Episode 16: Keyword research and search intent
What customers type into Google, the intent behind it, and how to find the right keywords.
Two people type into Google. The first: “how to wash a cotton kurti”. The second: “cotton kurti buy online COD”.
Both contain “kurti”, but one wants to learn and the other wants to buy. Understand the intent behind a search, and you’ll give the right answer.
What is a keyword?
The word or phrase people type into a search engine. The base of both SEO and Google Ads.
- Short-tail: “kurti” · huge search volume, huge competition, unclear intent
- Long-tail: “cotton kurti for office wear under 1000” · fewer searches, less competition, clear intent
For a small brand, winning on long-tail is easier and more profitable.
4 types of search intent
| Intent | User wants | Example | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informational | Information | “how to wash a cotton kurti” | Blog, guide |
| Navigational | To reach a specific site | “stylestreet kurti” | Home/brand page |
| Commercial | To compare | “best cotton kurti brands for office” | Comparison, buying guide |
| Transactional | To buy | “buy cotton kurti online COD” | Product/collection page |
How to find keywords
- Google autocomplete: type “cotton kurti for…” and look at the suggestions
- People also ask and related searches (bottom of the results page)
- Google Keyword Planner (free inside a Google Ads account): ranges of search volume
- Google Search Console: once the website is live, which searches bring people
- The customer’s language: DMs and reviews (Chapter 4’s “comments goldmine”)
- Paid tools (Ahrefs, Semrush): at a bigger level
How to choose keywords: 3 filters
- Relevance: is StyleStreet truly the best answer to this?
- Intent: does the intent match our goal?
- Difficulty: who is on page one? If it’s all giants like Myntra/Amazon, it’s hard. If it’s small blogs and stores, there’s a chance.
Is a keyword useless if search volume is low?
No. “cotton kurti for office jaipur” may get few monthly searches, but whoever searches it is exactly your customer. Ten such keywords together bring good traffic, with higher conversion too.
Keyword mapping: one main keyword per page
One page = one main keyword + its related keywords. Two pages shouldn’t compete for the same keyword.
| Page | Main keyword | Intent |
|---|---|---|
| /office-kurtis | cotton office kurti | Transactional |
| /size-guide | kurti size chart women | Informational |
| /blog/kurti-wash-guide | how to wash a cotton kurti | Informational |
| /blog/office-kurti-styling | office kurti styling ideas | Commercial |
StyleStreet’s real problem
StyleStreet wanted its website to rank for “kurti”
Neha thought that writing “kurti” 50 times on the home page would put her first on Google. But page one for “kurti” is only big marketplaces.
Plus, many people searching “kurti” are browsing designs, not buying. The wrong fight on the wrong field.
Practical example: StyleStreet’s keyword list (first draft)
| Keyword | Intent | Difficulty (estimate) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| cotton kurti for office | Transactional | Medium | /office-kurtis |
| office wear kurti under 1000 | Transactional | Medium | /office-kurtis |
| cotton kurti shrink after wash | Informational | Low | Blog: wash guide |
| kurti length for short height | Informational | Low | Blog: length guide |
| jaipuri cotton kurti online | Transactional | Medium | /jaipuri-prints |
Notice: the blog keywords came from Priya’s objections (Chapter 3). The fears a customer has are exactly what she Googles.
Your mission: Do keyword research
For StyleStreet (or a business of your own):
- Collect 20 keyword ideas from autocomplete
- Write the intent of each (I/N/C/T)
- Pull 5 phrases from DMs/reviews that customers use themselves
- Apply the 3 filters and choose the top 10
- Build a keyword map: the main keyword for each page
- Decide 3 blog topics that answer objections
Quiz
-
The intent of “buy cotton kurti online COD”?
- A. Informational
- B. Navigational
- C. Commercial
- D. Transactional
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Transactional
The user is ready to buy.
-
Which keywords are better for a small brand?
- A. Short-tail (“kurti”)
- B. Long-tail, specific
- C. Competitors’ brand names
- D. Random
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Long-tail, specific
Less competition, clear intent, good conversion.
-
Which page for “how to wash a cotton kurti”?
- A. Product page
- B. Blog/guide
- C. Cart page
- D. Contact page
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Blog/guide
An informational search needs information, not a product page.
-
The main rule of keyword mapping?
- A. Every keyword on every page
- B. One page, one main keyword; pages don’t compete with each other
- C. Optimise only the home page
- D. Hide the keywords
Show answer
Correct answer: B. One page, one main keyword; pages don’t compete with each other
Clear mapping tells Google which page answers what.
Output for the client project
Your project file now has a Keyword Map:
- 20 ideas → top 10 keywords
- Intent labels
- Page-wise mapping
- 3 objection-based blog topics
Golden rule: Understand the intent, not just the keyword. Be the best answer to what the customer is searching for, and start with small, clear searches.