A caveman could do this (and yes, it's free).

The internet is full of “definite” guides, “complete” guides, and “beginner” guides that are still half a bible long. Those are real great guides if you’ve got half an hour just to read through them.

To implement what you’ve learned is a whole other story.

This guide is the opposite. It’s as simple as the syrup in my Daiquiri.

It’s the kind of guide I wished I had when I wanted to get started. It’s the kind of guide that throws you in ice water and lets you paddle back to shore. It won’t make you an SEO guru, but it’ll have you writing your first blog post in less than 30 minutes.

The first section will give you all the background knowledge you need to put the step-by-step instructions in the second section to action.

What is keyword research (in simple terms)?

Keywords are the words and phrases your target audience types into Google. Keyword research is the process of uncovering those words and phrases.

What are long-tail keywords and short-tail keywords?

Long-tail keywords are search queries with four or more words. Short-tail keywords are search queries with three or fewer words.

Short-tail keywords are more competitive and difficult to rank for, especially for new blogs. Long-tail keywords are less competitive and have a higher click rate because they offer more specific answers to the user’s question. Consider this example:

Short-tail keyword: “french omelette.”

If you type that into Google, you might get results from kitchen shows, recipes, reviews, restaurants, etc. Everyone is fighting for that keyword.

Long-tail keyword: “how to make french omelette at home?”

Only recipes and guides are competing for this keyword. This lesser competition makes it easier for you to rank on Google.

Of course, not just Google uses keywords. You can do keyword research for YouTube, Medium, Bing, Yahoo, and any other search engine.

But this is the simplest guide on the internet, so let’s just focus on the big lad: Google.

Do you need tools to do keyword research?

There are dozens of tools out there that’ll make your research more thorough and accurate.

Those tools also help you organize your keywords and analyse their effectiveness. They show you what pages rank for them and how big your chances are of ranking for that keyword.

BUT, we don’t need that. Keyword research without any tools is as easy as keyword research gets.

Google’s goal is to show its users the best search results for their query. Google knows better than any other search engine what people want, thanks to the massive amount of data it collects.

And Google is hot to tell you.

The simplest way to do keyword research (no tools needed).

When you start typing something into Google, its algorithm tries to predict what you’re looking for. It’ll finish your sentences like you’ve been married for 30 years.

This gives you plenty of ideas and inspiration.

Let’s say you’re in the Gin business. Type one word only and hit the spacebar to see what people often search for.

People want to know more about gin cocktails and especially gin tonic recipes. They’re also searching for specific gins like Tangqueray and Gin Mare.

What “gin tonic recipe” means is obvious. But what exactly does someone want who searches for “gin mare?”

Ignore the query and focus on search intent.

The query is what people type into Google.

The search intent is the final goal behind their search. What people want to achieve by searching for something.

Some queries aren’t giving that intent away. Someone searching “gin mare” might be looking for recipes. They also might be looking for the ingredients or to buy some.

If you go on to write about your weekend bender on Gin Mare, it won’t do very well. Google has become incredible at deducing search intent, and if you still focus on the query instead, you lose.

Ignore the query. Aim at the intent behind the query.

To find out more about the search intent, finish the query and tap the spacebar. Google will tell you.

Now you know that people are looking for places to buy, for reviews, and for recipes. But that may not be the intent either. There is no clear line between query and intent. You have to put your customer’s shoes on and think like they would.

Uncovering search intent is art, not science.

If they’re looking for reviews of a gin, they are probably thinking about buying it. If they are thinking about buying it, they probably want to know the price and need a seller. Maybe their true intent behind “gin mare review” is “should I buy gin mare and where from?”

You figured out the search intent, now what?

Add it below the keyword it belongs to as a bullet point.

Do it again with the next query Google suggests. What’s the search intent behind “gin mare recipe?”

Someone looking for recipes obviously wants to make a drink. Most people don’t drink alone, so who could they be making the drink for? Maybe friends? A lover? Your guess is as good as mine, but “The 10 best Gin Mare drinks for your significant other” might be something your ideal customer would want to read.

Add it to the list of bullet points and repeat.

When you’re fresh out of Google predictions, use the ABC technique.

Don’t worry, it’s just Google’s predictions with a small twist. I promised to keep it simple, right?

Type in your keyword from before, hit space, and press “a.” See what pops up. Do the same for “b.” And “c,” “d,” etc. I found an interesting keyword when I typed in “f.”

