How to build a keyword list that actually ranks

Building a solid keyword list is one of the first and most important steps in any SEO strategy. Learning how to build a keyword list the right way helps you really understand what your audience is searching for, so you can create content that ranks well and attracts the right visitors.

In fact, around 68% of all online experiences start with a search engine. This means choosing the right keywords can connect you to a huge portion of your potential audience.

In this guide, we'll walk through a step-by-step process to brainstorm keywords, research them using popular tools, and refine your list for the best SEO results. We'll also cover how to include long-tail keywords and consider search intent, so your keyword list is both SEO-friendly and audience-focused.

Step 1: Identify your audience & brainstorm seed keywords

Start by thinking about your audience: who are they, what do they care about, and how might they search for your product, service, or content?

Then brainstorm seed keywords, simple words or phrases related to your business or topic. These will be the foundation for more detailed keyword research.

Here are some tips to help:

• List broad topics: What general themes relate to your business? For a shoe store, examples could be “running shoes” or “shoe care.”

• Think about your customer’s problems: What questions are they asking? What issues are they trying to solve?

• Use your niche knowledge: Include synonyms, slang, or jargon your audience might use.

• Check forums and reviews: Look at how people talk in online communities or social media. Their language can spark keyword ideas.

• Use tools or collaborate: Chat with others or use tools like Google Autocomplete or ChatGPT to expand your list.

Don’t worry about being perfect, just write down anything relevant. Try to include some specific phrases too. For example, instead of just “running shoes,” think of “best running shoes for flat feet.” Specific keywords often have less competition and attract more targeted visitors.

Finally, keep your audience in mind. What would your ideal customer type into Google? Write down their questions and needs. By the end, you should have a list of general and specific seed keywords to move forward with.

Step 2: Use keyword tools to expand your list

Now that you have some seed keywords, use keyword research tools to find more ideas and get helpful data like search volume and competition.

Here are some great tools to try:

• Google Keyword Planner (free): Shows related keywords and how often people search for them. It’s a solid starting point based on real Google search data.

• Ahrefs Keywords Explorer (paid): Gives tons of keyword ideas, search volumes, difficulty scores, and even shows what pages rank for each keyword. You can also check which keywords your competitors rank for.

• SEMrush (paid): Use the Keyword Magic Tool to explore thousands of keywords, and the Keyword Overview to see search volume, trends, and keyword difficulty. The Keyword Gap tool shows keywords your competitors use that you might be missing.

• Ubersuggest (free/freemium): A user-friendly tool that suggests long-tail keywords based on Google Autocomplete. It also shows search volume, SEO difficulty, and competitor data.

• InPages : Spy on competitors (paid)

  Analyze competitor websites to uncover powerful keyword and ad insights.

  

  • Discover your competitors’ top organic keywords and how much traffic they bring.

  • See the exact paid ads your competitors are running.

  • Find every keyword they’re bidding on.
    Great for identifying opportunities and reverse-engineering successful SEO and PPC strategies.

• Other tools to try:

  • Moz Keyword Explorer: Has a free trial and a helpful “Priority” score.

  • AnswerThePublic: Great for question-based keywords.

  • Google Trends: See if a keyword is rising or seasonal.

  • Google Search itself: Check “People Also Ask” and “Related searches” for new ideas.

How to use these tools:

Start with a seed keyword and plug it into one or more tools. Write down any useful keyword suggestions you find. For example, starting from “running shoes for wide feet,” you might discover “best running shoes for wide feet” or “wide feet running tips.”

Don’t worry about narrowing things down yet, just gather as many useful ideas as you can. Not every keyword you find will be useful, and that’s fine. For now, just focus on collecting a wide range of ideas, you’ll clean it up in the next step.

Tools for content marketing analytics can help you track ROI and double down on what works.

Step 3: Refine your keywords (filter by volume, competition & intent)

After collecting a large list of keyword ideas, it’s time to clean it up and focus on the ones that matter most. This step helps you find keywords that are relevant, searchable, and achievable.

How to refine your list:

• Remove irrelevant keywords: Delete any terms that don’t match your topic. If a keyword sounds related but doesn’t fit your content or audience, get rid of it.

• Check search volume: Focus on keywords that people actually search. A mix of high-volume and lower-volume long-tail keywords is ideal. Low-volume terms can still be valuable if they’re highly relevant and specific.

  

• Check competition (Keyword Difficulty): Most tools give a difficulty score (0–100). Go for keywords with low to medium difficulty, especially if your site is new. High-difficulty keywords are more competitive and harder to rank for.

  

• Understand search intent: Ask yourself what the searcher wants. Are they looking for information (like a guide), or are they ready to buy? Keep keywords that match the content you plan to create. For example, “best running shoes for wide feet” is a good fit for a review article, while “buy running shoes online” may be better suited for e-commerce sites.

• Group similar keywords: Combine similar terms under the same topic. Pick one main (primary) keyword per group, and treat the rest as secondary keywords to mention in your content.

