9 Experts Share Solutions to Keyword Research Challenges
Keyword research is a critical component of any successful SEO strategy, but it comes with its own set of challenges. This article presents practical solutions to common keyword research hurdles, as shared by industry experts. Discover how to refine your approach and unlock the full potential of your SEO efforts with these expert-backed strategies.
- Focus on Long-Tail Keywords with Intent
- Map Customer Journey for Each Keyword
- Create Micro-Content Clusters for Niche Brands
- Simplify Research with Specific Phrases
- Develop a Cross-Validation System for Keywords
- Use Google Trends to Track Seasonal
- Target Customer Behavior Not Search Volume
- Own Emerging Terms Through Content Creation
- Leverage Search Console for Local Keywords
Focus on Long-Tail Keywords with Intent
One of the biggest challenges I faced with keyword research was cutting through the noise to find keywords that weren't just high in volume, but high in intent. Early on, I made the mistake of chasing broad keywords that looked impressive on paper but didn't convert or match what my audience was really searching for.
I overcame it by shifting my focus to long-tail keywords and diving deeper into search intent. Instead of just relying on keyword tools, I started analyzing SERPs manually - looking at the type of content that was ranked and the questions people were actually asking. I also used my own customer conversations and FAQs as inspiration for more targeted phrases.
A tip for others: don't just go by volume. Think like your customer. If a keyword doesn't clearly signal what someone wants or needs, it might not be worth the effort - no matter how "popular" it may seem. Prioritize clarity and intent over clicks.
Map Customer Journey for Each Keyword
One of the hardest things I've found is figuring out how to determine differences between keywords that appear similar but lead to different directions. When it comes to AI solutions, words like "AI content generation," "generative AI," and "automated writing tools" might all be aiming for the same set of customers, but they will attract users in a different stage of the funnel. We tried at the beginning to group this into wide campaigns, but the targeting was inadequate, and all that brought us were high bounce rates and weak conversion rates (up to 30% below set of segmented keywords).
That all changed once we began to view each keyword cluster as its OWN ECOSYSTEM OF INTENT. We mapped the customer journey around each phrase, focusing on what the searcher is actually looking to solve. This involved crafting landing pages for each intent segment and writing content that met them exactly where they were at. To those of you who have the same problem: my advice is to stop clustering according to meaning similarity and begin clustering according to intent trajectory. Study SERP results, see what type of content is ranking, and then reverse-engineer the intent of the query.
Create Micro-Content Clusters for Niche Brands
The biggest challenge I've faced with keyword research was aligning high-intent, low-competition keywords with my ecosystem of niche brands—especially when managing multiple websites, such as FemFounder, The Money Daily, and KristinKMarquet.co. Each property has its unique audience, voice, and content pillars, so generic SEO strategies were ineffective.
To overcome this, I started creating micro-content clusters around ultra-specific search intents—such as "pricing confidence for service-based solopreneurs" instead of just "pricing strategy." I used Google Search Console and Pinterest Trends to validate what people were searching for, then tied those insights to my lead magnets and templates. My tip: don't chase volume—chase alignment. Select keywords that align with your product pathway and create clusters that educate, establish trust, and convert within your sales funnel.
Simplify Research with Specific Phrases
When I first started dipping my toes into keyword research, the overwhelming amount of data threw me off. I mean, you've got search volumes, competition levels, trend analyses—it can get pretty dizzying trying to sort what's useful from what's not. I spent hours just staring at numbers, trying to make sense of it all, and ended up more confused than when I began.
What really turned things around for me was learning to focus on long-tail keywords. These are the more specific, less competitive phrases. They might have lower search volumes, but they're gold because the traffic they attract is usually more targeted and ready to engage. Starting with these helped me avoid getting bogged down by the massive amount of highly competitive keywords. Plus, I used tools like Google's Keyword Planner and also started paying attention to the 'People also ask' and 'Related searches' sections on search pages for inspiration. These changes made my research way more manageable and my campaigns more effective.
If you're finding the whole keyword research thing a mess, try not to bite off more than you can chew. Break it down, start with the specifics, and use readily available tools to simplify your analysis. You'll get a hang of it much quicker this way. Remember, at the end of the day, it's all about finding those sweet spots that others might be overlooking.
Develop a Cross-Validation System for Keywords
The most challenging aspect of keyword research is the variety of data that tools provide. As a reputation agency that frequently uses keyword research tools, I have observed wildly varying volumes and difficulty scores between tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Keyword Planner. For instance, one tool might indicate that a keyword has 2.4K monthly searches, while another reports fewer than 200 - potentially leading you in the wrong strategic direction if you take the data at face value.
