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In short: The right keywords are terms your customers actually search for and that match what you offer. Find them with Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, Search Console and SEO tools such as Semrush or Ahrefs. Search volume is only part of the picture: search intent, competition and the chance of turning visitors into customers matter just as much.

If you want your website or online shop to be visible in search engines, you need the right keywords, the terms your customers really type in. That applies to SEO as much as to Google Ads, and increasingly to answers from AI assistants too.

What are keywords and why do they matter?

Keywords are words or whole phrases people enter into search engines when they look for information, products or services. They can be broad, like “marketing”, or specific, like “marketing agency for online shops”.

For SEO, keywords help search engines understand what a page is about and connect your content with users’ questions and needs. A well chosen keyword brings visitors who are genuinely interested in your topic, product or service. Target the wrong terms and you may get traffic, but no business value.

What does search volume mean?

Search volume shows how often a term is searched in a given period, usually per month. An example from Google Keyword Planner: “keyword research” is searched 1,000 to 10,000 times a month in the UK, “how to find keywords” 100 to 1,000 times. High volume does not automatically make a keyword the best choice, though. Broad terms are usually highly competitive and often do not match exactly what you offer.

So also consider:

  • relevance to your business,
  • competition in the search results,
  • search intent,
  • seasonality,
  • how likely a visitor is to take the action you want.

More specific long tail keywords of several words have lower volume, but usually less competition and visitors with clearer intent. The ideal is a mix of both.

Where to find keywords

  • Google Keyword Planner: part of Google Ads, with monthly search volume estimates and related terms.
  • Google Trends: free, shows which topics are growing and how interest changes over time. See Google Trends in our glossary.
  • Google Search Console: shows the queries your website already appears for. This is often where the quickest wins are.
  • SEO tools: Semrush, Ahrefs, Moz or Ubersuggest give you keyword lists with volume, difficulty and the competitors that rank.
  • The search results themselves: Google autocomplete, the “People also ask” box, forums and social media show how people really phrase things.

How to choose the right keywords

  1. Define the topic and goal of the page: a blog post needs different keywords from a product or service page.
  2. List the basic terms: start with words your customers would use to describe what you offer.
  3. Gather suggestions: with Keyword Planner, Google Trends, Search Console or SEO tools.
  4. Check volume and competition: high volume often means a tougher fight for top positions.
  5. Assess search intent: does the person want to buy, compare, learn or find a specific brand? A look at the current results usually tells you.
  6. Pick a main keyword and supporting terms: each page targets one main keyword and several related terms.

Avoid having several pages target the same keyword. They end up competing with each other and none of them ranks well.

Using keywords in SEO and Google Ads

For SEO, use the main keyword naturally in the title, heading, meta description, URL, alt text and link text, always in a way that makes sense to readers. Our glossary entry on SEO copywriting explains what good search friendly copy looks like.

In Google Ads, your keyword choice decides who sees your ads. Focus on terms with buying intent and exclude irrelevant searches. Our article on negative keywords in Google Ads shows how.

How to track your rankings

Rank tracking shows where your website appears in the results and how that changes over time. Google Search Console gives you the basics for free: impressions, clicks, click-through rate and average position for each query. For larger keyword sets, use Semrush, Ahrefs or Moz. Never judge rankings in isolation, though. What matters is whether traffic from those keywords brings enquiries, orders or other conversions.

Practical tips

  • Combine broad and specific terms: instead of an article on “marketing”, write about “marketing strategy for small businesses in 2026”.
  • Follow trends regularly: spot new terms early and be among the first to publish content on them.
  • Match search intent: “buy Samsung S25” calls for a product page, “Samsung S25 review” for an article.
  • Think about AI search: answer questions clearly and directly to raise the chance that AI assistants cite your page. More on our generative engine optimisation page.

Conclusion

Good keywords bring you not just more visitors, but the right ones. Looking at volume, intent and competition together, and measuring results regularly, builds visibility that shows up in enquiries and revenue.

Need help? We put together keyword research for your website as part of our SEO services, and for campaigns as part of our Google Ads management. Book a free consultation.

Read also: GEO guide to AI search, Google Ads budget calculation