Imagine you’re a detective solving a mystery. What do detectives do? They ask questions – Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Keyword research for SEO can work the same way. By asking these “5 W’s,” you can uncover exactly what your audience is searching for and how to reach them.
This guide will walk you through each of the 5 W’s in a clear, simple way – so simple that even a newbie could follow along – yet with insights powerful enough for SEO professionals.
We’ll use storytelling, real examples, and an empathetic tone to make sure you feel how each step helps your SEO. Ready to become the Sherlock Holmes of keywords? Let’s dive in!
Only a small fraction of pages ever receive organic search traffic, highlighting the importance of effective keyword research.
Have you ever spent weeks crafting a blog post, only to hear crickets afterward? You’re not alone. According to Ahrefs, 96% of content gets zero search traffic from Google. That means almost all the pages on the web are like secret messages no one ever sees.
Often, this isn’t because the content is bad – it’s because the keywords weren’t what people were actually searching for. SEO experts know that good keyword research is the key to avoiding being in that invisible 96%.
A study showed that 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine, so getting your keywords right is like planting your flag where people are already looking. In this guide, we’ll use the 5 W’s framework to ensure you can plant that flag in the right spot, so your content gets found by the people who need it.
Before we start, here’s a quick overview of the 5 W’s of keyword research:
- Who – Who are you targeting with your keywords?
- What – What keywords are relevant to your audience?
- When – When are people searching (seasonality and trends)?
- Where – Where are your searchers located (local, national, global)?
- Why – Why are people searching (what is their intent)?
By the end of this journey, you’ll know how to approach keyword research methodically using these questions. We’ll also sprinkle in practical examples, case-style illustrations, and even a few questions to you (yes, you) to keep things engaging. Let’s start with the first question: Who?
Who – Who Are You Targeting With Your Keywords?
Who is the person you want to visit your website? Picture your ideal website visitor. Are they a young student seeking homework help, a busy mom looking for quick dinner recipes, or perhaps a business owner searching for marketing software?
Defining who your target audience is the first and most important step in keyword research. If you don’t know your audience, you can’t guess what they’ll search for. Have you ever searched for something and found a result that felt completely off-base? That happens when the content creator didn’t think about who was searching.
Think of this step as creating a character in a story. In fact, marketing expert Donald Miller often emphasizes making the customer the hero of your story. So, who is the hero you’re trying to serve?
Let’s say you run an online shoe store. One possible audience could be serious marathon runners, and another could be casual walkers who need comfy shoes. These two “who’s” are very different.
A marathon runner might search for “best marathon running shoes,” while a casual walker might search for “most comfortable sneakers for everyday use.” See the difference? Who influences the keywords?
Now, put yourself in your customer’s shoes (no pun intended). Have you clearly defined who your target audience is? Consider factors like age, interests, problems, and how they speak.
For example, an 8-year-old looking up a term will phrase it differently than a college professor. If you target kids, you’ll use simpler words; if you target experts, maybe more technical terms.
Almost 89% of consumers turn to search engines to find solutions or products – but which words they type depend on who they are.
Practical example: Meet Lucy, a small business owner who sells organic dog treats. Lucy’s ideal customers are health-conscious dog owners who treat their pets like family. So, “who” is Lucy targeting? Perhaps a person like Jane, a 35-year-old dog mom who worries about doggy diets. Jane might search “healthy natural treats for dogs” or “grain-free snacks for puppies.”
She probably won’t search industry jargon like “premium canine oral consumables” – even if that’s what the product is! If Lucy optimizes for fancy terms no real pet owner uses, her site will remain invisible. As HubSpot’s Corey Eridon points out, “[buzzwords] should be balanced with… variations of keywords that people use when they don’t know exactly what you’re looking for.” In other words, use the language your audience uses.
How do you discover that language? There are some handy tools and methods:
- Customer Surveys & Feedback: If you have existing customers, ask them how they’d search for a product like yours. Sometimes the words they use surprise you.
- Google Autocomplete: Start typing a query and see what Google suggests. For example, type “healthy dog treats for” and you might see suggestions like “healthy dog treats for allergies” – a clue about what who (people with allergic dogs) are searching.
- AnswerThePublic: This is a fun tool where you enter a keyword and it shows questions people ask. It’s great to see how who (different groups) ask questions differently. For instance, “Can puppies eat adult dog treats?” might appear – which tells Lucy that some of her audience are new puppy owners with specific concerns.
- Forum and Social Media Listening: Check forums like Reddit or groups on Facebook related to your niche. What words do people (your potential audience) use when discussing these topics? If you’re targeting teen gamers, you’ll notice they use different slang than corporate IT managers.
By now, you might be thinking, “This sounds a bit like making a new friend – learning how they talk and what they care about.” Exactly! When you get it right, you’ll naturally gravitate towards the right keywords.
