Here’s the uncomfortable truth about keyword research in 2026:
Most UK businesses are still doing it wrong. They’re either chasing keywords with impossible competition, targeting terms nobody actually searches for, or worse, skipping keyword research entirely and hoping for the best.
The result?
Websites that get zero traffic despite months of effort. Content that ranks on page 5, where nobody looks. Marketing budgets are disappearing into thin air.
This keyword research checklist breaks down the exact 10-step process that UK businesses use to dominate search results in 2026. No fluff. No outdated tactics. Just a proven, repeatable system that works whether you’re a local plumber in Manchester or an e-commerce brand shipping nationwide.
Let’s get straight into it.
Step 1: Define Your Business Goals and Target Audience
Before you touch a keyword tool, you need clarity on who you’re targeting and what you want them to do.
Ask yourself:
- Who is your ideal customer? (demographics, location, job title, pain points)
- What problem do you solve for them?
- What action do you want them to take? (buy, book, enquire, download)
- Are you targeting local customers (e.g., ‘plumber Leeds’) or national (e.g., ‘online accounting software’)?
This clarity prevents you from wasting time on irrelevant keywords.
Step 2: Brainstorm Seed Keywords
Seed keywords are the foundation of your research: short, broad terms related to your business that you’ll expand on later.
Write down 10–20 seed keywords by asking:
✓ What do we sell or offer?
✓ What words do customers use when describing our services?
✓ What questions do customers ask us most often?
Example seed keywords for a Manchester gym:
- Personal trainer
- Gym membership
- Fitness classes
- Weight loss
- Strength training
Don’t overthink this step; just dump everything related to your business onto paper. You’ll refine it later.
Step 3: Use Free Tools to Expand Your List
Now take your seed keywords and multiply them using free tools that show you what real people are actually searching for.
Google Autocomplete
Type your seed keyword into Google and note the suggested completions. These are real queries Google sees frequently.
Try: ‘personal trainer Manchester’ → Google suggests ‘personal trainer Manchester city centre’, ‘personal trainer Manchester female’, ‘personal trainer Manchester cheap’.
People Also Ask
Google’s ‘People Also Ask’ boxes reveal common questions. These are goldmines for blog topics and long-tail keywords.
Related Searches
Scroll to the bottom of Google search results to see ‘Related searches’ for more keyword variations.
Do this for each seed keyword. In 30 minutes, you’ll have 50–100 keyword ideas without spending a penny.
Step 4: Analyse Search Intent (The Most Important Step)
This is where most businesses fail. They find keywords with high volume and jump straight to writing content without checking what Google actually wants to show for that search.
Search intent is the reason behind a search. There are four types:
1. Informational: Seeking knowledge (‘what is SEO‘, ‘how to lose weight’)
2. Navigational: Looking for a specific website (‘Facebook login’, ‘Amazon UK’)
3. Commercial: Researching before buying (‘best CRM software’, ‘iPhone vs Samsung’)
4. Transactional: Ready to buy (‘buy running shoes UK’, ‘plumber near me’)
How to check intent:
Google your keyword. Look at the top 10 results. Are they blog posts? Product pages? Local business listings?
Google is telling you what it thinks people want.
Match your content type to the intent, or you’ll never rank.
Step 5: Check Keyword Difficulty and Competition
Not all keywords are created equal. Some are impossible to rank for without massive authority and budgets. Others are wide open.
For each keyword, ask:
✓ Who currently ranks? Big brands? Government sites? Or small businesses like mine?
✓ How strong are their websites? (Check domain authority using free tools like Moz)
✓ How good is their content? Could I write something better?
Quick competition test:
If the top 10 results are all from massive sites (BBC, GOV.UK, major brands), that keyword is probably too competitive. Look for keywords where at least 3–5 results are from smaller businesses or blogs.
Focus on winnable battles. A keyword with 100 searches/month that you can actually rank for is better than one with 10,000 searches you’ll never touch.
Step 6: Prioritise Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases. They have lower search volume but convert at 2.5× the rate of short-tail keywords because the intent is clearer.
Comparison:
01. Short-tail: ‘accountant’ (10,000 searches, impossible competition, unclear intent)
02. Long-tail: ‘small business accountant Manchester’ (50 searches, low competition, transactional intent)
Long-tail keywords are perfect for UK small businesses because they target local, high-intent customers who are ready to buy. They’re also much easier to rank for.
