Most people find a local business by typing a few words into Google. Those words are the starting point for keyword research. If your pages use the same language your customers use, Google has a better chance of matching them with what you offer. Keyword research is simply the work of finding out what that language is.

It does not need expensive software or a marketing degree. A clear list of your services, some patient thinking and a few free tools will take you a long way. This guide covers where to find keyword ideas, how to judge them and how to place them on your pages. It also covers the mistakes that can quietly hold a small site back.

What keyword research actually means

A keyword is any word or phrase someone types into a search engine. It might be one word, like “plumber”, or a full question, like “why is my hot water cold”. Keyword research means collecting these phrases and deciding which ones each page on your site should answer. The aim is relevance, not tricks.

Google’s own SEO Starter Guide puts it plainly. It suggests you “think about the words that a user might search for to find a piece of your content”. The same guide notes that people who know a lot about a topic often use different words from newcomers. Its example is one person searching for “charcuterie” while another searches for “cheese board”.

That difference matters for small businesses. Tradespeople, lawyers and health practitioners often describe their work in industry terms. Customers usually do not. A landscaper might talk about “hardscaping” while a homeowner searches for paving and retaining walls.

Start with your customers, not a tool

Before opening any tool, write down every service you offer in plain words. Then think about the problems that lead someone to need each one. Think about the questions that come up again and again when customers call or visit. Those questions are often very close to the phrases people type into Google.

Look at the words in your enquiries, emails and reviews too. Customers describe their needs in their own language, and that language is very useful for your website. Note any suburbs or areas they mention as well. A place name can be the difference between a general search and a local one.

It also helps to understand the main types of searches people make. Some people want information, some want to compare options and some are ready to buy or book. Our guide to understanding search types for SEO explains this in more detail. Matching the type of page to the type of search is half the work.

Free tools for finding keyword ideas

Google itself is a good free starting point. Start typing a service into the search box and look at the suggestions that appear. Then look at the related searches shown on the results page. These give you a quick sense of how real people phrase things.

Google Ads includes a tool called Keyword Planner. Google says it can help you “discover new keywords related to your business” and gives estimates of how many searches a keyword gets each month. You need a Google Ads account to use it, and Google asks you to complete account setup with billing details. The figures are estimates, so treat them as a guide rather than exact counts.

The Queensland Government has guidance on using SEO to get your website seen. It suggests choosing keywords based on what potential customers are likely to type into a search engine. It also suggests a mix of popular terms and terms with less competition. Broad terms bring more searches but more rivals. Longer and more specific phrases bring fewer searches but often closer matches.

Already have a website? Check Search Console

If your site is live, Google Search Console shows the searches that already bring people to you. Its Performance report can list queries along with clicks, impressions and click through rate. Google describes impressions as how many times your site appeared in search results. By default the report shows data for the past three months.

Look for queries with plenty of impressions but few clicks. These are searches where Google already sees you as relevant but your page is not winning the click. A clearer page title or a better answer on the page may help. You can also spot services people search for that you have no page for yet.

Choosing the right keywords for each page

Once you have a long list, group similar phrases together. “Bathroom renovation”, “bathroom renovator” and “renovating a bathroom” all belong to one topic. Each group should match one page on your site. That way your pages do not compete with each other for the same searches.

When choosing between phrases, ask three simple questions. Does this search match something we actually offer? Would someone searching this be likely to contact us? Can we write a page that answers it better than what already ranks? If the answer to any of these is no, move on.

Think about how your keyword choices fit your wider plan. Our post on SEO target marketing looks at focusing your efforts on the customers you most want. A small business usually gets more from a handful of specific local topics than from chasing broad national terms. Broad terms tend to attract the most competition, which the Queensland guidance also flags.

Putting keywords on the page

The Queensland guidance suggests using keywords in page titles, meta descriptions, headings and the page address. It also mentions image alt text. Most of all, it says to use keywords in a natural writing flow. Write for the person first, then check that the main phrase appears where it makes sense.

Do not overdo it. Google’s guide says that excessively repeating the same words is tiring for users. It also confirms that Google Search does not use the keywords meta tag. So there is no need to fill that tag with a long list of phrases.

The Queensland guidance notes that search engines give more importance to the overall relevance of the content on your site. Cover the topic properly, answer the obvious questions and use related words that come naturally. If you want to see how search engines read and rank pages, our explainer on the plumbing of SEO walks through the basics.

Keep your keyword list alive

Keyword research is not a one off task. Customer language changes, new services get added and new competitors appear. Revisit your list every few months and compare it with your Search Console data. Small adjustments to titles and content are easy to make once you know where the gaps are.

For more ideas once your keywords are in place, see our article on the latest tactics to boost your SEO results. Keep a simple spreadsheet with each page, its main phrase and a few related phrases. That record makes it easy to spot gaps and avoid writing two pages on the same topic.

Frequently asked questions

How many keywords should one page target?

Most pages work best with one main topic. That topic can include several closely related phrases and variations. Google’s guide says you do not need to worry about anticipating every variation of how someone might search. Focus on answering the main question well.

Are keyword research tools accurate?

Treat their numbers as estimates. Google describes the monthly search figures in Keyword Planner as estimates. It also says keywords with very low search volume may not be available to research at all. Your own Search Console data gives a more direct view of how people find your site.

Should I include my suburb or city in keywords?

If you serve a local area, place names are worth considering. Your Search Console queries will show whether people add a suburb or city when they find you. Use place names where they genuinely fit, such as on a page about the areas you serve. Avoid creating lots of near identical pages that only swap the suburb name.

How long before keyword changes show results?

There is no fixed timeframe. Google needs to crawl the updated page before any change can show in results. Competition and the quality of other pages also play a part. Watch your Search Console report over the following weeks and months rather than day to day.