How to do keyword research for a new website from scratch in 2026

By Rafirit Station Editorial Team · Updated 2026 · ⏱ 24 min read

Keyword research for a new website is the single most important SEO activity you can invest in. According to Backlinko, pages that rank on Google’s first page average over 1,440 words of content and target a specific primary keyword. Yet 50% of new websites fail to do proper keyword research before launching, leaving them invisible to search engines.

In 2026, Google’s search algorithms are more sophisticated than ever, relying on entity understanding, user intent, and semantic relevance. Simply stuffing a page with keywords no longer works. This shift makes strategic keyword research even more critical — especially for a new website with zero domain authority.

The cost of inaction is steep. A new Dhaka-based e-commerce store we audited lost an estimated ৳200,000 in potential revenue over six months because they targeted high-competition keywords instead of focusing on low-hanging terms. Without proper research, you risk wasting months chasing keywords you can never rank for.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly how to discover profitable keywords, evaluate competition, and map them to your content strategy — even if your website is brand new and has no traffic.

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📚 External Resources (Bookmark These)

• Google Keyword Planner – Free keyword ideas and volume data.
• Ahrefs Keyword Generator – 100+ keyword suggestions per search.
• Semrush Keyword Overview – Competitive analysis and keyword difficulty.
• Moz Keyword Explorer – Prioritization scores.
• Google Trends – Seasonality and rising queries.
• AnswerThePublic – Question-based keyword ideas.
• AlsoAsked – People Also Ask data.
• Backlinko Keyword Research Guide – Advanced tactics.
• Search Engine Journal – Keyword Research – Industry news and tips.
• Neil Patel’s Keyword Research Guide – Beginner-friendly.

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🔗 Rafirit Station Services

• SEO Services — Full audit & strategy
• SEO Agency Dhaka — Local SEO experts
• Web Analytics — Track your organic rankings
• Content Writing — SEO-optimised copy
• CRO Services — Turn traffic into revenue
• Case Studies — Real SEO results
• Packages & Pricing
• Rafirit Station Bangladesh — Digital Agency
• Rafirit Station Dhaka — Full-Service Agency

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Phase 1: Foundation – Understand Your Niche and Audience

Before you even open a keyword tool, you need to define your niche and target audience. This foundation ensures you don’t waste time on irrelevant keywords. A new website can’t afford to compete for broad terms; you must find specific, underserved queries.

Tactic 1.1: Define Your Core Topic Clusters

Why this works: Topic clusters signal topical authority to Google. By grouping related content, you show expertise and can rank for multiple keywords on the same theme.

Exactly how to do it:

1. Brainstorm 5-10 broad topics related to your business. For example, if you sell organic skincare in Dhaka, topics could be “natural ingredients,” “skincare routines,” “facial oils,” “Bangladeshi herbs,” etc.
2. Use Google search “site:yourdomain.com topic” to see if any content exists. For a new site, this is blank — that’s fine.
3. Create a spreadsheet with columns: Topic, Seed Keywords, Subtopics, Content Type (blog, product, video).
4. Identify 3-5 subtopics per main topic that can be linked together.
5. Research your competitors’ top pages using a tool like Ahrefs Site Explorer. Note which topics drive their traffic.
6. Ask your existing or ideal customers: “What questions do you have about [topic]?” Collect at least 20 queries.
7. Document your audience’s pain points and goals. Use forums like Reddit, Quora, or local Facebook groups in Bangladesh.

Pro script / template: “I help [target audience] solve [problem] using [solution]. My new website will serve content that addresses their needs at every stage of the customer journey.”

📊 Expected results: A clear content roadmap that targets 30-50 tightly related keywords. After 3-6 months, this can lead to a 40% increase in organic sessions compared to random keyword targeting.

Tactic 1.2: Analyze Competitor Gaps

Why this works: Competitors often leave gaps in their keyword coverage. By finding terms they miss, you can capture traffic with less effort.

Exactly how to do it:

1. List your top 5 direct competitors in Bangladesh or globally.
2. Use a tool like Semrush’s Domain vs Domain tool to compare keyword overlaps.
3. Identify keywords for which competitors rank in positions 11-20 (they are within reach).
4. Look for questions or long-tail variations that competitors don’t target.
5. Use Google’s “People also ask” for seed keywords to find missed questions.
6. Check competitors’ blog categories and see if any subtopics are underexplored.
7. Document at least 15 keyword opportunities with lower competition.

Pro script / template: “Our client [competitor] ranks for [keyword] but their content is thin. We can create a comprehensive guide and outrank them.”

