Keyword Research Blog Posts

You’re writing blog posts, but is anyone actually finding them? That’s where keyword research comes in.

Here’s the deal: Keyword research means figuring out what words and phrases people type into Google when they’re looking for content like yours. Once you know those keywords, you can write posts that match what people are searching for. That’s how you get traffic from search engines instead of hoping your friends stumble across your blog.

We’ll show you how to find keywords for your blog posts without spending money on fancy tools or getting buried in data. This isn’t complicated—you just need to know where to look and what to do with what you find.

What You’ll Need

Before we dive in, make sure you’ve got:

Your Badass Network blog published and live
A general idea of what topics you want to write about (even vague topics work)
Access to Google (that’s it—no special tools required for beginners)
About 15-20 minutes to brainstorm and research

Why Keyword Research Actually Matters

Look, we’re not gonna tell you keyword research is fun. It’s not. But here’s what happens when you skip it: You write a beautiful, well-researched post about “10 Ways to Stay Productive,” and nobody finds it because everyone’s searching for “productivity tips” or “how to be more productive at work.” Close, but not the same.

Keyword research helps you:

Write content people are actively searching for. You’re not guessing what might interest readers—you’re seeing what they’re already looking for.
Avoid topics nobody cares about. If zero people search for something, writing about it probably won’t bring traffic. (You can still write it if you love the topic, but don’t expect search engine visitors.)
Discover related topics you hadn’t considered. You’ll often find keyword ideas that spark new post ideas you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.
Get free traffic from Google. Paid ads cost money. Ranking in search results doesn’t. That’s the whole point.

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It’s Not About Keyword Stuffing

Most people think keyword research means stuffing awkward phrases into their writing. Nah. It means understanding your audience’s language and speaking it naturally in your content.

Understanding Search Intent (Quick Version)

Before you pick keywords, you need to understand what people actually want when they search. Google calls this “search intent.” We call it “what someone’s hoping to find.”

There are basically four types:

Informational: People want to learn something. “How to write a blog post,” “what is keyword research,” “why do cats purr.” They’re looking for answers, guides, explanations.

Navigational: People want to find a specific website or page. “Badass Network login,” “YouTube,” “Gmail.” Not useful for most blog content.

Transactional: People want to buy something. “Best WordPress hosting,” “cheap running shoes,” “hire a web designer.” These work if you’re selling products or services.

Commercial investigation: People are researching before buying. “iPhone vs Android,” “best blogging platforms 2025,” “WordPress.com review.” They’re comparing options.

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Focus on Informational Keywords

For blog posts on Badass Network, you’re mostly targeting informational keywords. People want answers, advice, guides, or explanations. Keep that in mind when you’re choosing keywords.

Start With What You Know: Brainstorm Topics

Don’t open any tools yet. Just grab a piece of paper or open a notes app.

Write down 5-10 topics you could write about. These don’t have to be keywords—just broad subjects related to your blog’s focus.

Say you’re starting a productivity blog. Your topics might be:

Time management
Morning routines
Goal setting
Organization tips
Focus and concentration

Yeah, these are vague. That’s fine. You’ll narrow them down in a minute.

If you’re stuck, ask yourself: What questions do people ask me about? What problems do I know how to solve? What topics could I talk about for hours without getting bored?

Write those down. We’ll turn them into actual keywords next.

Use Google to Find Keywords (Free Method)

Here’s where most people think they need expensive software. You don’t. Google gives you keyword ideas for free—you just need to know where to look.

Method 1: Google Autocomplete

Open Google and start typing one of your topic ideas. Don’t press Enter yet.

Type “how to stay productive” and Google suggests completions like:

how to stay productive at work
how to stay productive at home
how to stay productive when working from home
how to stay productive in the morning

Boom. Four keyword ideas in five seconds. Write those down.

Try variations:

“productivity tips for…”
“best way to…”
“how do I…”

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These Are Real Searches

Each time, Google shows you what people are actually searching for. These suggestions come from real search data. If Google’s recommending it, people are searching for it.

Method 2: People Also Ask

Search for one of your topic ideas and scroll down. You’ll see a “People Also Ask” section with questions related to your search.

