The playbook
Keyword Research: Template and Field Guide
This keyword research template turns a broad task into a record another person can use. It captures query, intent, volume source, then connects that information to a decision. Copy the table into your working document or system and create a separate record for each item in scope.
Put the task in context
Compare “CRM software” with “CRM implementation checklist.” The first may call for product evaluation, while the second calls for an operating resource. Capture country, language, date, and data provider beside volume estimates. Do not add close-variant estimates together as though they represent entirely separate audiences.
Copyable worksheet
| Field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| query | Record the query associated with this page or query record. Use a stable reference so later updates can be matched. |
| intent | Record the intent associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| volume source | Record the volume source associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| target URL | Record the target URL associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| Decision field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| Observed problem | Describe the actual condition and where it was observed. |
| Recommended action | State the smallest action that resolves the documented problem. |
| Evidence | Link to the record, observation, or test supporting the action. |
| Owner and next review | Name the accountable person and when the decision should be revisited. |
How to complete the worksheet
Begin with query. Use the same reference throughout the record so notes are not attached to the wrong item. Then collect queries from customer questions and Search Console. This establishes the information required before the worksheet becomes a request for action.
Next, group phrases by the task behind the search. Use the observed problem and evidence fields to explain why that step is needed. A useful entry describes an actual condition, such as picking phrases solely because they have a large search estimate, rather than a broad instruction to “improve performance.”
Finally, choose one useful destination for each intent. Put compare the query intent with the offer and the page a visitor expects in the action field only when it addresses the observed condition. If the problem is different, change the action. The template is a structure for judgment, not a reason to apply the same fix everywhere.
Illustrative completed decision
| Part | Illustrative entry |
|---|---|
| Problem | Picking phrases solely because they have a large search estimate |
| Action | Compare the query intent with the offer and the page a visitor expects |
| First check | Collect queries from customer questions and Search Console |
| Follow-up check | Choose one useful destination for each intent |
| Outcome to define | qualified organic visits |
Adapt the fields without losing meaning
You can add fields required by your team, but each should change a decision or preserve necessary context. Keep factual observations separate from recommendations. If intent changes, record the new value and its effective date instead of silently rewriting the context of an earlier decision.
Use the record in a handoff
Ask the receiving owner to explain the next action using only the worksheet. Missing context becomes visible quickly during that exercise. Repair the record before applying the structure to a larger batch. Keep qualified organic visits connected to the item so the team can later assess whether the action was useful.
Use query and landing-page context when comparing results. A page serving a broad informational query has a different job from a page answering a purchase question. Review whether the next step remains useful to the person arriving.
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