SEO

Keyword Research

The process of finding and analyzing the search terms people use to find businesses like yours, so you can target them in your content.

Why It Matters for Your Business

Keyword research is the foundation of every other marketing activity. Without it, you're building your website, writing content, and running ads based on what you think customers search for, not what they actually search for.

For Space Coast businesses, the difference matters. You might call it "residential AC service," but your customers are searching "home air conditioning repair Melbourne FL." Targeting the wrong terms means great content that nobody finds.

How It Works

Keyword research follows a systematic process to identify and prioritize the best terms for your business:

How Does It Work?

Let's Breakdown The Process:

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1.Brainstorm Seed Keywords
Start with your core services and locations. A Cocoa Beach plumber might start with 'plumber Cocoa Beach,' 'drain repair,' 'water heater installation,' and 'emergency plumbing.'
2.Expand with Tools
Use Google autocomplete, 'People Also Ask,' and keyword tools to discover related terms you hadn't thought of. You might find that 'why is my water heater making noise' gets 500 searches per month, a perfect blog post topic.
3.Analyze Intent
Group keywords by what the searcher wants. 'Plumber cost' is research intent. 'Emergency plumber near me' is buy intent. Prioritize keywords with commercial and transactional intent for service pages.
4.Map to Pages
Assign each keyword group to a specific page on your website. One primary keyword per page, plus 3-5 related terms. This prevents your own pages from competing against each other in search results.

Tip: Click the circle to mark items done.

A Merritt Island pest control company discovered through keyword research that "termite inspection cost Florida" got 800 searches per month, and none of their competitors had a page targeting it. They published a detailed pricing guide, ranked on page 1 within six weeks, and it became their top lead-generating page.

Note

Check Google Search Console for your existing website. It shows the exact terms people already find you for, including terms you rank on page 2 or 3 for. These "low-hanging fruit" keywords are the fastest wins because Google already associates your site with those topics.

Common questions

FAQ

Tap a question to expand.

Do I need expensive tools for keyword research?

Not to start. Google's autocomplete (start typing and see what it suggests), 'People Also Ask' boxes, and Google Search Console (shows what you already rank for) are free and powerful. For deeper research, tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs offer free trials. Start with free tools and upgrade when you need more data.

Should I target high-volume keywords or low-volume ones?

Both, strategically. High-volume terms like 'plumber near me' drive the most traffic but are hardest to rank for. Low-volume long-tail terms like 'emergency drain unclogging Palm Bay FL' are easier to rank for and attract ready-to-buy customers. Target long-tail keywords first, then build toward higher-volume ones.

How do I know which keywords to target first?

Prioritize by three factors: relevance to your services, search volume, and competition. A Brevard County roofer should start with specific service + location terms like 'roof repair Titusville FL' before trying to rank for broad national terms like 'roofing company.'

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