Steal This Free Keyword Research Template [With Guide]

Let’s face it – keyword research can be overwhelming.

This free template simplifies the process, helping you organize, prioritize, and track keywords that drive results.

Just follow the template and take the guesswork out of keyword research.

Download My Free Keyword Research Template

Free Keyword Research Template

What’s Inside My Keyword Research Template?

1. Where to Find Keyword Ideas

From Wikipedia to Reddit to Exploding Topics, I’ve shared some unexpected (and super effective) places to find potential keywords for your site.

2. How to Evaluate Keywords

I’ll walk you through five key metrics:

1. Monthly Search Volume
2. Keyword Difficulty
3. Relevance
4. Trend
5. CPC

to figure out which keywords are worth your time.

How to Use My Keyword Research Template

1. Set Clear Goals

Before you start brainstorming keywords, define exactly what you want to achieve.

↳ Are you launching a new product or service?

↳ Are you trying to boost your business’s visibility?

↳ Do you want to generate leads through content marketing?

Clear goals make it easier to pick the right keywords.

So, take a few minutes to:

↳ Define your main objectives.

↳ Align keywords with your site’s traffic goals.

↳ Focus on keywords that attract the right audience.

For example:

If you own a pest control company in Phoenix, your goal may be to rank for keywords like pest control in Phoenix or best pest exterminator near me.

You can also focus on more informational keywords like how to get rid of termites or DIY pest control tips.

But if you’re introducing a state-of-the-art rodent-tracking system, you might target unique, unexploited keywords like smart rodent control devices.

2. Brainstorm Seed Keywords

Seed keywords (sometimes called “root” or “head” keywords) are short, general search terms that relate closely to your business or niche. They form the basis of your keyword research.

When finding good seed keywords, I like to start with a broad topic and then zoom in on the details.

For example, continuing with my pest control company example, I would begin with something general like pest control services.

Then, I’ll list my core services, like:

→ pest control

→ exterminator

→ insect control

→ rodent removal

These make great seed keywords.

Next, I’ll think about some customer pain points, like:

→ mice in the attic

→ cockroach infestation

→ how to get rid of ants

Tip: You can use keyword tools, like SEMrush to find more specific, long-tail phrases like eco-friendly pest control near me or best termite treatment for residential properties.

If you’re a local business, you should combine your seed keywords with location terms. For example:

→ exterminator near me

→ pest control in [city name]

→ [city name] rodent removal

At this stage, don’t worry about the quality or competitiveness of each keyword. Your goal here is simply to generate a thorough list of potential terms.

2. Grab the Template

Once you have a rough list of potential keywords, it’s time to download my Keyword Research Template.

Download it, make a copy, and jot down your seed ideas in the Keyword column, next to Seed Ideas.

3. Expand Your List

Use the sources in the template to find more keyword ideas.

I have listed 7 sources in my Keyword Research List that work for me every time, including the following:

A. Google Suggest

Go to Google and type in pest control, but don’t hit enter.

Observe the auto-suggestions, like:

This gives you insights into common phrases real users are searching for.

B. Google “People also search for” and “People also ask”

After a basic search for pest control, look for the “People also search for” section at the bottom of the page.

Also, please keep in mind the “People also ask” box under the first few results.

You might see questions that real people are asking Google. These questions make perfect content or FAQ topics.

C. Wikipedia Table of Contents

You can also check Wikipedia to find keywords related to your niche.

For example, I searched for pest control on Wikipedia. The Contents column on the left had sections pointing to subtopics or specific types of pests, for example:

→ Rodent Control

→ Physical Pest Control

→ Integrated Pest Management

These headings and subheadings can give you ideas for content and keywords that users might be searching for.

D. YouTube Suggest

Another method I use is YouTube Suggest. It’s quite like the Google Suggest method.

Simply type your keyword into YouTube’s search bar and see what auto-completes.

This often reveals queries like how to do xyz or DIY xyz. However, when I searched for pest control on YouTube, I didn’t get many useful results.

But it might work well for your keyword search.

E. Reddit & Other Forums

You can also visit Reddit and other community forums where people discuss issues related to your niche.

For example, if you’re running a pest control company, you might want to visit subreddits like r/pestcontrol or r/HomeImprovement.

