If you have started affiliate marketing and are not getting traffic, the problem is usually not your writing.
It’s your "keywords".
Many beginners write great articles… about topics nobody is searching for. Or they target keywords that are too competitive and impossible to rank for.
The good news is that,
Keyword research is not as complicated as it sounds. You just need a simple strategy.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through "how to do keyword research step by step", even if you’re a complete beginner in affiliate marketing.
What Is Keyword Research? (Simple Explanation)
Keyword research means:
> Finding the exact words people type into Google.
For example:
“best protein powder for beginners”
“budget laptop for students”
“best email marketing software for small business”
These are examples of keywords. They are classified into two types, i.e., Long-tail and Short-tail keywords
Short-Tail vs Long-Tail Keywords
The following are examples of Short-tail keywords:
“protein powder”
“laptop”
“email marketing”
They are very short keywords, as the name indicates, and are:
- Very competitive
- Hard to rank for
- Too broad
Long-tail keywords:
As the name indicates, they are very long keywords that are very specific. Examples are as follows:
“best protein powder for weight loss women”
“best laptop for online classes under $500”
“best email marketing software for beginners”
These are:
- More specific
- Easier to rank
- Higher buying intent
👉 In affiliate marketing, long-tail keywords are gold.
Why Keyword Research Is Important for Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing works like this:
1. Someone searches your offer on Google
2. They find your article
3. They click the affiliate link on your article
4. If they buy, then you earn commission
If you target the wrong keywords, there would be:
No traffic
No clicks
No sales
Simple.
Good keyword research helps you:
- Get free blog traffic
- Attract buyers (not just readers)
- Rank faster as a beginner
Step 1: Choose Your Affiliate Niche
Before you start keyword research, you need a clear niche.
Examples of profitable affiliate niches:
- Fitness
- Personal finance
- Beauty
- Tech gadgets
- Online tools & software
Let’s say you choose home fitness.
Good. Now your keyword research will focus only on:
a) Dumbbells
b) Treadmills
c) Resistance bands
d) Workout programs
Choosing a niche keeps your site focused and easier to grow.
Step 2: Understand Search Intent (Very Important)
Search intent means:
> Why is someone searching this keyword?
There are 4 main types:
1. Informational
Example:
- “How to lose belly fat.”
- “What is whey protein?”
These are people looking for information.
2. Commercial Investigation
Example:
- “best protein powder for beginners.”
- “adjustable dumbbells review.”
These people are comparing products.
3. Transactional
Example:
-“buy adjustable dumbbells online”
-“protein powder discount code”
These people are ready to buy.
4. Navigational
Example:
“Amazon adjustable dumbbells”
They already know where they want to go.
For affiliate marketing, focus on:
- Commercial keywords
- Transactional keywords
These convert the best.
Step 3: Brainstorm Seed Keywords
Seed keywords are basic topic ideas.
If your niche is home fitness, your seed keywords might be:
- adjustable dumbbells
- treadmill for home
- resistance bands
- home workout bench
- yoga mat
Keep it simple.
Now we expand them.
Step 4: Use Free Keyword Research Tools
You do NOT need expensive tools at the beginning.
Start with free tools.
Type:
“best adjustable dumbbells…”
Google will suggest:
- best adjustable dumbbells for small spaces
- best adjustable dumbbells under $200
- best adjustable dumbbells for beginners
These are real searches.
2. People Also Ask
Google shows common questions:
- Are adjustable dumbbells worth it?
- Which adjustable dumbbells are best?
These are great blog ideas.
3. Related Searches (Bottom of Google)
Scroll to the bottom of the search results. You’ll see related keywords. These are the keywords that real people are searching for on Google that have not been answered
4. Ubersuggest (Free Version)
Shows:
- Search volume
- Keyword difficulty
- Related keywords
Step 5: Check Keyword Metrics (The Smart Way)
Now let’s look at the important numbers.
1. Search Volume
This shows how many people search per month.
As a beginner:
- 100–1,000 searches per month is good.
- You don’t need huge volume.
2. Keyword Difficulty (KD)
This shows how hard it is to rank.
As a beginner:
- Try KD under 30.
- Lower is better.
