I’ll tell you right now, strong rankings don’t come from obsessing over one perfect keyword – especially with the rise in AI. They come from choosing keywords that actually matter for your business, that fit your site, and that help you show your knowledge on a topic as a whole.
Quick note from Tianna: when I say “actually matter” I’m thinking about more than traffic. I’m asking: will this keyword bring in the right audience, people who are ready to move closer to working with you?
It’s also important to note that AI is changing the SEO game. GEO or generative engine optimization (my preference over AEO) is creating a space where people search more in questions and sentence structure. We used to simply type two to three words in the google search but now we ask ChatGPT a whole paragraph specific request and ChatGPT gives us the perfect response.
What does that mean for keywords?
They still matter but it’s more important to use them as a general guideline to keep your content on topic but make sure that you are covering the topic as a whole not just the keyword.
AI assistants pull in clear, helpful content that teaches and explains. So if you’re writing to solve problems, you’re giving yourself a better shot at showing up.
The Three Things I Look at for Keywords
Here’s how I decide if a keyword is worth it: intent, difficulty, volume, click potential, and business fit.
- Intent: Does this match what the searcher wants to do right now?
Is this an information based keyword or a transactional keyword? Meaning will people use this keyword to look for further information and answer questions they have or are they ready to purchase. Informational keywords are great for blogs that lead to product or service pages while transactional keywords are good for the product or service pages.
- Difficulty: Can my site actually compete on that page?
Difficulty in a keyword still has merit. If the keyword is above a 75 it will take a large amount of resources to rank for. I often avoid these unless they are site wide keywords that you’re ready to put on every page. If you have a domain rating (check an SEO tool to find this) above a 30 then you can start focusing on more difficult keywords. Until then these are likely not right for you.
- Volume: Are there enough searches to make it worth it?
The volume of the keyword matters look for keywords that have more than zero searches. The higher the volume the more opportunity it has. Volume is an average of the searches across that country in the last 6 months. Most tools will allow you to choose the country your keyword is focused on.
Keyword Value
I also want to talk about the idea of a keywords value. Value is how much that keyword can actually move your business forward.
I calculate it by dividing volume by difficulty when you have your keyword list pulled.
Keyword value = volume/difficulty
This gives you a somewhat arbitrary number but the idea is now you can rank your keywords not just on volume but by the amount of potential volume to resource allocation.
Why AI Loves Informational Queries
AI is built to reward clarity and helpfulness. That means informational keywords like “how to find a keyword,” “what is keyword difficulty,” or “blog keywords for beginners” are gold.
Your job is to be the best teacher on that page. Start with the straight answer, then expand with examples, steps, and a quick wrap-up. Even if AI shows an overview above you, people still click through because they want the detail and they want someone they can trust.
High Value Keywords Aren’t Always About Volume
It’s so easy to chase the big shiny search volume. I’ve done it too. But volume alone is a trap. High value keywords sit where clear intent, realistic competition, and your business goals overlap.
For newer sites, I usually recommend long-tail phrases in that 50–500 monthly search range. For established sites, you can anchor with bigger head terms and build clusters. Either way, the move is the same: target something you can answer completely, then expand into a bigger conversation.
(My thought here: SEMrush scores and keyword difficulty numbers are helpful, but I always trust the SERP first. Open the page. See what’s ranking. That tells you more than any number.)
How I Find Keywords Without Overthinking
I start with customer questions. What are people asking me on calls or in emails? Those are my seed terms. Then I’ll drop them into a keyword tool for variations and difficulty.
But the real step is pulling up the results page. If I see how-to guides and checklists, I know it’s informational. That’s a blog. If it’s full of product or service pages, it’s transactional. That’s a landing page.
Pick one main phrase, then two to four natural variations. Use the main one in your H1, URL, and opening. Use the variations as H2s. Then structure around subtopics, not synonyms. That’s how you write for a whole subject instead of just repeating one phrase.
Covering the Whole Topic Matters
If you’re aiming for blog keywords, don’t just repeat them and hope magic happens. Show topical authority. Explain the whole process, give examples, and link to other posts that dig deeper.
As a baseline, I go for 500 words minimum. Most of the time 800–1,100 words is the sweet spot. Enough to cover it, but not so long it feels like a novel.
The Three Keyword Types and Where to Use Them
- Informational: for blog posts, guides, and tutorials. These build trust and pull people into your world.
- Transactional: for service pages, product pages, or ad landers. These convert.
- Branded: for your name or product names. Protect these on your homepage, service pages, and comparison pages.
Together, these build your funnel. Information fills it, transactional converts, branded makes sure people find you directly.
A Quick Example
Let’s say your audience asks, “how do I find a keyword for my blog?” Your primary is “how to find a keyword,” and your variations are “high value keywords” and “blog keywords.” A quick SERP check shows step-by-step guides at the top, so you write one.
Lead with the answer, walk through difficulty, intent, and click potential, then close with a checklist and CTA. Link internally to your content on topic clusters or on-page SEO. That completeness is exactly what search engines and AI want.
Simple Formatting Wins
Keep it clean: clear intro, H2s that match subtopics, short paragraphs, and an actionable conclusion. Your main keyword belongs in the H1, URL, and first 100 words. Sprinkle related terms in H2s. Add an internal link and one helpful external one.
End with a CTA that fits the intent: For informational posts, that might be a checklist, newsletter opt-in, or free mini audit.
Bottom line: a good keyword is one you can win, one your user is searching for, and one that has topical relevance to your business.
