What is Keyword Research for SEO? A Beginner’s Guide for Female Entrepreneurs

Ever poured your heart into a blog post, sales page, or product listing—only for it to get zero traffic? Yeah, me too. It sucks. The internet is noisy, and getting your business in front of the right people can feel impossible.

But here’s the thing: your ideal clients are out there, searching for exactly what you offer. The problem? If you’re not using the right words in the right places, they’ll never find you.

That’s where keyword research comes in.

What is keyword research?

Keyword research is the process of finding the exact words and phrases your audience is typing into Google (and other search platforms) so you can create content that actually gets seen.

It’s about understanding what people are searching for, why they’re searching for it, and how you can show up as the answer.

For female entrepreneurs, small business owners, and bloggers, keyword research is the foundation of a strong online presence.

It helps you:

• Get found on Google without paying for ads
• Attract the right audience—people who are already looking for your content, services, or products
• Stop relying on social media alone and build long-term visibility
• Turn your website into a traffic-generating machine instead of a digital business card no one visits

Why is keyword research important for entrepreneurs & content creators

Say you’ve started a business selling productivity planners.

You’ve spent hours writing a detailed blog post titled “How I Stay Organised Every Day” and hit publish, feeling proud of your work.

Weeks go by, and… nothing. Barely any views. No comments. No sign-ups.

Why? Because no one is searching for “How I Stay Organised Every Day.”

People looking for planners and organisation tips are typing in things like:

• Best daily planner for busy entrepreneurs
• How to create a morning routine for working mums that sticks
• Best planners for ADHD business owners

If your content doesn’t match what people are actually searching for, Google won’t serve it up in search results.

And if Google doesn’t serve it up, your dream audience never finds you.

What the keyword research process can do for your small business

Keyword research takes the guesswork out of content creation.

Instead of writing what you think people want, you’ll create content that’s strategically aligned with what they’re actually searching for.

With the right keyword research, you can:

• Attract the right audience—people who are already searching for what you offer
• Increase your website traffic—without spending money on ads
• Create content that drives real results—not just random page views
• Improve your Google rankings—so your website gets found consistently

Before we get into the how to do keyword research, I want to quickly explain why doing keyword research will help you get your website at the top of the search results page.

How Google uses keywords to rank websites

Google’s goal is to deliver the most relevant search results for every query.

It does this by matching the words someone types into the search bar with the content on different websites.

For example, if someone searches for “best planners for entrepreneurs”, Google will look for websites that include that phrase—or similar ones—on their pages.

But just using a keyword isn’t enough.

Google also looks at:

• Where the keyword appears (titles, headings, body text)
• How useful the page is (does it answer the searcher’s question?)
• How many other websites link to it (which signals authority)

This is why keyword research is so important. 

If you know what people are searching for, you can create content that Google sees as relevant, useful, and worth ranking.

The different types of keywords: short-tail keywords vs. long-tail keywords

Not all keywords are created equal.

Some are highly competitive and broad, while others are more specific and easier to rank for. Understanding the difference is key to choosing the right keywords for your business.

Short-tail keywords

Short-tail keywords are usually one to two words long and cover general topics.

For example: planners

The problem?

• Highly competitive – Millions of websites are trying to rank for the same term.
• Vague search intent – Someone searching for “planners” could be looking for anything from event planning services to printable calendars.
• Harder to rank for – Large businesses with strong domain authority dominate these searches.

If you’re just starting out, trying to rank for short-tail keywords is like shouting into a crowded room—you’re competing with everyone and struggling to stand out.

Long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are more descriptive phrases, usually three or more words long.

For example: best daily planners for female entrepreneurs

They work better for you because there’s:

• Less competition – Fewer businesses target ultra-specific search terms, giving you a better chance to rank.
• Clear search intent – Someone searching “best daily planners for female entrepreneurs” is much more likely to be looking to buy a planner than someone just searching “planners”.
• Higher conversion rates – Because long-tail keywords attract people who know exactly what they’re looking for, they often convert better than short-tail keywords.

Think of short-tail keywords like a crowded high street—everyone’s fighting for attention, and customers are overwhelmed with options.

Long-tail keywords are like a boutique tucked away in a niche area, where people come looking for exactly what you offer. They might not bring as much traffic, but the visitors they do bring are more likely to buy.