And if you skip this step? You are optimizing risk for the wrong audience. Have you ever wondered why you ranked for a keyword that brought in visitors who didn’t stay or convert?
It could be because those visitors weren’t the right ones for your business. For example, a high-volume keyword might attract thousands of people, but if they’re not your target audience, they won’t stick around. Better to have 100 visitors who really want what you offer than 1,000 who don’t, right?
So, take a moment and clearly describe your target audience. Create a simple persona like, “Jane, 35, dog owner, treats her pet like a child, searches for ‘healthy dog treats’.” This persona will guide everything else. When you know who you’re targeting, you can now move to the next question: what those people are searching for.
What – Which Keywords Are Relevant to Your Audience?
Now that you know who you’re after, let’s figure out what they’re searching for. This part is like brainstorming all the questions and phrases your target person (your “who”) might type into Google. Have you ever tried to guess what someone is thinking? Keyword research is a bit like that, except we have tools and data to help read minds!
Start with a simple list. Think of your product, service, or topic, and write down terms that come to mind. If we continue with Lucy and her organic dog treats, some obvious keywords might be “organic dog treats,” “healthy dog snacks,” or “natural treats for dogs.”
Those are a good start, but we need to dig deeper into what exactly Jane (our dog owner persona) might search. This is where we expand into related keywords, long-tail keywords, and even questions.
Long-tail keywords are just longer, more specific phrases. They often have lower search volume (fewer people search them each month), but they can be pure gold because they capture exactly what the searcher wants. For example, “organic dog treats” is broad.
But “organic dog treats for dogs with allergies” is a long-tail keyword that speaks to a very specific need. Maybe only a few hundred people search for that each month, but those who do are likely perfect customers for Lucy. Don’t be afraid of these longer phrases.
Remember, 15% of all Google searches have never been searched before – brand-new queries Google has never seen. That tells us the variety of “what” people search is enormous and always evolving. By focusing on specific questions and phrases, you can often find untapped opportunities your competitors missed.
Let’s use some keyword research tools to help discover the “what”:
- Google Keyword Planner: A free tool by Google Ads. You can input a broad term like “dog treats” and it will show you related keywords and how many people search them on average each month. For example, it might reveal terms like “homemade dog treats” or “best dog treats for training” along with volumes. Keep in mind the volumes are estimates (and often given as ranges), but it’s great for brainstorming.
- Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz Keyword Explorer: These are popular SEO tools (paid, with free trials) that not only give search volume, but also keyword difficulty (how hard it might be to rank), and a bunch of related keyword suggestions. If Lucy used Ahrefs and entered “organic dog treats,” she might discover related queries like “gluten free dog treats” or “are rawhide treats bad for dogs?” that she hadn’t thought of. These tools often show hundreds or thousands of suggestions, which is fantastic for expanding your list.
- Ubersuggest: This is a beginner-friendly tool (with a generous free tier) created by Neil Patel. It’s great for quick ideas. Type in your keyword and you’ll get related terms, content ideas, and even an SEO difficulty score. For instance, Ubersuggest might highlight a term like “cheap organic dog treats,” – telling Lucy that some people specifically look for affordable options.
- AnswerThePublic (again): It shines here as well. It visualizes questions and phrases people use. Under “what,” it might show queries like “what are the healthiest dog treats?” or “what dog treats are good for puppies?” Each of those questions is a potential keyword target and a content idea (“10 Healthiest Dog Treats for Your Furry Friend” sounds like a great blog post, right?).
While gathering your keywords, think of it as clustering ideas. Usually, keywords can be grouped by topics or intent. For example, Lucy might group keywords into clusters like:
Health-focused keywords (organic, gluten-free, low-fat dog treats), Training-focused keywords (best training treats, puppy training snacks), and Problem-focused keywords (dog treats for allergies, for sensitive stomachs). Grouping helps ensure you cover each topic thoroughly.
Remember, a single page or blog post can often target multiple related keywords naturally. Google is smart at understanding context. In fact, the average top-ranking page ranks in the top 10 for about 1,000 other relevant keywords!
That means if you create a really great, in-depth page on “healthy dog treats for allergies,” that page might also rank for variations like “best dog treats for dogs with allergies,” “allergy-friendly dog snacks,” and so on, without you even specifically optimizing for each tiny variation.
Google figures out that your page is about that whole topic. So, focus on covering the topic comprehensively rather than obsessing over one exact phrase.
Let’s do a quick case-style illustration: Suppose Bob runs a sports equipment store online. Bob’s target “who” might be amateur athletes and fitness enthusiasts. If Bob jumps straight to picking a keyword like “sports equipment” (very broad), he’ll be competing with huge retailers and may not attract the right crowd (also, what does someone searching “sports equipment” really want?
It’s unclear, but if Bob thinks about what those enthusiasts need, he might find keywords like “best tennis racket for beginners,” “affordable home gym equipment,” or “soccer shoes for wide feet.” Those are specific and directly relevant to particular customer needs.
