Keyword research is the foundation of blog strategy. Pick the wrong keywords, and you'll spend months writing posts that get zero traffic. Pick the right keywords, and you'll rank within weeks. The right keywords have three characteristics: search volume (people are searching), low difficulty (you can compete), and clear intent (searchers want what you offer). This post walks through the keyword research process.
What makes a good blog keyword
1. Search volume (100+ monthly searches)
If no one is searching for it, it doesn't matter that you rank. You need at least 100-200 monthly searches.
Tools: Ahrefs, SEMrush, Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest show monthly search volume.
Rule of thumb:
- 100-500/month: Easy keyword, but low traffic potential
- 500-2,000/month: Good keyword, moderate traffic
- 2,000-10,000/month: Competitive keyword, higher traffic
- 10,000+/month: Highly competitive, biggest reward
For a new blog, start with 500-2,000/month keywords.
2. Low keyword difficulty (KD 0-40)
Keyword difficulty (KD) is a 0-100 score representing how hard it is to rank. Higher = more links from high-authority sites required.
KD 0-20: Easy to rank (usually low volume or niche)
KD 20-40: Moderate difficulty (target zone for new blogs)
KD 40-60: Hard to rank (established sites competing)
KD 60-100: Very hard (national brands competing)
For a new blog: target KD 20-40 keywords.
3. Clear search intent
Searchers must want what you offer. Intent types:
Informational: "How to write a blog post" — Searcher wants instructions. Blog post is perfect.
Commercial: "Best blog writing software" — Searcher is comparing tools. Blog comparison post works.
Transactional: "Buy blog templates" — Searcher wants to buy. You might sell templates.
Navigational: "HubSpot blog" — Searcher wants to find HubSpot's blog. Hard to rank.
Match your content type to the search intent.
The keyword research process
Step 1: Brainstorm seed keywords (15 minutes)
Write down 10-15 broad topics you could write about.
Example: Blog writing, SEO, content marketing, keyword research, link building, on-page SEO
Step 2: Expand with a keyword tool (30 minutes)
Use a tool to expand each seed keyword into 50-100 variations.
Ahrefs:
- Paste seed keyword
- Go to "Keyword ideas"
- See all variations, volumes, difficulties
Other tools: SEMrush (similar), Ubersuggest (budget option), Google Keyword Planner (free, limited)
Step 3: Filter by KD and search volume (15 minutes)
Filter the keyword list:
- Search volume: 500-2,000/month (for new blogs) or 100-500 (for niche)
- Keyword difficulty: 0-40
Now you have 20-50 qualified keywords.
Step 4: Analyze the SERP (30 minutes)
For your top 10 keywords, check who ranks:
- Are national brands dominating? (Hard to rank)
- Are small blogs ranking? (Good opportunity)
- What's the smallest domain ranking #1? (That's your competition level)
Step 5: Create a keyword map (15 minutes)
Map keywords into clusters:
Keyword cluster: Blog writing
- How to write a blog post (seed)
- Blog writing tips (related)
- Blog post structure (related)
- Blog post template (related)
These should become: 1 pillar post (broad) + 3-4 supporting posts (specific).
The keyword research checklist
- 10-15 seed keywords identified
- Expanded to 50-100 keywords
- Filtered by volume (500-2,000/month) and KD (0-40)
- Top 20 keywords SERP analyzed
- Keyword intent verified (matches your content type)
- Keyword clusters created
- Pillar and supporting posts mapped
Common keyword research mistakes
Mistake 1: Picking keywords with no search volume
"Blue elephant marketing strategies" has zero searches. Don't write about it.
Mistake 2: Targeting KD 60+ as a new blog
You won't outrank Forbes, HubSpot, and Neil Patel for "content marketing." Start with KD 20-40.
Mistake 3: Ignoring search intent
Writing a blog post for "buy content writing software" (transactional intent) when searchers want to compare prices and buy. You need a product/pricing page, not a blog post.
Mistake 4: Writing without a keyword
Keyword research isn't about SEO ideation. Each post should target a specific keyword you researched.
Keyword research tools comparison
Ahrefs: $99/month, most complete, best for research depth
SEMrush: $99/month, similar to Ahrefs
Ubersuggest: $12-40/month, budget option, adequate for small blogs
Google Keyword Planner: Free, limited data (requires Google Ads account)
For a new blog: start with Ubersuggest or free tools, upgrade to Ahrefs once you're serious.
Verdict
Good keyword research: Find 500-2,000/month search volume, KD 20-40, clear intent match.
Spend 2 hours on keyword research for every 10 blog posts you write. The investment pays for itself in ranking speed.
Want keyword research built in?
Outshipper includes keyword research in every post. We analyze search volume, difficulty, related keywords, and search intent before writing.
Free plan: 3 posts/month, up to 1,000 words, no card. Pro: $19/month (currently 50% off at $9.50/mo) with 200,000 words.
