Keyword Research: The Complete Beginner’s Guide (2025)– Step-by-Step for Beginners

 

how to do keyword research tools screenshot

Keyword research is the foundation of SEO. If you want your website or blog to rank higher on Google, attract more visitors, and grow organically, you must learn keyword research. In this guide, you will learn everything step-by-step — even if you’re a beginner.

What Is Keyword Research?

Keyword research is the process of finding the exact words and phrases people type on Google when they search for something.

Examples:

When you know what your audience is searching for, you can create content that matches their needs and ranks higher.

⭐ Why Keyword Research Is Important?

  1. Helps your blog get more traffic

  2. Helps you understand your audience

  3. Increases chances of ranking on Google

  4. Shows which topics have high demand

  5. Helps you choose low-competition keywords

  6. Makes content planning easier

⭐ Types of Keywords

1. Short-Tail Keywords (1–2 words)

Example: “laptop”, “SEO”, “smartphone”

  • High competition

  • High search volume

  • Hard to rank

2. Long-Tail Keywords (3+ words)

Example: “best budget smartphone under $300”

  • Low competition

  • Easy to rank

  • More targeted

3. Informational Keywords

Used by people looking for information
Example: “how to improve SEO”

4. Commercial Keywords

People planning to buy
Example: “best DSLR camera 2025”

5. Transactional Keywords

People ready to purchase
Example: “buy iPhone 15 online”

⭐ How to Do Keyword Research (Step-By-Step)

Step 1: Choose Your Topic

Start with a broad topic related to your niche.
Example: “SEO”, “travel”, “photography”, “technology”

Step 2: Search on Google and Analyze Auto-Suggest

Go to Google and type your main keyword:
Example: keyword research

Google will show auto-suggest ideas:

  • keyword research for beginners

  • keyword research tools

  • how to do keyword research

  • keyword research 2025

These are real searches from real users.

Step 3: Check “People Also Ask”

Scroll down to the People Also Ask box.

These are questions people search:

  • What is keyword research?

  • How do I find keywords?

  • What is long-tail keyword?

You can use these questions as your H2/H3 headings.

Step 4: Use Free Tools

Here are the best free tools for keyword research:

✔ Google Keyword Planner

Shows search volume & competition.

✔ Ubersuggest (Free Version)

Gives keyword ideas, volume, and SEO difficulty.

✔ AnswerThePublic

Shows questions, comparisons, prepositions.

✔ Google Trends

Shows trending topics & search interest.

✔ Ahrefs Free Tools

Keyword difficulty + volume + ideas.

⭐ Step 5: Analyze Keyword Competition

Choose keywords with:

✔ Low or medium competition
✔ Easy to rank
✔ Long-tail keywords
✔ Search volume between 300–10,000/month

Example of Easy to Rank keywords (for SEO niche):

  • keyword research for beginners

  • free keyword research tools

  • how to find long tail keywords

  • keyword research step by step

⭐ Step 6: Check Competitors

Search your keyword on Google → check top 10 websites.

Look at:

  • Title

  • Meta description

  • Word count

  • What FAQs they use

  • What images / infographics they include

Your content should be better and more detailed.

⭐ Step 7: Select the Best Keywords

Use different types:

1 Focus Keyword

“keyword research for beginners”

5–10 Supporting Keywords

  • best keyword research tools

  • how to find keywords

  • long tail keywords examples

  • keyword difficulty explained

  • SEO keywords list

⭐ Step 8: Place Keywords Properly (Most Important)

Keyword placement matters.

✔ Title
✔ URL
✔ First paragraph
✔ H2 / H3
✔ Image ALT text
✔ Meta description
✔ Naturally inside content

Avoid keyword stuffing.

⭐ Best Tools for Keyword Research (2025)

Free Tools

  • Google Keyword Planner

  • Ubersuggest

  • AnswerThePublic

  • Google Trends

  • Ahrefs Free Tools

Premium Tools

  • Ahrefs

  • SEMrush

  • Moz

  • KeywordChef

  • Serpstat

⭐ Beginner Keyword Research Mistakes (Avoid These)

❌ Choosing only high-competition keywords
❌ Not checking search intent
❌ Ignoring long-tail keywords
❌ Stuffing too many keywords
❌ Not analyzing competitors
❌ Using outdated tools

⭐ Conclusion

Keyword research is the heart of SEO. When you find the right keywords and place them correctly, your blog will rank higher and get more organic traffic. With the right tools and techniques, even a beginner can master keyword research easily.

If you follow this guide step-by-step, you’ll be able to create SEO-optimized content for your blog and grow your audience.