How to Use Keyword Tools for Marketing Planning: Prioritizing Content Based on Search Demand

Keyword tools help you understand what questions your audience might search for and compare demand for related topics. Start by building a list based on your products, services, and the questions your customer service team often receives. Then consider search volume, ranking difficulty, search intent, and changes in interest to decide which topics to prioritize, what content to create, and when to promote it. The goal is not simply to find the highest-volume keywords, but to choose topics relevant to your business that answer customers’ questions.[S13、S23]

Gather Customer Questions First, Then Use Tools to Expand Your Topics

You do not need to begin by comparing which keyword tool is best. In its 2018 content planning advice, awoo recommended first asking customer service staff which questions they receive most often, then using keyword tools to develop related topics. These questions reflect the services a business actually provides and offer clearer direction for content than guesswork.[S13]

In the article’s face mask example, searches such as “how long to leave a face mask on” and “using face masks” can be organized into frequently asked questions. Choosing masks for different seasons and skin types can provide topics for articles. Tools help you discover more of the terms consumers use and the questions they care about; they are not a reason to cram every related keyword into one piece of content.[S13]

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

Consider Search Volume, Difficulty, and Advertising Costs Separately

Neil Patel’s 2024 article demonstrates Ubersuggest, presenting metrics such as search volume, SEO difficulty, paid difficulty, and cost per click. Each metric serves a different purpose; they should not be lumped together to judge whether a keyword is “good.”[S8]

• Search volume: Compare demand for related terms to build a list of potential topics.
• SEO difficulty: Assess competition for organic search rankings to help set priorities.
• Paid difficulty and cost per click: Use these as indicators of advertising competition and costs, not as direct measures of organic search difficulty.

Question-based long-tail keywords are also worth finding, but you should not assume they are easy to rank for. Semrush’s 2023 article explicitly cautions that long-tail keywords usually have lower difficulty, but not always; you still need to check the data for each keyword.[S11]

Confirm Search Intent Before Choosing a Page Type

After selecting potential keywords, examine the search results: Do they mainly show how-to articles, videos, product cards, or maps? Do the titles focus on explanations, comparisons, or pricing options? These differences can help determine whether readers are looking for answers or considering a purchase.[S10]

For example, Welly notes that someone looking to buy laundry detergent might search for “laundry detergent recommendations” or brand comparisons. Content targeting these searches should help readers compare and choose, rather than merely introduce a brand. If you have many terms to work through, gather them with tools, then use AI to make an initial pass at grouping them and organizing the questions. A person should make the final selection.[S9、S10]

Add Timing and Location to Turn a Topic List into a Schedule

In its 2022 introduction to Google Trends, Welly noted that you can examine interest by time period and region to help understand industry trends and product replacement cycles. This data can inform content scheduling; a keyword trending at one particular moment does not necessarily indicate steady, year-round demand.[S16]

Also record your current keyword rankings as a baseline for later comparison, and review the terms competitors use and the topics missing from your own content. The result is more than a keyword list: it explains why you chose each topic, what content to create, and how to compare rankings over time.[S18]