Step 01

Start With Your Core Services — Not Jargon

List every service you offer in plain language — the words your customers use, not your industry terminology. A lawyer might say ‘divorce lawyer’ while a client searches ‘how to file for divorce in Ahmedabad’. Customer language wins.

Step 02

Use Google Autocomplete for Free Research

Type your service into Google and study the autocomplete suggestions. These are real searches made by real people. Type ‘SEO agency in’ and you’ll instantly see which Indian cities have search demand.

Step 03

Mine the ‘People Also Ask’ Box

Every Google results page has a ‘People Also Ask’ section. These are questions your target audience is actually asking. Every question in that box is a potential blog post or FAQ section for your website.

Step 04

Analyse What Your Competitors Rank For

Take your top 3 competitors and run their websites through Ubersuggest (free) or Ahrefs. You’ll see exactly which keywords they rank for and which ones are driving their traffic. Target the same keywords with better content.

Step 05

Classify Keywords by Search Intent

Group your keywords into: Informational (how to, what is), Navigational (brand name searches), Transactional (buy, hire, price), and Local (in [city], near me). Each type needs a different content approach.

Step 06

Prioritise Low-Competition Local Keywords First

New websites should not target ‘best digital marketing agency in India’ — the competition is enormous. Target ‘best digital marketing agency in Rajkot’ first. Win local, then expand.

Step 07

Check Monthly Search Volume

Use Google Keyword Planner (free), Ubersuggest, or Ahrefs to check how many people search a keyword each month. Don’t waste effort on keywords with 0 searches — but don’t ignore low-volume keywords if they have buying intent.

Step 08

Build a Keyword Map

Assign one primary keyword to each page on your website. No two pages should target the same keyword — this causes cannibalisation where your own pages compete against each other. A keyword map prevents this.

What free tools can I use for keyword research in India?

Google Keyword Planner, Google Autocomplete, Google Search Console, Ubersuggest (free tier), and AnswerThePublic are all useful free tools. For deeper research, Ahrefs and SEMrush offer paid plans.

How do I find keywords with low competition?

Look for long-tail keywords — phrases of 3 or more words. ‘Accountant Rajkot Mavdi’ is less competitive than ‘accountant Rajkot’ which is less competitive than ‘accountant’. The more specific, the less competition.

How often should I do keyword research?

Do a full keyword audit when you launch or redesign your website. Revisit quarterly to find new opportunities and check if your target keywords are still relevant.

Should I target keywords with 0 monthly searches?

Sometimes. Highly specific local keywords — like ‘wedding photographer Gandhinagar’ — may show 0 volume in tools but still have real search demand not captured by small sample sizes.

What is keyword cannibalisation and why does it matter?

Cannibalisation is when two or more pages on your website target the same keyword, competing against each other. Google gets confused about which page to rank and often ranks neither well. One keyword per page, always.