SEO 5 min. Read time March 2026

Keyword research: How companies find the right search terms

The basis of each SEO strategy is a solid keyword research. Anyone who does not know what terms his potential customers are looking for is optimised into space. Keyword research is not a one-time step, but a strategic process – and decisive for whether a website is actually found.

What is keyword research?

Keyword research is the process that systematically determines which search terms enter potential customers with Google and other search engines. The goal: to understand how the target group is looking for – to align the website, its content and its structure exactly on it.

This is no longer the only question of the pure search volume, so how often a term is sought monthly. The key is search intention (also: Search Intent): What does anyone want if he enters a certain term?

In principle, three types of search intentions can be distinguished:

Information – The user wants to learn or understand something. Example: "What is SEO?"
Navigational – The user searches for a specific website or brand. Example: "AIXTRA-WEB Aachen"
Transactional – The user wants to buy, book or request something. Example: Request web design Agency Aachen

If you do not take this distinction into account, you risk optimizing pages for keywords that bring traffic, but no enquiries – because the search intention does not fit your own performance.

Why the search intention is more important than the search volume

A keyword with 10,000 monthly searches sounds tempting. But if the underlying intention does not match your offer, this traffic does not bring any enquiries. A keyword with 50 searches per month, but behind which there is a clear intention to buy, can generate significantly more contact shots.

The difference becomes clear from a concrete example from the web design area:

High volume, unclear intention

"webdesign"

approx. 40,000–90.000 Searches/month

Someone is looking for the term – but is he a student, agency staff or potential client? Unclear. Conversion probability: low.

Low volume, clear intention

"webdesign agentur aachen anfragen"

approx. 10–50 Search/Month

Someone wants to actively commission an agency, is regional in Aachen and is looking for targeted. Conversion probability: very high.

Good keyword research therefore always takes into account both dimensions: search volume as an indicator of demand, search intention as an indicator of relevance and conversion potential.

Typical keyword categories for local businesses

Depending on the nature of the company and the range of services, keywords can be divided into different categories. For local companies – service providers, craft businesses, practices and agencies – four types are relevant:

Brand keywords (Branded)

Keywords around your own company name. Users looking specifically for your company often have concrete interest or are existing customers.

AIXTRA-WEB AIXTRA-WEB Aachen

Performance keywords

Keywords that directly target your services. These often have transactional or commercial intentions and are particularly valuable for inquiries.

web design Aachen SEO Agency Aachen Local SEO

Information keywords

Questions and counselor topics that seek people in earlier purchase phases. Ideal for blog posts and guide pages that build trust and generate organic traffic.

what costs web design SEO vs SEA Difference

Local keywords

Combination of concept and local name or region. Especially relevant for local companies operating in a specific geographical area.

Electrical Engineering Aachen Dentist Aachen Downtown

Step by step

How a keyword research looks concrete

Keyword research does not follow a rigid method, but there is a proven process suitable for companies of any size. The following five steps form the core of a solid research.

Create an output list

The starting point is always your own company: What services do you offer? What problems do you solve? In which city or region are you active? Without tools, first note all the terms that you yourself have – from your perspective as a provider and from the presumed perspective of your customers.

Using keyword tools

With tools like the Google Keyword Planner, Google Suggest (the Autocomplete suggestions) and the Google Search Console expand your list. Professional tools such as Ahrefs, Semrush or Sistrix additionally provide search volume data, keyword difficulties and competitive analyses – helpful when asked for a deeper strategic orientation.

Check search intent

Enter any search term with Google and check out the current search results. What kind of pages are there? Ratgeberartikel, product pages or offer pages? This is the most reliable indication of what search intention Google suspects behind this term – and what you need to deliver to appear there.

Evaluate competition

How strong is the competition for this keyword? Are there primarily large, established domains – or are there gaps in which a well-optimized page can realistically enter? Especially for new websites, it is recommended to put on less hard fought longtail keywords and to work out from there.

Set priorities

At the end of the search is a prioritized list: What keywords are the most relevant for the core business? Which have the best ratio of search volume, intention and realizable chance position? This list of priorities is the direct basis for further content and page planning.

Frequent errors in keyword research

Even experienced companies make typical mistakes in keyword research that significantly reduce the impact of their SEO measures. The most common:

View generic keywords

Individual terms such as "insurance" or "tax consultants" are so hard fought that new or medium-sized sites have hardly realistic chances there. SEO energy is better invested in more specific, intentional terms.

Ignore local keywords

Anyone who works locally, but does not take into account any regional search terms, gives visibility to the people who are looking for a solution nearby. Local keywords are often less competitive and at the same time more conversion.

Optimize for the wrong search intention

An offer page that ranks for an informative search term – or vice versa a guide for a transactional term – will hardly bring the desired results despite good ranking. The page type must fit into the intention.

Treat keyword research as a one-time step

Search behavior changes. New terms arise, existing keywords lose relevance, and competition continues to develop. A search that will never be updated will eventually no longer reflect reality.

Keyword research as a basis for content strategy

A good keyword research is far more than a technical SEO step. It is the foundation of the entire content strategy: it determines which pages a website needs, which topics must be treated and how the information architecture should be built.

Who knows that his target group is looking for "[performance] + city name", builds targeted performance pages. Anyone who realizes that many users initially have informational questions – for example, according to costs or comparisons – knows that they can build trust in the decision-making process early with advice articles.

The keyword research thus provides the answer to one of the most basic questions in SEO: What should be on the website? Not for abdominal feeling, but based on real demand.

In addition, the research helps to plan internal links in a meaningful way, build Pillar content structures and revise existing pages in a targeted manner. A regular comparison of rankings with the original keyword strategy shows where optimization needs exist – and where new opportunities have arisen.

Our conclusion

Keyword research takes time – and pays off

Keyword research is not an end in itself. It is the necessary basis for SEO measures not to run into space. Who understands what his customers are looking for – in what formulation, with which intention and in which phase of their decision – can design a website and its content in such a way that it is really found and generates inquiries.

The investment in a solid search is amortised by all subsequent SEO measures. Because who knows the right keywords works in the right direction from the start.

FAQ

Frequent questions about keyword research

What tools are suitable for keyword research?

A good start is the Google Keyword Planner, complemented by Google Suggest and the Search Console. Professional tools like Ahrefs, Semrush or Sistrix provide deeper insights, but require a subscription.

How many keywords should a page cover?

As a rule, a page is aligned to a main keyword and some semantically related terms. Several unconnected keywords on one side often lead to unclear orientation and weaker rankings.

Does the keyword research need to be repeated regularly?

Yes. Search behavior changes, new topics arise and competition changes. Regular testing – at least once a year – makes sense.

Next step

What keywords are relevant to your company?

We analyze your current visibility, check which keywords really have potential – and show you how an SEO strategy can look that pays for real demand.

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