How to Do Keyword Research for a Small Business (Free Tools, No Jargon)

# How to Do Keyword Research for a Small Business (Free Tools, No Jargon)

Keyword research sounds like something only big marketing departments worry about. It's not. If you want people to find your business online, you need to know what words they're typing into Google—and honestly, it's easier than you'd think.

The good news: you don't need expensive software. The better news: you probably already know more about your customers' language than you realise. This guide walks you through the why, the how, and the tools that actually work.

What Is Keyword Research, Really?

At its core, keyword research is just answering this question: what words do my customers type into Google when they're looking for what I sell?

If you're a plumber in Manchester, someone searching "burst pipe near me" is more useful to you than someone searching "plumbing history". One person needs your help today. The other is doing homework.

That distinction—what someone *actually needs right now*—is what separates useful keywords from noise. It's called keyword intent, and it's the single most important thing to understand before you spend any time on this.

Understanding Keyword Intent

Keyword intent is simply the reason behind a search. Why did someone type that phrase?

There are roughly three types:

Informational intent – someone wants to learn something. Examples: "how to fix a leaky tap", "best SEO practices", "what causes damp in houses"

Commercial intent – someone is considering buying but not quite ready. Examples: "best accountant software for freelancers", "local electricians", "cheap van insurance quotes"

Transactional intent – someone wants to buy or hire *right now*. Examples: "emergency plumber Manchester", "book a cleaner today", "buy industrial shelving online"

If you're a small business, you want to target commercial and transactional keywords first. These are the searches where people are actually ready to spend money or pick up the phone.

Informational keywords matter too—they can build trust and bring traffic—but they're not your priority when you're starting out. You've got limited time, so focus on words that might actually bring in work.

How to Find Keywords: Google Knows Already

Before you download any tool, use Google itself. It's free and it's honestly better than people think.

Google Search Suggestions

Type your main keyword into Google and look at the dropdown menu that appears. Those suggestions? Google is literally showing you what people are searching for.

Say you run a dog grooming salon in Birmingham. Type "dog grooming" and you'll see:

• dog grooming near me
• dog grooming Birmingham
• dog grooming prices
• dog grooming for anxious dogs

These are real searches people are doing *right now*. Write them down.

Then scroll to the bottom of the search results page. There's another gold mine: "Searches related to [your keyword]". Same principle—real searches, zero cost.

Google Search Console (Free)

If you've already got a website, Search Console is invaluable. It shows you:

• what keywords people are already finding you for
• how many times you've appeared in search results
• what your average ranking position is

This is like getting free market research. You'll spot keywords you didn't even realise you were good for.

Set it up at [search.google.com/search-console](https://search.google.com/search-console) if you haven't already. It takes 10 minutes.

Free Tools That Actually Work

Beyond Google itself, there are two free tools worth your time:

Ubersuggest (Free Version)

Ubersuggest will show you:

• how many times a keyword is searched per month
• how difficult it is to rank for that keyword
• related keywords you hadn't thought of

The catch is the free version is limited. You get a few searches per day, not unlimited. That's fine—you don't need unlimited. You need the *right* keywords.

Here's how to use it:

1. Go to [ubersuggest.com](https://ubersuggest.com) 2. Type in a keyword related to your business 3. Look at the "Volume" column—that's how many searches per month 4. Look at the "SEO Difficulty" score (0–100)

What numbers matter?

For a small local business, you want keywords with:

• 100–1,000 searches per month (not so niche nobody's looking, not so competitive you'll drown)
• SEO Difficulty of 30 or below (ideally below 20)

If a keyword has 50,000 monthly searches and difficulty 85, you won't rank for it. Amazon and the big comparison sites already own that space. Skip it.

AnswerThePublic (Free Version)

This tool shows you the *questions* people are asking about your industry.

Go to [answerthepublic.com](https://answerthepublic.com), type in a keyword, and you get a visual map of questions:

• "How much does X cost?"
• "Where can I find X?"
• "What is X?"
• "Is X safe?"

This is pure gold for content ideas—but it's also brilliant for understanding what your customers actually care about. That matters when you're writing your website or landing pages.

The free version lets you do a few searches a day. Plenty to start with.

How to Pick Keywords You Can Actually Rank For

Here's the trap most small businesses fall into: they chase big keywords and wonder why nothing happens.

A plumbing company in Plymouth targeting "plumber" nationally won't rank. Ever. They'll rank for "emergency plumber Plymouth" or "boiler repair Plymouth" because:

1. Local keywords have less competition – there's only so many businesses in your town 2. They show clear intent – someone searching your area is ready to hire *you*, not some national chain 3. You have a natural advantage – you're local and they're looking local

How to narrow your keywords:

Start with your service or product, add your location.

• ❌ "electrician"
• ✅ "electrician Leeds"

• ❌ "accountant"
• ✅ "accountant for freelancers Manchester"

• ❌ "web design"
• ✅ "website design for small business London"

Once you've got a list of location-based keywords, filter them:

Cut anything with:

• SEO Difficulty over 30 (you won't rank)
• Fewer than 20 monthly searches (nobody's looking)
• Keywords that don't match what you actually do

Keep:

• Local keywords with your area name
• Keywords with 20–500 monthly searches
• Keywords where competitors are other local businesses (not national brands)

Your Starting Keyword List

You should aim for 10–15 keywords to begin with. Not 100. Not 50. Small, focused, doable.

Here's what a realistic list looks like for a local business:

| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Difficulty | Intent | |---------|------------------|-----------|--------| | Dog grooming Birmingham | 90 | 18 | Commercial | | Dog grooming near me | 2,200 | 45 | Commercial | | Emergency dog groomer Birmingham | 30 | 8 | Transactional | | Dog grooming for anxious dogs | 110 | 22 | Informational |

Notice the mix: mostly commercial and transactional, with a couple of informational ones. That's the balance you want.

What to Do With Your Keywords

Once you've got your list, your keywords should guide:

• Your website structure – create pages around these topics
• Your blog content – write about the problems your customers have
• Your metadata – page titles, descriptions, headings
• Your local listings – Google Business Profile, local directories

If you're not sure how to connect keywords to your website, that's where something like a quick audit from an agency like BrightClick can help. It's not expensive and it saves you guessing.

The Bottom Line

You don't need expensive tools or a marketing degree. You need:

1. Google's own suggestions (they show real searches) 2. Ubersuggest free version (difficulty and volume data) 3. AnswerThePublic (what people actually want to know) 4. A focus on local keywords (you'll rank, and they convert)

Spend an hour this week building your keyword list. Use the free tools. Write down 10–15 keywords that match what you do and where you operate.

That list is your roadmap. Everything else follows from there.