Keyword research guide for small businesses
If you’re a small business owner trying to grow your presence online, keyword research is one of the most powerful (and accessible) tools in your digital marketing toolkit. It helps you understand what your audience is searching for, create content that shows up in those searches, and attract the right visitors to your website—without needing a big budget or technical background.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through what keyword research is, why it matters for your business, how to do it step by step, and the free and paid tools that can help you get started. Whether you’re building your website, writing blog posts, or planning your marketing strategy, this guide will give you a strong foundation to work from.
What is keyword research?
Keyword research is the process of identifying the words and phrases your potential customers are typing into search engines. These are known as keywords, and they give you a direct line into your audience’s questions, needs, and interests.
The goal is to find keywords that strike a good balance between:
Search volume: How often people search for that term
Competition: How difficult it is to rank for that term
Relevance: How closely it aligns with your business and what you offer
When done well, keyword research helps you:
Create content your audience is actually searching for
Improve your chances of appearing on Google
Attract more qualified leads to your site
Why Keyword Research Matters for Small Businesses
You don’t need a huge budget to compete in search results—you just need strategy. Keyword research is especially helpful for small businesses because:
It helps you focus your time. Instead of guessing what to write or post, you’ll have a list of topics people are already searching for.
It supports organic traffic. With the right keywords, your website can show up in search results without paying for ads.
It sharpens your messaging. Knowing how your audience talks about their problems or goals helps you speak their language.
It informs your content strategy. From blog posts to landing pages, keyword research gives you a roadmap for what to create next.
Explore our SEO services if you’d like help tailoring your keyword strategy.
How to Do Keyword Research (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Start With Seed Keywords
These are basic terms related to your product, service, or industry. For example, if you run a yoga studio, seed keywords might include "yoga classes," "beginner yoga," or "yoga near me."
Step 2: Expand Your List
Use tools like Google Autocomplete, Related Searches, or keyword tools (we list them below) to find variations and longer phrases. These are called long-tail keywords, and they’re often less competitive and more specific.
Step 3: Check Search Volume and Competition
Tools like Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner can tell you how often a keyword is searched and how hard it is to rank for. Look for terms with decent volume and manageable competition.
Step 4: Evaluate Relevance
Only choose keywords that make sense for your business. High traffic is great—but not if it attracts the wrong audience.
Step 5: Group Keywords by Theme
Organise your keywords into clusters or categories. For example, if you run a bakery, you might have a group for "wedding cakes," another for "bread types," and one for "custom orders."
Step 6: Prioritise Your Keywords
Not all keywords are equal. Focus on the ones that are most relevant, realistic to rank for, and likely to attract the right audience.
Step 7: Map Keywords to Content
Once you have your list, plan where each keyword fits—on a blog post, homepage, product page, etc.
Free keyword research tools for small businesses
You don’t need a big budget to get started. Here are some powerful free tools that can help:
Google Tools (Great for foundational research & insights)
Google Keyword Planner – Shows keyword ideas, search volume, and competition levels. Free with a Google Ads account.
Google Trends – Tracks keyword popularity over time, compares terms, and highlights seasonal patterns or regional differences.
Google Search Console – Reveals the keywords your site already ranks for, and how users are interacting with your pages in search.
Idea Generators (Perfect for blog post inspiration & audience insights)
AnswerThePublic – Visualises questions and search phrases people are typing around your topic—great for FAQ or blog ideas.
AlsoAsked – Maps out "People Also Ask" questions from Google, helping you uncover content gaps and related queries.
QuestionDB – Generates content ideas based on real questions asked on forums and online communities.
Browser Extensions (Handy for quick research on the go)
Keyword Surfer (Chrome Extension) – Adds keyword volume, suggestions, and related terms directly into your Google search results.
Keywords Everywhere (Chrome Extension) – Displays search volume, CPC, and competition data across platforms (limited features in free version).
AI Support (For brainstorming and content planning—not raw data)
ChatGPT or Custom GPTs – Great for brainstorming seed keywords, clustering ideas, and generating content outlines or blog ideas. Doesn’t provide search volume, but works well in early stages of planning.
Paid keyword research tools (When you’re ready to invest)
While free tools are great for getting started, paid tools offer more comprehensive data and advanced features. Here are some popular paid keyword research tools:
All-in-One SEO Platforms
These tools offer comprehensive SEO functionality beyond just keyword research.
Semrush – A robust SEO suite with keyword research, rank tracking, competitor analysis, backlink audits, and content marketing tools. Ideal for growing businesses or agencies.
Ahrefs – Known for powerful backlink data and keyword research, especially strong for competitive content analysis. Great for finding ranking gaps and high-impact keywords.
Moz Pro – User-friendly interface with advanced keyword research, SERP tracking, and site audits. Good for beginners who want depth without overwhelm.
Serpstat – Offers keyword research, site audits, backlink analysis, and PPC insights in one dashboard. A cost-effective option for teams.
Ubersuggest (Paid Version) – Expands on its free tool with daily rank tracking, historical data, site audits, and keyword suggestions—budget-friendly and beginner-friendly.
Keyword-Focused Tools (Best for research depth & long-tail targeting)
KWFinder (by Mangools) – Clean, intuitive interface that makes it easy to find long-tail keywords with volume, difficulty, and SERP analysis. Great for freelancers and content writers.
