Why keyword research is more than just SEO
Many businesses approach keyword research as part of search engine optimisation as a one-off task—a simple spreadsheet of recommended terms that can be plugged into their website. But this approach barely scratches the surface of what in-depth keyword research can achieve. When done strategically, keyword research is not just about rankings; it’s about understanding your audience, shaping your positioning, and driving every aspect of your marketing strategy.
it’s about understanding your audience, shaping your positioning, and driving every aspect of your marketing strategy.
How it affects business strategy
Keyword research isn’t just about finding words with high search volume—it’s about discovering what your target audience is actually searching for. This data provides critical insight into consumer intent, industry trends, and gaps in your current marketing approach. The right keywords don’t just belong on your website; they should influence how you position your business, your brand messaging, and even your product offerings.
The right keywords don’t just belong on your website; they should influence how you position your business
If you’re rebranding, shifting your tone of voice, or trying to improve conversions, a deep dive into keyword research is non-negotiable. It ensures that your messaging aligns with what your audience truly wants and searches for, rather than what you assume they need.
When keyword research isn’t used: A real world example
Let’s look at a real-world scenario where keyword research reshaped an entire industry’s marketing strategy.
A paint company had been marketing its products using emotive, abstract paint names like “Amazon Mist” and “Coastal Serenity.” These are example names to highlight the point. This was common practice in the industry, with brands assuming that unique names would help differentiate their paints. However, when the company conducted in-depth keyword research, they discovered a crucial insight:
- Consumers weren’t searching for “Amazon Mist Paint”—they were searching for “Dark Green Paint”.
- Their competitors weren’t ranking well for basic colour descriptions either, leaving a huge opportunity.
- By failing to align product names with how real people searched, they were missing out on high-intent customers actively looking for products like theirs.
This revelation completely changed their business model. Instead of relying solely on abstract names, they began using a dual-naming strategy: pairing the creative name with the actual colour (e.g., “Amazon Green”).
The result? Higher search rankings, improved conversions, and a shift in industry-wide best practices. Today, even high-end brands like Farrow & Ball have adopted this strategy.
Results should be used holistically
Keyword research shouldn’t live in isolation. It needs to be integrated across all marketing channels to ensure a consistent, data-backed approach to positioning and messaging. Here’s how:
- Website SEO – Optimising landing pages, blogs, and product descriptions using terms people actually search for.
- Content Marketing – Developing blog topics, video content, and lead magnets around in-demand search queries.
- PPC & Paid Ads – Ensuring ad copy and bidding strategies align with high-value search intent.
- Social Media Strategy – Aligning hashtags and post topics with trending industry search terms.
- Brand Messaging & Tone of Voice – Crafting slogans and descriptions that resonate with real user language.
The Importance of Competitor & Trend Analysis
Keyword research doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it must be cross-checked against:
- Competitor Analysis – Are your competitors ranking for keywords you’ve ignored? Are they optimising for terms that may not actually drive conversions?
- Google Trends – Is search volume for certain terms increasing or declining? Is there seasonality to how people search in your industry? Google Trends provides valuable insights into keyword popularity over time, helping businesses spot opportunities and avoid declining trends.
- Company Goals – Do these keywords align with your actual business objectives, or are they just vanity metrics?
Understanding these factors ensures that your strategy is future-proofed, adaptable, and aligned with long-term growth.
The bottom line: Keyword research is more than SEO—it’s business intelligence
Anyone can plug keywords into a website, but doing it strategically is what makes the difference. In-depth keyword research isn’t just about ranking higher on Google—it’s about ensuring that every marketing and business decision is driven by real audience data.
When done right, it can transform the way you speak to your customers, the products you promote, and even how you position your brand in the marketplace. Whether you’re planning a website revamp, a marketing campaign, or a full-scale rebrand, never overlook this critical step.
Keyword research isn’t just part of search engine optimisation—it’s a cornerstone of business success. As a trusted SEO and website design company, we understand that effective keyword research is essential for driving targeted traffic and conversions. Make sure you’re treating it as such.