Using a tool, Bob finds that “soccer shoes for wide feet” gets a modest number of searches, but those searchers have a very clear need. If Bob writes a guide or product page addressing that, he’s more likely to satisfy the searcher (and convert them to a customer) than if he simply tried to rank for “shoes” or “soccer shoes” generally.
As you compile your list of relevant keywords, ask yourself: What keywords will my audience actually type in when looking for what I offer? Put yourself in their mindset.
Sometimes it helps to imagine a scenario: Your friend needs to find your product but doesn’t know it exists – what would they Google? Also, check what keywords your competitors are targeting (SEO tools can show you competitor keywords too). If a competitor is ranking for “DIY dog treat recipes” and you have a blog, maybe that’s a content idea and keyword to add to your list.
One more tip: pay attention to search suggestions and “People also ask” boxes on Google’s results page. Search for one of your target keywords and scroll. Google often shows a “People also ask” section – each of those questions is a glimpse into what else your audience is curious about.
For example, under a search for “organic dog treats,” you might see questions like “Are organic dog treats better?” or “What treats are bad for dogs?” These are content ideas and keywords rolled into one. You can incorporate answers to these in your content, increasing the chances Google ranks you or even shows your answer as a featured snippet.
By the end of the What phase, you should have a hefty list of keywords and topics, all related to your audience’s needs. Don’t worry if it’s long – you will prioritize it later. The goal is to not miss any important “what” that your target user might be searching.
This approach brings order to what can sometimes feel like keyword chaos. In fact, some SEO experts talk about using frameworks to organize keywords. One framework (by GrowthRocks) literally uses 5 W’s – showing that asking these questions brings order. Now that we have what keywords, let’s talk about when people search for them.
When – When Are People Searching? (Seasonality & Trends)
Timing is everything – even in keyword research. When people search for a keyword, it can be just as important as what they search for. Some searches happen consistently all year, like “coffee shops open now.” Others are highly seasonal or trend-based, like “Halloween costume ideas” (huge in October, almost dead in June). Understanding when helps you plan your content and SEO strategy so you’re there when your audience needs you most.
Have you ever noticed certain topics explode at specific times? For example, every December, searches for “New Year’s resolution ideas” spike. If you only optimize for that in January, you’ve missed the boat – people aren’t searching it then. Seasonality isn’t just about holidays.
It can be weather-related (searches for “snow shovel” peak in winter; “swimming pool maintenance” peaks in summer) or tied to events (e.g., “Olympics schedule” spikes during the Olympic Games). It can also be day-of-week or time-of-day (like “pizza delivery” might spike around dinnertime each day, or “coffee near me” in the morning).
Let’s illustrate the importance of “when” with a concrete example. Consider the keyword “heavy coats.” Unsurprisingly, searches for heavy coats start to climb in the fall and peak around November each year. By late spring and summer, very few people search for heavy coats (except maybe in the southern hemisphere, where seasons are opposite!). If you run an e-commerce store selling winter jackets, you’d want your SEO and content in top shape before the fall arrives.
That might mean updating your winter coat product pages in late summer, so Google has time to index and rank them by the time October and November shoppers flood in. Similarly, a blog post like “Top 10 Warm Heavy Coats for Winter” will naturally perform best if it’s live (and ranking) during the winter season.
Another example: “Halloween costumes for kids.” As you can guess, this query peaks in October – probably in the first half of the month as parents and kids prepare for Halloween. It likely has a tiny blip or no interest outside of August through October.
So if you’re running a costume shop or a mommy blog with DIY costume ideas, you should start optimizing and promoting that content by late summer. That way, you’re catching the wave as it builds.
If you wait until October 30th to publish “Cute Halloween costume ideas,” you’re far too late – people have already done their shopping or settled on an idea.
But “when” isn’t only about yearly seasons. It’s also about trends and emerging topics. Think of things like fidget spinners, Pokémon GO, or a viral diet – these had massive search spikes out of nowhere because of trending interest.
Google Trends is your best friend to spot these patterns. It’s a free tool where you can input a query and see its interest over time (as a relative index). For instance, using Google Trends for “Black Friday” shows that, surprisingly, global searches for “black friday” start climbing as early as October.
That might seem early (Black Friday is the end of November), but people start hunting for deals and information weeks ahead. Knowing this, a savvy marketer will begin Black Friday campaigns and SEO content by October to capture those early birds.
Google Trends can also compare seasons: try comparing “ice cream” vs “hot chocolate” – you’ll likely see ice cream searches peak in summer and dip in winter, while hot chocolate does the opposite, peaking in cold months. If your business covers both, you can plan seasonal content accordingly (perhaps feature ice cream recipes in July and hot cocoa recipes in December!).
Have you ever wondered why your web traffic swung wildly between months? It could be seasonal search behavior. An empathetic SEO specialist will anticipate their users’ needs throughout the year.
