Keyword Research Template & Tracker

Keyword research is the foundation of SEO content strategy — but most teams either skip it entirely (writing about what they feel like) or overcomplicate it (building enormous spreadsheets they never use). This template gives you a systematic, practical approach to keyword research that you'll actually maintain.

The goal isn't to find every possible keyword. It's to find the right keywords for your specific business, in priority order, so you know exactly what to write next.

Keyword Research Philosophy for Startups

High search volume is a distraction if you don't have the domain authority to compete for it. A startup with a DR (Domain Rating) of 20 won't rank for "CRM software" (KD: 90). But it can rank for "CRM for freelancers" (KD: 15) or "CRM template for small teams" (KD: 8).

The startup keyword formula: Business relevance × Ranking likelihood × Traffic potential

A keyword with 500 monthly searches, KD of 15, and direct relevance to your ICP is more valuable than a keyword with 10,000 searches, KD of 75, and moderate relevance.

The Keyword Research Process

Step 1: Seed Keywords

Start with seed keywords — the core topics and terms your ICP searches for. These are not your final keywords; they're the starting point for expanding your list.

How to generate seed keywords:

• List the main problems your product solves
• List the job titles of your target buyers and what they Google at work
• Look at your product features and what each one helps people do
• Review support tickets and customer calls for the language customers use
• Check your Google Search Console for queries that already bring traffic

Seed Keyword List:

Seed Keyword	Category	Source

Step 2: Keyword Expansion

Take each seed keyword and use these methods to expand into hundreds of related terms:

Method A: Keyword Tool Expansion

• Enter seed keyword into Ahrefs, Semrush, or Google Keyword Planner
• Export the "Related keywords," "Questions," and "Also rank for" lists
• Filter for relevant terms with meaningful volume

Method B: Google Autocomplete

• Type seed keyword into Google search bar
• Note all autocomplete suggestions
• Try variations: "[keyword] for...", "[keyword] how to...", "best [keyword]...", "[keyword] vs..."

Method C: People Also Ask

• Search the seed keyword on Google
• Collect all PAA questions (these are exact queries with real demand)
• Each PAA question is a potential keyword target

Method D: Competitor Keyword Gap

• Run your top 2-3 competitors through Ahrefs/Semrush
• Export their top organic keywords
• Filter for keywords where you don't rank (the "gap")

Method E: Reddit and Quora Mining

• Search your seed keywords on Reddit and Quora
• What questions are people asking? What terminology do they use?
• These surface the exact language your audience uses (often better than keyword tools)

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The Master Keyword Tracker

Use this template to organize your full keyword list. Add one row per keyword.

Master Keyword Database

#	Keyword	Monthly Volume	KD	CPC ($)	Business Relevance (1-3)	Funnel Stage	Pillar	Priority Score	Status	URL (if live)
1						TOFU/MOFU/BOFU
2

Column Definitions:

Monthly Volume: Average monthly searches (from keyword tool)

KD (Keyword Difficulty): 0-100 scale. Under 30 = attainable for most startups. 30-60 = competitive, need solid domain authority. 60+ = very competitive, requires significant authority.

CPC: Cost per click in Google Ads. High CPC = high commercial intent = valuable audience

Business Relevance:

• 3 = Direct: People searching this are likely buyers or highly relevant prospects
• 2 = Adjacent: Related audience, indirect commercial value
• 1 = Peripheral: Interesting but weak business connection

Priority Score: (Volume × Business Relevance) ÷ KD Higher score = higher priority (all else being equal)

Status:

• Unassigned: In backlog, no piece planned
• Planned: On editorial calendar
• In Progress: Draft underway
• Published: Live on site
• Ranking: Top 10 for this keyword

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Keyword Categorization System

Organize your keywords into categories to ensure balanced content coverage:

By Funnel Stage

TOFU (Top of Funnel — Awareness) Keywords searched by people who have the problem but don't know your solution exists.

• Usually informational intent
• High volume, lower conversion
• Examples: "how to organize content marketing," "content marketing tips," "content strategy examples"

MOFU (Middle of Funnel — Consideration) Keywords searched by people actively researching solutions.

• Comparison, use-case, and how-to intent
• Moderate volume, moderate conversion
• Examples: "content marketing software," "best editorial calendar tool," "content calendar template"

BOFU (Bottom of Funnel — Decision) Keywords searched by people ready to choose a solution.

