Keyword Research Example: A Complete Walkthrough From Start to Finish

Learning Keyword Research By Example

The best way to learn keyword research isn’t reading about the theory — it’s seeing the process in action. This article walks through a complete keyword research example from start to finish, showing every decision point and the reasoning behind each choice.

We’ll use a fictional scenario: a small SaaS company that sells project management software for remote teams. They want to grow organic traffic to their blog. Let’s build their keyword strategy from scratch.

Step 1: Brainstorm Seed Keywords

Start with the broadest terms that describe what the business does and what problems it solves. No tools needed yet — just knowledge of the product and audience.

Our seed keywords:

project management software
remote team management
team collaboration tools
task management
project tracking
remote work productivity
team communication
workflow management

This gives us 8 seed keywords to expand. Each one represents a topic cluster we might build content around.

Step 2: Expand Using a Keyword Tool

Let’s take our first seed keyword — “project management software” — and run it through a keyword research tool. Here’s what the data might show:

High-Volume Keywords (5,000+ monthly searches)

“project management software” — 22,000/month, KD 78
“best project management software” — 12,000/month, KD 72
“free project management software” — 8,500/month, KD 65
“project management tools” — 14,000/month, KD 75

These are attractive but extremely competitive. A new blog can’t rank for these immediately.

Medium-Volume Keywords (500-5,000 monthly searches)

“project management software for small teams” — 1,200/month, KD 35
“project management software for remote teams” — 900/month, KD 28
“simple project management software” — 2,100/month, KD 42
“project management software comparison” — 1,500/month, KD 45

These are more achievable and still have meaningful volume.

Long-Tail Keywords (Under 500 monthly searches)

“project management software for marketing teams” — 320/month, KD 15
“project management software with time tracking” — 280/month, KD 18
“how to choose project management software” — 210/month, KD 12
“project management software for 5 person team” — 140/month, KD 8

These are the quick wins. Low competition, specific intent, highly relevant to the product.

Step 3: Expand With Questions and Related Searches

Now search “project management software” in Google and mine the SERP features:

Google Autocomplete Suggestions

project management software free
project management software for construction
project management software for startups
project management software with Gantt charts
project management software vs spreadsheet

Step 4: Analyze Competitor Keywords

Identify 3 competitors at a similar authority level. Run a keyword gap analysis to find terms they rank for that we don’t.

Example gap keywords found:

“remote team productivity tips” — Competitor A ranks #4, we have no content
“how to manage projects remotely” — Competitor B ranks #7, we have no content
“team collaboration best practices” — Competitors A and C both rank, we don’t
“project kickoff meeting template” — Competitor B ranks #3 with a downloadable template

These are validated opportunities because competitors are already getting traffic from them.

Step 5: Evaluate Search Intent for Each Keyword

Before adding any keyword to our list, verify search intent by searching it in Google:

“best project management software for remote teams”

Top results: Listicle reviews comparing 10-15 tools. Intent: commercial investigation.

Our content type: A comparison article listing top tools (including ours among competitors).

“how to manage projects remotely”

Top results: Step-by-step guides and best practice articles. Intent: informational.

Our content type: A comprehensive how-to guide with practical tips.

“project management software pricing”

Top results: Pricing comparison tables and review articles. Intent: commercial investigation.

Our content type: A pricing comparison page.

“what is Gantt chart”

Top results: Definitions and educational explainers. Intent: purely informational.

Our content type: An educational article explaining Gantt charts with examples.

Step 6: Score and Prioritize Keywords

Now score each keyword on our prioritization matrix (1-5 scale for each factor):

Example Scoring

“project management software for marketing teams”

Volume: 2 (320/month)
Business value: 5 (directly relevant to our product)
Feasibility: 5 (KD 15, achievable)
Content capability: 4 (we have deep expertise here)
Score: 2 × 5 × 5 × 4 = 200

“best project management software”

Volume: 5 (12,000/month)
Business value: 5 (high commercial intent)
Feasibility: 1 (KD 72, very competitive)
Content capability: 4 (we can write this)
Score: 5 × 5 × 1 × 4 = 100

“how to manage projects remotely”

Volume: 3 (800/month)
Business value: 4 (relevant audience, informational intent)
Feasibility: 4 (KD 22, achievable)
Content capability: 5 (core expertise)
Score: 3 × 4 × 4 × 5 = 240

Despite having lower volume, “how to manage projects remotely” scores highest because it’s achievable, relevant, and we can create excellent content for it.

Step 7: Group Into Topic Clusters

Organize your prioritized keywords into content clusters:

Cluster: Remote Project Management (Pillar Topic)

Pillar page: “The Complete Guide to Remote Project Management” (targets “remote project management”)
Cluster articles:
- “How to Manage Projects Remotely” (how-to guide)
- “Remote Team Productivity Tips” (best practices)
- “Best Project Management Software for Remote Teams” (comparison)
- “Remote Project Kickoff Meeting Template” (downloadable resource)
- “Common Remote Project Management Challenges” (problem-solving)

Cluster: Project Management Software Selection

Pillar page: “How to Choose Project Management Software”
Cluster articles:
- “Project Management Software for Small Teams”
- “Project Management Software for Marketing Teams”
- “Project Management Software Pricing Comparison”
- “Simple Project Management Software Options”

Step 8: Build the Content Calendar

With clusters prioritized, schedule content production:

Month 1 (Quick Wins)

Week 1: “How to Choose Project Management Software” (KD 12)
Week 2: “Project Management Software for Marketing Teams” (KD 15)
Week 3: “Remote Team Productivity Tips” (KD 18)
Week 4: “Project Kickoff Meeting Template” (KD 10)

Month 2 (Building Authority)

Week 1: “How to Manage Projects Remotely” (KD 22)
Week 2: Pillar page — “Complete Guide to Remote Project Management”
Week 3: “Simple Project Management Software” (KD 42)
Week 4: “Project Management Software for Small Teams” (KD 35)

Lessons From This Keyword Research Example

Start with achievable keywords — Build authority on low-difficulty keywords before targeting competitive terms
Intent matters more than volume — A 200/month keyword with perfect intent beats a 5,000/month keyword where you can’t rank
Use multiple expansion methods — Tools, Google SERP features, and competitor analysis each surface different opportunities
Think in clusters, not individual keywords — Related keywords strengthen each other when organized into topic hubs
Score systematically — Gut feelings lead to chasing volume. A scoring matrix keeps decisions rational.
The research isn’t done once — Revisit and expand your keyword research quarterly as your site grows and new opportunities emerge

Key Takeaways

Keyword research is a structured process: seed keywords → tool expansion → competitor analysis → intent verification → scoring → clustering → content calendar. This example showed how a small SaaS company can build a keyword-driven content strategy that starts with achievable wins and scales toward more competitive terms as authority builds.