3. CPC (Cost Per Click)
Higher CPC usually means:
- High buying intent
- Good for affiliate marketing
Remember:
> Low competition + strong buying intent = perfect beginner keyword.
Step 6: Spy on Your Competitors
This is powerful.
Search your keyword on Google.
Look at the top 10 results.
You can also use spy sites like SEMrush to spy other sites to know what they are ranking for and what they are not ranking for
Ask:
- Are small blogs ranking?
- Is the content weak?
- Are forums ranking?
If you also see:
- Quora
- Small websites
- YouTube videos
That’s a good sign.
You can create better content and outrank them.
Also look at titles like:
“Best Adjustable Dumbbells for Small Apartments”
“Top 10 Adjustable Dumbbells Review”
These are money keywords.
Step 7: Find Buyer-Intent Keywords (Money Keywords)
These keywords convert the most:
1} Best [product] for [specific group]
2) [Product] review
3) [Product A] vs [Product B]
4) Is [product] worth it?
5) Cheap [product]
6) Discount [product]
Examples:
i) best treadmill for small apartment
ii) Bowflex adjustable dumbbells review
iii) treadmill vs elliptical for weight loss
These are powerful for affiliate marketing SEO.
Step 8: Turn Keywords Into Content Ideas
Now that you have found your keywords, it's time to organize them to create great and helpful content. In affiliate marketing, the best content formats are as follows:
i) Best Product Lists
ii) Best adjustable dumbbells for beginners
iii) Best treadmill for small spaces
2. Reviews
i) Bowflex adjustable dumbbells review
ii) NordicTrack treadmill review
3. Comparisons and Contrast
i) Bowflex vs PowerBlock
ii) Treadmill vs exercise bike
4. Informational Guides
i) How to choose adjustable dumbbells
ii) Are adjustable dumbbells worth it?
All these content formats helps you to build topical authority in your niche.
Step 9: Validate Before Writing
Before starting to write your article at all,
search the keyword that you want to work with on Google and check the top results, then
Analyze the content quality.
If top articles are:
i) Thin content (800 words)
ii) Outdated
iii) Poorly structured
Then you can write an article with improved structure, clear headings, and updated information
with real product comparisons
Below is an example of how to do keyword research;
Let’s do it quickly by breaking it down, step by step. Let take Dumbbells as our keyword:
Step 1: Seed Keyword
You select the main keyword that you want to work on: “adjustable dumbbells.”
Step 2: Expand
You choose a long-tail keyword to be specific, e.g., (“best adjustable dumbbells for small spaces” or Dumbbells review)
Step 3: Check Metrics
You will now look for any keyword research tool like Google keyword planner, if you are not on a budget, or SEMrush, Ahrefs, if you are on a budget.
Then check the metrics, if:
Volume: 500 searches/month
KD: 22
CPC: High
Then that is a good sign.
Step 4: Analyze SERP
Then go to Google and search for they key word, if you see:
i) Small blogs ranking in the top spot
ii) Weak content ranking on the first page
iii) And no detailed comparison
Then, you have found an opportunity.
Step 5: Final Blog Title
“7 Best Adjustable Dumbbells for Small Spaces (Tested & Reviewed)”
That’s how you do keyword research for affiliate marketing.
Common Keyword Research Mistakes Beginners Make
As an affiliate, you should try to avoid the following mistakes:
❌ Targeting high-volume competitive keywords
❌ Ignoring search intent
❌ Writing without checking Google results
❌ Choosing a broad niche
❌ Using only one keyword per article
Keyword research is a strategy, not guessing.
Simple Keyword Research Checklist
Use this every time, whenever you want to do keyword research as a beginner affiliate:
a) Choose your niche
b) Brainstorm seed keywords
c) Use Google suggestions
d) Find long-tail keywords
e) Check search volume
f) Check keyword difficulty
g) Analyze top 10 results
h) Target buyer-intent keywords
i) Create structured content
Follow this system and your affiliate site will grow steadily.
In Summary
Keyword research is the foundation of affiliate marketing.
If you master this skill:
a) You will get targeted traffic
b) You will attract buyers, not readers
c) You will increase your affiliate commissions
Don’t try to rank for big, competitive keywords at the start.
Go small.
Go specific.
Go long-tail.
That’s how beginners win.