Keyword Research for Small Business Owners: From Your Customers’ Words to Your Competitors’ Gaps

You know your business inside and out. You know the official names for your services, the industry terms, and the way your colleagues talk about the work. Here’s the funny part, though: your future clients usually don’t use any of those words when they search.

A therapist might say “EMDR,” while the person searching types “therapy for trauma that actually works.” A limo company might say “corporate ground transportation,” while the assistant booking the ride types “car service to Denver airport for executives.” Keyword research is simply the practice of finding out what your customers actually type, so you can make sure those words are on your website.

I’m going to walk you through it in two parts. First the basics, which every owner can do in an afternoon. Then the “advanced” part, which honestly isn’t that advanced at all. It’s about looking at what your competitors are doing and finding the spots they forgot.

Prefer to watch? Here are my original video lessons on this topic, recorded a few years back.

What is keyword research, and why does it matter for a small business?

A keyword is just a word or phrase someone types (or speaks) into a search engine. Keyword research is the process of figuring out which of those phrases are worth building your pages around.

For a small business, this matters because you don’t have the budget or the time to show up for everything. You want to show up for the searches that lead to booked appointments. That usually means specific, local, problem focused phrases rather than broad, one word topics.

Part one: basic keyword research using the words your customers actually use

Start with what your clients already tell you

Your best keyword research tool is your own inbox. Look back at contact form submissions, intake notes, emails and online reviews. Write down the exact phrases people use to describe their problem. Not your translation of it, their words.

You’ll often notice patterns. Clients may describe the same need five different ways, and every one of those ways is a potential search.

Let Google tell you what people search for

Google is surprisingly generous with clues if you know where to look:

• Autocomplete. Start typing a phrase into the search bar and see what Google suggests. Those suggestions come from real searches.
• People also ask. This box shows related questions people are asking. Each one could be a blog post or an FAQ.
• Related searches. Scroll to the bottom of the results page for more variations.
• Google Business Profile insights. Your profile shows some of the searches people used to find you.
• Google Search Console. If your site is connected, it shows the actual searches your pages are already appearing for.

Use a free keyword tool to compare options

Google Keyword Planner, which lives inside Google Ads, will give you rough search volume ranges and related ideas. You don’t need to run ads to use it, though you do need an account. Don’t get too hung up on the exact numbers. For a local business, a phrase with modest volume and strong buying intent can be worth far more than a popular phrase that brings tire kickers.

If you already run Google Ads, your search terms report is a gold mine. It shows the real phrases people typed before clicking your ad. If you’d like a second set of eyes on that account, I’ve written about what to look for in a marketing agency to help with Google Ads.

Sort your list by intent

Once you have a list, sort each phrase into one of these simple buckets:

1. Ready to book. “Family law attorney near me,” “massage therapist Lakewood.” These belong on your service pages.
2. Researching. “How much does a divorce cost in Colorado.” These make great blog posts.
3. Just curious. Broad, general questions. Nice to have, but lower priority.

Then give each important page one main phrase so your pages aren’t competing with each other for the same search.

Part two: easy “advanced” keyword research by spotting your competitors’ gaps

Now that you know what your customers are searching, it’s time to see who’s already showing up for those searches and where they’ve left the door open.

Search your own keywords like a customer would

Use a private or incognito browser window and search your top phrases. Note which businesses show up in the map results and the regular results. These are your real online competitors, and they aren’t always the same as the competitors you think about in person.

Study what the top results have in common

Click into the top few pages and ask yourself a few honest questions:

• Is this a dedicated page for this exact service, or a general page that mentions it in passing?
• Does it answer the questions people are actually asking?
• Is it clear, current and easy to read on a phone?
• Does it mention the neighborhoods or cities you serve?

Every “no” is an opportunity for you.

Look for the gaps they left open

This is the fun part. Gaps tend to show up in a few predictable places:

• Services with no dedicated page. If a competitor lumps five services onto one page, you can build a focused page for each.
• Unanswered questions. If nobody has a good answer to a common “People also ask” question, write it.
• Nearby areas. Competitors often only target the big city name. Suburbs and neighborhoods can be wide open.
• Specific audiences. “Therapist for teens,” “chauffeur for wedding parties,” “attorney for small business owners.” Narrow audiences often get overlooked.
• Outdated content. If the top result is clearly old, a fresh, thorough page has a real shot.

Paid tools like Semrush or Ahrefs can show you which keywords a competitor ranks for, which is handy. But plenty of owners find their best gaps just by searching thoughtfully and reading what’s already out there.

Think about how AI search phrases things, too

People now ask Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and other AI tools longer, more conversational questions. “Who is a good anxiety therapist in Denver who takes evening appointments” is the kind of thing people type now. Those longer questions are often gaps too, because few businesses answer them directly. A clear FAQ section on your service pages can help you show up for both traditional and AI search.

Turning your keyword research into a simple plan

Research only helps if you use it. Make a simple spreadsheet with three columns: the phrase, the page it belongs on, and whether that page exists yet. Fix your existing pages first, then build new pages or posts for the gaps, one at a time. For a deeper look at how keywords fit into ranking locally, my post on working with a local Denver SEO expert fills in the rest of the picture.

Want someone to do the keyword research for you?

If this all sounds useful but you’d honestly rather spend your evenings doing literally anything else, I get it. Keyword research is something we do every day at Faceted Media for owner-run businesses, mostly appointment based providers, and we turn it into a plan you can actually follow.

A good first step is our free local SEO audit, which shows where you stand today. When you’re ready to dig in, you can book a free consult online. And if you’re running Google Ads and want an expert review of your search terms and settings, our Google Ads consultation is a single purchase, no ongoing commitment required.