If you’re an SEO for a travel website, you know “best summer vacation spots” will trend in spring/early summer, whereas “cheap flights for Christmas” will trend in late fall. Being prepared means updating content or creating new content a bit before the peak search times. SEO isn’t instant – it can take weeks or months for a new page to rank well. So, planning ahead is crucial.
Aside from seasonality, pay attention to recent trends. Tools like Google Trends have a “Trending now” section, and SEO news sites or even Twitter can alert you to sudden surges. For example, if tomorrow a new smartphone launches, searches around it (“<NewPhone> review” or “<NewPhone> vs iPhone”) will surge. If your site is in tech, covering that quickly can be great – but remember, everyone else might jump on it too, so it’s competitive and often news-y topics have short lifespans.
Seasonal and trend considerations also inform when to run campaigns and refresh content. Let’s say you have an old blog post, “Top 10 Ski Destinations for Winter 2022.” It did well last year.
As winter 2023 approaches, update it (new title: “…for Winter 2023-24”), refresh any details, and maybe republish or promote it again. This way, the content stays relevant when people search this season, and Google often favors fresh, updated content for queries that expect up-to-date info.
A practical case: Elaine runs a floral shop website. She knows that searches for “Mother’s Day flowers” spike every year in the couple of weeks before Mother’s Day (which is in May in many countries).
Using Google Trends and her own sales data (perhaps Google Analytics), she sees that traffic for “mother’s day bouquet” starts climbing in late April. So Elaine ensures that by early April, her Mother’s Day landing page is updated, SEO-optimized, and perhaps already indexed by Google.
She might add a blog post, “10 Heartwarming Mother’s Day Flower Ideas,” in mid-April to capture early planners. Conversely, she notices “Christmas wreath” searches pop up in late November through December, so she repeats the strategy for the holiday season. Over time, this becomes an SEO calendar – mapping content to when users are searching.
One more dimension of “when” is frequency and trends over the years. Some keywords grow or shrink in popularity over time. For instance, searches for “video call software” exploded in 2020 (due to the pandemic) and remain higher now than pre-2020.
Monitoring year-over-year trends helps you not miss a rising star or keep targeting a fading star. If you see a keyword’s volume declining each year (perhaps an outdated tech or trend), you might shift focus to newer terms.
In summary, always ask: When do people search for my keywords? Use data to find out if it’s year-round steady or seasonal. Use Google Trends or even the Keyword Planner’s month-by-month breakdown.
This ensures you don’t just have the right keywords, but you use them at the right time. It’s like selling umbrellas – you could sell them year-round, but you’ll sell a lot more in the rainy season! Now that we’ve covered timing, let’s move to where your audience is searching from, which is increasingly important in the age of mobile and local search.
Where – Where Are Your Searchers Located?
“Where” has two facets in SEO: where are your users physically located when they search, and where (on which platforms or devices) they search. We’ll focus primarily on the location aspect, because keywords can have very different relevance depending on geography. Additionally, local searches (like those including “near me” or a city name) have become incredibly common.
In fact, nearly half of all Google searches have local intent – about 46% according to Google’s own data. That means people are often searching for things in their area, or they’re looking for results that are location-specific.
Let’s break down why “where” matters. Suppose you own a coffee shop in Kathmandu, Nepal. If someone in Kathmandu searches “best coffee shop near me,” you definitely want to appear! But someone in New York searching “best coffee shop” isn’t your customer (unless they’re planning a trip).
Search engines have gotten very smart at serving local results when appropriate. They use the searcher’s location (via IP or GPS on phones) to tailor results. So even if the user doesn’t type a location, a query like “plumber” or “coffee shop” will likely show local options. As a business or content creator, you need to know where your audience is and optimize accordingly.
Have you ever tried searching for your own product or service from a different city? You might see a completely different result page. For instance, search “pizza delivery” and Google will show pizzerias near your location.
If you’re doing SEO for a multi-location business, you have to optimize for each area – this includes using location-specific keywords (e.g., “pizza delivery in Thamel Kathmandu” or just having your address and Google My Business profile so Google knows you serve that area).
There are practical steps to nail the “where”:
- Use Location Keywords: If you serve a specific city or region, include that location in your keywords. For example, Lucy (with organic dog treats) might target “organic dog treats in Los Angeles” if she only ships there, or write content like “Best Organic Dog Treats in LA – A Local’s Guide for Pet Owners.”
- Google My Business (Google Business Profile): If you have a physical or service-area business, claim your Google Business listing. It’s free and vital for local SEO. It helps you show up in Google Maps and the “3-pack” map results. Fun fact: Businesses in Google’s local 3-pack (the map results box) enjoy a 44% click-through rate on average – meaning nearly half the people click one of those top map results when they see it. That’s huge visibility for local searches.
