Keyword Research in 2025: Beyond Search Volume
Stop obsessing over search volume. Seriously.
Every week we talk to companies who chose keywords based solely on how many searches they get. "Email marketing software" gets 50,000 searches/month, so that's what we should target, right?
Wrong. That keyword is dominated by enterprise brands with millions in backlinks and domain authority you'll never match. You'll spend six months creating content that never cracks page 3.
Here's what matters instead.
Search Volume is a Vanity Metric
High search volume looks impressive in a spreadsheet. But it tells you nothing about:
- Whether you can actually rank
- Whether searchers will click your result
- Whether traffic will convert
- Whether the keyword matches your business
A keyword with 100 searches/month that you can rank for and that converts at 5% is worth infinitely more than a keyword with 10,000 searches that you'll never rank for.
Reality check: Most of your best-performing keywords will have "low" search volume. That's not a bug—it's a feature. Low competition + high intent beats high volume + impossible to rank every single time.
What Actually Matters in 2025
1. Keyword Difficulty (Can You Rank?)
Before you write a single word, check who's already ranking. If the top 10 results are all Forbes, HubSpot, and Salesforce, move on—unless you have comparable authority.
Look at:
- Domain authority of top rankers: Are they all 80+ DR, or is there a mix?
- Content depth: Are they all 3,000+ word guides, or shorter posts?
- Backlink count: Do top results have hundreds of backlinks, or dozens?
If you're a startup competing with enterprise brands, you need different keywords.
Better strategy: Find adjacent keywords where competition is thinner. Instead of "project management software," try "project management software for remote teams" or "project management software for agencies."
2. Search Intent (Will They Click You?)
Search intent is why someone is searching. It's the difference between:
- "What is SEO" (informational)
- "Best SEO tools" (commercial investigation)
- "Buy Ahrefs subscription" (transactional)
If you write an informational guide when people want a product comparison, you won't rank—even if the keyword is "easy."
How to check intent: Google the keyword. Look at what's ranking:
- Blog posts = informational
- Product pages = transactional
- Listicles/comparisons = commercial
Match your content format to what's already winning.
3. Business Value (Will They Convert?)
Some keywords drive traffic that never converts. Classic example: "Free X" attracts tire-kickers who'll never pay.
Ask yourself:
- Does this searcher have buying intent, or are they just browsing?
- If they land on our site, what's the logical next step?
- Are they our target customer, or someone entirely different?
Example: If you sell B2B SaaS, a keyword like "how to use Excel" might drive huge traffic—but none of those people are ready to buy software. Better to target "Excel alternatives for financial teams" even if volume is lower.
4. Ranking Opportunity (The Gaps Your Competitors Missed)
The best keywords are the ones your competitors haven't targeted yet. These are gems because:
- Lower competition
- Easier to rank
- Often high intent (because they're specific)
How to find them:
- Look at "People also ask" boxes on Google
- Check competitor keyword gaps (what they rank for that you don't)
- Use autocomplete and related searches
- Look at Reddit, Quora, and forums for questions people are actually asking
These longtail, specific queries often convert better than broad head terms.
The Keyword Research Process That Actually Works
Step 1: Start with Topics, Not Keywords
What are the 5-10 topics your ideal customer cares about? For a project management tool, that might be: remote work, productivity, team collaboration, project planning, and workflow automation.
Step 2: Find Subtopics
For each topic, brainstorm 10-20 subtopics. For "remote work," that could include: remote team communication, async work, virtual meetings, etc.
Step 3: Check Difficulty and Intent
Plug those subtopics into a keyword tool. Filter by difficulty (aim for keywords you can actually rank for) and intent (match what you want to create).
Step 4: Prioritize by Business Value
Not all keywords are equal. Rank them by:
- Can we rank? (difficulty)
- Will they click? (intent match)
- Will they convert? (business value)
Choose the keywords that score high on all three.
Step 5: Create a Content Cluster
Instead of targeting isolated keywords, build clusters around a topic. One pillar page + 5-10 supporting articles that link to each other. This builds topical authority faster than random posts.
Common Keyword Research Mistakes
Mistake #1: Targeting Keywords That Don't Match Your Product
If you sell accounting software, ranking for "accounting basics" won't help. Those searchers aren't ready to buy.
Mistake #2: Ignoring Long-Tail Keywords
Head terms ("SEO") are nearly impossible to rank for. Long-tail variations ("SEO for local service businesses") are easier and often convert better.
Mistake #3: Not Updating Your Keyword Strategy
Search trends change. A keyword that was easy in 2023 might be competitive in 2025. Review and update quarterly.
The Pensteady Difference
Our system doesn't just find keywords—it finds rankable keywords that match your business goals. We analyze:
- Current competition levels
- Your site's authority vs. top rankers
- Search intent alignment
- Business value for your specific product
Then we prioritize the keywords you can actually win—and build a publishing schedule around them.
Start Smarter Keyword Research Today
Next time you're choosing keywords, ask:
- Can I realistically rank for this?
- Does the search intent match what I'm creating?
- Will these visitors convert?
If you can't answer "yes" to all three, keep looking.
Want to find the right keywords for your business? Try Pensteady free and let us handle the research.