Keyword research is the process of discovering the words people use when looking for information, comparing providers or trying to solve a problem. For a web design business, “web design” is only a starting point. A business owner may search for a website redesign, a web designer for a trade business, the cost of a small business website or help fixing a site that generates no enquiries.
These searches reveal different needs. The aim is not to force every phrase onto one page. It is to understand the question behind each search and create the most useful destination for it.
TL;DR
- Start with customer problems and buying situations, not a list of generic SEO terms.
- Inspect current search results to understand intent and the kinds of pages searchers expect.
- Use free keyword tools and Search Console data where available, but verify the results manually.
- Map each topic to one clear page and connect supporting blogs to a relevant service.
Start with the customer, not the tool
Write down the questions a prospective buyer might ask before contacting a designer. What problem triggered the search? What are they trying to achieve? What do they need to compare? What would stop them from buying? A tradesperson might need a site that explains service coverage and generates quote requests; an online retailer may need a product catalogue and payment integration. Their search language will differ because their requirements differ.
Build a seed list with service terms, problems, audience descriptors and location modifiers. Examples include “website redesign for builders”, “small business website cost UK”, “website contact form not working” and “web designer for accountants”. These are candidates to research—not proof that each phrase has meaningful search volume.
Research with free sources
Search results themselves
Search a phrase and inspect the page types ranking: service pages, guides, directories, marketplaces or comparison articles. Read the headings and questions those pages answer. This helps reveal the intended format and what a reader expects. Look for gaps you can fill with better evidence, a clearer explanation, a specific UK business context or a practical example.
Google Trends
Google Trends helps compare relative interest and seasonality. Its values are indexed relative interest, not exact monthly searches. It can help decide whether a topic is seasonal or whether one phrase is gaining interest relative to another, but it should not be treated as a source of precise keyword volume.
Bing Webmaster Tools
Bing Webmaster Tools includes keyword research features that can be useful for exploring query variations. Review the suggested phrases against the search results and your actual services. A tool's suggestion is an idea to test, not an instruction to create a page.
Google Search Console
Once your site earns impressions, Search Console is one of the most useful sources because it shows queries for which your own pages appear. Look for relevant queries with impressions, pages whose query mix is changing, and questions that the current page does not answer well. Review Search Console data alongside actual page content rather than chasing every small fluctuation.
Classify the intent behind each phrase
A phrase can be informational (“how to improve a website”), commercial investigation (“web designer vs website builder”) or close to a purchase (“small business web design quote”). The same topic may contain mixed intent, so review the results. An educational blog should not pretend to be a quote page, and a service page should not bury its offer inside a long tutorial.
A useful process is to assign one of three page roles:
- Service page: explains what you do, who it helps, what's included and how to enquire.
- Guide or comparison: answers an early-stage question and helps the reader make a decision.
- Troubleshooting article: diagnoses a specific problem and recommends practical next steps.
Map phrases to pages without creating competing content
Create a simple table with the query, intent, target URL, supporting questions and conversion action. If several phrases express the same intent, one comprehensive page may answer them all. If the user needs a different answer or offer, a separate page may make sense. Do not create multiple pages that compete for the same question simply because the keyword wording varies slightly.
For a web design company, a main service page could target the overall service, while supporting articles explain costs, handover, platform choice and conversion issues. The blogs should link contextually to the service page, but only when the link helps readers take a relevant next step.
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Keyword research is more useful when it connects a search to a clear service and a sensible next step. The Super Shoppe builds custom business websites from £499, with clear messaging, responsive layouts and ways for prospective customers to get in touch.
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Find a useful angle that is different
Before writing, ask what you can add that the existing results do not. Could you show a worked example, a decision table, a tested checklist, screenshots or a clear explanation of trade-offs? Do you have a specific audience you understand better than a general article does? If the only plan is to rewrite the top results using different words, the topic probably needs more research or a narrower angle.
Google's people-first content guidance asks whether content offers original information, analysis or value beyond summarising others. Keep that question visible when deciding whether a keyword deserves an article. A practical guide with a small original example is more useful than a long page that repeats the same general advice.
How The Super Shoppe can help
The Super Shoppe's SEO & GEO service includes keyword research, content planning, publishing and visibility tracking. A useful first step is to identify which searches connect to the business's actual services and create a realistic content map from that evidence.