Keyword research
In short
Keyword research is the process of finding and evaluating the words and phrases people type into search engines when they look for solutions like yours. It shows how much demand exists, how hard it is to win, and what the searcher really wants.
In B2B, the goal is not the biggest list of terms. It is a short list of terms that match your ICP and a stage in the buying process, so content and ads reach people who could become customers.
How to do keyword research
1. Start with the customer
List the problems, jobs, and category names your buyers use. Sales calls, support tickets, and win-loss notes are better sources than guesswork.
2. Expand the list
Use a keyword tool, search suggestions, and "people also ask" boxes to find variations and questions. Include competitor and alternative-style searches that buyers use when comparing.
3. Check intent
Search the term and read the results. If the page one results are definitions, write a definition. If they are comparison lists, a product page will not rank.
4. Prioritize
Score each term on relevance to your ICP, buying intent, volume, and difficulty. Relevance and intent should outweigh volume.
5. Map terms to pages
Give each primary term one page. Two pages on the same term compete with each other.
Types of intent to look for
- Informational: "what is account scoring". Good for education and top-of-funnel content.
- Commercial: "best sales intelligence tools". Buyers comparing options.
- Transactional: "pricing" or "demo". Ready to act.
Using it beyond SEO
Keyword data also shapes paid search campaigns, landing page copy, email subject lines, and even product naming. It is a view into the language your market uses.
Common mistakes
- Chasing volume: High-volume terms often carry low-intent traffic.
- Ignoring intent: A page that does not match the search purpose will not rank or convert.
- One-time exercise: Search behavior shifts. Revisit the list at least twice a year.
Keyword research FAQs
What is keyword research?
Keyword research is the process of finding the search terms your target audience uses and assessing their volume, competition, and intent. The results guide SEO content, paid search campaigns, and landing page messaging.
How do you do keyword research for B2B?
Start with customer language from sales calls and support, expand it with a keyword tool, check what kind of results each term returns, then rank terms by relevance to your ICP and buying intent before volume. Map each primary term to one page.
What is search intent in keyword research?
Search intent is the goal behind a query, usually informational, commercial, or transactional. Matching the page to the intent is necessary to rank, and it determines whether a visitor reads, compares, or contacts sales.
How often should you update keyword research?
Review it at least twice a year, and when you launch a new product, enter a new segment, or see traffic and rankings change. Search language and competitors shift, so an old list slowly loses accuracy.
