Keyword research with free tools, step by step

What is keyword research and why does it matter?

Keyword research is the process of finding the words and questions people type into Google when they need what you offer. It tells you which pages to create, what to call them and what to include, so your content matches real demand instead of guesses.

Without it, businesses often write about what they find interesting, using their own internal terms. A dentist might write about “endodontic treatment” while patients search “root canal cost in Pune”. Keyword research closes that gap.

Good research also saves money. If you run Google Ads, the same list helps you choose keywords and negatives. If you write content, it stops you creating pages nobody searches for.

Step 1: How do you collect seed keywords?

Seed keywords are the starting phrases that describe your products, services and customer problems. The best source is your customers, not a tool.

• Read WhatsApp chats, emails and call notes, and write down the exact phrases customers use.
• Look at questions people ask before buying: price, timing, comparisons, “is it safe”, “near me”.
• List every product, service, use case and location you serve.
• Note Hindi, Hinglish and regional terms customers actually use, such as “sasta”, “kitne ka” or local product names.
• Check reviews of your business and competitors for repeated words.

Aim for 20–40 seed phrases before opening any tool.

Step 2: How do you expand the list with free tools?

Keyword Planner requires a Google Ads account, but you don't need to run ads to use it. Without ad spend it may show broad ranges rather than exact numbers, which is still enough to compare keywords.

Step 3: How do you check search intent?

Search intent is what the person really wants when they search. Google already shows you, because it ranks the type of page that satisfies most people.

Search every important keyword yourself, in an incognito window, and look at the top results. If they're all guides, a product page won't rank, and vice versa.

Step 4: How do you judge difficulty without paid tools?

Look at who ranks on page one. Paid tools give a difficulty score, but you can estimate it yourself:

• Easier: forums, Quora, thin or old articles, small local businesses, or results that don't fully answer the query.
• Harder: large national brands, government sites, Wikipedia and big marketplaces dominating every result.
• Long-tail keywords, which are longer and more specific phrases like “physiotherapist for knee pain in Kothrud”, usually have less competition and clearer intent.

For a new website, focus first on long-tail, local and very specific topics where you can be the best answer.

Step 5: How do you group keywords into topics?

Group keywords that mean the same thing and would be answered by the same page. For example, “ac service charges”, “ac servicing cost” and “ac service price” belong on one page. Creating three separate pages would split your effort and confuse Google.

A quick test: if Google shows mostly the same results for two keywords, they belong together. If the results are very different, they probably need separate pages.

Name each group by its main keyword, the clearest and most-searched phrase. That becomes your page's main target.

Step 6: How do you map keywords to pages?

Create a simple spreadsheet with these columns:

Each topic gets one page. Existing pages are often the fastest wins: improving a page that already ranks on page two is easier than starting a new one.

How do you use Search Console for keyword ideas?

Search Console shows the real searches that already bring you impressions. In the Performance report, look for:

• Queries with many impressions but few clicks: improve the title and description, or the page content.
• Queries where you rank 8–20: you're close. Improving content and internal links can move you onto page one.
• Queries you didn't expect: new topics customers care about, which might deserve their own pages.

See our Google Search Console guide for a full walkthrough.

What's different about keyword research in India?

• Language mix: people search in English, Hindi, regional languages and Hinglish. Check results for each variation that matters to you.
• Price-led searches: “under 500”, “price list”, “charges” and “cost” are very common, so include clear prices or price ranges.
• Local terms: neighbourhoods, landmarks and city nicknames, such as “Gurugram” vs “Gurgaon”.
• Seasonality: festivals, monsoon, exam season and weddings shift demand. Check Google Trends for the past few years.
• Mobile and voice: longer, conversational questions are common, which makes question-style headings useful.

How does keyword research change with AI search?