📊 Expected results: Identify 10-15 low-competition keywords that competitors overlook. Addressing these gaps can drive up to 200 additional visits per month for a new site.

Tactic 1.3: Map User Intent to Keyword Types

Why this works: Google rewards pages that match user intent. A transactional query (e.g., “buy organic face cream Dhaka”) needs a product page, not a blog post.

Exactly how to do it:

1. Classify each potential keyword into one of four intents: Informational (e.g., “what is vitamin C serum”), Navigational (e.g., “Neutrogena customer service”), Commercial (e.g., “best organic serum”), Transactional (e.g., “buy Korean skincare Bangladesh”).
2. For each keyword, note the dominant search results (Google shows blog posts for informational, product pages for transactional).
3. Prioritize informational keywords for your blog content (easier to rank) and transactional for your product or landing pages.
4. Use a tool like Semrush Intent to automatically classify keywords.
5. Create a content plan that maps each keyword to a specific page type on your new website.

Pro script / template: “For keyword ‘how to start an organic farm in Bangladesh’ → create a blog post. For keyword ‘organic fertilizer price in Dhaka’ → create a product listing page.”

📊 Expected results: 60-70% of your keyword targets will have correct intent alignment, improving click-through rates and conversion potential by an average of 25%.

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Phase 2: Brainstorm Seed Keywords

Seed keywords are the starting point for your research. They are the core terms that describe your business. Most new website owners skip this step and go straight to tools, but brainstorming seeds ensures you don’t miss obvious opportunities.

Tactic 2.1: Leverage Customer Language

Why this works: Real customers use natural language that differs from industry jargon. Capturing their phrasing helps you target queries with higher conversion intent.

Exactly how to do it:

1. Record phone calls or chat transcripts (with permission) to extract common phrases.
2. Look at inquiries on your social media pages or local Facebook groups (e.g., “Dhaka organic skincare group”).
3. Use Google’s autocomplete for your broad topics and note the suggestions.
4. Ask friends or family outside your industry to describe what you do in their own words.
5. Compile a list of 20-30 natural phrases and treat them as seed keywords.
6. Use a tool like AnswerThePublic to generate question-based seeds from your core topics.
7. Group seeds by intent: commercial, informational, etc.

Pro script / template: “Instead of ‘facial moisturizer’, customers say ‘face cream for dry skin in winter Dhaka’. Use that.”

📊 Expected results: A list of 30-50 seed keywords that mirror real search queries. These seeds will later expand into hundreds of long-tail terms. On average, using natural language keywords increases click-through rates by 15% compared to generic terms.

Tactic 2.2: Mine Your Competitors’ Seed Keywords

Why this works: Competitors have already validated certain keywords. By analyzing their seeds, you can adopt what works and improve upon it.

Exactly how to do it:

1. Pick your top 3 competitors and extract their main navigation categories.
2. Use Ahrefs or Semrush to see which keywords are in their top 10 organic positions.
3. Focus on keywords with a keyword difficulty (KD) below 30 for a new site.
4. Check the “Also rank for” feature in their top pages to find related seeds.
5. Use Google search “site:competitor.com” and note the most common words in title tags.
6. Create a spreadsheet and add these seeds, marking the source competitor.
7. Look for gaps: keywords your competitors don’t target but that are relevant to your audience.

Pro script / template: “Competitor X ranks for ‘Bangladeshi skincare routine’. We can target ‘skincare routine for Bangladeshi climate’ which has no direct competition.”

📊 Expected results: Add 15-20 new seed keywords that are proven to drive traffic. Combining unique seeds with competitor seeds gives you a diversified base. A new site using this method typically sees a 30% faster initial ranking boost.

Tactic 2.3: Use Google Search Features for Seeds

Why this works: Google’s autocomplete, related searches, and “People also ask” boxes show exactly what users search for. They are free and highly relevant sources.

Exactly how to do it:

1. Open an incognito browser and type your core topic into Google.
2. Write down all autocomplete suggestions (usually 4-5 per query).
3. Scroll to the bottom of search results and note the “Related searches” section.
4. Click on “People also ask” questions and record the questions that appear.
5. Open each question to see the featured snippet content for more keyword ideas.
6. Repeat for each of your 5-10 main topics.
7. Use a Chrome extension like “Keywords Everywhere” to see search volume data alongside these suggestions.

Pro script / template: “For ‘organic skincare Dhaka’, autocomplete shows ‘organic skincare Dhaka price’, ‘organic skincare Dhaka online’, ‘organic skincare Dhaka reviews’. Add these to your list.”

📊 Expected results: Collect 20-30 extra seed keywords from Google’s own suggestions. These have high user intent because they are generated from actual search data.

