Find Keywords

# Find Keywords

Build a prioritized keyword universe from a seed topic using intent mapping,
difficulty-adjusted opportunity scoring, and cluster seeding.

## Before You Start

Gather this context (ask if not provided):

1. **Domain and goal.** What site is this for? What is the primary conversion (leads, sign-ups, sales, traffic)?
2. **Seed topic.** The core subject area — not a single keyword but the business category (e.g., "project management software", "personal injury law Chicago").
3. **Existing rankings.** Does the site already rank for terms in this area? Existing rankings tell you where to defend vs. expand.
4. **Constraints.** Budget, team size, content velocity — these determine whether to chase head terms or focus on long-tail.

## Step 0: Cannibalization Screen

Before building a new keyword list, check what the site already targets. Creating
a new page for a keyword you already rank for can split authority and hurt both pages.

For each keyword you're considering:

1. **Search `site:yourdomain.com [keyword]`** — does an existing page already target this term?
2. **Check Google Search Console** — is an existing page already getting impressions for this keyword?
3. If yes: **update the existing page** instead of creating a new one.
4. If multiple pages rank for the same keyword: you have a cannibalization problem. Consolidate before expanding.

### Low-Hanging Fruit Check

Before chasing new keywords, look for existing wins:

- **Positions 11-20** — You're almost on page 1. These keywords need content improvements or better internal linking, not new pages.
- **High impressions, low clicks** — Title/meta description optimization can unlock traffic without new content.
- **Declining positions** — Keywords where you're losing ground may need content refreshes (see recover-content).

Address these before building net-new keyword lists.

## Keyword Universe Construction

Build the universe in three tiers:

### Tier 1 — Head Terms (high volume, high difficulty)

- Typically 1-2 words
- Define the category
- Target with pillar pages or the homepage
- Realistic timeline: 6-18 months for new sites

### Tier 2 — Body Terms (medium volume, medium difficulty)

- Typically 2-3 words, specific enough to indicate intent
- Target with dedicated landing pages or cluster articles
- 3-6 month window for established sites

### Tier 3 — Long-tail Terms (lower volume, low difficulty)

- 3+ words, specific intent
- Fastest to rank, highest conversion rate
- Target with blog posts, FAQ sections, supporting content
- 4-12 week window for fresh content

For each tier, produce:

| Keyword | Monthly Volume | Difficulty (0-100) | Intent | Tier | Priority |
|---------|---------------|-------------------|--------|------|----------|
| ... | ... | ... | informational / transactional / navigational / commercial | 1/2/3 | high / medium / low |

## Intent Classification

Classify every keyword by search intent and sub-category:

### Informational (user wants to learn)

| Sub-category | Signal Words | Example | Content Type |
|-------------|-------------|---------|-------------|
| Educational | what, why, definition, explain | "what is SEO" | Guide, explainer |
| Instructional | how to, steps, tutorial, guide | "how to set up GA4" | Step-by-step tutorial |
| Exploratory | types of, techniques, strategies | "link building techniques" | Comprehensive roundup |
| Troubleshooting | not working, fix, error, why is | "why is my site not ranking" | Diagnostic guide |

### Commercial Investigation (user is evaluating)

| Sub-ca