{"id":3137,"date":"2025-12-17T15:23:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T15:23:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/darkslateblue-oryx-300132.hostingersite.com\/ricerca-parole-chiave\/"},"modified":"2025-12-30T11:02:35","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T11:02:35","slug":"keyword-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adriangram.ch\/en\/keyword-research\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Do Keyword Research for SEO 2026 (Guide + Template)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2026, SEO professionals' 86% uses artificial intelligence<\/strong> For keyword research. If you're still using only traditional methods, you're leaving opportunities (and traffic) on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keyword research has changed radically: it is no longer about finding exact words to insert into the contents, but about understand search intent<\/strong> and create content that truly answers users' questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this comprehensive guide I will show you the exact process I use with my clients, the most effective free and paid tools, and give you 5 ready-to-use AI prompts<\/strong> To speed up your search. Finally, you can download my work template to organize everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let's get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Keyword Research (and Why It Has Changed)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From Keyword Matching to Semantic Intent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Until a few years ago, keyword research was simple: you found the exact words users were searching for and included them in your content. The more times the keyword appeared, the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It doesn't work like that anymore. Google uses advanced AI algorithms like BERT and MUM<\/strong> which include the meaning<\/em> Behind the searches, not just the words. This means that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • A page can rank for hundreds of related keywords, not just the main one<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Intent (user intention) matters more than the exact keyword<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Keyword stuffing is penalized, not rewarded<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Topic clusters have replaced single keywords as the strategic unit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Why Keyword Research Is Still Important<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Despite the changes, keyword research remains the first step of any SEO strategy<\/strong>. Here's why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • It's your compass: <\/strong>tells you where to go and if you're making progress<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • It makes you understand the audience: <\/strong>Find out what your potential customers are searching for and with which words<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Guide content creation: <\/strong>you know exactly what topics to cover<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Drive traffic that converts: <\/strong>you attract people who are looking for exactly what you offer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      The 4 Types of Search Intent (The Foundation of Everything)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \"4<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Before you search for any keyword, you need to understand the concept of search intent<\/strong> (search intent). It's the "why" behind every Google search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Informational Intent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The user wants learn something<\/strong>. He's not ready to buy, he's doing research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Typical patterns: <\/strong>\u201chow to\u201d, \u201cwhat it means\u201d, \u201cwhy\u201d, \u201cguide\u201d, \u201ctutorial\u201d, \u201cwhat is it\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Examples: <\/em>\u201c"How to do keyword research," "What is SEO?", "Why isn't my site indexed?"\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2. Commercial Intent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The user is evaluating options<\/strong> Before buying, compare, read reviews, and find the "best" option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Typical patterns: <\/strong>\u201cbest\u201d, \u201ccomparison\u201d, \u201cvs\u201d, \u201creview\u201d, \u201calternatives to\u201d, \u201ctop 10\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Examples: <\/em>\u201cAhrefs vs SEMrush\u201d, \u201cbest SEO tools 2025\u201d, \u201cUbersuggest review\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      3. Transactional Intent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The user is ready to act<\/strong>: buy, sign up, download.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Typical patterns: <\/strong>\u201cbuy\u201d, \u201cprice\u201d, \u201cdiscount\u201d, \u201coffer\u201d, \u201cquote\u201d, \u201cdownload\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Examples: <\/em>\u201cSEMrush pricing,\u201d \u201cSEO consulting quote,\u201d \u201cAhrefs free trial\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      4. Navigational Intent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The user is looking for a specific site or page<\/strong>. He already knows where he wants to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Typical patterns: <\/strong>brand names, \u201clogin\u201d, \u201caccess\u201d, \u201ccontacts\u201d, specific product names<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Examples: <\/em>\u201cAhrefs login\u201d, \u201cGoogle Search Console\u201d, \u201cAdrian Gramada SEO\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Search Intent Summary Table:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n
      Intent<\/th>\n The user wants\u2026<\/th>\n Pattern<\/th>\n Ideal content<\/th>\n <\/tr>\n <\/thead>\n
      Informational<\/strong><\/td>\n Learn<\/td>\n how, what, why, guide<\/td>\n Blog posts, guides, tutorials<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
      Commercial<\/strong><\/td>\n Evaluate options<\/td>\n best vs review<\/td>\n Comparisons, reviews, lists<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
      Transactional<\/strong><\/td>\n Buy\/Act<\/td>\n buy, price, offer<\/td>\n Landing pages, product pages<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
      Navigational<\/strong><\/td>\n Find a site<\/td>\n brand, login, site name<\/td>\n Homepage, brand pages<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n