By the end of this process, you should have a refined list of keywords that are relevant, have decent search volume, and are realistic to rank for.

Example :

Long-tail keywords like “how to choose running shoes for wide feet” may have fewer searches, but they show clear intent and those users are often closer to taking action (buying, subscribing, etc.).

“Roughly seventy percent of page views are the direct result of long-tailed keywords”

- Wordstream

Use this Blog Post SEO Checklist 2025 to keep your content up-to-date and search-ready.

Use long-tail keywords & understand search intent

We’ve touched on this already, but it’s worth focusing on long-tail keywords and search intent because they are critical to building a purposeful keyword list.

What are long-tail keywords?

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases (usually 3+ words) that target niche topics.

The long-tail version gets fewer searches, but it’s much more targeted and likely to convert. The searcher knows what they want, and if your content matches, you’ve got a great chance to win that click.

Why use long-tail keywords?

• Lower competition : Easier to rank for, especially for new sites

• Higher intent : Users are closer to taking action

• Cumulative value : Individually low volume, but collectively they drive most search traffic

Include plenty of long-tail keywords in your list, they help you connect with the exact people your content is meant for.

What is search intent (and why it matters)?

Search intent = the reason behind a search. What is the user actually trying to do?

Understanding intent ensures you offer the right kind of content for each keyword. Google favors pages that match the searcher’s goal.

Main types of search intent:

Before keeping a keyword, ask: What is this person looking for?
If you can’t satisfy that intent with your content (example : it’s a transactional query but you don’t sell products), it’s probably not worth keeping.

“Satisfying search intent is ultimately Google’s #1 goal”

- Backlinko

Why this matters for SEO

Matching keyword intent to your content means:

• Better user satisfaction

• Higher engagement (clicks, time on page, conversions)

• Higher rankings : Google rewards relevance

You're not just choosing keywords, you’re choosing the right type of content to match real search goals.

SEO-friendly best practices for your keyword list

At this point, you’ve built a strong keyword list based on relevance, data, and user intent. Now, let’s make sure you’re using it effectively by following these SEO best practices:

1. Focus on quality, not quantity

It’s far better to have 20 highly relevant keywords than 1,000 loosely related ones.
Each keyword on your list should directly support your content, business, or audience goals.

So, if a keyword doesn’t clearly connect to your offering, it’s probably not worth keeping.

Wondering how many keywords to use? Check out our article on how many keywords for SEO : Best practices for 2025

2. Group and map keywords to content

Organize your keywords into clusters based on topic or intent (product-focused, questions, comparisons).
Then assign each cluster to a specific page or content type (blog post, product page, FAQ).

This keyword mapping prevents overlap and ensures each page has a clear keyword focus, avoiding internal competition.

3. Match content to intent

Understand what users want when they search a keyword, and deliver it:

• Informational → write guides, tutorials, or how-to posts

• Comparative → create product reviews, lists, or “best of” articles

• Transactional → optimize product or landing pages

Ask yourself: If I searched this term and landed on my page, would I be satisfied with the result?

4. Use keywords naturally

Avoid keyword stuffing. Google penalizes content that overuses keywords in an unnatural way.

Use your main keyword in:

• Title and H1

• Meta description

• First 100 words

• 1–2 subheadings

• A few natural mentions in the body text

Use related and secondary keywords where they fit, like in FAQs or subtopics.
Modern search engines understand synonyms and context, so write for humans first, then optimize for search.

Learn how to avoid keyword stuffing while keeping your content optimized and user-friendly.

5. Keep your list fresh

SEO is not set-and-forget. Revisit your list regularly, at least every 3–6 months to:

• Discover new trends or keywords

• Remove outdated or irrelevant terms

• Track what’s actually driving traffic via Google Search Console

• Expand on what’s already working

This helps you stay ahead of trends and continuously refine your strategy.

6. Always align with your audience & goals

High volume means nothing if it doesn’t attract the right people.
Make sure each keyword reflects what your target audience is actually searching for and leads them to valuable content or offers.

Avoid the temptation of chasing irrelevant high-volume terms, they may bring traffic, but not results.

Focus on keywords that support real business goals: attracting buyers, building authority, or answering real user questions.

Final thoughts :

A solid keyword list isn’t just about SEO, it’s about understanding people.
What are they really searching for? What do they need? Start there.

Use the right tools, sure. But also trust your instinct.
Look for keywords that fit your world, your goals, and your audience’s real questions.

It’s not just about getting clicks, it’s about showing up with answers that matter.

And remember: things change.
New trends pop up, people search differently. Keep tweaking, testing, and growing.

If you lead with purpose and put user intent first, your keyword list will become a powerful tool, not just for SEO, but for building trust, authority, and long-term growth.

You’ve got the keywords, now let’s make them work for you.
Check out: Blog Post SEO Checklist 2025 and start building content that ranks and resonates !