Click any question and more questions appear. Click those and even more show up. You can keep expanding this practically forever.

These questions are gold for blog post ideas. Copy the ones that match your expertise and sound like something you’d want to write about.

Method 3: Related Searches

Scroll all the way to the bottom of any Google search results page. You’ll see “Searches related to [your keyword].”

This shows 8-10 related keywords people search for. Write down the relevant ones.

Search for one of those related keywords. Check the bottom of that page for more related searches. You’re basically following a trail of keywords, each one leading to more ideas.

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Quick Research Session

We usually spend about 10 minutes doing this for each topic and end up with 15-20 keyword ideas. That’s enough to start planning blog posts.

Check If Keywords Are Worth Targeting

You’ve got a list of keyword ideas now. But are they actually worth writing about?

Here’s our simple test:

Search for the keyword yourself

Look at the top 10 results. Are they blog posts, articles, or guides? Good—that means Google shows informational content for this keyword. If the results are mostly product pages or ads, skip it. That’s not what you’re competing for.

Can you write something better than what’s already ranking?

If the top results are thin, poorly written, or outdated, you’ve got a shot at ranking. If they’re all 3000-word masterpieces from major websites, maybe pick an easier keyword to start.

Does the keyword actually match what you’re planning to write?

If you search “productivity tips” and all the results are listicles (10 tips, 15 tips, etc.), writing a personal essay won’t rank well. Match the format Google’s already showing for that keyword.

Would you personally click on a post with this title?

If the keyword sounds robotic or boring, rephrase it into something more natural. “Keyword research for blog posts” sounds way better than “blog post keyword research strategies”—same idea, more readable.

Most beginners overthink this part. Pick keywords that look doable based on what’s already ranking. You’ll get better at judging competition over time.

Long-Tail Keywords Are Your Friend

Quick terminology: “Long-tail keywords” are longer, more specific phrases. Usually 3-5 words instead of 1-2.

Examples:

Short: “productivity” (way too broad)
Medium: “productivity tips” (better, but competitive)
Long-tail: “productivity tips for working from home” (specific, easier to rank)

Long-tail keywords get less search volume, but they’re easier to rank for and often bring more engaged readers. Someone searching “productivity tips for working from home” knows exactly what they want. Someone searching just “productivity” might be looking for anything.

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Start With Long-Tail Keywords

We’d recommend focusing on long-tail keywords when you’re starting out. They’re less competitive and usually convert better because the search intent is clearer.

How do you find long-tail keywords? Use the methods we covered—Google autocomplete, People Also Ask, and related searches all show long-tail variations naturally.

Organize Your Keywords Into Post Ideas

You’ve got a list of 15-20 keywords now. Let’s turn them into actual blog post ideas.

Look for patterns. Do several keywords relate to the same topic? Group them together.

Example:

“how to stay productive at work”
“productivity tips for work”
“staying focused at work”

These could all fit into one post: “15 Productivity Tips for Staying Focused at Work.” You’re targeting multiple related keywords in a single comprehensive post.

Or you might find keywords that deserve their own posts:

“morning routine for productivity” → standalone post
“how to organize your workspace” → standalone post
“best productivity apps” → standalone post

Create a simple spreadsheet or document:

Column 1: Primary keyword
Column 2: Related keywords to include naturally
Column 3: Post idea or working title
Column 4: Notes (anything useful you found during research)

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Plan Ahead

We usually map out 5-10 post ideas at a time. That gives us a content plan for the next few weeks without overwhelming us with data.

Use Free Keyword Tools (Optional)

If you want slightly more data, these free tools can help:

Google Trends: Shows if a keyword’s popularity is growing, declining, or stable over time. Also shows related queries and topics. Useful for spotting seasonal trends or confirming a topic isn’t dying out.

AnswerThePublic: Visualizes questions people ask about a topic. Type in your keyword and it generates hundreds of question-based keywords. The free version limits you to a few searches per day, but it’s great for brainstorming.

Ubersuggest (Free Version): Shows search volume estimates and related keywords. The free version limits daily searches, but it’s helpful for confirming whether a keyword gets decent traffic.

