Start with what your customers already type
Most owners guess at what to write about. They pick topics that sound good in a meeting, then wonder why nobody finds the pages. You do not need to guess. Your customers leave a trail of the exact words they use, and three free sources show you most of it: Google Search Console, Google's own search suggestions, and Google Trends.
This guide walks through each one, then shows how to turn what you find into pages. You will not need a paid tool for any of it.
Step 1: Read what Search Console already knows
Search Console is a free Google account tool that shows the searches where your site appeared. This is the best place to start because it is real data about your own business, not a guess from someone else's database.
- Open the Performance report and look at the list of queries.
- Sort by impressions. An impression means your page showed up in someone's results, even if they did not click.
- Look for searches with many impressions and few clicks. These are topics Google already links to your site, but your page is not a good enough answer yet.
- Look for searches in positions 8 to 20. You are close to page one, and a better page on that exact question can move you up.
Write down every query that matches something you actually sell or do. Ignore the rest. If you are new to the tool, our guide on improving your Search Console rankings without an agency covers the basics.
Step 2: Use Google's search suggestions
Search Console only shows searches that already found you. To find topics you have no page for yet, use the suggestions Google offers while you type.
- Type the start of a question about your service into Google and read the drop-down list. Those are real searches other people make.
- Scroll to the bottom of the results page and read the related searches.
- Open the People also ask box on a results page. Each question there is a page idea, and each answer you open often brings new questions.
Try the same words a customer would use, not the words you use. A plumber says drain camera inspection. A homeowner types why does my kitchen sink smell. Add the second kind to your list.
Step 3: Check whether a topic is growing
Google Trends is free and shows whether interest in a search term is rising, flat or falling over time. People sometimes call fast-growing topics exploding topics. The idea is simple: if more people are asking about something each month, a good page on it now can collect that attention while competitors are still catching up.
Use Trends in two ways. First, compare two or three phrases from your list and keep the one with steadier or rising interest. Second, check for seasons. A topic that peaks every spring tells you when to publish, which is a few weeks before the peak.
Be careful with tiny numbers. A rising line on a very rare search is not worth a page. Paid topic research tools exist that scan for fast-growing topics across the web, but for a local or small business the free checks above are usually enough, because your customers are a narrow group asking narrow questions.
Step 4: Turn the list into pages
Now you have a pile of queries. Here is how to make it useful.
- Group similar searches together. Three different wordings of the same question belong on one page, not three.
- Give each group one page and one clear question to answer.
- Check your site first. If you already have a page on that topic, improve it instead of writing a second one that competes with it.
- Answer the question in the first few lines, then add the details only you know: your process, your area, your prices if you share them, your real examples.
- Link new pages to related pages on your site so visitors and Google can find them.
Skip topics where you have nothing specific to say. A thin page that repeats what ten other sites say will not help anyone.
Or let Scaup build the list for you
The steps above work, but they take hours, and they need repeating because searches change. Scaup is not a reporting tool. It does this work for you. When you connect your website, Scaup finds the gaps between you and your competitors, builds a growth plan from them, and then makes improvements on your site every day. New pages are drafted from your own pages and the way you already describe your business, and you can switch on review so nothing goes live until you approve it.
The growth plan is free, so you can see the list of topics before you decide on anything. If you prefer to do it yourself, start with our DIY audit guide. If you would rather not, here is how SEO without an agency works.
Common questions about finding customer search topics
Do I need a paid tool to find what customers search for?
No. Google Search Console, Google's search suggestions and Google Trends are free and cover most of what a small business needs. Paid topic research tools can scan more of the web, but they are not required to get started.
What is Search Console and why start there?
Search Console is a free Google tool that shows the searches where your site appeared. It is the best starting point because it is real data about your own site, including searches where you are close to page one.
What are exploding topics?
They are topics where interest is growing quickly. You can spot them by comparing phrases in Google Trends. Be careful with very rare searches, since a rising line on tiny numbers is not worth a page.
Should I write one page per search phrase?
No. Group similar searches that mean the same thing and write one page for each group. If you already have a page on the topic, improve it instead of writing a second one that competes with it.
How does Scaup help with this?
Scaup connects to your website, finds the search terms your competitors rank for that you do not, and builds a growth plan from them. It then works on your site every day, and you can switch on review so changes need your approval first.