Keyword research is just finding out how your customers describe what they need, so your pages use the same words. Google’s own starter guide puts it simply: think about the words a user might search for to find your content. Here’s a method using only free tools.
Step 1: start with your customers, not a tool
Write down the questions and phrases customers actually use:
- What do people ask on the first call or WhatsApp?
- What words do they use? (“AC not cooling” vs “air conditioning maintenance”)
- What do they compare you with?
- What do they worry about? (price, timing, trust)
Ask your sales and support team for 20 minutes. This list is often better than any tool’s.
Step 2: expand with Google itself
- Autocomplete: type your main terms into Google and note the suggestions. Try adding your area (“Dubai Marina”, “Sharjah”) and words like “price”, “near me”, “best”, “how to”.
- People also ask: the questions box in results shows related questions.
- Related searches at the bottom of the results page.
Search in both English and Arabic if you serve both.
Step 3: check real data in Search Console
If your site is live, Search Console’s Performance report shows the queries that already bring impressions and clicks. Look for:
- Queries with impressions but few clicks: your page shows up but doesn’t match well
- Queries you didn’t expect: new page ideas
See Google Search Console for beginners.
Step 4: rough volumes from Keyword Planner
Google’s Keyword Planner (inside a free Google Ads account) gives search volume ranges and related ideas. Set the location to the UAE or your emirate and the language. Without active ad spend, volumes show as broad ranges, which is fine for comparing terms.
Step 5: seasonality from Google Trends
Google Trends shows when interest rises and falls: AC servicing before summer, gifting before Eid, back-to-school in August. Use it to plan when to publish and update pages.
Step 6: group by intent, one page per group
Group terms that mean the same thing, then decide the page:
| Intent | Example terms | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Hire / buy now | “deep cleaning Dubai price”, “book deep cleaning” | Service page |
| Compare | “deep cleaning vs regular cleaning” | Guide or section on the service page |
| Learn | “how long does deep cleaning take” | FAQ on service page or a guide |
| Local | “deep cleaning JLT” | Service page listing areas, or a genuinely local page |
One page per group avoids several pages competing for the same searches.
Step 7: prioritise
Score each group by:
- Closeness to buying (hire/buy terms first)
- Fit: do you actually serve this, in this area?
- Opportunity: do you already get impressions, or is it new ground?
- Effort: new page vs improving an existing one
Start with buying-intent terms for your main services. See service pages that rank and convert.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need paid SEO tools?
They save time and show competitor data, but for a small business the free method above covers the essentials.
Should we target high-volume terms?
Not if they’re vague or dominated by big sites. Specific, lower-volume terms close to buying often bring more customers.
How often should we redo keyword research?
Review Search Console queries monthly, and do a fuller round when you add services or areas.
If you’d like keyword research done and mapped to your pages, that’s part of our traffic sources service.
Free download · Excel template
Keyword research and mapping sheet
Collect terms from each free source, record rough volume and intent, group them, and map each group to one page with a priority score.
Download itNo sign-up. Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers.
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