• Commercial or transactional intent
• Lower volume, high conversion
• Examples: "[your brand] vs [competitor]," "content marketing platform pricing," "buy content management software"

Target mix for a growth-stage startup: 50% TOFU / 30% MOFU / 20% BOFU

By Content Type

Keyword Type	Example	Best Format
Definitional	"what is a content brief"	Definition post + guide
How-to	"how to write a content brief"	Step-by-step tutorial
Template/Tool	"content brief template"	Template download post
Comparison	"content brief vs content outline"	Comparison article
Examples	"content brief examples"	Listicle with real examples
Statistics	"content marketing statistics"	Data roundup
Best	"best content marketing tools"	Curated list
Reviews	"averi review"	Product review post
Alternatives	"alternatives to [competitor]"	Comparison page
For [audience]	"content marketing for startups"	Targeted guide

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Keyword Prioritization Framework

After building your master keyword list, use this framework to decide what to work on first.

The 2x2 Prioritization Matrix

Plot each keyword on two dimensions:

• Y-axis: Business Value (low = peripheral audience, high = exact ICP)
• X-axis: Ranking Difficulty (left = easy, right = hard)

Quadrant Actions:

	Low Difficulty	High Difficulty
High Business Value	Do First (quick wins for high-value traffic)	Strategic Investment (plan 6-12 month campaign)
Low Business Value	Consider (might be worth for authority/links)	Skip (hard to rank, low value)

Quick Win Identification

"Quick wins" are keywords where:

• You already rank in positions 11-30 (page 2)
• KD is manageable (under 40)
• Volume is decent (200+/month)

These are the highest ROI opportunity in keyword research. A page that's already on page 2 needs less work to reach page 1 than building a new page from scratch.

Quick Win Tracker:

Keyword	Current Position	Volume	KD	Last Checked	Action	Priority
					Update / Optimize / Links

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Seasonal and Trend Tracking

Some keywords have seasonal peaks. Tracking these helps you time your publishing.

Seasonal Keywords in Your Space:

Keyword	Peak Month(s)	Annual Volume	Action
			Publish 2 months before peak

Rising Trends: Use Google Trends to identify keywords showing consistent upward movement. These are worth creating content for now, before competition increases.

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Keyword Tracking (Post-Publish)

Once you've published content targeting a keyword, track its ranking progress over time.

Ranking Tracker

Keyword	Target URL	Pub Date	Month 1	Month 2	Month 3	Month 6	Goal	Status
			pos	pos	pos	pos		On Track / At Risk

Tracking frequency: Check rankings monthly using Ahrefs, Semrush, or Google Search Console.

Review triggers:

• Position improved to page 1 → Add to distribution, build links, monitor CTR
• Position stuck on page 2 after 3 months → Content update + internal linking push
• Position declining → Investigate: algorithm change? New competitor? Keyword cannibalization?

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Keyword Research by Business Stage

Pre-Launch / Early Stage (DR 0-20)

Focus: Long-tail, low-KD keywords with specific intent

• Maximum KD: 25
• Minimum volume: 50/month
• Focus on TOFU + MOFU templates, tools, and how-tos for specific niches

Growth Stage (DR 20-40)

Focus: Medium-tail keywords for core topics

• Maximum KD: 45
• Minimum volume: 200/month
• Begin targeting MOFU comparison and consideration keywords

Scale Stage (DR 40+)

Focus: Head terms and high-competition keywords

• Can target KD 45-70
• Minimum volume: 500/month
• Invest in full pillar pages for broad topics

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How Averi Integrates Keyword Research

When you set up your Averi account with your Brand Core and ICP, the platform automatically surfaces keyword opportunities based on your audience and category. When you create content in Averi, keyword data is embedded in the brief — no need to export from Ahrefs and re-import to your content tool.

Start building your keyword strategy in Averi →

Further Reading

• AI-powered SEO for B2B SaaS without an agency
• how to execute SEO for startups
• the best way for startups to create SEO content consistently
• Averi's Strategy Map to connect keyword research to a broader content strategy

Frequently Asked Questions

How many keywords should I target per page?

One primary keyword per page, plus 3-8 semantically related secondary keywords. Trying to target multiple unrelated primary keywords on one page dilutes your topical focus and confuses search engines about the page's intent.

How do I find keywords my competitors are ranking for that I'm not?

Use the "Content Gap" tool in Ahrefs or the "Keyword Gap" tool in Semrush. Enter your domain and 2-3 competitor domains. The tool shows keywords competitors rank for that you don't — these are your gap opportunities.

Is search volume a reliable metric?

It's directional, not precise. Keyword tools sample data and estimate volumes — actual monthly searches often differ by 20-50%. Use volume as a relative measure (is this keyword searched more or less than that one?) rather than an absolute number.

Should I target keywords where I have zero chance of ranking?

Not immediately. Instead, map them as "long-term targets" and build toward them by first ranking for related lower-difficulty keywords. Domain authority grows with each piece you rank for — today's out-of-reach keyword becomes attainable in 12-18 months.

How do I track keyword rankings without paid tools?

Google Search Console is free and shows you which keywords are triggering impressions and clicks for each page. It's not a traditional rank tracker (it shows averages, not daily positions), but it's enough to identify trends and quick-win opportunities without any additional cost.