Keyword Strategy – which searches are actually worth it for you.
A keyword strategy is more than an Excel list with search volumes. We combine search intent, competition, topical relevance and business value into a topic map that gives your content plan clear priorities – including AI question patterns for GEO.
- Topic map
- Competitor gaps
- AI question patterns
- Prioritized by business value
A pillar-cluster architecture as a JSON example
// Example: topic map for an SEO agency (excerpt) { "pillar": "Local SEO", "search_volume": 8100, "business_value": "high", "clusters": [ { "name": "Google Business Profile optimization", "intent": "informational", "volume": 2400, "long_tail": ["choosing gbp categories", "profile description template"] }, { "name": "NAP consistency", "intent": "informational", "volume": 320, "ki_questions": ["How important is NAP consistency?"] } ] }
A topic map, not a keyword list
We weight volume, intent, competition and business value into a pillar-cluster architecture – the plan that prioritizes your content.
Six dimensions per keyword – not just search volume
Search volume
How many searches per month – but relative, not absolute.
Search intent
Information, transaction, navigation – every keyword gets an intent classification.
Competitive strength
How hard is it to reach the top 10? Quantified via the domain authority of the existing results.
Business value
What enquiry value sits behind the term? High-volume keywords without buying intent often have low ROI.
AI question patterns
What long-tail questions do users ask ChatGPT & co. about the topic? GEO-relevant.
Seasonality
When does search volume rise? The content plan is aligned to it.
A structured plan instead of a keyword list
Identify pillar topics
The 5–10 big themes of your industry, the most strategically important clusters.
Derive cluster topics
10–30 related sub-topics per pillar that support the main theme.
Long-tail expansion
Specific questions, how-tos and comparisons per cluster – ideal for a blog/guide.
Prioritization & roadmap
A 6–12 month plan: which topic when, in which format. Pillars first, clusters follow.
A good keyword strategy is not a table exported from a tool. It's a prioritized topic plan in which search volume, search intent, competition, business value and AI question patterns are weighed together. Only then does it become clear which content is genuinely worth creating.
The key questions, answered briefly
How do I find the right keywords?
Through a combination of tool data (search volume, competition), competitor analysis and an understanding of search intent. We weigh not just volume but above all buying intent and feasibility – a niche term with clear intent often beats the big, generic keyword.
What is search intent and why does it matter?
Search intent describes what a user really wants from their query: to inform, compare or buy. Google ranks pages that match the intent. Write a guide for a transactional keyword and it won't rank – which is why we put intent before optimization.
How do you cluster keywords by funnel stage?
Not every keyword leads straight to a purchase. We assign search terms to the stage of the customer journey, so each funnel stage gets the right content:
| Stage | Keyword type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ToFu (awareness) | informational | "What is Local SEO? |
| MoFu (consideration) | commercial | "Local SEO vs. Google Ads |
| BoFu (decision) | transactional | "hire a Local SEO agency |
Short-tail or long-tail keywords – which to back?
Both, but with strategy. Short-tail (e.g. "SEO") has high volume but heavy competition and unclear intent. Long-tail (e.g. "SEO agency for trades businesses") has less volume but clear intent and higher conversion. Smaller companies in particular usually win first through long-tail keywords.
Frequently asked questions
Which tools do you use?
Ahrefs, Semrush, Sistrix, Google Search Console, AnswerThePublic plus our own scripts for AI question patterns (scraping ChatGPT/Perplexity answers on your topics).
How many keywords do you analyse per project?
An initial topic map typically contains 500–2000 keywords, clustered into 5–15 pillar topics. Of those, 50–150 are prioritized for the first content wave.
What if our main keywords are too competitive?
We look for long-tail alternatives with similar search intent – often lower volume but much higher conversion. The sum of many long-tail wins frequently exceeds the volume of a single main keyword.
Ready to use this lever?
In the free Visibility Check we look together at whether and how this service fits your situation – including a concrete set of recommended actions.
Get a keyword map built →