Aim for 60–70% of your keyword targets to be long-tail.
Step 7: Spy on Your Competitors
Your competitors have already done keyword research. Why not learn from their work?
How to do it:
5. Identify 3–5 direct competitors who rank well in Google.
6. Visit their websites and note which pages rank (use Google: ‘site:competitor.com’)
7. Read their blog titles, service pages, and meta descriptions for keyword clues.
8. Add any keywords they target (that you don’t) to your list
This reveals gaps you’re missing and confirms which keywords are worth targeting in your industry.
Step 8: Group Keywords by Topic
By now, you have a messy list of 50–100 keywords. Organise them into logical groups (called topic clusters) so you can plan your content strategy.
Example for a Manchester gym:
- Topic 1: Personal Training (personal trainer Manchester, PT Manchester, one-to-one training)
- Topic 2: Gym Membership (gym near me, monthly gym membership, 24-hour gym Manchester)
- Topic 3: Fitness Classes (spin class Manchester, yoga classes, HIIT workouts)
- Topic 4: Weight Loss (how to lose weight, fat loss tips, diet advice)
Each topic becomes a pillar page (main service page) with supporting blog content targeting related keywords. This structure helps Google understand you’re an authority on these topics.
Step 9: Map Keywords to Specific Pages
Every keyword needs a home, a specific page designed to rank for it. Never target the same keyword on multiple pages (keyword cannibalisation confuses Google).
Create a simple spreadsheet:
- Column 1: Keyword
- Column 2: Search intent (informational/commercial/transactional)
- Column 3: Target page (Homepage, service page, blog post)
- Column 4: Content status (not started, in progress, published)
Example:
- ‘Personal trainer Manchester’ → Target: Services page
- ‘How to choose a personal trainer’ → Target: Blog post
This becomes your content roadmap for the next 6–12 months.
Step 10: Track Rankings and Refine Over Time
Keyword research isn’t a one-time task. Search behaviour changes. Competitors adapt. Google’s algorithms evolve.
Set up tracking:
- Use Google Search Console (free) to see which keywords you actually rank for.
- Monitor your top 10–20 target keywords monthly.
- Identify ‘almost there’ keywords (ranking positions 11–20) and optimise those pages.
- Discover surprise keywords you rank for that you didn’t target, then create more content around them.
Review and update your keyword strategy quarterly. Search trends shift, especially in fast-moving industries like tech or fashion.
Common Keyword Research Mistakes to Avoid
Even with this checklist, businesses still make these errors:
Mistake 1: Ignoring Local Keywords
If you serve a specific area, always include the location in your keywords. ‘Plumber’ is useless. ‘Emergency plumber Leeds’ brings customers.
Mistake 2: Chasing High-Volume Keywords Only
Volume isn’t everything. A keyword with 50 searches/month that converts at 20% is better than one with 5,000 searches that converts at 0.1%.
Mistake 3: Not Matching Search Intent
Creating a blog post when Google wants a product page (or vice versa) wastes time. Always check what’s already ranking.
Mistake 4: Keyword Stuffing
Using your keyword 50 times on a page doesn’t help; it harms. Use it naturally 3–5 times and focus on writing valuable content.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does keyword research take?
Initial research takes 2–4 hours for a small business. Comprehensive research for larger sites can take 1–2 days. But it’s worth the investment it guides months of content strategy.
Do I need paid tools for keyword research?
No. Google Autocomplete, People Also Ask, Related Searches, and Google Search Console are free and cover 80% of what you need. Paid tools like Ahrefs or Semrush add efficiency but aren’t essential when starting.
How many keywords should I target?
Start with 20–50 keywords for a small business. As you create more content, this list will grow to 100–200+. Focus on quality over quantity. One well-researched keyword that ranks beats 10 poorly chosen ones.
Final Thoughts: Start Your Keyword Research Today
Keyword research is the foundation of every successful SEO strategy. Without it, you’re creating content and hoping it ranks, which rarely works.
This 10-step keyword research checklist gives you a repeatable process that works whether you’re just starting or refining an existing strategy.
Follow this checklist. Build your keyword list. Map it to your content. Track your results. Refine quarterly. That’s how you win.
Need help with your SEO strategy? BizGrow Digital specialises in keyword research and SEO for UK businesses. We handle everything from research through to content creation and ranking.