You Can't Rank for Keywords You're Not Targeting

Here's the thing about SEO that a lot of business owners miss: you can't rank for keywords if you don't know what they are. Keyword research is the foundation of everything else—but most small businesses skip it entirely and just hope to rank for whatever happens to be on their website.

That's like opening a store and hoping the right customers wander in. Let's do better. Combined with local SEO optimization, understanding keywords can completely change your online presence.

What Is Keyword Research, Really?

It's figuring out:

1. What terms people type when looking for what you offer

2. How many people search each term

3. How hard it is to rank for each one

4. Which ones are worth going after

This research should inform everything else: what pages to create, what content to write, where to focus your time.

Why Bother?

You're probably targeting the wrong things. Business owners often optimize for industry jargon customers don't use. You might say "water damage restoration," but customers type "flooded basement help."

You'll find opportunities you didn't know existed. "Do I need a lawyer for..." might get searched 10x more than "hire a lawyer in..." You'd never guess that without research.

You can prioritize. You can't target everything. Research shows which keywords have the highest value relative to competition.

You get content ideas. Every keyword represents a question or need someone has. Those become blog posts, FAQs, service pages.

How to Do Keyword Research (Step by Step)

Step 1: Brainstorm Seed Keywords

Start obvious:

• Your main services/products
• Industry terms
• Problems you solve
• Locations you serve

Example for a plumber: "plumber," "plumbing," "drain cleaning," "water heater," "pipe repair," "Cedar City plumber," "emergency plumber"

Step 2: Expand With Free Tools

Google Autocomplete: Start typing your seed keyword into Google and see what it suggests. Those are real searches real people make.

"People Also Ask": Look at that section in search results. Questions people actually want answered.

Related Searches: At the bottom of the results page. More keyword ideas.

Google Keyword Planner: Free with a Google Ads account. Gives you search volume estimates and related terms.

AnswerThePublic: Enter a topic, see questions people ask about it.

If you have budget, tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz give more data, but you can get pretty far with free options.

Step 3: Organize by Theme

Group keywords by category:

• Service keywords ("drain cleaning," "sewer repair")
• Location keywords ("plumber Cedar City," "St George plumbing")
• Problem keywords ("clogged drain," "no hot water")
• Question keywords ("why is my toilet running," "how much does pipe repair cost")

Each group might become a page or content topic.

Step 4: Look at Search Volume

Not all keywords are equal. Some get 10,000 searches a month. Some get 10.

For local businesses, expect lower volumes:

• "plumber" = huge nationally, but you're not ranking for that
• "plumber Cedar City" = smaller volume, but achievable and relevant
• "emergency plumber Cedar City UT" = smallest volume, easiest to rank, most specific

Don't just chase volume. Often the lower-volume, super-specific keywords convert way better.

Step 5: Check the Competition

Search your target keywords and look at who's ranking:

• Big corporations or local businesses?
• How polished are their pages?
• How many backlinks do they have?
• Can you actually compete?

For tough keywords, get more specific. Instead of "web design" (impossible), try "web design for restaurants Cedar City" (doable).

Step 6: Prioritize

Consider:

• **Relevance:** Does this match what you actually offer?
• **Intent:** Are searchers likely to become customers?
• **Competition:** Can you realistically rank?
• **Volume:** Is there enough demand?

Start with keywords that check all boxes: relevant, buyer intent, achievable competition.

Understanding Search Intent

Not all searches are equal:

Informational: "How does air conditioning work" — they want to learn, not buy. Can build trust, but lower conversion.

Commercial investigation: "Best HVAC contractors Cedar City" — comparing options, getting closer.

Transactional: "HVAC repair near me" — ready to hire. Highest conversion.

Navigational: "ABC Heating website" — looking for a specific business.

Focus on commercial and transactional for fastest ROI. Informational builds long-term authority.

Local Modifiers Are Your Friend

For local businesses, add geographic terms:

• City: "plumber Cedar City"
• Region: "plumber Southern Utah"
• County: "plumber Iron County"
• "Near me" (relies on user location)

Combine them: "plumber serving St George," "Cedar City area plumbing"

Long-Tail Keywords: Underrated Secret Weapon

Long-tail = longer, more specific phrases.

Short-tail: "plumber" (high volume, impossible competition)

Long-tail: "emergency plumber for burst pipes Cedar City" (lower volume, lower competition, higher intent)

Benefits:

• Way easier to rank
• More specific user intent
• Higher conversion rates
• Less competition

A strategy built on many long-tail keywords often outperforms chasing a few competitive short-tail terms.

Turning Keywords Into Content

Each keyword cluster should guide what you create:

Service keywords → Service pages

"Drain cleaning Cedar City" → Create a dedicated drain cleaning page

Question keywords → Blog posts or FAQ

"How much does drain cleaning cost" → Write a pricing guide

Problem keywords → Solution content

"Slow draining sink" → Content about causes and fixes

Location keywords → Location pages

If you serve multiple areas, create city-specific pages with unique content

Common Mistakes

Only going after broad terms: "Lawyer" is way too competitive. "Estate planning attorney Cedar City" is achievable.

Ignoring local modifiers: A Cedar City business won't rank nationally. Always include location terms.

Using industry jargon: "Water damage mitigation" is what you call it. Customers search "flooded basement" or "water in my house."

One keyword per page: Each page should target a primary keyword plus related variations.

Ignoring intent: High-volume informational terms convert poorly compared to lower-volume transactional ones.

Set it and forget it: Search behavior changes. Revisit this annually.

Putting It All Together

Once you have prioritized keywords:

1. Map keywords to pages. Assign primaries to existing or new pages.

2. Optimize page elements. Include the keyword in:

• Page title
• H1 heading
• First 100 words
• Meta description
• URL slug
• Image alt text

3. Write naturally. Don't stuff. Create comprehensive, helpful content that naturally includes your terms.

4. Track rankings. Monitor how you rank over time. Google Search Console is free.

5. Iterate. What's working? What's not? Adjust.

Your Website Should Be Built on Keyword Strategy

Your site structure should reflect your keyword research:

• Homepage targets main service + location
• Service pages target specific services
• Location pages target geographic areas
• Blog posts target questions and problems

We build every website with keyword research informing structure and content. Your site ranks from day one.

Related reading

If you'd like a hand applying any of this to your own site, take a look at our Utah small-business web design services or book a free consultation.