Keyword research is the step most small companies skip. They write content on what they think interests their customers, without checking what those customers actually search for on Google. The result: well-written pages nobody finds. Here is how to reverse that logic.
Why targeting the wrong keywords neutralises all your SEO work
Research from Ahrefs on pages with no traffic reveals that 90.63% of web pages receive no organic traffic from Google. The main cause: they target keywords nobody searches for, or keywords far too competitive for their level of authority. Analysis from Semrush on keyword research confirms that queries of 3 words or more (the long tail) represent 70% of all organic traffic. And yet most small companies target only generic one or two-word keywords.
The 3 types of query and what each brings you
An informational query such as 'how to improve your SEO' attracts curious people at the start of the journey. A commercial query such as 'SEO agency pricing for small companies' attracts prospects in the comparison phase. A transactional query such as 'contact an SEO agency in Paris' attracts people ready to act. Each type deserves a dedicated page with a different objective.
Priority rule: start with commercial and transactional queries. Their volume is lower, but every visitor is far closer to a buying decision. A well-targeted informational article can then steer them towards your services page.
The tools for finding your keywords
Start with two free tools. The Keyword Planner built into Google Ads gives you monthly search volumes and an estimate of competition on each query, at no cost. Google Search Console reveals the queries your site already appears on. Those are your first opportunities: you already exist for Google, and you only need to improve the corresponding content.
To find the exact questions your prospects ask, AnswerThePublic visualises every question formulation around your starting keyword. It is a direct source of article subjects. For deeper analysis with difficulty and intent metrics, Ahrefs Keywords Explorer and the Semrush Keyword Magic Tool generate hundreds of variants with their estimated SEO potential.
How to assess a keyword before going after it
- Monthly volume: at least 50 searches to hope for measurable traffic on a local query
- SEO difficulty: under 30 out of 100 for a small company starting out; specific queries are your best allies
- Commercial intent: is the visitor looking to learn, to compare, or to contact a supplier?
- Business relevance: can this traffic turn into a qualified enquiry or a customer?
- Content feasibility: can you create the best available answer on this precise subject?
To assess a keyword's real difficulty before committing, Moz Keyword Explorer calculates a score based on the authority of the pages already ranking. If the first 10 results all belong to sites with a domain authority above 70, that keyword is not winnable now. Look instead for a more specific variant with more modest competitors.
A free 2-minute test: type your keyword into Google in a private window and look at the first 10 results. If you see forums, small sites or older articles at the top, the query is winnable with good content. If you only see large national media, look for a longer, more specific variant.
The long tail: a small company's advantage over the big players
A keyword such as 'marketing agency' is contested by national players with years of authority. By contrast, 'marketing agency for small companies Nantes website' is winnable within a few months of serious work. The long tail groups these specific queries with little individual volume but almost no competition.
Accumulate 20 or 30 well-targeted long-tail queries and you attract more qualified traffic than a single highly competitive generic keyword you will never reach. It is the most accessible strategy for a small company.
Where to start today
Log in to Google Search Console and filter your data over the last 3 months. Identify the queries where you appear in position 8 to 20 with more than 50 impressions. Those pages already exist for Google. Improve their content, strengthen their internal linking, and you can climb without creating a single new page.
Once your keywords are identified, their effectiveness also depends on how your pages support one another. Read our guide to internal linking to make sure each page targets a precise keyword and receives the internal links that help it climb through the results.