KeywordTool.io – Focuses on long-tail keyword suggestions across Google, YouTube, Bing, Amazon, and more. Doesn’t provide deep analytics but is excellent for content ideation.
LongTailPro – Specialises in discovering low-competition long-tail keywords with commercial intent. Especially helpful for niche or local businesses.
Competitor Intelligence Tools
SpyFu – Excellent for seeing which keywords your competitors are ranking for (or paying for). Great for identifying SEO gaps and PPC strategies.
SimilarWeb (Pro) – Primarily a competitive intelligence tool, but also shows traffic sources, search keywords, and audience behaviour across competitor sites.
How to use Semrush for keyword research
At Dabble Works, Semrush is our go-to tool for keyword research. It’s powerful, intuitive, and packed with features that help you go beyond basic keyword lists to build a full SEO strategy.
Here’s how you can use Semrush to uncover the right keywords for your business:
Keyword Overview
Start by entering a seed keyword into Semrush’s search bar. You’ll get a snapshot of:
Search volume (how often it's searched)
Keyword difficulty (how competitive it is)
CPC (Cost Per Click for paid ads)
SERP features (like featured snippets or local packs)
Keyword Magic Tool
This tool generates hundreds (or thousands) of related keywords based on your seed term. It also gives you filters to sort by volume, trend, difficulty, and intent—great for finding long-tail keywords or grouping ideas into themes.
Competitor Keyword Analysis
Enter a competitor’s domain to see which keywords they’re ranking for. This helps you spot opportunities they’re missing—or areas where you could rank with more focused content.
Keyword Gap Tool
Compare your site to your competitors and identify keywords they rank for but you don’t. These are often untapped opportunities for new content or SEO updates.
Position Tracking
Track how your chosen keywords perform over time. You’ll get insights into ranking changes, page performance, and which pages are gaining (or losing) visibility.
Content Template Tool
Use the SEO Content Template to get content recommendations based on top-ranking pages for your target keyword. It suggests:
Secondary keywords
Ideal content length
Readability scores
Sites to model your content after
Need help making sense of SEMrush or building a keyword strategy that fits your business?
Book an SEO discovery call with us—we’ll tailor a hands-on training session for you and your team.
What to do after keyword research?
Completing keyword research is just the beginning. Here’s what to do next:
Create quality content: Use your keyword research to create high-quality, relevant content that addresses the needs and interests of your target audience. Ensure your content is engaging, informative, and optimised for your chosen keywords.
On-page SEO: Implement your keywords strategically in your website’s on-page elements, including titles, headings, meta descriptions, URL slugs, and image alt text. Avoid keyword stuffing; instead, focus on natural and user-friendly integration.
Monitor and adjust: Regularly monitor the performance of your keywords using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Adjust your strategy based on what’s working and what’s not.
Build backlinks: Acquire high-quality backlinks to your content to improve its authority and search engine rankings. Guest blogging, influencer partnerships, and content marketing are effective strategies for building backlinks.
Optimise for user experience: Ensure your website is user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and fast-loading. A positive user experience can improve your search rankings and increase engagement.
Local SEO: If you’re targeting a local audience, optimise your content for local search terms and ensure your business is listed accurately on local directories and Google My Business.
How long does keyword research take?
The time required for keyword research can vary depending on several factors, including the size of your website, the complexity of your niche, and the tools you are using. On average, thorough keyword research can take anywhere from a few hours to several days. Here’s a rough breakdown of the process:
Brainstorming and initial research: 1-2 hours to identify seed keywords and initial ideas.
Expanding and refining keywords: 2-4 hours to use keyword research tools, generate lists, and analyse search volume and competition.
Competitive analysis: 2-3 hours to analyse competitors and identify gaps.
Grouping and prioritising keywords: 1-2 hours to organise keywords into themes and prioritise them based on relevance and potential impact.
Finalising keyword strategy: 1-2 hours to finalise your list and plan your content strategy.
Overall, expect to spend at least a full day on comprehensive keyword research, with additional time needed for ongoing monitoring and adjustments.
Can AI help with keyword research?
Yes—and it’s especially helpful for small businesses. AI tools like ChatGPT or Custom GPTs can help you:
Brainstorm seed keywords
Generate blog topic ideas based on keyword themes
Create keyword clusters around a topic
Draft SEO-friendly outlines or meta descriptions
While AI can’t replace real-time keyword data from tools like Semrush or Google Keyword Planner, it’s a helpful companion—especially when you’re short on time or headspace.
Want to learn how to integrate AI into your SEO workflow? Book a discovery call with us!
Affordable SEO Services for Small Businesses
We know many small businesses want to improve their visibility—but don’t have the time, team, or budget for a big-agency SEO package. That’s why we offer practical, flexible SEO support designed with real-world constraints in mind.
Whether you're starting from scratch or refining what you already have, we focus on what actually works—without overspending or overcomplicating things.
Our approach includes:
Actionable keyword research tailored to your niche
SEO-friendly content planning you can actually follow
Clear, jargon-free audits with recommendations you can act on
AI tools for SEO content creation – learn how to use Custom GPTs and prompt-based writing systems to generate outlines, refine copy, and brainstorm optimised blog ideas quickly
Optional training so you can manage SEO in-house with confidence
Transparent pricing with no locked-in contracts
It’s not about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things, well.
Let’s build a strategy that fits your budget and your bandwidth.
