How should beginners get started with keyword research?

Beginners can start with their website’s core topics, list a few terms their audience might search for, and use one or two tools to discover more questions and related terms. Organize the list by search intent, then choose topics you can address with useful content. There is no need to buy multiple tools at the outset or focus solely on search volume. The priority is to find keywords that are relevant to your website and meet your audience’s needs, then gradually explore further.

List your core services, then use your audience’s language

Semrush recommends that beginners start with a few keywords relevant to their website’s topics rather than collecting large numbers of popular terms. First, write down your main products, services, and questions your audience might ask. The language in your content should also reflect the terms they would use when searching.

Using pet grooming as an example, you could explore not only “pet grooming” but also “mobile pet grooming,” “pet grooming near me,” and “pet grooming prices.” These are only starting points for research, not evidence of any particular search volume or an indication that every term suits your services.

Expand your list with one or two tools rather than trying to master them all

Semrush’s 2025 article on tools recommends first learning the basics of finding related terms. The starting points listed in the article include:

• Google search suggestions: Enter a topic and note the autocomplete suggestions and related questions that appear.
• AnswerThePublic: Explore question-based keywords around a topic for content ideas.
• Google Search Console: If your website already has data, check which queries have brought visitors to it.

Choose tools according to your needs and budget. Find candidate keywords first, then consider specialized tools when you need more detailed competitor comparisons or keyword gap research. You do not need advanced analysis to get started.

Organize by search intent, not just search volume

Queries about the same service can reflect different needs. If your goal is to reach people who are just beginning their research, Semrush’s article on keyword types recommends considering informational and long-tail queries. If your goal is to make a sale, queries involving commercial comparisons or transactions are generally a better fit; do not limit yourself to informational keywords in every case.

You can create a simple worksheet with these fields:

• Candidate keywords and their topics.
• What searchers may want to learn, compare, or accomplish.
• Relevance to your products or services.
• The questions you plan to answer and corresponding content topics.

This is a practical way to organize your research, not a fixed standard. An overview of marketing materials on PTT also mentions work planning sheets and keyword mind maps. If your list is hard to read, you can use a mind map to show how topics relate, then use a worksheet to organize items for further research.

As part of our services at Procrustes, we turn questions our clients genuinely care about into articles, with ongoing content planning, writing, and updates.

Keyword research is not a one-time task: search trends and needs change, so the list should be reviewed and updated regularly.