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You Don’t Need These Right Away

Honestly, most beginners don’t need these right away. Google autocomplete and People Also Ask give you 80% of what you need. But if you want numbers to back up your decisions, these tools add that layer.

Write Your Post With Keywords in Mind

You’ve picked a keyword. Now what?

Include your primary keyword in:

Your post title (naturally, not forced)
The first paragraph (again, naturally)
One or two H2 headings
Throughout the post where it makes sense

Don’t overthink keyword density. Write naturally. If your keyword is “productivity tips for working from home” and you’re genuinely writing about that topic, the keyword will show up naturally 5-8 times in a 1000-word post. That’s plenty.

Also include related keywords you found during research. If you’re writing about productivity at home and you found keywords like “remote work focus” or “home office distractions,” mention those concepts in your post. Google understands related terms—you don’t need to repeat the exact keyword 50 times.

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Write for Humans First

Most importantly: Write for humans first, search engines second. If a sentence sounds awkward because you’re forcing a keyword in, rewrite it. Readability beats keyword stuffing every time.

Common Questions

One primary keyword and 2-4 related keywords. Don’t try to rank for 20 different things in one post—it dilutes your focus. Better to write 5 posts targeting 5 keywords than one post trying to cover everything.

That usually means either your topic’s too niche (nobody’s searching for it) or you’re not using the right search terms. Try broader phrases or think about what problem you’re solving. Someone searching “I can’t focus when I work from home” might not use those exact words—they might search “focus tips remote work” instead.

When you’re starting out, go for low competition. A keyword that gets 100 searches per month but you can actually rank for is better than one getting 10,000 searches where you’ll never crack the first page. Build authority with easier wins first.

Yeah. If you published a post and later realized you’re targeting the wrong keyword, just update the title and content to match the new keyword. Google re-indexes constantly. We’ve done this plenty of times when we realized we misread search intent.

Give it 2-3 months minimum. Check Google Search Console (free tool from Google) to see what keywords your posts rank for and how many clicks you’re getting. If you’re getting impressions but no clicks, your titles might need work. If you’re getting clicks, you’re on the right track.

Tips That Actually Help

Search your own keywords. Before writing, search the keyword you’re targeting and read the top 3-5 results. You’re not copying them—you’re seeing what’s already working and figuring out how to do it better or differently. Find gaps they missed and fill them.

Look at what’s NOT ranking. Sometimes the best insights come from noticing what’s absent from search results. If every post about “morning routines” focuses on waking up at 5 AM and nobody’s written one for night owls, that’s your angle.

Track your ideas immediately. When you find a good keyword, write it down right away. We’ve lost dozens of ideas because we thought “I’ll remember that” and then immediately forgot.

Review your old posts. Every few months, check posts you published earlier. Are there keywords you could better optimize for? Can you expand content to target related keywords? Your old posts are opportunities—don’t forget about them after publishing.

Don’t obsess over exact match. Google understands synonyms and variations. “Keyword research for blog posts” and “how to find keywords for blogging” are basically the same to Google. Write naturally and trust that search engines get it.

Test different keywords. You won’t always guess right. Some keywords you think will perform great won’t, and random ones you barely thought about will bring tons of traffic. That’s normal. Pay attention to what works and adjust.

What You’ve Figured Out

You now know how to find keywords people are actually searching for, evaluate whether they’re worth targeting, and organize them into blog post ideas. You’ve got free methods that work without paying for tools, and you understand search intent well enough to pick keywords that match what you’re writing.

Next step: Pick one keyword from your research and write a post targeting it. Don’t overthink this—just choose something you’re confident you can write about and go for it. The best way to learn keyword research is by doing it, seeing what ranks, and adjusting based on real results.

Want to go deeper? Check out our guides on writing SEO-friendly blog titles or optimizing your content for search engines once it’s published. But honestly, what you’ve learned here is enough to start attracting search traffic to your Badass Network blog.

Need Help?

Stuck on keyword research or not sure which keywords to target?

Contact Badass Network Support and tell us your blog’s topic
Share the keywords you’re considering if you want a second opinion
We’ll help you figure out a keyword strategy that makes sense for your blog

We typically respond within 24 hours.