In this guide · 7 sections
- 01The four free keyword research tools
- 02Step 1: mine Google Search Console for queries you already rank for
- 03Step 2: use Keyword Planner and Google suggestions for new ideas
- 04Step 3: choose keywords by intent, not just volume
- 05Step 4: map one main keyword to one page
- 06Do it yourself or get help?
- 07Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Start with Google Search Console to see the searches that already show your site. Use Keyword Planner (free with a Google Ads account) for rough Singapore volumes, and Google's autocomplete and "People also ask" for wording. Then give each main keyword one page.
The four free keyword research tools
Each tool answers a different question. Together they cover most of what a small business needs.
| Tool | What it tells you | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Searches where your site already appears, with clicks, impressions, CTR and position | Only shows queries you already show up for |
| Google Keyword Planner | Keyword ideas and monthly search estimates by location | Needs a Google Ads account; often shows ranges, not exact numbers |
| Google autocomplete and People also ask | How people phrase searches and the questions they ask | No volumes |
| Google Trends | Whether interest is rising, falling or seasonal | Relative interest, not volumes |
Paid tools add competitor data and difficulty scores, but for a business targeting a few dozen services and locations, these four are enough to start.
Step 1: mine Google Search Console for queries you already rank for
If your site has been live for a few months, Search Console is the best place to start because it shows real searches, not estimates. Google's Performance report help explains the metrics; the default view shows the last three months.
Verify your site in Search Console
Add a Domain property and verify it with a DNS TXT record. Our SEO audit checklist covers this if it isn't set up yet.
Open Performance, then Search results
Turn on all four metrics: clicks, impressions, CTR and average position. Set the date range to the longest available.
Sort the Queries tab by impressions
These are searches where Google shows your site. High impressions with few clicks means demand exists but your page isn't convincing or isn't ranking high enough.
Filter for positions 8 to 20
Queries on page one's bottom or page two are the quickest wins. A better title, more useful content or an internal link can lift them.
Export to a spreadsheet
Keep the query, clicks, impressions, position and the page that ranks for it (from the Pages tab).
Step 2: use Keyword Planner and Google suggestions for new ideas
Google's Keyword Planner gives keyword ideas and estimates of monthly searches. It is free inside a Google Ads account; when the set-up pushes you to create a campaign, you can skip it and use the tools.
- Set the location to Singapore and the language to English (add Chinese or Malay if relevant).
- Enter three to five seed phrases that describe your services, such as "aircon servicing", "aircon chemical wash".
- Treat volume ranges as rough buckets. "10 to 100" vs "1K to 10K" is the useful signal.
- Ignore the competition column; it describes advertisers' bidding, not how hard it is to rank organically.
Then type each main phrase into Google on your phone and note the autocomplete suggestions and "People also ask" questions. These show local wording, like "near me", estate names, "price" and "HDB", that volume tools often miss. Google Trends shows seasonality, such as spikes before Chinese New Year or school holidays.
Step 3: choose keywords by intent, not just volume
For each keyword, ask what the searcher wants. Google ranks pages that serve that intent, so your page type must match it.
| Intent | Example search | Page that fits |
|---|---|---|
| Hire or buy now | "office cleaning service singapore" | Service page with price guide and contact |
| Local | "physiotherapy clinic tampines" | Location page plus Google Business Profile |
| Compare | "xero vs quickbooks singapore" | Comparison guide |
| Learn | "how often to service aircon" | Helpful guide linking to the service |
For local services, the map results often matter more than the website rankings. Our local SEO and Google Maps guide covers that side.
Step 4: map one main keyword to one page
Keyword cannibalisation means two of your pages target the same search, so Google keeps switching between them and neither ranks well. The fix is a simple map: one row per page, one main keyword per row, plus a few close variants.
Keyword map checklist
Write for people, not for the keyword. Google's spam policies treat keyword stuffing as spam, so repeating a phrase unnaturally can hurt more than help.
Do it yourself or get help?
A small business owner can do this research in an afternoon and repeat it every few months: check Search Console for new queries, update the map, and improve the pages sitting just below page one. Our DIY SEO audit checklist covers the technical basics to check alongside.
If you would rather have it done, our Speed & SEO Fix (S$390) sets up Search Console, fixes titles, descriptions and technical issues on your key pages, and improves speed. For what ongoing SEO work typically costs, see our SEO cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Keyword Planner is free inside a Google Ads account, and you don't need to run or pay for ads to use it. Google pushes new accounts towards creating a campaign during set-up, but you can skip that. Accounts without ad spend often see search volumes as ranges rather than exact numbers, which is still useful for comparing keywords.
Use Google Search Console. In the Performance report, the Queries tab lists the searches where your site appeared, with clicks, impressions, click-through rate and average position. Sort by impressions to find demand, and filter for positions 8 to 20 to find pages close to the top of page one that are worth improving.
One main keyword plus a handful of close variants that mean the same thing, such as singular and plural or a common synonym. Different services or locations deserve their own pages. If two pages target the same main keyword, they compete with each other, so merge them or change one page's focus.
Often yes, especially for local businesses. A specific search like a service plus an estate name may only get a few dozen searches a month, but the people searching are ready to buy and there is less competition. Several of these together can bring more enquiries than one broad, competitive keyword.
Not to start. Search Console, Keyword Planner, Google's autocomplete and People also ask, and Google Trends cover what most small businesses need. Paid tools help with competitor analysis and large sites with hundreds of pages, but they estimate data too, and their Singapore volumes are not always more accurate.