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Keyword Research
Framework

Most keyword research starts with volume and difficulty. This framework starts with two questions that filter out 60% of keywords before you even open a tool: does Google return my type of business for this query — and is there actually room for me on that SERP?

Business Understanding

Understand the business before touching a keyword tool

Seed Keyword Generation

Build a broad list from 5 specific sources

Intent Validation

Filter by what Google actually returns for each keyword

SERP Eligibility

Check if there is genuinely room on each SERP

Prioritisation & Scoring

Score and rank your validated keyword list

Page Mapping

Assign one keyword per page, ready to brief

Tabs

Phases

Key Filters

Free

Always

Intent validation filter — check what Google actually returns before wasting time on difficulty scores

SERP eligibility check — content gaps, weak results, and local intent signals reviewed per keyword

Priority scoring across 4 dimensions — volume, ease, intent, and eligibility combined into one score

Page mapping output — one primary keyword per page, supporting keywords, content type, and status tracker

Pre-populated with real examples so you can see the logic immediately and adapt to your own niche

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Keyword Research Framework

Google Sheets · 8 tabs · 6-phase guided process · Lifetime access

Free — No payment required

Enter your details to get the editable Google Sheets version. View the full framework on this page, use the copy to work through it with your own clients.

What you get

🏠 Cover with client info inputs

📋 Phase 1 — Business Understanding (10 questions)

🌱 Phase 2 — Seed Keyword Generation (5 sources)

🎯 Phase 3 — Intent Validation with SERP guide

🔬 Phase 4 — SERP Eligibility (3 signals)

⚡ Phase 5 — Priority Scoring (auto-calculates)

🗺️ Phase 6 — Page Mapping with status tracker

📊 Master Keyword List with summary stats

♾️ Use on unlimited client projects

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Here's your copy

Click below to open the Google Sheets template. Select File → Make a copy to save your own editable version.

Open Google Sheets Template Questions? Message us any time

The two filters that make this framework different

Before checking volume or difficulty — open the keyword in Google. Look at what ranks. Is it businesses like yours, or tutorials, forums, and product reviews? A plumber targeting "how to fix a leaking pipe" is chasing an informational SERP that returns DIY guides, not service businesses.

Example: "emergency boiler repair chicago" → service pages + local pack → ✓ Proceed. "How to fix a boiler yourself" → DIY tutorials + YouTube → ✗ Skip — wrong audience entirely.

Keyword difficulty scores tell you how hard a keyword is in aggregate. They don't tell you whether there's a specific gap you can fill. Content gaps, weak results in the top 10, and local intent signals all create openings that a difficulty score alone misses.

Example: KD 35 with all DR 70+ competitors = hard to enter. KD 35 with two thin directory listings and a 2019 blog post in the top 10 = clear gap → ✓ Target now.

Business Understanding

Phase 1 of 6

Keyword research without business context produces a list of keywords with good volume that the business has no right to rank for and no ability to convert. This phase forces the right questions first.

What this phase covers

→ Business model, services, revenue drivers
→ Ideal customer — specific, not vague
→ The problems customers have before they find you
→ How customers describe what they need (not how the business describes it)
→ Top 3-5 competitors who rank well
→ Geographic scope — local, national, or global

Seed Keyword Generation

Phase 2 of 6

Seed keywords are starting points, not final targets. The goal is breadth — you will filter heavily in Phases 3 and 4. Aiming for 30-80 seed keywords across all 5 sources.

The 5 sources

→ Business conversation → direct search queries
→ Competitor analysis → what drives their top pages
→ GSC existing data → impressions you're not capitalising on
→ Customer language → word-for-word from calls and reviews
→ Google Suggest and People Also Ask → free and highly relevant

Intent Validation

Phase 3 of 6

The first filter. For each seed keyword, open Google in a private browser and look at what actually ranks. This single step eliminates keywords that have volume but will never convert for your business type.

SERP types and what they mean

→ Service pages → commercial intent → ✓ Proceed
→ How-to articles → informational → ✗ Skip for service pages
→ Product/e-commerce → wrong audience → ✗ Skip
→ Strong local pack → local intent → ✓ Proceed for local businesses
→ Forum/Reddit results → awareness stage → ✗ Blog only
→ AI Overview dominant → CTR severely reduced → ✗ Skip or target source

SERP Eligibility

Phase 4 of 6

The second filter. Even if intent is right — can this site actually rank? Beyond difficulty scores, look for the three eligibility signals that indicate a genuine opening.

The three eligibility signals

→ Content gap — top 10 results failing to cover specific angles you can own
→ Weak results — thin content, low DR, outdated dates, forum posts in top positions
→ Local intent — local businesses ranking with lower DR than national competitors would need
→ Difficulty guide: KD 0-20 target now · KD 21-40 target with good content · KD 41+ needs DR building first

Prioritisation & Scoring

Phase 5 of 6

Score each validated keyword across 4 dimensions to produce a ranked list. Priority score auto-calculates. The framework then assigns a tier so you know exactly what to work on first.

Scoring dimensions (each 1-5)

→ Volume Score — monthly search volume
→ Ease Score — KD + SERP weakness combined
→ Intent Score — how close to purchase the intent is
→ Eligibility Score — strength of the three gap signals
→ Priority Score = sum of all four (max 20)
→ Tier 1 (16-20) = Target Now · Tier 2 (11-15) = Target Soon

Page Mapping

Phase 6 of 6

One primary keyword per page. Two to four supporting keywords per page. If two keywords compete for the same page, that is a cannibalisation risk to address now rather than after publishing.

