Customer Interviews
5-10 conversations about problems, constraints, and alternatives
- Direct insights
- Real vocabulary
- Clear pain points
seo-marketing22 min read
Keyword Research When You Don't Know Your Market Yet
Early-stage startups often lack clear ICPs and firm category definitions. This guide shows how to do credible, data-driven keyword research before product-market fit—by mining problems, jobs-to-be-done, competitor SERPs, and zero-volume demand signals—then clustering, validating, and prioritizing topics with a lean, AI-assisted workflow.
By Growth & SEO Team
Summary
When you're early and unsure about target customers or categories, you can still do high-signal keyword research. This playbook starts from problems and jobs-to-be-done, uses competitor SERPs and user-generated language to find real demand, then clusters topics by intent and validates them with SERP evidence.
Approach Overview: Problems → Language → SERP Evidence
| Step | What You Do | Key Signals |
|---|---|---|
| Map Problems & Jobs-to-be-Done | Interview target users; extract problems and vocabulary | Verbatim phrases, constraints, alternatives |
| Mine Public Language | Scan forums, communities, app reviews, Q&A sites | Problem phrasing, synonyms, objections, outcomes |
| Seed & Expand | Start with problem phrases; expand via autosuggest and related searches | Long-tail variants, questions, comparisons |
| Competitor SERP Analysis | Analyze pages that rank; note content types and gaps | Intent fit, authority requirements, content patterns |
| Cluster & Label Intent | Group by problem and intent (informational, comparative, transactional) | Pillar candidates, supporting content, funnel alignment |
| Validate by SERP | Check page types ranking, SERP features, authority needed | Buildability, content requirements, opportunity assessment |
Research Sources for Early-Stage Discovery
Communities & Forums
Reddit, Slack groups, industry communities for raw language
- Unfiltered feedback
- Common questions
- Objection handling
App & Tool Reviews
Scrape reviews for pains, outcomes, and competitor mentions
- Comparison insights
- Deal-breakers
- Integration needs
Search Autocomplete
Use autosuggest and People Also Ask for question variants
- Zero-volume queries
- FAQ identification
- Long-tail discovery
Competitor SERPs
Analyze top ranking pages for content type and depth
- Authority assessment
- Content gaps
- Opportunity sizing
Support & Chat Logs
Aggregate themes from user questions and prospect interactions
- High-frequency pains
- Concept clarity
- Terminology mapping
AI Assistance with Guardrails
Interview Summarization
Generate theme summaries and candidate seed phrases from anonymized excerpts
- Faster synthesis
- Consistent themes
- Better coverage
Topic Clustering
Group expanded terms by problem and intent; create draft cluster maps
- Clear structure
- Less duplication
- Stronger coverage
SERP Feature Analysis
Inventory SERP features for representative queries and content requirements
- Content guidance
- Component planning
- Realistic scoping
Brief Drafting
Create outline templates with FAQs and internal link suggestions
- Faster production
- Intent alignment
- Consistent quality
Language Pattern Detection
Identify recurring phrases and terminology across multiple sources
- Terminology consistency
- Brand voice alignment
- Better targeting
Guardrails
No PII in prompts; human verification of facts; SERP validation required
- Privacy protection
- Accuracy assurance
- Quality control
Intent Clustering and Content Mapping
| Intent | SERP Clues | Recommended Content | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informational (Learn) | How-to guides, PAA, long-form articles | Guides, checklists, FAQs, glossary | Use supporting posts to feed pillars |
| Comparative (Evaluate) | Best-of lists, vs pages, roundups | Comparison pages, alternatives, buying guides | High conversion assist; unbiased tone |
| Transactional (Act) | Product pages, pricing snippets, reviews | Landing pages with clear CTAs, pricing | Link from informational with relevant anchors |
| Local (Near Me) | Map pack, local directories, service pages | Location pages, GBP optimization, citations | NAP consistency and local proof required |
Validation Framework
Content Type Fit
Match SERP preferences for guides, lists, or landing pages
