Gixo Quill · content guide
Keyword Research
Keyword research is deciding which searches are worth writing for. Finding terms is the easy half; the hard half is reading intent correctly and being honest about which pages you can realistically rank.
Last reviewed: August 2026
The parts that actually decide the outcome
- Intent beats volume. A 200-a-month term where the searcher wants to buy is worth more than a 20,000 term where they want a definition.
- Read the results, not the tool. The pages currently ranking tell you what the search engine thinks the query means. If they are all listicles, your guide will not rank.
- Difficulty scores are relative, not absolute. They compare link profiles. They cannot see whether the ranking pages actually answer the query well.
- One page per intent, not per keyword. Variations of the same question belong on one page; splitting them creates cannibalisation.
- Some keywords should not get a page. If you cannot say something the top results do not, the honest answer is to skip it.
Four kinds of intent, and what each needs
| Intent | Query looks like | Page that wins |
|---|---|---|
| Informational | what is, how does, why | Explanation with a direct answer up front |
| Commercial | best, top, vs, alternatives | Comparison with real criteria |
| Transactional | buy, pricing, free trial | Product or pricing page |
| Navigational | a brand name | That brand's own page, usually |
A workable process
How Gixo Quill handles this
Quill is built around producing the page once the target is chosen, with formats that match intent — WhatIsArticle and HowToGuide for informational, Comparison and AlternativesList for commercial, BuyingGuide for transactional. The deterministic overlap check exists specifically to catch the cannibalisation case before you publish.
Frequently asked questions
What is keyword research?
Deciding which searches are worth writing for, based on what the searcher wants, what already ranks, and whether you can add anything to it.
How do I find keywords?
Start from the questions your buyers actually ask, then use a tool to expand and group them. Tools are good at expansion and poor at knowing your buyer's language.
Is search volume the most important metric?
No. Intent matters more. A low-volume term where the searcher is ready to buy is usually worth more than a high-volume term where they want a definition.
How reliable are keyword difficulty scores?
They compare link profiles and are useful for rough triage. They cannot judge whether the ranking pages actually answer the query well, which is often where the real opportunity is.
Should every keyword get its own page?
No. Group variations that want the same answer onto one page. Splitting them creates pages that compete with each other, which is the most common self-inflicted ranking problem.
Related content guides
Turn the chosen keyword into a page that fits its intent
Quill matches the content format to the intent rather than producing the same article shape for every target.