- Local SEO Tools: Tools like Moz Local, BrightLocal, or even SEMrush’s local SEO features can help manage and track how you rank in specific areas. They often also show you local keyword volumes. For instance, SEMrush might show that “dog treats” is searched 1,000 times/month nationally, but “dog treats” in California has a certain subset, and “dog treats Kathmandu” maybe a smaller number but more relevant if you’re in Nepal.
- Language and Regional Terms: Location isn’t just city – it can be country or culture. If you operate globally or in multiple countries, you must recognize “where” in terms of market. People in the UK search for “holidays” where Americans would search “vacations.” In one country they might use one brand name generically (like “Hoover” for vacuum in the UK). Be mindful of those differences. Also, if your audience speaks different languages, you’ll need keywords in each language or separate content (and possibly use hreflang tags, but that’s deeper SEO technical stuff).
- Mobile vs Desktop (Where are they searching from – device): More than ever, people search on mobile. Mobile searches often have a local intent (“near me” queries exploded by 400% over two years). For example, someone on their phone is more likely to search “coffee shop near me” when they’re out and about. Ensure your site is mobile-friendly, because if someone finds you via a mobile search and your site doesn’t load well on a phone, they’ll bounce (and Google might downrank you for it). According to HubSpot’s research, 63% of consumers prefer to find info about brands on mobile devices. Additionally, Google accounts for about 94% of global mobile search market share – meaning if you’re thinking “where (which search engine)”, focus on Google, especially for mobile and local.
Let’s illustrate “where” with a case study style story. Raj has an online bookstore that ships only within India. He initially did keyword research on “buy books online” and targeted a global audience without realizing it. He got lots of irrelevant traffic from other countries that he couldn’t even serve, which was wasted effort.
After refocusing on “where,” Raj optimized for location-specific terms like “buy books online India” and even city-specific pages for big cities in India. He also considered the “where” culturally – in India, people might search for “buy novels online cash on delivery” because COD is popular there, whereas in other countries that wouldn’t be a thing.
By aligning his keywords with where his customers are, Raj saw better quality traffic. People landing on his site could actually purchase (since he ships to them), and his conversion rates improved.
Another example: Maria runs a travel blog, but primarily writes about travel in South America. If someone from Canada searches “best hiking trails,” they might want local Canadian trails. To get the right readers, Maria optimizes her content to clarify location: “best hiking trails in Patagonia” or “Peru hiking guide.” That way, she attracts people looking specifically for those places. Even if Maria’s audience is global, the content’s “where” needs to match the query’s intent. If the content is location-specific, the keywords should be too.
Keep in mind that Google’s own localization will do some work for you. If your site clearly indicates where you are (through an address, or through Google My Business, or context), Google will likely show your site to local searchers for generic terms as well.
For instance, if Lucy’s dog treat bakery is in Los Angeles, and someone in LA searches “organic dog treats,” there’s a good chance Google might include her in results even if she didn’t explicitly use “Los Angeles” on every page – provided she has signals of being an LA business (address on her site, etc.).
But it’s still wise to include location keywords where natural (like the About page: “Serving happy dog owners in Los Angeles since 2020,” or in meta tags, etc.).
In SEO, we often say “local SEO” is its own discipline. That’s how crucial “where” is for businesses that have a local presence. Statistics from BrightLocal and others repeatedly show how impactful local search is: For instance, 88% of consumers who do a local search on their smartphone visit or call a business within a day.
And 78% of local mobile searches result in an offline purchase (the person actually goes and buys something in person). These are powerful numbers – they show that when someone searches where (locally), they often take quick action. So ranking well in your local area for relevant terms can directly drive foot traffic and sales almost immediately.
So, ask yourself: Where are my users? Am I targeting a local area, multiple regions, or a global audience? And: Does my keyword strategy reflect that? If you operate in many locations, you may need separate pages or content for each (don’t just stuff all cities on one page; better to have dedicated content if possible, like landing pages or blog posts per region).
Also consider if there are location-specific queries you can address, such as local regulations (“do I need a permit to walk dogs in NYC?” if you run a dog walking service blog) or local culture.
By tailoring your keywords and content to “where” your audience is, you stand a much better chance of connecting with them. It’s all about meeting searchers where they are – both physically and contextually. Now, let’s dive into the final and perhaps the most critical question: Why are people searching? This is all about the intent behind those keywords.
Why – Why Are People Searching? (Understanding Search Intent)
Every time someone types a query into Google, there’s a why behind it – a reason or intent. Understanding this search intent is like reading the searcher’s mind. If you can figure out why they’re searching, you can make sure your content answers that need. And if your content matches the intent, Google is much more likely to rank it. On the flip side, even a high-volume keyword will flop for you if your content doesn’t satisfy the searcher’s “why.” Have you ever wondered why that high-volume keyword didn’t bring traffic or leads, even when you got the clicks? It’s probably because the content didn’t match why people searched that term.
Search intent generally falls into a few buckets:
- Informational intent – The user wants to learn something. They might ask a question (“why is the sky blue?”), Look for a how-to (“how to train a puppy”), or seek general info (“Thai curry recipe”). They are not immediately looking to buy – they want knowledge or solutions.
- Navigational intent – The user is trying to get to a specific website or page. For example, searching “Facebook login” or “OpenAI ChatGPT” – they know where they want to go, and they use Google like a shortcut.
- Commercial investigation – The user is thinking about a purchase or decision and is researching. These searches often include words like “best,” “top 10,” “reviews,” or comparisons (“best smartphone 2025”, “XYZ product vs ABC product”). They intend to buy something soon, but are in the decision-making process.
- Transactional intent – The user is ready to act or buy right now. These searches often have words like “buy,” “order,” “download,” or they might be very product-specific (“buy Nintendo Switch online” or just “Netflix subscription price” – indicating they might sign up). Local searches like “plumber near me” also often have high intent (they need a plumber now).
- (Some add Navigational separately as above, and sometimes talk about Local intent and Video intent, etc., but let’s keep it simple.)
Now, why does this matter? Because if you take a keyword and misjudge its intent, you’ll serve the wrong content. Google will notice (users pogo-stick back to search results), and you won’t rank well for long. Or even if you rank, those visitors won’t convert.
Imagine a keyword like “how to make organic dog treats at home.” Why is the user searching this? Clearly for an informational reason – they want a recipe or instructions. If Lucy (our organic dog treat seller) targeted that keyword with a page that just said “Buy our organic dog treats here!” (transactional content), she would frustrate the user.
They weren’t looking to buy; they wanted to DIY. Google likely wouldn’t rank Lucy’s product page for that query anyway – it would favor a blog post or video tutorial on making dog treats. The intent must match.
In contrast, for a keyword like “buy organic dog treats online,” the intent is transactional. The person is ready to buy or at least see options to buy. If Lucy wrote a fluffy blog post about the benefits of organic ingredients for dogs, that might educate, but it’s not what the user is seeking at that moment.
They want to see products or a shop page. An online store page listing organic dog treats, with a big “Add to Cart” button, is exactly what fits the bill. Google will try to show e-commerce category pages or product pages for such a query, not an article.
Let’s consider some statistics to underline how crucial intent is. Recent research by SparkToro (led by Rand Fishkin) analyzed millions of searches and found that just over half of Google searches (around 50%) are informational, while about a third are navigational, roughly 14.5% are commercial investigation, and only around 0.7% are truly transactional (ready-to-buy).
Think about that – the vast majority of searches are people looking for information or a specific site, not immediately buying. That’s why so much of SEO is about creating useful content to attract those people earlier in the journey. However, that <1% transactional, while small in volume, can be very lucrative if you’re the business they choose in that moment. So you need a mix of content targeting different intents, aligned with your goals.
A common pitfall: going after a keyword just because it has high search volume, without considering intent. For example, a company selling accounting software might see “what is bookkeeping” has thousands of searches. They target it and get traffic, but these searchers just wanted a definition or basic info – they weren’t looking to sign up for software yet.
The company might get lots of visits, but few conversions. Instead, targeting something like “best accounting software for small business” has fewer searches but those people are further along the buying process (commercial intent). It might yield more sign-ups even with less traffic.
So how do you determine the “why” behind a keyword? Google it and observe. The easiest hack: take your keyword, search it, and see what types of results dominate page one:
- If you see mostly blog articles, how-to guides, videos, or infographics, it’s likely an informational query.
- If you see product pages, category pages, or comparison pages on shopping sites, it’s likely transactional or commercial.
- If you see a mix of “10 best…” style articles and some product listings, probably a commercial investigation (people researching best options).
- If you see a specific site page (like Wikipedia, official sites), it could be navigational or just informational with a trusted source answer.
- Also note features: Does Google show a featured snippet (instant answer), or “People also ask” questions? These often appear for informational queries. Does it show a shopping carousel or lots of ads? That often happens for transactional queries.
For example, search “best running shoes 2025”. Likely results will be listicles from sports websites or magazines (because Google knows people want a roundup, not one specific brand). Now search “buy Nike Air Zoom size 10” – probably you get online stores or maybe even a direct Nike listing, because that intent is to purchase a specific item.
Another clue is in the keyword itself:
- Words like “how to,” “why,” “guide,” “learn” usually mean informational.
- “best,” “top,” “reviews,” “vs,” typically mean commercial investigation (looking for options or opinions).
- “buy,” “coupon,” “discount,” “price,” or just product names often mean transactional (ready to buy or at least compare prices).
- Direct brand or product names (like just “Facebook” or “Gmail login”) are navigational (just getting to that site).
Now, ensure your content delivers on the why:
- If the intent is informational, provide the info clearly and helpfully. If someone searches “how to potty train a puppy,” give them a step-by-step guide, maybe a video, tips, common mistakes – really help them. Don’t immediately shove a product in their face, though you can gently suggest one if relevant (like “by the way, these puppy pads might help”).
