find-keywords

Find Keywords

Build a prioritized keyword universe from a seed topic using intent mapping, difficulty-adjusted opportunity scoring, and cluster seeding.

Before You Start

Gather this context (ask if not provided):

1. Domain and goal. What site is this for? What is the primary conversion (leads, sign-ups, sales, traffic)?
2. Seed topic. The core subject area — not a single keyword but the business category (e.g., "project management software", "personal injury law Chicago").
3. Existing rankings. Does the site already rank for terms in this area? Existing rankings tell you where to defend vs. expand.
4. Constraints. Budget, team size, content velocity — these determine whether to chase head terms or focus on long-tail.

Step 0: Cannibalization Screen

Before building a new keyword list, check what the site already targets. Creating a new page for a keyword you already rank for can split authority and hurt both pages.

For each keyword you're considering:

1. Search site:yourdomain.com [keyword] — does an existing page already target this term?
2. Check Google Search Console — is an existing page already getting impressions for this keyword?
3. If yes: update the existing page instead of creating a new one.
4. If multiple pages rank for the same keyword: you have a cannibalization problem. Consolidate before expanding.

Low-Hanging Fruit Check

Before chasing new keywords, look for existing wins:

• Positions 11-20 — You're almost on page 1. These keywords need content improvements or better internal linking, not new pages.
• High impressions, low clicks — Title/meta description optimization can unlock traffic without new content.
• Declining positions — Keywords where you're losing ground may need content refreshes (see recover-content).

Address these before building net-new keyword lists.

Keyword Universe Construction

Build the universe in three tiers:

Tier 1 — Head Terms (high volume, high difficulty)