When building your SEO (search engine optimisation) strategy, focus on long-tail keywords first. They’re the fastest way to get found by the right audience, without getting lost in a sea of competition.

How to find the right keywords for your business

Without a shadow of a doubt, keyword research is the foundation of a solid SEO strategy—but if you’re new to it, it can feel overwhelming.

The good news?

You don’t need fancy software or an SEO agency to get started.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to finding the right keywords that will actually bring traffic to your site.

Step 1: Brainstorm your core topics

Before diving into keyword tools, start by thinking about what your audience is searching for.

Ask yourself:

• What problems does my audience have?
• What questions do they ask me most often?
• What topics am I already creating content around?

For example, if you’re a business coach, your audience might be searching for:

• How to get more clients as a freelancer
• Best pricing strategies for coaches
• How to set up an email funnel for online sales

You don’t need an SEO tool to figure this out—just put yourself in your audience’s shoes.

💡 Pro Tip: If you’re stuck, look at the FAQs in your industry, check competitor websites, read people also ask questions on Google or scroll through comments on Instagram, Facebook groups, or Reddit to see what questions people ask.

Step 2: Use keyword research tools

Once you have a few broad topics in mind, it’s time to dig deeper using keyword tools.

These will show you:

• How many people are searching for a keyword each month (search volume)
• How competitive it is to rank for that keyword
• Related keyword ideas you might not have thought of

Here are free and paid tools you can use:

Free Keyword Research Tools:

• Google Keyword Planner – Great for basic keyword research (requires a free Google Ads account).
• Ubersuggest – Simple and beginner-friendly, with free limited searches per day.
• AnswerThePublic – Shows common questions people ask around a keyword.

Paid Keyword Research Tools (More Advanced):

• SEMrush – Comprehensive keyword and competitor research tool.
• Ahrefs – Excellent for analysing keyword difficulty and backlinks.
• Moz Keyword Explorer – User-friendly keyword research tool.

If you’re just starting out, stick with the free tools—you can always upgrade later as your strategy grows.

Step 3: Analyse search volume & competition

Once you have a list of potential keywords, you need to figure out which ones are worth targeting.

Two key factors to consider:

• Search Volume – How many people are searching for this keyword each month? (Higher isn’t always better.)
• Keyword Difficulty (Competition Level) – How hard will it be to rank for this keyword?

A keyword like “how to start an online business” might have thousands of monthly searches—but that also means huge competition from established websites.

A better approach?

Look for low-competition, high-value keywords.

Instead of “business coaching” (high competition), try “business coaching for female entrepreneurs” (less competition, more targeted).

Instead of “best planners”, try “best daily planners for busy mums”.

Smaller, niche keywords are easier to rank for and bring in more relevant traffic.

Step 4: Identify long-tail keywords for better results

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific keyword phrases. They may get fewer searches per month, but they also tend to:

• Have less competition
• Attract higher-converting traffic
• Be easier to rank for

Think of short-tail keywords as broad topics and long-tail keywords as specific solutions your audience is actually looking for.

Step 5: Check search intent

Even if a keyword has great search volume and low competition, it won’t work if the search intent is wrong.

Let’s say you run an online shop selling digital planners. You find that “best free planners” has high search volume. Sounds great, right?

Wrong.

Someone searching for “best free planners” isn’t looking to buy—they want something for free. Instead, a keyword like “best digital planners for productivity” attracts people ready to purchase.

Step 6: Prioritise & organise your keywords

You’ve done the research—now it’s time to turn it into a strategy.

Here’s how to organise your keywords effectively:

1. Create a keyword research spreadsheet

Track your keywords in a simple Google Sheet with columns for:

• Keyword
• Search Volume
• Competition Level
• Search Intent (Informational, Commercial, Transactional)
• Best Type of Content for This Keyword

2. Group keywords by topic

If you’ve found similar keywords, group them together to create content clusters.

For example: If you run a business coaching website, you might have:

Topic: Pricing for Coaches

• Keyword 1: How to price your coaching services
• Keyword 2: Best pricing strategies for coaches
• Keyword 3: Coaching packages pricing guide

Topic: Finding Clients

• Keyword 1: How to get more coaching clients
• Keyword 2: Best ways to attract coaching clients
• Keyword 3: How to use social media to get clients

Instead of writing one blog post on pricing, you can create a whole series, linking them together. This boosts SEO and makes Google see you as an expert in that topic.

