Introduction

Keyword research remains the foundation of any successful SEO strategy, but in 2025 it has become more complex due to advances in semantic search, the evolution of AI and changes in user behavior.

Google has moved away from simple keyword matching to focus on user intent and content semantics. This means that it is no longer enough to find words with high search volume; it is now crucial to understand how users think, what problems they want to solve and how to structure content that effectively addresses their needs.

In this article, we will explore an updated method for researching keywords and maximizing the potential of your content.

Step 1: Understand the search intent

Google has refined its algorithms to prioritize user intent. It is no longer just about finding high-volume keywords, but identifying transactional, informational and navigational queries.

• Informative queries: The user is looking for general information on a topic. Example: “How does SEO work”.

• Navigational queries: The user already knows a brand or website and wants to reach it directly. Example: “Bibe Agency SEO”.

• Transactional queries: The user has a clear purchase intention. Example: “Hire SEO agency in Madrid”.

To identify the search intent:

• Use Google Search Console to analyze the keywords that generate traffic and conversions.

• Employ AI such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini to generate insights on search trends.

• Look at Google’s results and analyze what type of content is ranking best for a specific keyword.

Step 2: Using advanced tools

By 2025, the best keyword research tools are:

• Ahrefs and Semrush: For competition analysis, keyword difficulty and backlinks.

• Google Search Console + BigQuery: To extract real search data and analyze historical trends.

• Sistrix: To evaluate visibility, competition and positions in the SERPs.

An effective keyword research strategy involves not only finding relevant keywords, but also assessing their real potential to generate traffic and conversions. It is important to consider:

• Search volume: How many times a keyword is searched for per month.

• Keyword difficulty: How difficult it is to rank for that keyword.

• Expected conversion rate: Do users searching for this keyword have purchase intent?

Step 3: Analyze the competition

Good keyword research also requires evaluating how the competition is performing. To do this:

• Use Semrush to discover the keywords that generate traffic to your competitors.

• Analyze the content structure of the top ranking sites.

• Identify “gap keywords”, those keywords that your competitors are taking advantage of and you are not.

Step 4: Grouping and ranking keywords

In 2025, Google prefers semantic clusters over individual keywords. Organize your keywords in thematic groups to strengthen your site architecture.

Instead of creating separate pages for each keyword variation, group them into one long article that covers all variants. This improves content relevance and avoids SEO cannibalization problems.

Step 5: Optimize and monitor

• Use Google Trends to validate trends and predict changes in search demand.

• Apply smart redirects on old content with tools like Screaming Frog.

• Constantly measure the performance of your keywords and adjust your strategy according to changes in the algorithm.

Conclusion

Effective keyword research in 2025 combines AI, semantic search and user analytics to maximize organic traffic and conversion. The key is to understand what Google wants and how users search for information to provide the best possible response.