“Gin mare food pairing.” There’s a lot you can make out of this query if you’re thinking about the intent.

• What food to pair Gin Mare with.
• The best food pairing workshops with Gin Mare.
• How to cook the perfect Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon to serve with Gin Mare.
• …

All go on your keyword list.

When you’re done with the whole abc, move the cursor to the beginning of your keyword, hit enter once, left arrow, and start over with “a.”

The never-ending well of “People also ask” (PAA).

When you’ve added everything to your keyword list, open a new Google window and search for your main keyword.

When you scroll down the search results, you see a section called “People also ask.” They are an amazing opportunity to get eyeballs on your website quickly. If you answer those questions better than the website that’s currently featured, you win that spot.

To get more suggestions than the initial five, just click on one of them. Similar questions will appear below.

This is my favorite way of finding keywords.

Don’t just jot down the questions as bullet points, but think beyond them. Someone who asks what tonic goes with Gin Mare isn’t satisfied with a page that has just Tribute Tonic written on it. They might want to know why it goes well together, how to properly mix them, what others might work for what taste preference, etc.

That gives us some ideas to add to our keyword list:

• Gin Mare: The best tonics and how to mix them.
• The best tonics for Gin Mare (and other mixers).
• Gin Mare: The best tonics for sweet taste buds.
• ...

When the well of PAA has dried up, tap into the related search section.

Google never tires of making suggestions. There is a whole section dedicated to it at the bottom of the search page.

Scroll down, click one that intrigues you, and start over with the ABC technique until you’ve worked your way down to the related search section. You can play that game for days and fill your keyword list with thousands of queries.

By showing you how to do keyword research with the “gin mare” example, I didn’t even scratch the surface. You could repeat just that process alone with every popular gin brand there is.

But don’t get too caught up with finding keywords. You also have to choose the right ones and then make smart use of them.

How to choose the right keywords from your list.

This is where tools would come in handy. But let’s, you know, keep it simple (ha ha).

The easiest way to determine whether you should write about a keyword is by answering the following questions with yes:

• Does my ideal customer want to read that?
• Can I write something better than the current top 3 results on Google?

If you can whip up a better piece of content than the others, AND your target audience actually cares about it, go for it: Write the best fucking blog post on the entire internet.

The Caveman Method: A simple step-by-step manual to keyword research.

Ooga booga, I give word, I get keyword. That’s what I imagine I’m saying to Google when I use this keyword research method.

It works so damn well because Google knows exactly what people want. All the fancy (and expensive) tools can just guess.

For marketers who want to start a blog, the Caveman Method is the simplest way to perform keyword research. Unlike other keyword research techniques, the Caveman Method requires no tools and no prior knowledge of SEO.

Follow all steps of the Caveman Method and you’ll find yourself with a list of dozens of keywords you can write blog posts on in less than 30 minutes.

Step 1: Type the product or service you’re offering into Google’s search bar.

Open up Google and type your main product or service in the search bar. Don’t hit enter yet.

Look at the predictions Google makes below your search query. Google makes those predictions because other people have actually searched for it.

Step 2: Determine search intent.

Put on the hat of your ideal customer and look beyond the words on the screen. What is the intent behind the search? What’s your ideal customer’s goal? The search intent always leaves you with a long-tail keyword.

If you have the search intent figured out, add it to a keyword list that you keep in your standard notes program.

If you can’t figure it out, send Google back to first grade.

Step 3: Use the ABC technique.

Type in your keyword, hit the spacebar, and then “a.” Google will come up with a bunch of new predictions. Delete “a” and add “b.” Repeat for the whole alphabet.

The predictions for every letter should give you plenty of search intent ideas to add to your keyword list.

Step 4: Browse the sections “People also ask” and “related searches.”

To dig deeper on a keyword, search for it on Google and scroll down. For most searches, there is a “People also ask” section. Click one of the questions to get even more related suggestions.

All of those might make good additions to your keyword list.

When you’ve exhausted the “People also ask” section, scroll all the way down. Google shows you a few search queries that are related to yours.

Step 5: Pick the right keywords.

Ask yourself two questions:

• Does my ideal customer want to read that?
• Can I write something better than the current top 3 results on Google?

If you can answer both with yes, it’s a good keyword to go after.

Step 6: Start writing.

This is arguably the hardest part. While you’re doing your research, everything is smooth sailing, but when you actually have to do the writing, doubts can hold you back. Push past this feeling.

I can’t wait to read your next piece!

– Pat