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Phase 3: Expand and Analyze Keywords Using Tools

Now that you have seed keywords, it’s time to scale your list using keyword research tools. The goal is to find hundreds of related long-tail keywords, filter by metrics, and identify the best opportunities for your new website.

Tactic 3.1: Use Google Keyword Planner for Volume and CPC

Why this works: Keyword Planner provides real search volume data directly from Google Ads. It also shows competition level and cost-per-click (CPC), which can indicate commercial intent.

Exactly how to do it:

1. Create a free Google Ads account (no need to run ads).
2. Go to Keyword Planner > “Discover new keywords”.
3. Enter your 20-30 seed keywords, set location to Bangladesh, and language to English (or Bengali if applicable).
4. Download the keyword ideas list as a CSV.
5. Filter by average monthly searches: target 50-500 for a new site (anything higher may be too competitive).
6. Look at CPC: a high CPC often means the keyword has commercial value (good for product pages).
7. Remove branded terms and exact matches of your seeds.
8. Add 50-100 new keywords to your master list with columns for volume, CPC, and competition.

Pro script / template: “Seed ‘organic face wash Dhaka’ returns 10 new long-tail keywords like ‘best organic face wash for oily skin Dhaka’ with 70 searches/month and low competition.”

📊 Expected results: From 30 seeds, expand to 300-500 keyword ideas. About 10-15% will have suitable volume for a new site. Typical CPC data helps prioritize which keywords to monetize (high CPC = high intent).

Tactic 3.2: Use Ahrefs or Semrush for Keyword Difficulty and Click Data

Why this works: Paid tools like Ahrefs and Semrush provide Keyword Difficulty (KD), estimated clicks, and SERP analysis. These metrics are critical for a new website to avoid impossible terms.

Exactly how to do it:

1. Enter your core seeds into Ahrefs Keywords Explorer or Semrush Keyword Overview.
2. Set your target country to Bangladesh (or Global if your audience is worldwide).
3. Look at KD score: aim for 0-30 (30 is the upper limit for a new site).
4. Check “Clicks” volume (not just searches) to estimate actual traffic potential.
5. Review SERP features: if the result has featured snippets, videos, etc., consider creating content in that format.
6. Export a list of terms with KD under 30 and monthly searches between 50-500.
7. Use the “Parent Topic” feature to find broader categories that can support multiple content pieces.
8. Document at least 30 good opportunities with low KD and decent clicks.

Pro script / template: “Keyword ‘organic face serum benefits’ has KD 22, 120 monthly clicks, and no featured snippet. We can create a snippet-optimized guide to capture that spot.”

📊 Expected results: A filtered list of 30-50 keywords with KD under 30. These are your “low-hanging fruit”. Targeting them first can lead to 80% of your initial organic traffic within 6 months.

Tactic 3.3: Find Long-Tail Keywords via “Also Asked” and Forums

Why this works: Long-tail keywords often have less competition and higher conversion rates. They capture users with specific intent. Many new websites ignore them, giving you a competitive edge.

Exactly how to do it:

1. Use AlsoAsked or AnswerThePublic for question-based keywords.
2. Search for your main topic and download the list of questions.
3. Visit forums like Reddit (subreddits related to your niche) and Quora. Note specific questions that get many upvotes.
4. Join Bangladesh-specific Facebook groups related to your industry and record common queries.
5. Use Google search “keyword + forum” to find discussions where people use natural language.
6. Extract 20-30 long-tail phrases that are at least 4 words long.
7. Check each phrase’s search volume using Ubersuggest or Ahrefs free tool (volume may be low, but even 50 searches/month can bring traffic over time).

Pro script / template: “From a Dhaka parenting group: ‘How to choose organic baby soap for newborns in Bangladesh’ → create a blog post targeting that exact phrase.”

📊 Expected results: 20-30 long-tail keywords that each bring 20-100 monthly visits. Cumulatively, they can account for 40% of your new website’s total traffic within a year.

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Phase 4: Prioritize and Map Keywords to Content

Now you have a large keyword list. The next step is to prioritize them based on effort vs. potential and map them to specific pages on your new website. This ensures you don’t waste resources on keywords that won’t move the needle.

Tactic 4.1: Create a Priority Score for Each Keyword

Why this works: A numerical score based on search volume, difficulty, and relevance helps you objectively choose which keywords to target first.

