description)
Unexpected keywords you’re ranking for (opportunities you didn’t know existed!)

Final Thoughts: Play the Long Game

Here’s the truth: keyword research is just the beginning. The real magic happens when you consistently create valuable content, optimize for both search engines and real humans, and adapt as the landscape changes.

SEO isn’t about overnight success. It’s about building authority over time, one great piece of content at a time. Some posts will hit immediately. Others will take months to gain traction. That’s normal.

Focus on long-tail keywords with clear intent, optimize for AI and answer engines, create helpful content that actually solves problems, and be patient. The traffic will come.

The more consistently you answer real questions clearly, the more likely search engines and AI tools are to show your content to the right people.

And remember: the best keyword strategy is the one you’ll actually stick with. Start small, be consistent, and keep learning. You’ve got this!

Happy keyword hunting!

How to Do Keyword Research for a Blog (Updated 2026)

Why is Keyword Research So Important?

Understanding Modern Search: Why Google isn’t the Only Player Anymore

Step 1: Start with What You Know (The Brain Dump)

Step 2: Understand Search Intent (What Do People REALLY Want?)