Output of this phase

→ Target page URL (existing or new)
→ Primary keyword + supporting keywords
→ Page type — service, location, pillar, blog, comparison, FAQ
→ Content brief flag — yes/no with notes
→ Target date and current status
→ Ready to hand to a developer or content writer

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Cover

Phase 0 of 6

Client info, 6-phase overview, how to use guide

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Phase 1

Phase 1 of 6

10 guided questions to understand the business before touching a keyword tool

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Phase 2

Phase 2 of 6

60-row seed keyword table with source tracking and intent notes

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Phase 3

Phase 3 of 6

Intent validation table — the first and most important filter

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Phase 4

Phase 4 of 6

SERP eligibility — content gaps, weak results, local signals per keyword

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Phase 5

Phase 5 of 6

Priority scoring — auto-calculates score and assigns tier

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Phase 6

Phase — of 6

Page mapping — one keyword per page, status tracker, content brief flag

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Master List

Phase — of 6

Summary stats + complete validated keyword list

RR_Keyword_Research_Framework.xlsx — Google Sheets

Keyword	SERP Result Type	Shows My Business Type?	Local Pack?	AI Overview?	Intent Verdict
emergency boiler repair chicago	Service Pages + Local Pack	Yes — plumbers & HVAC	Yes — strong	No	✓ PROCEED
how to fix a boiler yourself	How-To Articles / YouTube	No — DIY tutorials only	No	Yes	✗ SKIP — Wrong intent
boiler repair near me	Local Pack + Service Pages	Yes — local businesses	Yes — very strong	No	✓ PROCEED
best boiler brands 2025	Review / Comparison Sites	No — product reviews	No	No	⚠ Blog only
why is my boiler losing pressure	How-To Articles	No — DIY guides	No	Yes	⚠ Blog only
annual boiler service chicago	Mixed — Service + Info	Partially	No	No	⚠ Proceed with caution

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SEO Consultants

Stop presenting keyword lists that look impressive but don't convert. This framework produces a validated, prioritised list your clients can understand and trust.

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SEO Agencies

Run keyword research consistently across all client accounts. Every team member follows the same 6-phase process. Fewer dead ends, faster delivery.

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In-House SEO Managers

Build the business case for content investment with a prioritised list that shows volume, difficulty, intent, and revenue potential in one place.

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Content Marketers

Know exactly which keywords to brief for which pages before a single word is written. No more publishing content that targets the wrong intent.

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WordPress Developers

Offer keyword research as part of your SEO service. A professional, repeatable framework you can use across every client site you build.

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SEO Learners

See how professional keyword research actually works — not a tool tutorial, but a complete decision-making process from business understanding to page mapping.

Who this is not for

If you want a fully automated keyword research tool that pulls data via API without manual work — this isn't that. This framework requires you to open Google, look at actual SERPs, and make judgement calls based on what you see. That manual step is also what makes the output more accurate than any automated process. If you want software that does everything automatically, use Ahrefs, Semrush, or similar. If you want a framework that produces a keyword list you can actually rank for and convert from — this is it.

Do I need Ahrefs or Semrush to use this?

No. The framework references Ahrefs and Semrush for volume and difficulty data, but the two most important phases — Intent Validation and SERP Eligibility — use nothing but Google. You can complete a solid keyword research project with just Google Search Console (for existing data), Google Search (for SERP checking), and one keyword tool on a free plan for basic volume data.

How long does the full framework take per client?

For a focused niche with 30-50 seed keywords: 2-4 hours end to end. Most of that time is Phase 3 and Phase 4 — checking SERPs manually. The manual checking is what makes the output reliable. Rushing those phases is where most keyword research goes wrong.

Can I adapt this for e-commerce sites?

Yes with adjustments. The intent validation and SERP eligibility phases work identically. Phase 1 needs to focus on product categories and buying stages rather than services. Phase 6 maps to category pages, product pages, and supporting blog content rather than service pages. The framework is not e-commerce-specific but the logic applies directly.

What if the SERP shows mixed results for a keyword?

Mixed SERPs are common and not a disqualifier — they're an opportunity. If a keyword shows some service pages and some informational results, Google hasn't fully decided the intent. That ambiguity can work in your favour if you create content that clearly serves the commercial intent. The Phase 3 notes column is where you record this nuance.

How many keywords should I end up with after all 6 phases?

It depends on the niche and the site's current authority. A typical local service business project might start with 50-70 seed keywords, filter down to 15-25 in Phase 3 and 4, score them in Phase 5, and map to 10-15 pages in Phase 6. Quality over quantity. Ten highly targeted, eligible keywords are worth more than 100 keywords you have no realistic chance of ranking for.

Can I use this for existing pages I want to improve?

Yes. Phase 4's SERP eligibility check applies equally to keywords you're already targeting. If you're on page 2 for a keyword, run it through Phase 3 and 4 to verify the intent is right and there's genuine room to move up. Then Phase 5 scoring tells you how to prioritise it against new keyword targets.

Is this framework updated when SEO changes?

The core logic — intent first, SERP eligibility second — is durable and has been the basis of good keyword research for years. The specific tool recommendations and SERP feature descriptions are updated when significant changes occur. The Google Sheets version you copy is the current version. Check back periodically for updated versions.

Need the keyword research done for you?

The framework shows you how to find the right keywords. The SEO Clarity Report is us doing it — a complete keyword and competitive analysis for your site, delivered in 5 days with a prioritised content plan.

See the SEO Clarity Report → Book a Free Call

Keyword ResearchFramework

Keyword Research
Framework