How to review search results before choosing a website keyword

Search volume alone cannot tell you whether a keyword will attract the right customers. Open the results and examine what people are being offered for that query.

State the intended audience

Write who you want to reach and what they would be trying to buy. For a website service, the audience is a business seeking a provider, rather than someone applying for a design job or looking for free software. Keep that distinction visible while reviewing results.

Search in the relevant market

Record query, language, date and any known location or personalisation limits. A result from your own logged-in browser is an observation, not a neutral snapshot of every user's results. Use the target-market database for tool metrics and do not quietly substitute global volume for country volume.

Classify the visible pages

Mark results as service providers, directories, tutorials, job listings, software tools or another category. Open the strongest relevant examples and check the actual page. A title may look commercial while its content is about a different task.

Look for the customer questions

For service pages, note whether they explain scope, cost, process and evidence. For guides, note the question they answer. Record gaps you can address with truthful content rather than copying the wording, design or testimonials.

Make a decision with uncertainty

Use a table with keyword, observed intent, fit, tool metrics and proposed page. Keep mixed-intent terms marked mixed. A difficulty score is a tool estimate, not Google's own assessment or a promise that a new site can rank quickly.

Revisit the decision when your own search and enquiry data becomes available. If visitors arrive for an unrelated task, adjust the page or prioritisation. Google's advice on third-party SEO tools cautions against treating their predictions as internal ranking data. Use the tool and the results together, then validate against what the audience actually does.

Practical guidance with illustrative examples. Read our editorial standards or send a correction.