Keyword research made simple: volume, difficulty & SERP breakdown

Search volume: How often are keywords searched?

Think of search volume as a keyword’s popularity meter—it tells you how often a keyword is searched each month, backed by keyword analysis tools. It’s not always constant, it can change based on seasons and industry shifts. Targeting the right keywords helps drive significant traffic to your site, increasing visibility and engagement.

How is search volume measured?

With millions of searches happening daily, tracking search volume manually is impossible. That’s where keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and SEMrush come in. Tools like these analyze past search data and trends to predict keyword demand.

What affects search volume?

• Seasonality: Some keywords naturally spike at certain times of the year. Think "Christmas ornaments" in December or "Halloween candy" in October.
• Trends and events: Sudden surges in interest can come from viral trends or major events. For instance, searches for "AI content generators" skyrocketed with the rise of ChatGPT. Similarly, during the pandemic, searches for “work from home setups” likely surged as remote work became the norm.
• Marketing campaigns: Big brands can also drive search volume through advertising. If Apple announces the latest iPhone, searches for "new iPhone features" will immediately jump.

How to interpret search volume data?

• High search volume + high competition? Tough to rank for, but worth it if you can.
• Low search volume + low competition? Easier to rank, but may not bring much traffic. (beneficial to sites that are just starting out)
• High search volume + low competition? A golden opportunity!

The key is to start with lower-competition keywords and gradually work your way up. Tools like WriteText.ai simplify this process with its keyword optimization pipeline, a structured system that strategically prioritizes keywords based on difficulty or competition. This helps you stay focused and avoid getting overwhelmed by too many options at once.

By following this approach, you can direct your SEO efforts where they’ll have the greatest impact.

Choosing the right keywords: broad v.s. long-tail

Not all keywords are the same—some are broad, while others are more specific, and choosing the right mix is key to a strong SEO strategy.

Broad keywords are short and general, with tons of searches but also a lot of competition. They reach a wide audience but don’t always match what people are specifically looking for.

Long-tail keywords, on the other hand, are more detailed and focused. They might not get as many searches, but they’re easier to rank for and often bring in visitors who are more likely to take action.

Think of broad keywords like searching for "iPhone cases." It has a high search volume, but competition is tough, and ranking can be a challenge.

Now compare that to a long-tail keyword like "best shockproof iPhone 15 Pro case under $30." It has a lower search volume, but it's much easier to rank for and attracts users who are ready to buy.

Finding the right keyword mix

• High search volume: but not always the highest—sometimes, mid-volume keywords are gold.
• Manageable difficulty: something you can realistically rank for.
• SERP insights: check if the top results leave room for better content.

Manually assessing these factors can be tedious, but WriteText.ai 2.0 makes it effortless. By evaluating keyword volume, difficulty, and SERP competition, it helps you focus on the most valuable opportunities without the hassle.

With continuous optimization, it keeps your content fine-tuned and competitive, maximizing your chances of securing higher rankings.

Keyword difficulty: Can you compete?

Keyword difficulty estimates how hard it is to rank for a specific keyword in search results. The more established websites competing for the same term, the tougher the challenge. That’s why understanding keyword difficulty is crucial—it helps you focus on realistic opportunities instead of chasing impossible rankings.

How does keyword difficulty relate to search volume?

Keyword difficulty and search volume are connected but don’t always align. High search volume keywords tend to be more competitive, making them harder to rank for. Meanwhile, low-difficulty keywords usually have less traffic but offer better chances of ranking—especially if they’re long-tail keywords.

For example, ranking for “AI writing tool” might be tough, but “best AI tool for WooCommerce product descriptions” is more specific and easier to target. Plus, long-tail keywords often attract users who are closer to making a decision, leading to higher-quality traffic.

What makes a keyword difficult to rank for?

• Strong competition from well-established websites.
• A high number of backlinks—links from other websites that signal a page’s authority—pointing to top-ranking pages makes it harder to compete. Not only do these backlinks boost your competitors' credibility in search engines' eyes, but they can also drive real traffic to their sites, reinforcing their advantage and making it even more challenging to outrank them.
• Well-optimized content that directly matches search intent, meaning it aligns with what users are looking for when they type a query and delivers the exact information they expect.
• High commercial value, meaning businesses are actively competing for rankings to drive conversions.

Keyword difficulty and competition often overlap in keyword analysis. Competition shows how many sites target a keyword, while difficulty measures how hard it is to outrank them. Higher competition usually means higher difficulty, making ranking tougher.

How to find lower-difficulty keywords?

• Focus on long-tail keywords: Since these are more specific to your niche, it is easier to rank for.
• Analyze gaps in competitor strategies: Identify keywords your competitors rank for but haven’t fully optimized.
• Use keyword research tools: This helps you identify less competitive opportunities faster.
• Check the SERP: See if the top-ranking pages are weaker sites you can compete with.
• Target local SEO: Use keywords that are geo-specific, especially if your audience is location-based. This can make it easier to compete within a specific geographic area.

Although finding these keywords is a complex task when done manually, WriteText.ai simplifies everything by automatically analyzing your product details—such as names, attributes, and images—and suggesting the most effective keyword options. It also tracks competitor performance to help you spot new opportunities.

As your site gains traction, WriteText.ai continually adapts your keyword strategy, helping you stay competitive and climb the rankings.

SERP: What’s ranking & why?

• Rich snippets display extra details like ratings, reviews, or prices, making search results more informative.
• Product listings show items for sale with images, prices, and store names, helping users compare options easily.
• Featured answers highlight direct responses to user questions, appearing at the top of the SERP for quick access.

The goal? Get to the top!

Understanding the SERP helps you optimize content to improve visibility. Ranking higher means more clicks, engagement, and conversions.

How volume, difficulty and SERP work together

• Search volume shows how many people are searching for a keyword.
• Keyword difficulty tells you how hard it is to rank for that keyword.
• SERP analysis reveals what kind of content ranks and who your competition is.

Together, these factors provide valuable insights into which keywords to target for the best chance at improving search engine visibility and attracting relevant traffic.

How this relates to ecommerce

For ecommerce businesses, choosing the right keywords is key to driving traffic and conversions, especially in product descriptions.

WriteText.ai streamlines this by generating SEO-friendly descriptions that match your target keywords, whether as is or semantically. This ensures your products rank higher, attract the right customers, and boost sales with minimal effort.