      Keyword Types: Quick Ranking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      By Length<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Short-tail (1-2 words): <\/strong>High search volume, very high competition. Examples: "SEO," "marketing." Difficult to win for new sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Long-tail (4+ words): <\/strong>Lower volume, but less competition and a higher conversion rate. Example: "How to do free SEO keyword research." Ideal for beginners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      For Duration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Evergreen: <\/strong>Always relevant over time. "How to do keyword research" will still be effective in 5 years (with updates). They build steady traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Trending: <\/strong>Temporary spikes tied to events, new developments, and seasonality. These are useful for riding the wave, but they don't build long-term traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      For Targeting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Geo-targeting: <\/strong>Includes location. "SEO Consultant Milan," "Web Agency Turin." Essentials for local SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Product-defining: <\/strong>Product\/brand specifications. "Adrian Gramada SEO Course." Those looking for them are often ready to buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      LSI Keywords and Semantics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords are thematically related words<\/strong> to your main keyword. If you write about "keyword research," LSIs might be "search volume," "keyword difficulty," "search intent," or "SEO tools." Google uses them to understand what your content is really about. In 2025, with topic clusters, these keywords are essential for building thematic authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Keyword Research Tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Free Tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Google Search Console (The Best Free One)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      Many underestimate GSC for keyword research, but it is a gold mine<\/strong>. It shows you the actual keywords for which your site is already receiving impressions and clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      How to use it:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. Go to Performance \u2192 Search Results<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Look at queries with high impressions but low CTR \u2192 optimization opportunities<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Search keywords in position 5-20 \u2192 with little effort you can bring them into the top 3<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. Identify new keywords you hadn't considered<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Google Trends<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        Perfect for analyzing trends, seasonality, and comparing keywords. It shows you whether a keyword is growing or declining, as well as emerging related searches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Google Autocomplete + People Also Ask<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        A very powerful free technique: Start typing your keyword into Google and see the suggestions. Then scroll down to "People also asked" to find real questions from users. These are keywords: validated by Google itself<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        AnswerThePublic (free version)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        Displays user questions graphically. The free version has daily limits but is great for initial brainstorming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Free AI Tools for Keyword Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        In 2025, AI tools have become essential allies. They do not replace traditional SEO tools, but rather complement them. they complement each other perfectly<\/strong> for brainstorming and organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        ChatGPT for Keyword Research<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        ChatGPT excels at generating ideas, variations, and organizing keywords by intent. Later, I'll give you five ready-to-use prompts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Limitations: Lacks real volume data, doesn't know keyword difficulty, can "invent" non-existent keywords. Always check with SEO tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Google Gemini<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        Similar to ChatGPT but integrated with the Google ecosystem. Useful for searches with more up-to-date sources and data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Perplexity AI<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        Ideal for citation searches. Shows information sources, useful for validating keywords and finding industry data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Paid Tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Ahrefs<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        My main instrument. Keyword Explorer<\/strong> provides comprehensive data: volume, difficulty, estimated clicks, related keywords. The function Content Gap<\/strong> It shows you keywords that your competitors rank for but you don't. It's a significant investment, but it's worth every penny for serious SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        SEMrush<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        Complete alternative to Ahrefs. The Keyword Magic Tool<\/strong> It's excellent for expanding seed keywords. It also has a built-in cannibalization report. The interface is more complex, but the features are vast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Ubersuggest<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        A cheaper option with a limited free version. Ideal for freelancers and small businesses that can't afford Ahrefs\/SEMrush. Less comprehensive data, but enough to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Tool Comparison:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n
        Instrument<\/th>\n Price<\/th>\n Pro<\/th>\n Ideal for<\/th>\n <\/tr>\n <\/thead>\n
        Google Search Console<\/td>\n Free<\/td>\n Real Google data, current keywords<\/td>\n All (required)<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
        ChatGPT\/Gemini<\/td>\n Free\/\u20ac20<\/td>\n Brainstorming, clustering, variations<\/td>\n All (complement)<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
        Ubersuggest<\/td>\n \u20ac29\/month<\/td>\n Economical, easy to use<\/td>\n Freelancers, small businesses<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
        Ahrefs<\/td>\n \u20ac99\/month<\/td>\n Accurate data, Content Gap, backlinks<\/td>\n Professionals, agencies<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
        SEMrush<\/td>\n \u20ac129\/month<\/td>\n Complete suite, advanced reporting<\/td>\n Agencies, enterprises<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n

