A massive list of random keywords isn’t enough. You need keywords that are relevant, searchable, and capable of generating conversions. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the exact steps to create a keyword list that gets results.
Creating a list of relevant, high-traffic keywords is essential if you want to drive organic traffic and outrank your competition on Google.
Why Relevance Is Key in Keyword Research?
Relevance trumps quantity every time. A huge keyword list might look impressive, but if those terms don’t align with what your ideal customer is searching for, your SEO efforts are wasted. The goal is to focus on keyword combinations that match user intent and lead to valuable traffic.
When your keywords are laser-focused on what your audience cares about, you can unlock search terms that have:
- Solid monthly traffic
- Low to moderate competition
- Clear purchase or engagement intent
With that in mind, let’s dive into how to build that high-performing keyword list.
Step 1: Analyze What Your Competition Is Doing
If you want to rank on Google, start by spying on the websites that are already there. Competitive research can quickly reveal which keywords are driving traffic to your competitors.
Tools to Use:
- Keyword Extractor: Paste in competitor URLs to pull out keyword data.
- Ahrefs Organic Keywords Report: See exactly which keywords bring traffic to your competitors.
What to Look For:
- High-traffic keywords your competitors rank for.
- Keywords they missed that you can target.
- Low-quality content ranking on page one (this is your chance to create something better).
Focus on keywords that overlap between several competitors for a stronger content roadmap. Studying your competitors reveals what works but also highlights untapped opportunities. By identifying gaps in their keyword strategy, you can position your content to capture search traffic they’re missing, giving you a strategic advantage.
Step 2: Use AI Chat Tools for Idea Generation
Platforms like ChatGPT and Google Gemini can generate keyword ideas in seconds based on prompts, but be cautious.
While these tools can help you brainstorm, the data isn’t always accurate or validated with real search volumes. Think of AI as a creative partner rather than a source of truth.
Here’s how to use AI effectively:
- Prompt it to generate keyword variations.
- Ask for synonyms, long-tail phrases, and common questions.
- Cross-check any AI suggestions with real SEO tools like Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, or Google Keyword Planner.
AI tools are a powerful brainstorming companion, but always verify their suggestions with real-world data. When combined with proper research, AI-generated keywords can become valuable additions to your master list without leading you astray.
Step 3: Brainstorm Like a Pro
Sometimes the best keywords come straight from your brain. Start by sketching a grid of words related to your niche, focusing on:
- Problems your customer faces.
- Solutions you offer.
- Industry terms, services, and product features.
Combine keywords using:
- Prefixes: best, top, affordable, how to, guide
- Suffixes: near me, 2025, reviews, comparison
Once you’ve brainstormed your lists, merge them into thousands of potential combinations with the free tool Mergewords. This process unlocks hidden keyword opportunities and long-tail phrases.
A manual brainstorming session helps you unlock creative, niche-specific keyword opportunities that tools might miss. By organizing your ideas and using combinatory methods like Mergewords, you can scale your list with highly targeted, long-tail variations.
Step 4: Research Your Keyword List for Viability
With your draft list ready, it’s time to validate each keyword by asking:
- Are people talking about this topic online?
- Is the competition beatable?
- What’s the traffic potential?
Where to look:
- Reddit threads
- Quora questions
- Facebook Groups
- Slack communities
- Twitter (X) hashtags
Search for:
"keyword" forums"keyword" discussion board"keyword" community
Categorize your keywords into:
- High competition
- Moderate competition
- Low competition
Analyze competition:
- Check for low-quality pages ranking high (opportunity!).
- Use Ahrefs SEO Difficulty, KWFinder, or Moz for competitive scores.
- Consider factors like Domain Authority, Page Authority, backlink profiles, and social shares.
Validating your keyword list ensures you’re targeting words and winning opportunities. With community research and competitive analysis, you can prioritize keywords that are not only popular but also realistically achievable within your market.
Step 5: Discover Trends and Validate Traffic Potential
Now it’s time to future-proof your keyword list by tapping into trending topics and seasonal search behavior.
Tools to use:
These platforms help uncover:
- Common questions people ask.
- Rising trends in your niche.
- Popular content getting shared.
Estimate keyword traffic with:
How to check with Google Keyword Planner:
- Log in to Google Ads.
- Click Tools > Keyword Planner.
- Select Get search volume data and forecasts.
- Paste your keyword list.
- Choose your country and hit Get started.
Trends give you the power to stay ahead of the curve and capture traffic before your competition. By consistently monitoring search behaviors and validating traffic potential, you keep your keyword strategy fresh, relevant, and positioned for growth.
What Keywords Will Help You Rank Easily?
Not all keywords are created equal. The ones that will help you rank are:
- Low-competition keywords your competitors haven’t targeted.
- Keywords with a high search volume and low SEO difficulty.
- Long-tail keywords that align with specific user intent.
Focus on finding:
- Underserved topics.
- Questions that appear frequently but lack great content.
- Gaps in your competitor’s keyword strategy.
The best keywords are those that balance opportunity and attainability. By focusing on low-competition gaps and high-intent search terms, you’ll build a portfolio of keywords designed to drive traffic and conversions without battling industry giants.
Final Thoughts
Keyword research isn’t a one-and-done task. It’s an ongoing process that combines creativity, data, and strategy. By following these five steps, you’ll build a keyword list that drives real, meaningful traffic to your site.
Ready to take your SEO to the next level?
Start with relevance, dig deep into competitor data, validate your ideas, and uncover trending topics. That’s how you build keyword lists that rank.
Freelance Web Writer 
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