- Better rankings
- User satisfaction
- Higher engagement
Authority Assessment
Evaluate if you can compete with current ranking domains
- Realistic goals
- Resource allocation
- Success probability
Freshness Requirements
Determine update frequency needed for topic relevance
- Maintenance planning
- Content longevity
- Sustained rankings
Entity Coverage
Identify concepts, tools, and frameworks in top results
- Comprehensive coverage
- Topic authority
- Better relevance
SERP Feature Planning
Plan for FAQs, video, comparison tables, and local signals
- Feature eligibility
- Enhanced listings
- Higher CTR
Internal Link Strategy
Define pillar/supporting relationships and link paths
- Site architecture
- Link equity flow
- User navigation
Prioritization Framework
| Factor | Definition | Weight | Assessment Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact | Expected business outcome and conversion potential | 35% | Relevance to core problem, funnel stage, volume potential |
| Effort | Content, SME, design, and engineering requirements | 20% | Content type complexity, asset needs, approval dependencies |
| Confidence | Evidence strength from SERP analysis and user language | 25% | SERP feature match, page-type fit, interview validation |
| Time-to-Value | Speed to first observable signals and traction | 20% | Publishing timeline, indexing speed, early signal potential |
4-Week Execution Plan
From discovery to measurable outcomes
Week 1: Problem Discovery
Conduct interviews, mine public language, extract verbatim phrases
- Interview summaries
- Seed phrase list
- Theme identification
Week 2: Validation & Clustering
Analyze SERPs, validate content fit, cluster by intent and topics
- SERP analysis
- Cluster maps
- Content type recommendations
Week 3: Briefs & Production
Create detailed briefs, publish pilot pages, implement internal links
- Content briefs
- Published pages
- Internal link structure
Week 4: Measurement & Iteration
Track early signals, optimize snippets, plan next sprint
- Performance review
- Optimization queue
- Next priorities
Success Metrics
| KPI | Target | Measurement | Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source Coverage | 5-10 interviews + 5-8 public sources | Discovery documentation | Per cluster |
| SERP Validation Rate | ≥ 80% pass content-type fit | SERP review checklist | Weekly |
| Brief Throughput | 6-8 briefs/week per team | Brief tracker | Weekly |
| Time-to-First-Signal | Impressions within 2-4 weeks | GSC page group analysis | Weekly |
| CTR Improvement | +10-20% vs SERP baseline | GSC CTR comparison | Monthly |
| Cluster Coverage | 1 pillar + 3-5 supporting pages | Cluster map tracker | Monthly |
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
Chasing Head Terms
Targeting high-volume keywords without clear intent or realistic authority
- Better resource allocation
- Higher success rates
- Faster traction
Ignoring User Language
Using generic personas instead of verbatim customer vocabulary
- Better targeting
- Higher conversion
- Authentic messaging
Skipping SERP Validation
Relying solely on keyword tools without analyzing ranking pages
- Realistic expectations
- Better content planning
- Higher ROI
Poor Internal Linking
Publishing without connecting to pillar pages and related content
- Better site architecture
- Improved rankings
- User engagement
Unverified AI Content
Letting AI write claims or statistics without human verification
- Accuracy assurance
- Brand credibility
- Legal compliance
Programmatic Without Quality
Creating automated pages without unique value or quality controls
- Better user experience
- Higher rankings
- Brand reputation
Prerequisites
- Access to customer interviews or ability to schedule conversations
- Ability to review SERPs and analyze ranking pages
- Willingness to publish 3-5 articles based on research findings
- Basic analytics setup to monitor impressions and engagement
References & Sources
- Google Keyword Planner— Official Google tool for keyword research and search volume analysis
- Google Trends— Search trend analysis and seasonal pattern identification
- Answer The Public— Question-based keyword research for content ideation
- Jobs-to-be-Done Framework— Framework for understanding customer needs and motivations
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