Template
Keyword Research Template
A ready-made sheet for collecting keywords with intent, volume, difficulty, target page and priority, so research turns straight into a plan.
Description
This sheet keeps keyword research organized from the first brainstorm to the final keyword map. Every keyword gets the same columns, which makes it easy to sort by priority and hand the list to a client or writer.
Use case
Use it when a client asks “what should we rank for?”, before writing new pages, or when you build a keyword map for an existing site.
Instructions
- Make a copy and rename it with the client name and date.
- List seed topics from the client’s services, then expand them with your keyword tool.
- Fill in intent by checking what ranks today, not by guessing from the words.
- Add volume and difficulty from one tool only, so numbers stay comparable.
- Map each keyword to one target URL; mark gaps as “New page”.
- Set priority last, weighing intent, difficulty and business value.
Preview
Column headers with example rows. Replace the examples with your client’s data.
Example rows use a fictional client. Replace them with real data from your tools.
| Row | Keyword | Search intent | Monthly volume | Keyword difficulty | Current rank | Target URL | Priority | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | sourdough bread near me | Transactional | 320 | 18 | Not ranking | /bread/ | High | Local pack shows; GBP matters |
| 3 | how to store sourdough bread | Informational | 1900 | 22 | Not ranking | New page | Medium | Blog post opportunity |
| 4 | custom birthday cake [city] | Commercial | 210 | 25 | 14 | /cakes/custom/ | High | Add pricing and photos |
| 5 | bakery open sunday | Navigational | 90 | 8 | 6 | /visit/ | Low | Keep hours updated |
Download
A CSV file that opens in Google Sheets, Excel or Numbers. Keep the header row, delete the example rows and add your own.
Download template (CSV)SOPs that use this template
- SOP SOP: Keyword Research for a New Client Build a prioritized keyword list and map it to pages, from seed topics to client sign-off.
Practice with it
- Assignment Keyword research for a neighborhood bakery A family bakery wants more walk-in customers from Google. Find and prioritize the keywords its new…
- Assignment Map search intent for a fitness studio Label twenty keywords by search intent and decide which page should target each one.
My notes
Keep private notes next to anything you read or practice.
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