To address this issue, we developed a cross-validation system where any target keyword must pass an organized three-tier filter:
1. Relevance: Does it truly support the user's intent and our brand's narrative?
2. Consistency: Is it viable using at least 2 of 3 methods?
3. Performance testing: We validate on small content for early ranking traction.
By implementing this system, we were able to reduce wasted content effort by 35% or more. If you find yourself grappling with this issue, my advice is to start thinking deeply about SERP behavior, which content types are becoming most popular, and your actual search intent. Keyword tools provide hints, but you will primarily see the solution based on patterns and your insights.
Use Google Trends to Track Seasonal
One of the biggest challenges we've faced with keyword research is the seasonal nature of search demand. Keywords that perform well today may not hold the same value in a couple of months, leading to fluctuations in search volume. This can make it tricky to maintain consistent traffic over time.
We've made Google Trends an essential part of our keyword research strategy to address this. By monitoring trends over time, we can pinpoint which keywords are currently gaining traction and adjust our focus accordingly. This allows us to stay ahead of seasonal shifts and ensures that our content is always optimized for the most relevant search terms.
My tip for others facing this challenge is simple: don't just rely on static keyword volume data. Use Google Trends to track fluctuations and adjust your strategy as trends evolve.
This approach will help keep your content fresh and relevant, even in the face of changing search behaviors.
Target Customer Behavior Not Search Volume
I once spent over 30 hours building content for "Mexico City airport transfers"—only to realize I was targeting the wrong intent.
As the owner of Mexico-City-Private-Driver.com, I initially thought that high-volume keywords like "Mexico City airport taxi" or "Uber from MEX" were the key to success. However, the traffic I attracted consisted of cheap clicks, price shoppers, and people seeking $10 rides. My service, being premium, private, bilingual, and tailored, was attracting the wrong audience entirely.
The turning point came when I realized I needed to reverse my approach. Instead of starting with keyword tools, I began with the customer. I rewrote my SEO strategy based on actual customer behavior, asking myself: "What kind of person wants a reliable, English-speaking private driver for their first time in Mexico City?" I interviewed real clients, analyzed my most profitable bookings, and then searched for long-tail keywords that mirrored their actual questions—phrases like "safe airport transportation CDMX with luggage help" or "private bilingual driver from Aeromexico Terminal 2."
This shift tripled my conversion rate. The bounce rate dropped by 47%, and my best-performing landing page now brings in over $7,000 USD in bookings per month, solely from organic traffic.
Tip for others: Don't chase search volume—chase alignment. Use keyword tools to validate, but start by listening to your customers. What words do they use when they reach out? What do they worry about? What do they need to feel peace of mind?
Keyword research isn't about traffic—it's about finding your people. When I learned that, my business stopped getting clicks and started getting clients.
Own Emerging Terms Through Content Creation
Hi Marketers Magazine Team,
I'm the co-founder and CEO of WDR Aspen, a full-service marketing agency.
One big challenge for a wellness brand we recently started working with is the lack of search volume for emerging terms. When we helped a client launch a supplement with a new concept, keyword tools gave us no results.
Instead of waiting, we created our own demand: we built a topic cluster, educated our audience, and got featured in niche roundups. Within months, we started showing up in autocomplete because we became the source.
Tip: If search tools say "0," but your audience cares, own the term before anyone else does.
Hope this helps with your piece! Let me know if you'd like more insight--I'm happy to share.
Olivier De Ridder
Co-founder & CEO, WDR Aspen
olivier@wdraspen.com
https://wdraspen.com/our-team/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivier-de-ridder-a4666b11/
Leverage Search Console for Local Keywords
One of the biggest challenges I've faced with keyword research is that my business targets a local area, meaning many of the most lucrative keywords never appear in Ahrefs, SEMrush, or similar tools due to their low search volume. This makes it hard to prepare a plan for content and SEO, as the data needed to form a strategy isn't available until after you actually start publishing content.
The best way I've found to overcome this is to start by targeting more general keywords, then use the data provided by Google Search Console to identify low-volume, high-intent keywords that are closely related to my core product offering. These keywords can then be targeted with highly specific pages. This strategy can be great for ranking quickly for keywords that convert exceptionally well, as the fact that these keywords are "hidden" from the major SEO tools means they have limited competition from big businesses with strong domains.
I recommend every SEO-focused small business owner do a monthly or quarterly audit of their Search Console impression data to find these keywords, then use them to form a list for their content marketing plan.
