Website keyword analysis: a simple and effective guide

Summary of points covered

• Why it's crucial to analyze a website's keywords
• The different types of analysis possible
• Steps to follow for a pertinent analysis
• The best free and paid tools to use
• A practical example of an SEO audit
• Concrete best practices to improve your strategy

Why analyze a website's keywords?

When I'm working on a site, I always start by looking at the keywords. Why do I do this? Because it gives me a clear picture of what's already working, and more importantly, what's missing.

By analyzing keywords, you can :

• Understanding current positioning of your site in search engines
• Identify opportunities of untapped traffic
• Spy on your competitors' strategywhich can be very revealing
• Optimizing content to make them more visible

All this can really make a difference, especially if you're aiming for sustainable organic growth.

What types of keyword analysis can be performed?

Each type of analysis has a specific purpose, and I recommend combining them for maximum impact.

• Internal Audit I analyze the keywords present on my own site, to identify weak points.
• Competitive analysis I observe competitor sites, to detect keywords I could target
• On-page optimization I go through each page one by one, to improve its SEO.

This work is sometimes tedious, but always useful.

Steps to analyze a site's keywords

Here's how I proceed, step by step. It's not complicated, just rigorous and methodical.

• Define the objective analysis: internal audit, benchmarking or content strategy?
• Select the right tool to your needs and budget
• Export and filter data collected
• Classify keywords by theme, search volume, difficulty
• Spot opportunities through forgotten or under-exploited keywords

I find that this approach makes the analysis much clearer, and above all more usable over time.

Tools for website keyword analysis

There's a whole range of tools available. Some are free, others have to be paid for, but all can be useful if used properly.

Free tools

• Google Search Console ideal for seeing your real performance
• Ubersuggest quick and easy, even if limited without subscription
• Keyword Surfer Chrome extension for quick searches

Pay tools

• SEMrush comprehensive audit and competitive analysis tool
• Ahrefs powerful tool for finding the keywords used by your rivals
• Ranxplorer interesting for French sites
• SE Ranking good value for money

Personally, I often use a mix of free and paid tools, depending on the project.

Practical example: keyword analysis for an e-commerce site

Let's say I had to analyze a site selling sports shoes. Here's how I'd go about it:

• I launch an audit with SEMrush to identify keywords that generate traffic
• I filter by volume, relevance and search intent
• I've noticed that some pages don't exploit keywords linked to specific brands
• I recommend creating better optimized product sheets, with long-tail keywords.

This is a good example of how to turn data into concrete action.

Best practices for efficient analysis

Over time, I've learned that certain practices really do make a difference.

• Focus on the long tail less competition, but highly qualified visitors
• Avoid cannibalization each page must target a main keyword
• Update your analysis every few months to stay relevant
• Combine keywords search intentions: informational, transactional, navigational

These tips can help you avoid mistakes and make your work more strategic.

Frequently asked questions

Can you analyze a competitor's keywords?

Yes, I do. I often do it with Ahrefs or SEMrush. This allows me to see which queries are bringing them traffic, and adjust my own strategy.

How often should you analyze your keywords?

I recommend an analysis every 3 to 6 months. That's enough time to track developments, spot trends, or adapt to Google updates.