With actionable personas in hand, it’s time to see how your audience’s language comes to life in search. Welcome to keyword research—but not the way most people think about it! Traditional keyword research focuses on search volumes and competition metrics.
We're going to approach keywords as windows into your audience's minds and language patterns.
Engagement Message
Think of a time when two people described the same issue using different words—what examples come to mind?
Most people treat keyword research like a numbers game: find high-volume, low-competition keywords and you're done.
But strategic keyword research is actually audience research. It reveals how your people think, talk, and approach their problems.
Engagement Message
Which would steer your strategy better: knowing a keyword gets 1,000 searches, or understanding what those searchers aim to achieve?
Every keyword tells a story about the person behind the search. The words they choose, the way they phrase their query, even their spelling—all reveal insights.
Someone searching "best CRM software" is in a very different mindset than someone searching "help my sales team is a mess."
Engagement Message
What clues do those two phrases give about each searcher's urgency or expertise?
Here's a powerful shift in thinking: keywords aren't just search terms—they're the exact language your audience uses when they have problems you can solve.
When you find their language, you can speak their language in your content, making instant connections.
Engagement Message
Think of a problem you help solve—what are three different ways people might describe that same problem?
Professional marketers look for patterns in how different audience segments describe their needs. Technical people use different language than beginners. Urgent situations get described differently than casual research.