By reading through the posts and questions, look for homeowner struggles like:

→ Mice in walls

→ Ant infestation solutions

→ Best traps for outdoor pests

Each thread can spark keyword ideas, content topics, or FAQ entries.

Also, pay attention to the language people use to craft content that directly addresses their concerns in a way they can relate to.

F. Exploding Topics

Exploding Topics is a tool that highlights rapidly growing search trends.

I use it to spot new or rising keywords before they become too competitive.

For example, I might find trends like natural pest repellents or ultrasonic pest control devices, giving me a chance to create content early and get ahead of the competition.

But it’s a paid tool, so it won’t be useful for you unless you have a membership.

G. Competitor Websites

Let me tell you, competitor research is seriously underrated!

Taking a peek at the keywords your competitors are ranking for can be like finding a shortcut to better content ideas!

Here’s how to research your competitors:

1. Identify Your Main Competitors

→ If you’re a local pest control business, your competitors might be other exterminators in your area.

→ If you’re selling pest control products online, your competition might be large e-commerce sites.

Pro Tip: Use SEMrush Organic Research tool to find your organic competitors.

2. Use SEO Tools for Competitor Analysis

Tools like SEMrush Keyword Gap can help you find missing keyword opportunities that your competitors target, but you don’t.

Pay attention to keywords with moderate to high volume and relatively lower competition.

3. Look for Gaps and Opportunities

If a competitor ranks well for “pest control for organic gardens,” but you don’t have content on that topic, it’s a keyword opportunity.

Alternatively, if you see a competitor has top rankings for “rats in attic solution,” you can create a high-quality article or service page about that specific issue.

Pro Tip: Don’t just copy your competitor’s keywords blindly—examine the search intent behind each term. Make sure the keywords line up with your goals, offerings, and the type of content you plan to create.

Collect all the relevant keywords you find using all these sources into my Keyword Research Template.

4. Add the Metrics

Some of your keywords might already have important metrics like volume, competition, etc. (like those you may have found using SEMrush’s Keyword Magic or Keyword Gap tools).

But there are others you may have found on Google SERP, forums, etc. While we know these are valuable keywords, we don’t know exactly how valuable they are in terms of volume, difficulty, intent, etc.

I use SEMrush’s Keyword Overview Tool for it.

Just enter the keywords you have found and hit Search.

This will show you all the important metrics for your researched keywords.

Add these keywords to the template and fill out their:

→ Monthly Search Volume

→ Keyword Difficulty

→ Relevance

→ Trend

→ CPC

to find out which keywords are worth chasing.

Here’s an overview of the key metrics I found during my research for the pest control company using SEMrush:

5. Pick Your Target Keyword

Once your data is in, choose the keyword that aligns best with your goals and strategy.

Start with 20-50 target keywords for smaller sites or niche businesses.

You can always add more as your site grows!

Look at metrics like:

↳ Search Volume

Focus on terms with sufficient monthly search volume.

For example, pest control has thousands of monthly searches, making it a prime candidate for a service page.

↳ Keyword Difficulty (KD)

If you’re a new site or a smaller business, targeting extremely high-competition keywords like pest control might be tough.

Instead, I suggest looking for long-tail keywords (3-5 words) with manageable competition, like pest control in new york or how to get rid of carpet beetles.

↳ Relevance

Make sure each keyword is relevant to your content, services, and audience.

An extremely high-volume keyword is useless if it doesn’t match user intent or your site’s purpose.

For example, eco friendly exterminators is a pretty reasonable keyword for a site that offers environmentally-friendly pest control services. But it’s useless for your site if you don’t offer green solutions.

↳ CPC (Cost per Click)

A high CPC often signals strong commercial intent, so those keywords might drive more valuable traffic.

↳ Search Trends

Keep an eye on keywords with growing popularity. A medium-volume keyword that’s trending up can often be more valuable in the long run than one with higher volume but declining interest.

I recommend using Google Trends to find trending keywords and topic ideas.

Steal My Free Keyword Research Template and Start Ranking!

And that’s a wrap! Once you have the final list, it’s important to implement your researched keyword optimally in your content strategy.

Looking for more free sources and ways to do keyword research? Check out:

↳ How to Use Google Search Console for Keyword Research

↳ How to Use Google Trends for Keyword Research

↳ How I Do Keyword Research for Free

↳ Free Keyword Research Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions