Freelance Keyword Research Specialist — Target the Searches That Drive Revenue on Google and in AI Search
Most SEO fails not because of poor execution but because it starts with the wrong keywords. In 2026, keyword research also means understanding what questions your customers are asking in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews. I find the exact terms your ideal customers are searching, map them to your pages and give you a strategy built on real intent rather than guesswork.
Why Keyword Research Is the Foundation Everything Else Is Built On in 2026
Every piece of content you create, every page you optimise, every link you build is only as valuable as the keyword it is built around. Target the wrong terms and you can do everything else perfectly and still rank for searches your customers never make. Target the right ones and even modest SEO effort starts to produce compounding results.
In 2026 keyword research has a second dimension that most specialists are ignoring. Your customers are not only searching on Google. They are asking questions in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews. The phrasing they use in AI tools is different from what they type into a search bar: more conversational, more question-based and more specific. A keyword strategy that does not account for AI search intent is leaving a growing share of your audience unmapped and unaddressed.
Good keyword research maps every stage of your customer’s journey, from the moment they realise they have a problem to the moment they are ready to buy, across both Google and AI search. It identifies where you can realistically compete now, where to build toward and how to structure your content so that pages support each other rather than compete with each other for rankings.
What Your Keyword Research Covers
This is not a raw data export from a single tool. Every deliverable is researched, filtered and structured by a senior SEO specialist who understands what the numbers actually mean for your specific site and market, including the AI search intent layer that standard keyword tools do not capture.
AI Search Question Mapping
In 2026, your customers are asking questions in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews that never appear in traditional keyword tools. I identify the specific questions your audience is asking AI tools in your niche, map them alongside your Google keywords and flag which ones your content should directly answer. This gives you a keyword strategy that works for both traditional search and AI-generated answers.
Intent-Based Keyword Research
Every keyword is categorised by the search intent behind it: informational, navigational, commercial or transactional. This tells you not just what people are searching but where they are in the buying journey, so you can match each keyword to the right type of content and page rather than pushing sales copy at people who are just starting to research.
Volume and Difficulty Analysis
Search volume tells you how much traffic is available. Keyword difficulty tells you how hard it will be to get there. Both are combined with your current domain authority to identify the specific keywords where you have a realistic chance of ranking now and a clear pathway to the more competitive terms as your authority grows.
Competitor Keyword Gap Analysis
Your competitors’ keyword profiles tell you exactly what is driving their organic traffic. Every significant keyword they rank for that you currently do not is identified, assessed for relevance and difficulty and integrated into a prioritised strategy so you know where to focus first.
Keyword Mapping
Every target keyword is assigned to a specific page on your site based on relevance and intent. This prevents cannibalisation, where multiple pages compete for the same term and dilute each other’s rankings, and gives you a clear picture of which existing pages need optimising and which new pages need creating.
Content Cluster Planning
Google rewards sites that demonstrate deep and authoritative coverage of a topic. AI systems cite sites that comprehensively answer questions in a niche. Keywords are structured into pillar pages and supporting cluster content so your site builds topical authority systematically rather than publishing content in isolation that never builds on itself.
How Your Keyword Research Is Built
Keyword research done properly is a layered process that moves from broad discovery to precise and prioritised targeting. Here is how it works from start to delivery.
Discovery and Business Understanding
Before touching any tools, I take the time to understand your business properly: what you sell, who you sell to, what makes you different from competitors, which products or services are highest priority and what your customers typically search for at different stages of their decision. This context is what separates a useful keyword strategy from a generic list of terms that could apply to any business in your category.
Seed Keyword Research and Expansion
A comprehensive seed list is generated from multiple sources: Ahrefs, SEMrush, Google Keyword Planner, Google Search Console data, SERP feature analysis and niche forums where your customers actually discuss their problems. AI search question research is also run, identifying the conversational questions your audience asks in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews that never appear in standard keyword tools. The combination produces a more complete picture than any single source provides.
Filter, Score and Prioritise
The full keyword list is filtered by search volume, keyword difficulty, commercial intent and realistic ranking potential based on your current domain authority. The output is a prioritised set of targets: quick wins you can start acting on immediately, medium-term targets to build toward and longer-term opportunities to plan for as your authority grows. Every decision is explained so you understand the reasoning, not just the result.
Keyword Map Delivery
You receive a complete and structured keyword map: every target term with its volume, difficulty, intent label, CPC data and the specific page on your site it should be assigned to. The AI search questions are flagged separately with notes on which pages should answer them directly. Accompanied by a written summary explaining the strategic logic, the content cluster structure and the recommended next steps. Delivered within five business days of the discovery call.
Questions People Ask About Keyword Research
Do you research what customers are asking in AI tools as well as Google?
Yes. In 2026, your customers are asking questions in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews that never appear in traditional keyword tools. The phrasing is more conversational and question-based than standard Google searches. Every project includes AI search question mapping alongside Google keyword research so your content strategy covers both and your pages are structured to appear in AI-generated answers as well as traditional search results.
How many keywords will I receive?
Typically between 100 and 500 relevant and mapped keywords depending on your niche size, the number of services or products you offer and your content goals. Every keyword comes with full metrics and an intent label. The list is not padded with irrelevant terms to make the number look impressive. Every keyword in the deliverable has a clear purpose and a page it should be assigned to.
Do you include long-tail keywords?
Yes, and they are often where the most valuable opportunities are. Long-tail keywords typically have lower search volume but much higher purchase intent and significantly less competition. For newer sites or businesses in competitive niches, they are often the fastest route to rankings that actually drive enquiries rather than just traffic that bounces.
What tools do you use for the research?
Primarily Ahrefs and SEMrush for keyword data, competitor analysis and difficulty scoring. Google Keyword Planner and Google Search Console for intent signals and existing performance data. SERP analysis and niche community research to capture the language real buyers use. AI search question research to capture what customers ask in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews. The combination produces a more complete picture than any single tool provides.
Can I use the keyword research for PPC as well as SEO?
Yes. The data delivered, including search volume, CPC estimates and commercial intent labelling, is directly useful for Google Ads campaign planning and ad group structuring. Many clients use the same keyword map to align their organic SEO strategy and their paid search targeting, which also helps avoid bidding on terms where organic rankings could bring the same traffic for free.
What happens after I receive the keyword research?
The keyword map feeds directly into the next steps: on-page optimisation for existing pages already targeting the right terms, content creation for new pages covering gaps in your current coverage, and a link building strategy focused on the pages with the highest commercial value. On-page work should also incorporate the AI search questions identified so your content is structured to appear in both Google results and AI-generated answers. Any or all of these next steps can be handled together or the deliverable can be handed to your existing team to act on independently.
Start Your SEO on the Right Foundation for Google and AI Search
Book a free scope call and I will explain exactly what your keyword research will cover, how long it will take and what you will be able to do with it the moment it lands. Delivered within five business days.
Get Your Keyword Strategy →