Keyword research is where SEO either goes really well or straight off a cliff. Too many “gurus” act like it requires a PhD in data science and a stack of £500-a-month tools. On the other side, you have folk who think “just write whatever comes to mind” is a strategy. Both camps are daft. Good keyword research is simple: figure out what people type into Google, then give them something better than what’s already there.
Ahrefs says 92 percent of all keywords get fewer than ten searches a month. Let that sink in. Most of the internet is talking to itself. The trick isn’t chasing random scraps, it’s knowing which scraps are actually dinner.
Step 1: Start With Real People
Forget the tools for a minute. Ask yourself: what would someone actually type if they wanted what I sell?
If you run a bakery in Aberdeen:
- “birthday cakes Aberdeen”
- “wedding cakes near me”
- “best sourdough bread shop”
You can also just ask your customers. I once worked with a café in Edinburgh where the owner swore blind people searched “artisanal café Leith.” Nobody did. Customers said “coffee near Ocean Terminal.” Guess which one got traffic?
Step 2: Steal From Google
Google literally tells you what people search. Scroll to the bottom of the results and you’ll see “related searches.” That’s free research. The “People Also Ask” box is another goldmine.
Example: Search “best fish and chips Glasgow” and you’ll see related searches like “cheap fish and chips Glasgow” and “fish supper near me.” Each of those is a potential page or blog post.
Step 3: Use Tools Without Drowning
A few solid options:
- Google Keyword Planner: Free, good for rough monthly search numbers.
- AnswerThePublic: Spits out questions people ask. It looks like a spider diagram made in 1999 but it works.
- Ahrefs / SEMrush: Paid, but worth it if you’re serious. You can see keyword difficulty, competitors, and even what people click.
According to SEMrush, long-tail keywords (three or more words) make up about 70 percent of all searches. That means “where to buy sourdough bread in Glasgow” might be worth more to you than just “bread.”
Step 4: Snoop on Competitors
Type your keyword into Google. Who’s ranking? If page one is filled with Amazon, Wikipedia, and gov.uk, you’re in for a slog. But if you see smaller local sites, you’ve got a chance.
I worked with a solicitor in Dundee who wanted to rank for “divorce lawyer UK.” Not happening. But “family solicitor Dundee” and “divorce lawyer Dundee”? Much easier, and they actually brought clients through the door.
Step 5: Group by Intent
Not all keywords are equal. Split them by what the searcher wants:
- Informational – “What is SEO?”
- Transactional – “Buy SEO audit UK.”
- Local – “SEO agency Edinburgh.”
Focus first on transactional and local. They bring money in. Informational is great for building authority, but don’t rely on it to pay the bills.
Step 6: Reality Check the Data
Search volume isn’t gospel. Tools can show “0 searches” for a phrase that still brings traffic. I once ranked a post for “Glasgow SEO consultant pricing.” Tools said no one searched it. Yet the client got two leads a month directly from that page. Zero in the tool, thousands in the bank.
Final Word
Keyword research isn’t a mystical ritual. It’s talking to your customers, checking Google’s hints, using tools sensibly, and picking battles you can win.
At Hot Igloo, we’ve done keyword research for everything from Fife cafés to national retailers in London. The pattern is always the same: the businesses that win are the ones who know what their customers actually type into Google.
Want more SEO advice, then check out our complete UK SEO guide here.