Beginner’s Guide to Keyword Research for Small Businesses

Shyam Mohan

28 Aug 2025 — 12 min read

If one of your marketing goals is to increase search traffic to your small business’s website, then keyword research should be at the top of your SEO checklist.

At its core, SEO for small businesses means targeting the right keywords so customers can discover your business online. With CodeDesign.ai, this process becomes far easier—because our AI-powered website builder not only creates your site but also helps optimize it for search.

This guide will walk you through the basics of keyword research and how CodeDesign.ai can simplify the process to help you improve your local SEO, boost visibility, and generate more leads.

What Is Keyword Research?

Keyword research is the process of identifying and analyzing the words and phrases that people type into Google (or other search engines) when looking for products, services, or information.

For small businesses, keyword research is one of the most powerful steps in any SEO strategy. When someone searches for something related to your business, you want to show up in the results. That only happens if you target and include the right keywords on your website.

With CodeDesign.ai, you can streamline this entire process. Instead of spending hours figuring out keywords manually, the platform suggests and applies relevant SEO terms automatically to your content.

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Why Keyword Research Matters for Small Businesses

Keyword research isn’t just about sprinkling a few words onto your website. It’s about understanding your customers, their search intent, and how you can stand out against competitors.

Here are some benefits of doing keyword research (and why CodeDesign.ai makes it easier):

Improves your website’s search engine ranking
Boosts visibility and brings more potential customers to your site
Helps you understand what your customers are really searching for
Reveals trends in your market
Saves you time by automating keyword integration

Even if SEO isn’t your strong suit, CodeDesign.ai ensures your website is built with optimized keywords from the start, so you don’t miss out on valuable traffic.

How to Research Keywords for Your Small Business

If you’re doing keyword research manually, here’s the general process:

Step 1: Brainstorm Topics

List out terms and phrases you’d like to rank for. Think about your services, location, and what your customers might search for.
Example for a personal trainer:

Personal training business
Best personal trainer in [city]
Local fitness coach

Step 2: Check Current Rankings

Use Google Search Console to see what keywords you already rank for and which bring the most visitors.

Step 3: Analyze Competitors

Look at competitors’ websites to see which keywords they target. SEO tools can even show you which terms are driving their traffic.

Step 4: Use Keyword Tools

Keyword research tools provide data like search volume, competition level, and intent behind a search. This helps refine your list to focus on the right keywords.

4 Helpful Keyword Research Tools

If you want to explore keywords further, here are some popular tools (with CodeDesign.ai built right in as your easiest option):

1. CodeDesign.ai

The biggest advantage of CodeDesign.ai is that you don’t have to be an SEO expert. The platform:

Suggests relevant keywords for your business
Auto-applies them to your website copy, titles, metadata, and images
Lets you add your own keywords if you want more control
Continuously optimizes content as you update your site

This means your small business site isn’t just beautiful—it’s ready to rank from day one.

Try codedesign.ai

2. Google

Free and beginner-friendly. Use Google search suggestions and the “People Also Ask” section to find ideas.

Try Google

3. Moz Keyword Explorer

Great for beginners, offering free keyword suggestions, difficulty scores, and search volumes.

Try Moz Keyword Explorer

4. Semrush

More advanced, ideal for businesses ready to scale. Provides in-depth data on keyword performance, both organic and paid.

Try Semrush

How CodeDesign.ai Makes Keyword Research Effortless

Unlike other tools that require manual research, with CodeDesign.ai:

AI handles the keyword research for you
Suggested terms are automatically added into your site content
Built-in SEO tracking shows how your site is performing
You can focus on running your business while your site stays optimized

Final Thoughts

Keyword research is the foundation of SEO for small businesses. Done right, it can help you increase visibility, drive local traffic, and generate more leads.

With CodeDesign.ai, you don’t need to worry about learning SEO from scratch. From day one, your site is optimized with relevant keywords—giving your business a head start in search rankings.