Can You Use ChatGPT for Keyword Research?

Yes, but ChatGPT is better suited to brainstorming keywords, developing related questions, and organizing topics than to making final keyword decisions. Semrush positions it as an aid in the early stages of research: first explore how people might search, then use specialized tools and actual search data to check search volume, competition, and search intent. Generating plausible keywords does not prove that people search for them or that they are worth targeting on your website.

Use it to expand your keyword list, not to assess ranking opportunities

Semrush’s overview of keyword tools notes that ChatGPT can help suggest long-tail variations, group related topics, and turn keywords into content ideas. These uses help you explore more directions early in your research, but ChatGPT cannot provide reliable search volumes or difficulty scores.

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When asking ChatGPT to brainstorm, describe the product, audience, and how the product is used. Semrush uses the example of project management software for remote marketing teams, asking ChatGPT for short-tail and long-tail keywords based on collaboration, deadlines, and review needs. Building on that scenario, you could ask it to work through these steps:

• List questions and terms that marketing managers might search for.
• Organize topics around collaboration, progress tracking, and review workflows.
• Suggest more specific questions for each topic, treating them as keyword candidates that still need to be validated.

These are examples of how to structure prompts, not a validated keyword list. Even a well-organized, comprehensive list still needs to be checked against data.

Check demand using search data before setting priorities

In its guide to AI keyword research, Semrush recommends checking chatbot suggestions in specialized tools. Along with search volume, check search intent, changes in demand over the past year, and ranking difficulty and potential traffic for the specific website.

• Demand: Is there recorded search volume, and does demand fluctuate seasonally?
• Intent: Do searchers want to understand a problem, compare options, or find a product?
• Opportunity: Can the website compete with other sites as it stands? Which topics should you prioritize for content?

Semrush examined eight primary keywords suggested by ChatGPT. One had no recorded search volume, and several others were judged harder to rank for. This single case does not tell us how good all AI suggestions are. Having no recorded volume also does not mean that no one searches for a term. In addition, search volume and potential traffic figures in tools include estimates and do not guarantee actual traffic.

Saving time on organization does not replace judgment

Authors also differ in their assessments of ChatGPT’s uses. In a 2024 article, a Screaming Frog author criticized common approaches to ChatGPT keyword research for lacking useful or accurate data, while acknowledging its value for brainstorming content ideas and grouping topics. This was the author’s assessment at the time, not a conclusion that applies to all versions and workflows.

A 2026 Search Engine Journal article points out that junior SEO practitioners need repeated experience researching different industries and clients. This helps them gradually understand how search intent, location, seasonality, and commercial value affect keyword selection.

A better approach, then, is to let ChatGPT help expand and organize keyword candidates, then use search data and human judgment to decide what to pursue, rather than simply accepting a report because it looks complete.