AI Overviews and AI assistants answer many simple questions directly. Keyword research still matters, but the emphasis shifts:

• Target questions and problems, not just short keywords, and answer them clearly near the top of the page.
• Cover a topic completely, including follow-up questions, so your page is the most useful source to cite.
• Add what AI can't easily invent: your prices, local details, real examples and first-hand experience.
• Use structured data and clear headings so both search engines and AI tools understand the page.

Worked example: keyword research for a Pune physiotherapy clinic

Here's how the process looks for a real-world type of business. A physiotherapy clinic in Kothrud, Pune wants more patients from Google.

1. Seeds from patient chats: “back pain treatment”, “physio for knee pain”, “physiotherapy at home”, “frozen shoulder exercises”, “physio charges”.
2. Autocomplete adds: “physiotherapist near me”, “physiotherapy at home pune charges”, “best physiotherapist in kothrud”, “sciatica treatment without surgery”.
3. People Also Ask adds questions: “How many physiotherapy sessions are needed for back pain?”, “Is physiotherapy painful?”, “Can physiotherapy cure a slip disc?”
4. Intent check: “physiotherapist near me” shows a map pack (local intent → Google Business Profile plus a location page); “frozen shoulder exercises” shows videos and guides (informational → a guide with video).
5. Groups and pages: Home visit physiotherapy (service page with prices), Back pain treatment (service page), Knee pain treatment (service page), Frozen shoulder exercises (guide), How many sessions do I need? (FAQ article).

Within a week the clinic has a clear plan: three service pages to improve, two guides to write and a Google Business Profile to complete, all based on real searches.

How do you turn keywords into content briefs?

A content brief is a one-page plan for a single page, so whoever writes it (you, a teammate or a freelancer) covers the topic properly. For each keyword group, write down:

• Main keyword and close variations to use naturally in the title, H1 and text.
• Search intent: what the reader wants to achieve.
• Questions to answer from People Also Ask, customer chats and Search Console, which become H2 headings.
• What the top results cover and what they miss, such as local prices, recent changes or real examples.
• Proof to include: your photos, numbers, case studies or expert input.
• Call to action: what the reader should do next.
• Internal links: which existing pages to link to and from.

Briefs keep quality consistent and stop pages from drifting off-topic.

How do you decide what to work on first?

Score each keyword group from 1 to 3 on three things, then start with the highest totals:

Quick wins usually come from improving pages that already get impressions in Search Console, followed by high-value service pages, then informational guides that build authority and feed internal links.

What should your keyword spreadsheet track over time?

• Main keyword, related keywords and intent.
• Target page URL and whether it's live, planned or being updated.
• Date published or last updated.
• Monthly clicks, impressions and average position from Search Console.
• Enquiries or sales from that page, from GA4 key events.
• Next action: update, add FAQs, add internal links, refresh for the season.

Review the sheet monthly. It turns keyword research from a one-off exercise into a steady system for growing organic traffic.

How do you research local keywords?

Local searches often don't include a city name, because Google already knows where the searcher is. “Dentist” on a phone in Indore shows Indore dentists. Still, research both forms:

• Service + city or area: “dentist in Vijay Nagar Indore”.
• Service + “near me”: shows strong local intent.
• Service + landmark: “clinic near Rajwada”, common in Indian searches.
• Check the map pack and Google Business Profile categories competitors use.

Use these phrases on location pages and in your Business Profile description and posts.

When should you refresh old content?

Refresh a page when its clicks or rankings slip, when facts or prices change, or before a seasonal peak. Check its queries in Search Console, add missing questions, update numbers and examples, improve the title, and change the visible “updated” date only when you've made real changes.

What mistakes should you avoid?

• Choosing keywords only by search volume, ignoring intent and relevance.
• Creating separate pages for near-identical keywords.
• Stuffing keywords unnaturally into text.
• Ignoring Hindi, Hinglish and local variations.
• Never revisiting the list. Review it every quarter with Search Console data.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and further reading

• Google Keyword Planner
• Google Trends
• Google Search Central: SEO Starter Guide