4 common keyword research mistakes to avoid

Keyword research is one of the most powerful tools in your SEO strategy—but only if you’re doing it right. Many business owners and bloggers make simple mistakes that keep them from getting real results.

Avoid these common pitfalls:

1. Guessing your keywords instead of using data

Thinking you “know” what people are searching for is risky. Just because a phrase makes sense to you doesn’t mean it’s what your audience is actually typing into Google. Always use keyword research tools (like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or AnswerThePublic) to back up your choices with real data.

2. Targeting only high-competition keywords

Many beginners think ranking for popular, high-volume keywords is the goal. But big, competitive keywords are often impossible to rank for unless you have a well-established website. Instead, focus on low-competition, high-intent keywords that give you a realistic chance of appearing in search results.

3. Ignoring search intent

Not all search queries mean the same thing. Choosing keywords without considering what the searcher actually wants can bring in the wrong audience—or worse, no traffic at all. Make sure you understand whether a keyword is informational, commercial, or transactional, so you’re aligning your content with what searchers are looking for.

4. Forgetting to update keywords over time

SEO isn’t a one-and-done task. Search trends shift, new competitors enter the space, and what worked a year ago might not work today. Regularly revisit your keyword strategy, update your content, and stay on top of what your audience is searching for.

Struggling to find the right keywords? Let me do it for you.

Keyword research is essential—but I’ll be honest, it’s time-consuming, overwhelming, and not exactly the reason you started your business.

If you’d rather focus on what you do best and let someone else handle the data, I’ve got you.

With my Done-for-You SEO Keyword Research Service, you get:

• A handpicked list of keywords that will actually drive traffic and sales
• Search intent insights so you know what your audience is looking for
• Zero stress—just plug these keywords into your content and go

If you’d rather save hours of research, stop second-guessing, and finally have a strategy that works, I can do it all for you.

Let’s take keyword research off your plate—get your custom report here.

FAQs

Is keyword research a skill?

Yes, and it’s one that every online business owner should learn. Think of keyword research as understanding what your dream customers are actually searching for, instead of just guessing. When you know how to find the right keywords, you can get your content, products, and offers in front of the right people—without relying on social media 24/7.

Can I do keyword research for Instagram?

Sort of, but not in the way you do for Google. Instagram doesn’t work like a search engine, but you can still apply keyword research principles to hashtags, captions, and bio optimisation to get your content discovered.

Look at what’s trending in your niche, check what hashtags competitors are using, and make sure your bio clearly states what you do so new people can find you. If you aren’t sure, check out mine and copy the format – @shesapeachseo

How important is keyword research?

If you want to get more website traffic without paying for ads, it’s everything. Without it, you’re throwing content at the wall and hoping it sticks. With it, you’re creating content people are actively searching for, which means more visibility, more clicks, and more sales.

What is the difference between SEO and keyword research?

Keyword research is part of SEO, but not the whole thing.

Think of SEO as the full strategy to get found online, including optimising your website, building links, and improving site speed. Keyword research is just one piece of that puzzle—it’s how you figure out what to optimise for so the right people find you.

What is a keyword list?

A keyword list is basically your SEO hit list—a collection of words and phrases that your ideal customers are typing into Google. Instead of making random content, this list gives you a clear direction on what topics to cover so you attract your target audience.

How do I find keywords for my website?

Start with what you already know—what questions do your customers ask all the time? Then, use free tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or AnswerThePublic to see what people are actually searching for. Look for high-interest, low-competition keywords so you stand a chance of ranking.

What is Google Search Console, and how does it help with keyword research?

Google Search Console is like a backstage pass to your website’s SEO performance. It shows you exactly which keywords people are using to find your site, where you’re ranking, and where you can improve. If you want to know what’s already working and what to tweak, this is your go-to tool.

What is a seed keyword?

A seed keyword is the starting point for keyword research. It’s usually a broad term that represents your niche, which you then refine into more specific, easier-to-rank-for phrases. For example, if you sell planners, “planner” is your seed keyword, but “best productivity planner for female entrepreneurs” is the kind of long-tail target keyword that will actually bring in targeted buyers.