Table of Contents

Lesson 3 Researching What Key Words to Use

Lesson 3 Researching What Key Words to Use

Summary

Getting started with keyword research can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. In this post, you’ll learn how to use official search-engine tools to find the best keywords for your content. We’ll cover everything from Google’s Keyword Planner to Bing Webmaster Tools and show you simple, evidence-backed ways to pick terms that your audience actually searches for.

Official Search-Engine Tools

Google Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is where you begin your SEO journey. It gives you real monthly search volumes and forecasts, straight from Google.

  • Idea generation: Type in a topic or your URL to see related keywords.
  • Volume & bids: Check monthly search numbers and bid estimates to spot high-value terms.
  • Filters: Narrow down by country, language, or network to focus on your exact audience1.

Google Search Console

Google Search Console helps you understand what people already find on your site.

  • Performance report: See which queries bring impressions and clicks.
  • Search Analytics API: Pull your own data to build custom reports or dashboards2.

Google Trends is your friendly way to spot rising topics and seasonal patterns.

  • Compare terms: See how different keywords stack up over time.
  • Regional interest: Find out where your topic is most popular.
  • Seasonal spikes: Plan content around peak interest months3.

Bing Webmaster Tools

Bing Webmaster Tools is like Google’s cousin—just for Bing searches.

  • Keyword insights: Discover which terms drive Bing impressions and clicks.
  • Indexing help: Submit sitemaps so Bing can crawl your pages.
  • Site health: Check backlinks and crawl errors to keep your SEO foundation strong4.

YouTube Search Interface

To optimize video content, head over to YouTube and start typing keywords into the search bar. The autocomplete suggestions you see are actual queries people use—perfect for long-tail ideas5.

Check SERP features: Does your keyword trigger featured snippets, “People also ask,” or video carousels? Tailor your content to grab those spots for extra visibility6.

How to Choose Which Keywords to Focus On

  1. Relevance
    Make sure the keyword matches what your audience wants to read (check Search Console to confirm).
  2. Search Volume
    Aim for enough monthly searches to make writing content worthwhile (see Keyword Planner).
  3. Difficulty
    Target moderate-difficulty terms where you have a real chance to rank (use click-data frameworks for guidance).
  4. User Intent
    Is the search informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial? Write to satisfy that intent.
  5. Commercial Value
    Higher CPC in Keyword Planner often means stronger purchase intent—great for bottom-of-funnel content.
  6. Seasonality & Trends
    Use Google Trends to publish when interest peaks for your topic.
  7. SERP Opportunity
    Pick keywords where fewer competitors dominate rich snippets or other features, so you can stand out.

References

  1. Google Keyword Planner documentation, Google Ads Help. ↩︎

  2. Google Search Console Help Center; Search Analytics API overview. ↩︎

  3. Google Trends Help. ↩︎

  4. Bing Webmaster Tools documentation, Microsoft. ↩︎

  5. YouTube Help: Search and discovery. ↩︎

  6. Enge, E. “Understanding SERP Features: How to Capture Rich Results,” Moz Blog, Jan. 2025. ↩︎

Other Lessons