- If the intent is transactional, make it easy for them to do the action. If it’s buying, show the product with price, use clear calls-to-action (“Add to Cart”, “Sign Up Now”). If it’s a local service search, ensure your phone number or a “Book Now” button is prominent. They want to act, so facilitate it.
- If the intent is commercial research, they want to compare or see options. So content like “Top 5 accounting software compared” or individual product review pages serve well. Even on your own site, you might create a comparison page (“OurSoftware vs Competitor”) to capture those who search for comparisons.
- If navigational (for your brand), just make sure your homepage or the relevant landing page is optimized for your brand name. (This is less about keyword research and more about branding, but worth mentioning.)
Let’s do a quick Q&A to engage you: Think of a time you searched for something and the result wasn’t what you needed. How did that feel? Maybe you left and tried another website, or refined your search. Everybody has experienced that frustration. As an SEO (or a content creator), you don’t want to be that irrelevant result.
By aligning content with intent, you ensure that when someone lands on your page, they say “Yes, this is exactly what I was looking for!” That translates to lower bounce rates, higher dwell time, and often better conversions – all signals of a successful SEO strategy.
A mini case study: Tom runs an affiliate blog about electronics. He noticed one of his posts, “Best 4K TVs under $500,” was getting traffic but people weren’t clicking his affiliate links to Amazon.
He dug in and realized many visitors came from searches like “are 4K TVs worth it” or “4K vs 1080p” – which are more informational. His post was a list of products (assuming commercial intent), but some visitors wanted educational content. So Tom added a section explaining the benefits of 4K vs 1080p and who should get a 4K TV.
That way, even the info-seekers got value, and some might convert after being educated. Additionally, Tom wrote a separate article “4K vs 1080p – Why 4K is Worth It” to directly serve that informational query, linking to his “best 4K TVs” post. This way, he had tailored content for both intents. The outcome: better SEO performance overall, because each piece had a clear intent focus.
Sometimes, one broad keyword can have multiple intents depending on the person. Google tends to diversify results in such cases. For example, a search for “Apple” will show some results about the company and some about the fruit. But for most queries, one intent dominates. You can often identify it.
Lastly, note that Google’s algorithms (and especially recent developments with AI) are laser-focused on satisfying user intent. Google has something called “RankBrain” and other AI systems that monitor how users interact with results.
If lots of people click on a result but then immediately click back to Google (a sign it wasn’t what they wanted), that’s a bad sign for that result’s intent match. Your best bet for SEO in 2025 and beyond is to be the result that doesn’t send users back to refine their search. Instead, you answer their “why” so well that they stick around (maybe even bookmark your page or share it).
So, ask yourself, “Why would someone search for this keyword, and does my content give them exactly what they’re looking for (or better)?” If you can confidently say yes, you’re doing keyword research and content optimization right.
We’ve gone through Who, What, When, Where, Why. These five questions act like a compass for your SEO strategy. You might have noticed they are all interconnected: knowing “who” helps you guess “what” queries and “why” they search them; knowing “where” and “when” helps you narrow down context and timing, which feeds back into “what” content to create and “why”. By covering all these bases, you’re addressing keyword research in a truly comprehensive way.
Let’s wrap up with a quick summary and some actionable steps you can take right now.
Summary & Key Takeaways
You’ve now learned how to do keyword research using the 5 W’s module – Who, What, When, Where, and Why. By treating your keyword strategy like a curious journalist or a detective, you ensure no stone is left unturned:
- Who: Understand exactly who your target audience is. Build a clear picture of the person behind the search. This empathy ensures you choose keywords that real people in your audience would actually use. As we saw, using the audience’s language (not just industry jargon) is crucial. If you speak their words, you’ll meet them where they are.
- What: Discover what topics and queries your audience is searching for. Use tools (Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, Ubersuggest, etc.) to gather a wide net of relevant keywords. Think broadly and then cluster into specifics. Don’t shy away from long-tail keywords – they often indicate a very focused need. And remember, high search volume doesn’t always mean high value if it’s not relevant. It’s better to hit 50 searches of the right question than 5,000 of the wrong one. Leverage data: for instance, know that SEO can drive 1000%+ more traffic than organic social media – which means picking the right “what” to target in SEO has huge payoff.
- When: Recognize when searches peak or drop. Identify seasonal keywords (like holidays, annual events) and plan content ahead of time so you’re visible at the right moment. Watch Google Trends for rising topics. Being timely can give you an edge (Google often rewards freshness for trending queries). Don’t let your great content languish out of season – update and reuse it when its time comes again. In short, strike while the iron (or search volume) is hot.
- Where: Tailor your keywords to where your audience is. If they’re local, optimize for local search – claim your Google My Business listing, use local keywords, and earn local reviews. If they’re global, consider language differences and cultural terms. Keep in mind that mobile searchers (often on the go) might use “near me” or very short queries expecting local results. We learned that local intent is huge (nearly half of searches), and local searches convert quickly (e.g., most local smartphone searches lead to a visit or call within a day). That’s a hint: don’t neglect where, it can directly translate to real-world action.