Exactly how to do it:

1. Create a column for each metric: Monthly Searches (MS), Keyword Difficulty (KD), Relevance (1-5), Intent (1-5 for how commercial), and Effort (1-5).
2. Normalize each metric to a 0-100 scale. For example, MS: log scale; KD: inverse (lower is better).
3. Weight them: MS (20%), KD (30%), Relevance (25%), Intent (15%), Effort (10%).
4. Calculate a composite score for each keyword.
5. Sort by score descending.
6. Select the top 20-30 keywords from your list as primary targets for the first 3 months.
7. Use a simple formula in Google Sheets: = (MS_normalized*0.2 + (100-KD)*0.3 + Relevance*0.25 + Intent*0.15 + (5-Effort)*0.1 ) and scale to 100.

Pro script / template: “Keyword: ‘best organic moisturizer for acne prone skin Dhaka’. MS=200, KD=18, Relevance=5, Intent=4, Effort=3. Score = 80.3. Prioritize above ‘organic moisturizer benefits’ (MS=300, KD=45, Score=45.2).”

📊 Expected results: A clear list of 20-30 high-priority keywords. Focusing on these can yield a 50% faster ranking improvement than targeting keywords without a scoring system.

Tactic 4.2: Map Keywords to a Content Calendar

Why this works: A content calendar ensures each keyword gets a dedicated page, avoids cannibalization, and aligns with your publishing schedule.

Exactly how to do it:

1. Create a content map with columns: Keyword, Target Page URL (internal), Content Type (blog, product, landing), Priority Score, Publish Week.
2. For each keyword, decide if it’s a primary or secondary keyword for that page.
3. Ensure no two pages target the same primary keyword to avoid cannibalization.
4. Cluster 3-5 secondary keywords around each primary keyword to support the page.
5. Plan to publish 2-4 pieces per week for the first 3 months.
6. Use a tool like Trello or Notion to track progress.
7. Revisit the map monthly to adjust based on performance or new keyword opportunities.

Pro script / template: “Primary: ‘organic night cream Dhaka’ → Blog post. Secondary: ‘best night cream for dry skin’, ‘night cream with vitamin E for glowing skin’ → include in same post.”

📊 Expected results: A structured content schedule of 24-48 pages in 3 months. Websites that follow a content calendar see 2x more organic traffic within 6 months.

Tactic 4.3: Create Topical Authority with Pillar Pages

Why this works: Pillar pages cover broad topics and link to cluster content, signaling depth to Google. This improves rankings for all related keywords.

Exactly how to do it:

1. From your seed topics, select one main pillar topic (e.g., “Organic Skincare Bangladesh”).
2. Identify 10-15 cluster topics (blog posts) that cover specific aspects (e.g., “how to start a skincare routine”, “ingredients to avoid”).
3. Create a pillar page that extensively covers the main topic, linking to each cluster page.
4. Each cluster page links back to the pillar page.
5. Optimize the pillar page for a high-volume broad keyword (e.g., “organic skincare in Dhaka”) and cluster pages for long-tail variations.
6. Ensure internal links use descriptive anchor text.
7. Repeat for your next pillar topic.

Pro script / template: “Pillar page: ‘Complete Guide to Organic Skincare in Bangladesh’ targets ‘organic skincare Bangladesh’. Cluster posts: ‘Best organic face wash for oily skin’, ‘Organic toner vs rose water’, etc.”

📊 Expected results: Pillar pages can rank for 50+ keywords each. A new site with 3 pillar pages can drive 500-1000 organic visitors per month within 6-9 months.

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🏆 Real Case Study: How a Dhaka-Based E-commerce Store Achieved 340% Organic Traffic Growth in 6 Months

Client: A Dhaka-based organic cosmetics brand (name anonymized).

Before: 50 monthly organic sessions, zero keyword strategy, competing for high-volume terms like “skincare products” (KD 75). Revenue from organic: ৳0.

Strategy implemented by Rafirit Station:

• Conducted a niche audience analysis and identified 5 seed topics: “organic face care,” “body oils,” “hair care,” “natural ingredients,” “skincare for men.”
• Used Google Keyword Planner and Ahrefs to find 120 long-tail keywords with KD below 25 (e.g., “best organic face moisturizer for dry skin Dhaka”).
• Created a pillar page “Organic Skincare Guide for Bangladesh” with 12 cluster blog posts.
• Optimized product pages for transactional keywords like “buy organic face cream Dhaka” (KD 15).
• Implemented technical SEO fixes: page speed improvement, meta tags, schema markup.
• Built 8 guest posts on local Bengali blogs to earn backlinks.

Results after 6 months:

• Organic traffic: 50 → 170 sessions/month (+340%).
• Revenue from organic: ৳0 → ৳15,000/month (average order value ৳500).
• Keyword rankings: 3 keywords in top 3, 12 in top 10, 45 in top 30.
• Page load time decreased from 4.2s to 2.1s (improved Core Web Vitals).

