Here's the mistake almost everyone makes: they write what they want to say, in the words they use, and hope Google sends people. But if nobody searches those words, nobody comes — no matter how good the page is. Keyword research flips that around: find what people are already searching, then be the best answer. It's step zero of any content that ranks.
Every keyword has two numbers (and one intent)
When you weigh a keyword, you're really looking at three things:
Roughly how many people search it. More = more potential traffic, but usually more competition.
How hard it is to rank. Big established sites already own the popular terms.
Decent volume + low competition — searches you can realistically win. Chase these first.
What the searcher actually wants — to learn, to compare, or to buy. Match your page to it.
Why the "long tail" is your friend
Short, popular terms ("web designer") have huge volume — and huge competition you won't beat as a newer site. Long-tail keywords — longer, more specific phrases like "affordable web designer for small business in Singapore" — have less volume each, but far less competition and much higher intent (that searcher knows exactly what they want). Stack up enough of them and it adds up fast. For a new or small site, the long tail is where you start winning. (It's also why SEO takes time to compound — more on that in how long SEO takes.)
How to actually find keywords — for free
- 1Google autocomplete. Start typing what you do and watch the suggestions — those are real, popular searches, straight from Google.
- 2"People also ask" & "Related searches." Search your topic and mine the "People also ask" box and the related searches at the bottom — a goldmine of real questions.
- 3Google Search Console. Free, and it shows what you already show up for — especially "striking-distance" terms you're close to ranking for. Start here if your site's been live a while.
- 4Google Keyword Planner. A free tool (in Google Ads) that shows rough search volumes and related terms.
- 5Your customers' own words. Note the exact phrases they use in enquiries and reviews — real people rarely use industry jargon.
- 6Your competitors. What topics and terms do the sites already ranking above you cover? There's your map.
Match the keyword to what they want (intent)
This is the bit beginners miss. The same topic can have different intents, and each needs a different page:
- ?Informational — "what is a recruitment agency" → they want to learn (write a guide).
- ⚖Commercial — "best recruitment agency Singapore" → they're comparing (write a comparison / your case).
- $Transactional — "hire a recruitment agency" → they're ready to act (a clear service page).
Write a sales page for an informational search and you'll lose — Google (and the visitor) wanted an answer, not a pitch. Always check what's already ranking for a term; that tells you the intent Google expects.
Pick your battles, then turn them into content
Be honest about what you can win. As a newer site, go after specific, lower-competition long-tail terms and leave the giant head terms for once you've built authority. Then the rule for writing is simple: one main keyword (plus its close variations) per page, and make that page the genuinely best, most useful answer for it. One clear target per page beats stuffing ten keywords into one.
The bottom line
Keyword research isn't a dark art — it's listening. Find the real words people use, aim for the searches you can realistically win (long-tail first), match each page to what the searcher actually wants, and write the best answer. Do that, and you stop guessing what to publish and start answering demand that's already there.
Common questions
No. Google itself plus a bit of common sense gets you most of the way. Use Google autocomplete, the 'People also ask' box and related searches, free Google Search Console, and the free Keyword Planner in Google Ads. The exact phrases your own customers use in enquiries are also gold.
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases like 'affordable web designer for small business in Singapore', rather than short terms like 'web designer'. They each get less search volume, but they have far less competition and much higher intent, so the visitor knows exactly what they want. For a new or small site, the long tail is where you start winning.
The sweet spot is decent search volume combined with low competition, which are searches you can realistically win. Big established sites already own the popular, high-volume terms, so chasing those as a newer site is a losing battle. Go after the specific, lower-competition terms first, then aim higher once you've built authority.
Search intent is what the searcher actually wants: to learn, to compare, or to buy. The same topic can have different intents that each need a different page; for example 'what is a recruitment agency' wants a guide, while 'hire a recruitment agency' wants a service page. Put a sales pitch in front of an informational search and you'll lose, so always check what's already ranking to see the intent Google expects.
Sources
- Google Ads — Keyword Planner (free search-volume tool)
- Google Search Central — Creating helpful, people-first content
I build websites and run SEO & AEO for Singapore businesses. HeyAda is my Singapore web studio — design, copywriting, code and SEO, handled end to end. I write these guides to share what actually works, in plain English. If your site isn't getting found, say hi.
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