What Google says
We read Google's pages on 9 October 2026. Google's SEO starter guide tells you to think about the words a user might search for to find your content. It says experts and newcomers often use different words for the same thing. It also says Google's language matching can connect a page to a search even when the exact words are missing.
The steps
- List the ideas. Write down your products, services and the questions customers ask you.
- Collect real phrases. Check enquiry calls, WhatsApp chats and what your own search reports show. In Google Search Console, Google counts impressions for each search query, so you can see words that already bring your site into results.
- Use a tool for ideas and volume. Google Keyword Planner is made for Google Ads search campaigns. You can enter words or a website to get ideas, and it shows estimates of how many searches a keyword gets each month.
- Sort by purpose. A person who wants to learn needs a different page from one who wants to buy. See search intent.
- Give each page one job. Match each group of phrases to one page, so your pages do not compete with each other.
A made-up example
A maker of table-top wet grinders in Coimbatore lists three kinds of phrases. We leave out the volume numbers, because you should take them from a tool on the day you plan.
- Learning: how to make idli batter in a wet grinder.
- Comparing: table-top wet grinder 2 litre vs 3 litre.
- Buying: table-top wet grinder price in Coimbatore.
The first suits a blog post. The second suits a comparison page. The third suits a product page with a clear way to enquire.
Numbers to treat with care
Search volume from Keyword Planner is an estimate. Google also says keywords with very low volume may not show up in the tool. Some SEO tools also show a difficulty score for each keyword. We did not find a Google source on how those scores are made, so use them only to compare keywords inside one tool.
Keyword stuffing
Google's spam policies define keyword stuffing as filling a page with keywords or numbers to manipulate rankings. They add that the words often appear in a list or group, unnaturally or out of context. Research tells you what to write about. It does not mean repeating a phrase a set number of times, and there is no fixed density to aim for.
Common mistakes
- Choosing only phrases with high volume. They may bring visitors who are not ready to buy.
- Copying a competitor's list without checking if it suits your customers.
- Using one language only. Check whether your customers search in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil or a mix with English.
- Doing the research once and never again. Check your Search Console data from time to time.
Related terms
- Search intent: the purpose behind a search.
- Keyword difficulty: a number some SEO tools show to guess how hard a keyword is to rank for.
- Long-tail keyword: a longer, more specific search phrase.
- CPC (cost per click): what you pay each time someone clicks your ad.
- On-page SEO (search engine optimisation): the work you do on the page itself.
For a deeper walk-through, read our keyword research guide. If you want a plan made for your business, see our SEO work.
Sources
- Google Search Central, SEO Starter Guide (developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide), read 9 October 2026.
- Google Ads Help, "About Keyword Planner" (support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7337243), read 9 October 2026.
- Google Search Console Help, Performance report (support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7042828), read 9 October 2026.
- Google Search Central, "Spam policies for Google web search" (developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies), read 9 October 2026.