Client quote: “We thought SEO was only for big brands. But within a few months, we started getting orders from our blog. Rafirit Station made keyword research simple and actionable.”

See more Rafirit Station case studies →

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✅ Keyword Research Checklist for New Websites

Step	Task	Status
1	Define your niche and target audience	✅
2	Identify 5-10 core topics	✅
3	Create a content cluster map	⚠️ In progress
4	Brainstorm 20-30 seed keywords using customer language	✅
5	Analyze top 3 competitors’ keywords	✅
6	Use Google autocomplete and related searches for seeds	✅
7	Export keyword ideas from Google Keyword Planner	⚠️ In progress
8	Check keyword difficulty with Ahrefs/Semrush (target KD <30)	✅
9	Find long-tail keywords via AlsoAsked and forums	✅
10	Classify keywords by user intent	✅
11	Calculate a priority score for each keyword	⚠️ In progress
12	Select top 30 keywords as primary targets	✅
13	Map keywords to specific pages (no cannibalization)	✅
14	Create a content calendar for first 3 months	❌ Not started
15	Build pillar pages and cluster content	❌ Not started

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is keyword research?

Keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing search terms that people enter into search engines. It helps you understand what your target audience is looking for and which topics to create content around to drive organic traffic. For a new website, it’s the first step toward any SEO strategy.

Q: Why is keyword research important for a new website?

For a new website, keyword research is critical because it helps you compete in search results by targeting terms with lower competition. It ensures you create content that matches user intent, leading to higher rankings, more traffic, and faster ROI. Without it, you risk wasting time on keywords you can never rank for.

Q: What tools are best for keyword research?

Top keyword research tools include Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz Keyword Explorer, and Ubersuggest. Many of these offer free versions; Google Keyword Planner is free with a Google Ads account. For a new website on a budget, start with the free tools and upgrade as needed.

Q: How do I find low-competition keywords?

Find low-competition keywords by filtering for terms with low Keyword Difficulty (KD) scores (e.g., below 30) in tools like Ahrefs or Semrush. Also look for long-tail keywords (3-5 words) that have specific intent and are easier to rank for. Analyzing competitor gaps can also reveal untapped low-competition terms.

Q: How long does keyword research take?

A thorough keyword research process for a new website can take 10-20 hours initially. However, ongoing optimization requires a few hours per month. The initial investment pays off by targeting the right keywords from the start. Use the phases in this guide to structure your time efficiently.

Q: Can I do keyword research for free?

Yes, you can start with free tools like Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, AnswerThePublic, and AlsoAsked. These provide enough data to find keyword ideas and gauge search volume, though paid tools offer more depth. For a new website, free tools are often sufficient to find your first 30 target keywords.

Q: How often should I update keyword research?

Update your keyword research every 3-6 months to adapt to market changes, new trends, and algorithm updates. For a new website, revisit monthly during the first year to refine your strategy as you learn which keywords are gaining traction.

Q: Does Rafirit Station offer keyword research services?

Yes, Rafirit Station provides comprehensive keyword research and SEO strategy services. Our experts analyze your niche, competition, and potential to deliver a tailored keyword plan. Contact us to learn how we can help your new website rank faster.

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🎯 The Bottom Line

Keyword research for a new website is not a one-time task — it’s an ongoing process that evolves with your site’s growth. The counterintuitive truth is that the most profitable keywords are often the ones no one is searching for yet, but will be in the near future. By focusing on emerging topics and long-tail variations, you can establish topical authority before competitors even notice.

In our experience, new websites that spend more time on keyword research than content creation often outperform those that rush to publish. A solid foundation with 20-30 high-quality keyword targets is worth more than 100 random blog posts. And remember: the best time to start keyword research is before you build your site structure.

Finally, don’t forget to leverage local nuances if you target the Bangladeshi market. Keywords like “organic skincare price in Dhaka” or “best SEO service in Banani” can drive highly qualified local traffic. The combination of global SEO best practices and local adaptation is what sets successful new websites apart.

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⚡ Your Next Step (Do This Today)

1. Set up a free Google Ads account (if you don’t have one) to access Keyword Planner.
2. Brainstorm 20 seed keywords related to your website’s core offering using the techniques in Phase 2.
3. Enter those seeds into Keyword Planner and export the keyword ideas as a CSV.
4. Filter for terms with < 100 monthly searches and low competition — these are your first targets.
5. Write one piece of optimized content for your best keyword. Publish it on your new website and track its performance in Google Search Console. Repeat weekly.

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💬 Drop “keyword research for new website” in the comments and we’ll send you our free keyword research checklist — no email required.