        How to Do Keyword Research (Step-by-Step Process)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        \"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        Step 1: Define the Main Topics (Seed Keywords)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        It starts with a brainstorming of the main themes<\/strong> related to your business. Don't think about specific keywords yet, think about macro-topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Example for an SEO consultant: <\/em>SEO, keyword research, link building, on-page optimization, local SEO, technical SEO, content marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Goal: Create a list of 10-20 seed keywords to expand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Step 2: Expand with Tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Enter each seed keyword into your tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush, or even just Google Autocomplete) and collect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Related keywords suggested by the tool<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Questions (\u201chow\u201d, \u201cwhat\u201d, \u201cwhy\u201d)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Competitors' keywords (Content Gap)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Long-tail variants<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Objective: <\/strong>a rough list of 100-500 keywords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Step 3: Analyze Search Intent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          For each keyword, ask yourself: \u201cWhat does the user really want when they search for this?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          The best way to figure it out: search for the keyword on Google and look at the top 10 results. Google is already telling you what intent that keyword fulfills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          If the results are all guides and tutorials, the intent is informational. If they are product pages and prices, the intent is transactional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Step 4: Evaluate Difficulties and Opportunities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
          \"Keyword<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

          Not all keywords are worth the effort. Consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Search volume: <\/strong>How many people search for this keyword?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Keyword Difficulty (KD): <\/strong>How difficult is it to rank? (given by Ahrefs\/SEMrush)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Competitor in SERP: <\/strong>Who's ranking now? Are these huge sites, or can you compete?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Conversion Potential: <\/strong>Does this keyword bring customers or just curious people?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Sweet spot: <\/strong>keywords with decent volume (100-1000\/month), low-medium KD (<40), and high conversion potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Step 5: Group into Topic Clusters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            In 2025, we no longer think about single keywords but about thematic clusters<\/strong>. A cluster is made up of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • Pillar page: <\/strong>main and complete content on the topic (e.g.: \u201cComplete Guide to SEO\u201d)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Cluster articles: <\/strong>Support articles on specific subtopics (e.g., \u201cWhat is keyword research?\u201d, \u201cHow to do link building\u201d)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Internal linking: <\/strong>all cluster articles link to the pillar page<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              This structure builds thematic authority<\/strong>, signaling to Google that you are an expert on the topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Step 6: Map Keywords to Content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

              Fundamental rule: 1 main keyword = 1 page<\/strong>. If you assign the same keyword to multiple pages, you create cannibalization and the pages compete with each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              In your template, create a clear map: URL | Primary keyword | Secondary keywords | Intent | Status<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Step 7: Analyze SERP Features<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
              \"SEO<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

              Before creating content, look at what Google shows<\/strong> for that keyword:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n
              • AI Overview: <\/strong>if present, consider that it could \u201csteal\u201d clicks<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Featured Snippet: <\/strong>zero position opportunity!<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • People Also Ask: <\/strong>questions to include in the content<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Video carousel: <\/strong>maybe it's worth creating a video?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                How to Use AI for Keyword Research: 5 Ready-Made Prompts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                Here are 5 prompts you can copy and paste directly into ChatGPT or Gemini. Customize the parts in [brackets].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n

                \ud83d\udcdd Prompt 1: Brainstorming Seed Keywords<\/h4>\n
                \n I'm a [type of business] offering [services\/products]. Generate 20 seed keywords that my potential customers might search for on Google in Italian. Include informational, sales, and transactional keywords. Organize them by intent.\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                \n

                \ud83d\udcdd Prompt 2: Long-tail expansion<\/h4>\n
                \n For the main keyword \u201c[keyword],\u201d generate 15 long-tail variations with 4 or more words. Include:
                \n \u2013 Questions (how, what, why)
                \n \u2013 Keywords with commercial intent (best, comparison, review)
                \n \u2013 Keywords with transactional intent (price, buy, quote)\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                \n

                \ud83d\udcdd Prompt 3: Search Intent Analysis<\/h4>\n
                \n Analyze these keywords and classify them by search intent (informational, commercial, transactional, navigational). For each keyword, also indicate the ideal type of content to create:

                \n [paste keyword list]\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                \n

                \ud83d\udcdd Prompt 4: Creating a Topic Cluster<\/h4>\n
                \n Create a complete topic cluster for the topic \u201c[topic]\u201d. Identify:
                \n \u2013 1 main pillar page with its target keyword
                \n \u2013 8-10 supporting cluster articles with related long-tail keywords
                \n \u2013 How to connect articles to each other with internal linking\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                \n

                \ud83d\udcdd Prompt 5: Content Gap Analysis<\/h4>\n
                \n I'm in the [sector] industry in Italy. My main competitors are [list of competitors]. What topics and keywords might be opportunities that aren't yet well-covered in the Italian market? Suggest 10 content ideas with related target keywords.\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                \n

                \u26a0\ufe0f AI Limitations:<\/strong> AI doesn't have real volume data, doesn't know keyword difficulty, and can suggest keywords that no one searches for. Use these prompts for brainstorming and organization, then always check with SEO tools<\/strong> (GSC, Ahrefs, SEMrush).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

                Keyword Research Template (Free Download)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                To make everything easier, I created a template that I personally use in my projects. It includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n