What Is a Keyword? Keyword Research With Free Tools
A keyword is the phrase people type into Google. Here are the main types, the metrics that matter and a step-by-step keyword research method using free tools.
A keyword is the word or phrase people type into a search engine such as Google to find information, a product or a service. In SEO, a keyword defines which searches you want a page to appear for. "What is SEO", "Antalya dental clinic" and "Kas boat tour prices" are all keywords. Picking the right ones is the first step to being seen by the right people.
This guide covers the main types of keywords, the metrics to check and how to do keyword research step by step without paid tools. The examples use real data from the research we did while planning this article.
Why keywords matter
Google first checks whether a page is relevant to the search. If your customers type "build a website" and your page only says "digital solutions", the match is weak even if you offer exactly what they need. Keyword research helps you use your customers' words, decide which pages to work on first and build a content plan from the questions people really ask.
Types of keywords
- Short tail: "SEO", "hotel". High volume, vague intent, fierce competition.
- Mid tail: "what is SEO", "boutique hotel Antalya". Clear topic, moderate competition.
- Long tail: "boutique hotel with parking in Kaleici". Low volume, very clear intent; the easiest wins for a small business.
| Intent | What the user wants | Example | Best page type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informational | To learn something | "what is a backlink" | Article, guide |
| Commercial | To compare options | "WordPress vs custom code" | Comparison article |
| Transactional | To buy or get a quote | "business website prices" | Service or pricing page |
| Navigational | To reach a specific site | "grapyweb" | Home page |
| Local | To find a nearby business | "web design Antalya" | Location page, Business Profile |
The most reliable way to read intent is to search the keyword and look at page one.
Metrics to check
| Metric | What it tells you | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly volume | Average searches per month | An estimate that differs between tools |
| Keyword difficulty (KD) | How hard it is to reach page one | Each tool has its own scale (0-100 in Semrush) |
| Search intent | The user's goal | Matters more than volume |
| Cost per click | What advertisers pay | High CPC signals commercial value |
| Seasonality | Changes through the year | Very visible in tourism |
Some Turkish keywords from our own planning, taken from Semrush's Turkey database in October 2026: "seo nedir" (what is SEO) 6,600 searches a month with KD 30; "anahtar kelime nedir" (what is a keyword) 1,900 with KD 13; "backlink nedir" 880 with KD 20; "yerel seo" (local SEO) 170 with KD 10. Because "what is SEO" and "how to do SEO" return largely the same results, we answered both in one guide: what is SEO.
Keyword research step by step
- Write a starting list yourself. Services, products and the questions customers ask by phone, WhatsApp and email. Add place names.
- Use Google autocomplete. Type your phrase without pressing Enter; suggestions come from real searches.
- Read the results page. "People also ask" gives you ready-made FAQ questions, related searches show variations, and the top five titles show what kind of content Google matches to the phrase.
- Check Search Console. In Performance > Search results, sort queries by impressions. Look for queries in positions 8-20 and queries with many impressions but few clicks. The report keeps up to 16 months of data.
- Get volume estimates from Keyword Planner. It is free inside a Google Ads account; set the location and language. Accounts without ad spend may see ranges rather than exact numbers.
- Check seasonality in Google Trends. Publish before the season so the page has time to be indexed and rank.
- Go deeper with a paid tool if needed. Semrush or Ahrefs show difficulty, competitor keywords and gaps. Useful in competitive markets or large catalogues; often unnecessary for a single-location business.
- Group keywords and map them to pages. One intent group, one page.
Can AI tools help with keyword research?
ChatGPT or Gemini are quick at generating ideas, for example the questions patients ask a dental clinic in Antalya. They do not provide search volumes or real search data, though, and some of the phrases they suggest nobody searches for. Use them to widen the list, then check each phrase against autocomplete, Search Console and Keyword Planner.
Keyword cannibalisation
If two of your pages target the same phrase, Google may struggle to choose and both can rank lower. In Search Console, click a query and open the Pages tab: more than one URL is a warning sign. Merge the pages with a 301 redirect, or give one of them a different angle. Our SEO-friendly website article, for example, focuses on technical foundations while our SEO guide covers the basics.
Where to place your keyword
In the title tag (near the start), the H1, the first paragraph, a short URL, the meta description (it does not affect ranking directly but matching words appear in bold) and in subheadings or alt text only where it makes sense.
Common mistakes
- Chasing volume instead of intent.
- Showing a sales page to someone who wants to learn, or an encyclopaedia to someone ready to buy.
- Creating a separate page for every word-order variation.
- Treating the list as a one-off task.
Example starting lists
- Hotel: "Kaleici boutique hotel", "beachfront hotel Antalya". See our hotel website SEO guide for room and location pages.
- Real estate: "apartment for sale Konyaalti", "villa for sale Kas". Each area and listing type needs a useful page; see our real estate website page.
- Local services: "boiler repair Antalya", "dentist Muratpasa".
Once your list is ready, the next step is the right page structure. Use the quote wizard to work out which pages you need and the scope of your project.
Frequently asked questions
Is a keyword the same as a search query?
Close, but no. A query is exactly what someone types, typos included. A keyword is the phrase you target to represent a group of queries with the same intent.
How many keywords should one page target?
One main keyword plus a few close variations with the same intent. Different intents, such as 'what is SEO' and 'SEO pricing', deserve separate pages.
What keyword density should I aim for?
Google has no target density. Use the main phrase in the title, the opening paragraph and wherever it fits naturally. Forced repetition is keyword stuffing under Google's spam policies.
Is Google Keyword Planner free?
It is free with a Google Ads account. Accounts without active ad spend may see wide volume ranges instead of exact numbers, but the tool is still useful for ideas.
Are low-volume keywords a waste of time?
No. A local phrase searched 50 times a month by people ready to buy can bring more customers than a broad question searched thousands of times, and competition is usually lower.
How often should I update my keyword list?
A full review once a year and a monthly look at Search Console is enough for most small businesses. Seasonal sectors such as tourism benefit from an extra check before the season.
