Keyword Research
Most business owners have never actually decided which keywords or which locations they want to rank for, and after nearly every website audit we run, poor keyword targeting is one of the most common problems we find. We fix that first, then research every keyword your business actually needs to be found for.
What Is Keyword Research?
Keyword research starts before we ever open a tool. We sit down with you and decide your main keywords and your real target locations together, since most business owners have never actually done this on purpose.
From that starting point, we research four separate keyword sets: the main keywords for your homepage and core service, keywords for each individual service page if you offer more than one, keywords for each location page if you serve more than one area, and informational keywords, the actual questions people ask, so we can write helpful content that builds real authority in your industry. We use enough methods that no real query gets left out, on Google and on the AI platforms customers are increasingly asking instead. Google itself has reaffirmed that roughly 15% of all searches it processes have never been searched before, which is exactly why relying on a single keyword tool misses real, live demand.
How We Actually Research Your Keywords
So no real query gets left out, we combine every method below instead of leaning on one tool.
Competitor Keyword Analysis
Finding out exactly who already ranks for your main keywords, and what their content is doing right.
Top-Ranking Competitor Identification
We identify who currently holds page one for your main keywords in your actual service area, not national brands with a different budget and a different game entirely.
Content Deep-Dive
We don't just export a competitor's keyword list. We read the pages that are actually ranking, understand why they're winning, and build our own keyword list from what that reveals.
Google Autocomplete
Also called the Google Instant method. Going straight to the source for what real people are typing right now.
Seed Term Expansion
We type your core services into Google's own search bar and record every autocomplete suggestion, since these come directly from real, current search behaviour, not a modelled estimate.
Question & Modifier Capture
The same seed terms get run again with modifiers like "how," "cost," "near me," and "emergency" to surface the exact phrasing real customers use before they call someone.
Keyword Research Tools
Ahrefs and Semrush for competitive data, Keywords Everywhere to verify what any of it is actually worth.
Ahrefs & Semrush Competitive Data
We pull keyword difficulty and content gap data straight from what's already ranking, to find real opportunities your site is missing entirely.
Search Volume Verification
Every keyword on the list gets checked for real monthly search volume through Keywords Everywhere before it earns a place in the final research.
Semantic & Entity Research
Google rewards topical depth now, not keyword repetition. We research the entities and concepts your content needs to cover, not just the keyword itself.
Semantic Variation Mapping
Beyond the exact keyword, we map every natural variation and synonym a real customer might use for the same service, since Google matches meaning, not just matching text anymore.
Entity & Topic Research
Google's algorithms, built on models like BERT and MUM, reward content that demonstrates real topical and entity understanding over pages that just repeat a phrase. We research the related entities and subtopics Google expects a genuinely useful page to cover.
Keyword Research For AI Search
ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity don't work off keywords, they work off full questions. We research those directly instead of assuming Google's playbook still applies.
Direct Prompt Testing
We ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity the exact questions a real customer would, like who to call for an emergency repair in your specific area, and record how each one answers and which businesses actually get cited.
Conversational Question Mapping
Nobody types a three-word keyword into an AI chat. For every service, we write out the full, natural-language questions a real customer would actually ask, including their specific situation, not a keyword fragment.
Entity & Citation Source Mapping
We identify what sources these AI platforms actually pull from and cite when answering local service questions, directories, review platforms, competitor sites, so we know exactly what needs to exist and where.
How We Prioritize Every Keyword
| Priority Tier | How It's Decided |
|---|---|
| Primary | The single highest search volume keyword for that page. The main term it's built to rank for. |
| Secondary | The next tier of real search volume down. Supports the primary term and captures more of the real demand around it. |
| Tertiary | Lower search volume but still worth targeting directly, often less competitive and realistic to win earlier. |
| Related | Little or no measurable volume on its own, but highly relevant. Used throughout the content to reinforce topical and entity relevance, not targeted directly. |
What’s Included
- A joint decision on your main keywords and real target locations, since most businesses have never actually defined these before we start
- A full keyword set for your homepage and core service, built from competitor research, Google Autocomplete, and tool data together
- Individual keyword research for every service page you offer, not one blended list applied everywhere
- Individual keyword research for every location page you serve, built around how each specific area actually searches
- A researched list of informational keywords and real questions, used to build blog content that earns topical authority in your industry
- Every keyword tiered into primary, secondary, tertiary, and related, ranked by real search volume
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don't already know what keywords my business should target?
That's the normal starting point, not a problem. Most business owners have never sat down and defined this. We work through it with you before any research begins, deciding your main keywords and the specific locations you actually want to be found in.
Do you only research one keyword per page?
No. Every page gets a full set: one primary keyword by search volume, secondary and tertiary keywords below it, and a group of related keywords used contextually even though they don't carry meaningful search volume on their own.
How do you find keywords a tool like Ahrefs might miss?
Tools are one input, not the whole method. We also study what's actually ranking above you and read the content itself, pull real search suggestions straight from Google Autocomplete, and map the semantic and entity variations a pure volume-based tool won't surface on its own.
Why does entity and semantic research matter if keyword stuffing used to work?
It doesn't work anymore, and Google has said as much. Its algorithms, built on models like BERT and MUM, now reward content that demonstrates real topical understanding, not pages that just repeat a phrase. We research the entities and related concepts your content needs to cover alongside the keyword itself.
Do you research keywords for ChatGPT and Perplexity too, or just Google?
Both, and they're researched differently. Google keyword research centres on short search terms, while AI platforms get asked full, conversational questions. We test real prompts directly in ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity to see how each one answers and who gets cited, instead of assuming Google keyword data carries over.
Does this page cover how the keywords actually get used in my content?
No, that's a separate step. This page is the research itself: finding, verifying, and prioritizing the right keywords. How they get written into your site is covered under Content Writing.
Ready To Get Started With Keyword Research?
Get a free audit of your Google Maps, Search, and AI visibility, or book a consultation to talk through your specific business.
Or call or WhatsApp us at +1 (437) 524-6641 to talk it through first, or email hello@visarrow.com.