- Why: Perhaps the most important – understand the motivation behind the search. Is it to learn, to compare, or to buy? Match your content format and tone to that intent. If you satisfy the “why,” your page is far more likely to succeed. We saw how search intent distribution works – a lot of informational, some navigational, less transactional – so align your content investments accordingly. If you’re after conversions, target those high-intent keywords but also use informational content to bring people into your funnel and build trust.
Throughout this guide, we’ve also demonstrated these principles with examples – from Lucy’s dog treat business to Bob’s sports store, Elaine’s flower shop, and more – to show how the 5 W’s apply in real scenarios. The big theme is empathy: putting yourself in the searcher’s shoes. When you do that, keyword research stops being a dry SEO task and becomes a way to connect with your audience. You’re essentially answering their unspoken questions and needs.
Action Steps: How to Implement the 5 W’s in Your Keyword Research
- Define Your “Who”: Write down 1-3 personas for your target audience. Note their demographics, goals, and pain points. Jot down how you think they might search for your product or content. (If you have analytics data or customer surveys, use those to refine this.)
- Brainstorm the “What” & Use Tools: For each persona, list out possible queries. Then use a keyword tool (Google Keyword Planner for a start, and others if available) to expand that list. Export the results into a spreadsheet. Organize keywords into themes or buckets that make sense for your business (e.g., by product category or by informational vs transactional). Mark down search volumes and any other important metrics (like difficulty or CPC if relevant). At this stage, cast a wide net.
- Apply the “When” Filter: Go through your keyword list and identify any that are seasonal or time-sensitive. Use Google Trends on key terms to see their interest over the year. Add notes next to those keywords about peak months. This will help you prioritize content production. For example, mark “Back to School deals” as a summer topic, “holiday gifts” as Q4, etc. Also mark queries that might be trending upwards or downwards over years, if you have that insight (you might drop keywords that are falling out of favor).
- Apply the “Where” Filter: Segment your keywords by location relevance. If you serve multiple locations, group keywords by location or tag them (e.g., add a column for “Geo” and label keywords global vs specific country vs local city). Ensure you have the content or landing pages to match these – e.g., a page for each major location. If not, plan to create or optimize pages for them. Also, if you identified different languages, plan for translations or localized content. If your business is local, make sure your site mentions your location (city/neighborhood names) naturally in content, and that your contact page is robust. You might also add schema markup for local business to reinforce location info to search engines.
- Determine the “Why” (Intent) for Each Keyword: This might sound tedious, but it’s incredibly valuable. Take your list of keywords (especially the top-priority ones) and try to classify intent: informational, commercial, transactional, or navigational. You can do this by the keyword clues or by Googling as we discussed. Add an “Intent” column in your spreadsheet and label each. Now, review your existing content (or planned content) – does each keyword align with a suitable page type? If you see a high-intent keyword (like “buy X online”) and you don’t have a transactional page for it, you know you need to create one or optimize a page for it. Likewise, if you have a blog post trying to rank for a transactional query, consider creating a dedicated product/service page and targeting the blog post at a related informational query instead.
- Prioritize and Execute: You likely have a big list now. Prioritize keywords or clusters that have the best combination of (a) relevance to your business, (b) reasonable search volume, and (c) attainable difficulty (no point going after a super competitive term right away if you’re just starting). Also factor in seasonality – prioritize seasonal content appropriately in your calendar. Start creating or optimizing content for each priority keyword cluster. Remember to optimize – that means using the keyword (and synonyms) in your title, headers, content body, meta description, URL if possible, etc., but always in a natural, reader-friendly way. Aim to comprehensively answer the query’s intent.
- Monitor and Iterate: After implementing, keep an eye on your performance. Tools like Google Search Console will show which queries your pages are getting impressions and clicks for. You might discover new “what” queries people find you with – fold those into your research. If something isn’t performing as expected, revisit the 5 W’s: Did we misunderstand the “who” or “why”? Is there a seasonal factor (“when”) we should wait for? Is our content truly the best answer for that intent? SEO is iterative, and the 5 W’s approach is a great checklist whenever you need to diagnose an issue or brainstorm new content.
By following these steps, you’ll create a cycle of continuous improvement. You’ll always be tuned into your audience’s needs and how they change over time.
In essence, think of the 5 W’s module as a story you’re writing with your user: Who is the character, what they’re looking for is the plot, when and where set the scene, and why is the motivation. If all those elements line up, the story has a happy ending – the user finds what they need (your content), and you get the traffic or conversion you desire. It’s a win-win.
Before we conclude, here are one suggested SEO title and meta description if you were publishing this article on a blog or site, to maximize its click-worthiness on search engines.
