Deutsch Deutsch English English

Keyword Analysis

Keyword analysis is a fundamental component of every successful SEO strategy. It involves the systematic investigation and evaluation of search terms to determine their potential for organic traffic and conversions. Professional keyword analysis helps identify the right keywords, assess their competitive intensity, and make strategic decisions for content marketing and technical optimizations.

The Most Important Keyword Analysis Metrics

1. Search Volume

Search volume indicates how often a keyword is entered in search engines per month. This metric is crucial for assessing traffic potential.

Important Aspects of Search Volume:

  • Monthly Search Volume: Average number of search queries per month
  • Seasonality: Fluctuations throughout the year
  • Geographic Differences: Different volumes depending on region
  • Trend Development: Rising or falling search queries

2. Keyword Difficulty

Keyword difficulty measures how difficult it is to rank in the top 10 search results for a specific keyword.

Factors of Keyword Difficulty:

  • Domain Authority of competitors
  • Number and quality of backlinks
  • Content quality of competing pages
  • Technical SEO strength of competitors

3. CPC (Cost Per Click) and Commercial Intent

CPC values provide insights into the commercial value of a keyword and help assess conversion probability.

Commercial Intent Indicators:

  • High CPC Values: Strong commercial intent
  • Brand Keywords: Low CPC, high conversion rate
  • Informational Keywords: Low CPC, high search volume
  • Transactional Keywords: High CPC, direct purchase intent

Keyword Analysis Methods

1. Quantitative Analysis

Quantitative analysis is based on measurable data and metrics.

Data Sources for Quantitative Analysis:

  • Google Keyword Planner
  • Ahrefs Keyword Explorer
  • SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool
  • Ubersuggest
  • AnswerThePublic

2. Qualitative Analysis

Qualitative analysis evaluates the relevance and context of keywords.

Qualitative Factors:

  • Search Intent: Informational, Navigational, Transactional
  • Relevance to target audience
  • Content quality of competition
  • Brand alignment

3. Competitive Analysis

Competitive analysis helps identify opportunities and gaps in the keyword portfolio.

Competitive Analysis Steps:

  1. Identify competitors
  2. Analyze keyword portfolio
  3. Find content gaps
  4. Compare backlink profiles
  5. Monitor ranking positions

Keyword Categorization

1. Short-Tail Keywords (1-2 words)

Short-tail keywords are general, broad search terms with high search volume but also high competition.

Examples of Short-Tail Keywords:

  • "SEO"
  • "Marketing"
  • "Web Design"

Advantages:

  • High search volume
  • Broad target audience
  • Potential for high traffic

Disadvantages:

  • High competition
  • Low conversion rate
  • Difficult to rank

2. Mid-Tail Keywords (3-4 words)

Mid-tail keywords offer a good balance between search volume and specificity.

Examples of Mid-Tail Keywords:

  • "SEO Consulting Munich"
  • "Content Marketing Strategy"
  • "E-Commerce SEO"

Advantages:

  • Lower competition than short-tail
  • Higher conversion rate
  • Better target audience targeting

3. Long-Tail Keywords (5+ words)

Long-tail keywords are very specific search terms with low search volume but high conversion rate.

Examples of Long-Tail Keywords:

  • "How to optimize my website for Google"
  • "Best SEO tools for small businesses"
  • "WordPress SEO plugin free"

Advantages:

  • Low competition
  • High conversion rate
  • Precise target audience targeting
  • Better ranking chances

Keyword Analysis Tools Comparison

Tool
Search Volume
Keyword Difficulty
CPC Data
Price (monthly)
Google Keyword Planner
Very accurate
Not available
Very accurate
Free
Ahrefs
Good
Very good
Good
99-999$
SEMrush
Good
Good
Very good
119-449$
Ubersuggest
Medium
Medium
Medium
29-99$
AnswerThePublic
Limited
Not available
Not available
9-99$

Keyword Analysis Workflow

Phase 1: Keyword Collection

1. Brainstorming Session

  • Utilize internal expertise
  • Analyze customer feedback
  • Review FAQ sections
  • Evaluate support requests

2. Competitor Analysis

  • Analyze competitor websites
  • Use keyword tools
  • Conduct SERP analysis
  • Identify content gaps

3. Tool-based Research

  • Enter seed keywords
  • Find related keywords
  • Collect question keywords
  • Identify LSI keywords

Phase 2: Keyword Evaluation

1. Search Volume Analysis

  • Check monthly search volume
  • Consider seasonality
  • Analyze geographic differences
  • Evaluate trend development

2. Competitive Analysis

  • Evaluate keyword difficulty
  • Analyze top 10 websites
  • Check domain authority
  • Assess content quality

3. Commercial Intent Assessment

  • Analyze CPC values
  • Determine search intent
  • Assess conversion potential
  • Create ROI forecast

Phase 3: Keyword Prioritization

1. Develop Scoring System

  • Search volume (0-10 points)
  • Keyword difficulty (0-10 points)
  • Commercial intent (0-10 points)
  • Relevance (0-10 points)

2. Categorization

  • Primary Keywords (main focus)
  • Secondary Keywords (support)
  • Long-Tail Keywords (niches)
  • Brand Keywords (own brand)

3. Content Mapping

  • Assign keywords to content
  • Identify content gaps
  • Develop content strategy
  • Create editorial plan

Keyword Analysis Checklist

Before Analysis

During Analysis

After Analysis

Common Keyword Analysis Mistakes

1. Focus Only on Search Volume

Problem: Many SEOs focus exclusively on keywords with high search volume.

Solution: Find balance between search volume, keyword difficulty, and commercial intent.

2. Neglecting Long-Tail Keywords

Problem: Long-tail keywords are often overlooked, even though they have high conversion rates.

Solution: Systematic collection and analysis of long-tail keywords.

3. Missing Seasonality Consideration

Problem: Seasonal fluctuations are not considered.

Solution: Analyze historical data and identify seasonal trends.

4. Neglecting Search Intent

Problem: Keywords are optimized without considering search intent.

Solution: Determine search intent for each keyword and optimize accordingly.

5. Static Keyword Lists

Problem: Keyword lists are not regularly updated.

Solution: Continuous monitoring and regular updates of keyword strategy.

Keyword Analysis for Different Industries

E-Commerce

Special Factors:

  • Product-specific keywords
  • Brand keywords
  • Comparison keywords
  • Review keywords

Examples:

  • "iPhone 15 Pro Max buy"
  • "Nike Air Max 90 review"
  • "Best laptops under 1000 euros"

B2B Services

Special Factors:

  • Service-specific keywords
  • Location keywords
  • Problem-solving keywords
  • Comparison keywords

Examples:

  • "SEO consulting Munich"
  • "WordPress development agency"
  • "Digital marketing strategy"

Content Marketing

Special Factors:

  • Informational keywords
  • How-to keywords
  • Guide keywords
  • Tutorial keywords

Examples:

  • "How does SEO work"
  • "Content marketing guide"
  • "Social media strategy tutorial"

Future of Keyword Analysis

AI and Machine Learning

Developments:

  • Automated keyword discovery
  • Predictive keyword analysis
  • Voice search optimization
  • Semantic keyword analysis

Voice Search Impact

Adaptations:

  • Conversational keywords
  • Question-based queries
  • Local voice search
  • Natural language processing

Privacy-First SEO

Challenges:

  • Less data available
  • Focus on first-party data
  • Qualitative analysis more important
  • User intent in focus

Related Topics

Last Update: October 21, 2025