How to find keywords for my business: a guide without paid tools
Find useful keywords in client questions and free Google tools, then choose phrases that match your services and what people need.
The short answer
To find keywords for your business, start with the words clients use in emails, enquiries and appointments. Check Google suggestions and, if available, your Google Search Console data. Choose phrases that match what you sell and what the searcher needs, then use them naturally on the right website pages.
If you’re asking “how to find keywords for my business,” start with your clients’ own words, then check them against Google suggestions and any search data you already have. Choose phrases that describe what you offer and match what someone wants to do: learn, compare or book.
A keyword can be a whole phrase, such as “wedding photographer in Boise,” not just one word. You do not need a paid tool to build a useful starting list.
Where to start with how to find keywords for my business
Open your recent enquiries, appointment notes and contact form messages. Copy the words people use to describe the service they need, the problem they have and anything that matters to their choice.
Keep this list private and leave out names or personal details. These phrases are clues to your clients’ language, not proof that they typed the same words into Google.
- Write down the service: “newborn photography,” rather than a broad label such as “creative services.”
- Note useful details: “at home,” “weekends,” “for sensitive skin” or your town, when they genuinely fit your business.
- Save recurring questions, such as “Do you photograph newborns at home?” That could suggest “in-home newborn photographer” as a phrase to investigate.
- If you have few enquiries, ask a client: “What would you type into Google to find someone who does what I do?”
Check your ideas with free Google tools
Type a service phrase into Google slowly and look at the suggested searches. Also check related searches and the “People also ask” questions when they appear; they can suggest useful wording, but they do not tell you how often a phrase is searched.
If your website is connected to Google Search Console, open Performance, then Search results, and look at Queries. This shows available search phrases that brought your site into Google results, including searches that did not lead to a click.
- Try a specific phrase such as “newborn photographer Boise” instead of starting with “photography.”
- Record relevant variations in a simple note or spreadsheet. Skip suggestions for services or locations you do not cover.
- In Search Console, look for phrases that accurately describe your work but are missing from the relevant page.
- Treat Search Console as a partial view, not a complete list of everything your potential clients search for. If your site has little data, start with client language and search suggestions.
Work out what the person searching wants
Search intent simply means what someone hopes to get from a search. Before choosing a phrase, ask whether they want an explanation, help comparing options or a business they can contact.
Search each promising phrase and notice what kinds of pages appear, looking beyond the ads. The results offer clues about what Google considers useful for that search, although they can vary by location and over time.
- “What to wear for newborn photos” suggests someone wants advice. A helpful guide or FAQ answer may fit.
- “Studio vs in-home newborn photography” suggests someone is comparing options. A clear comparison can help them decide.
- “In-home newborn photographer Boise” suggests someone may be looking for a provider. A service page with location details, examples of your work and an enquiry option is a closer match.
- Ask: “Could my page genuinely help this person?” If not, leave the phrase off your list.
Choose phrases for one page and make them useful
Start with one service you want people to find, rather than trying to describe your whole business at once. Choose a main phrase for that page, then group closely related wording and client questions with it.
Use the phrase naturally in the page title, main heading and opening description where it fits. You do not need to repeat it in every paragraph or create separate pages for tiny wording differences.
- For a business that offers this service, rewrite “Home | Studio” as “In-Home Newborn Photographer in Boise, ID.”
- Replace a vague heading such as “Capture the magic” with “Newborn photography in your Boise home.”
- Make the opening useful: “I photograph newborns and their families at home in Boise. Sessions include time for feeding, changing and settling your baby.” Only include details that are true of your service.
- Answer the questions that help someone choose you, such as where you travel, what is included and how to enquire.
- For a page-by-page checklist, read [What should you include for service page SEO?](/blog/service-page-seo).
Common questions about choosing business keywords
You do not need a perfect keyword list before improving your website. Start with phrases you can connect to a real service and a helpful page.
- Do I need a paid keyword tool? No. Client questions, Google suggestions and Google Search Console can help you build a useful starting list.
- How do I know people actually search a phrase? Search Console can show searches where your site appeared. Suggestions and client conversations provide clues, but they do not confirm exact search counts.
- Should I add my town? Yes, when location matters to the service and you genuinely serve that area.
- Should I use “near me” throughout my website? No. State your location and service area clearly rather than forcing “near me” into sentences.
- Can several phrases belong on one page? Yes. Closely related phrases can share a page when they describe the same service and need.
How to tell whether your keyword choices are working
Record which page you changed, the phrases you chose and the date, then review that page in Search Console during your monthly website check. Look for relevant searches, impressions—appearances in search results—and clicks, while remembering that demand and seasonality can affect the numbers.
Also track enquiries and ask new clients how they found you. More appearances for relevant services and more suitable enquiries are useful signs, but no single change guarantees rankings or bookings.
Where to read more
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