Google’s changing algorithm and the popularity of AI search can bring many questions to your mind about SEO.
The most pertinent one might be: Are keywords important anymore?
“Let’s not play the ‘they matter, they don’t’ game — keywords still count, but the rules have changed.”
Are keywords important in 2025?
Answer this first: Do you still Google search?
I know you do.
I do it, too.
And to search, you use keywords.
That means keyword research still matters.
Google or any search engine depends on keywords to understand your content and match it with users’ queries.
But because of AI, things have changed.
It was happening before the introduction of Chatgpt.
Search engines were becoming smarter.
So in 2025, it’s not just about stuffing keywords. You must align your content with user intent, AI algorithms, and natural search behaviour.
Here’s why keyword research is still a top priority:
- It improves search rankings and helps your content appear for relevant queries.
- It drives targeted traffic and attracts users who are actively looking for your solutions.
- It strengthens your content strategy
- It gives direction to your blog posts, articles, landing pages, and more.
- It adapts to AI and voice search.
- It also ensures your content stays visible in smart, conversational search results.
How does focusing on search intent help you immensely?
The other day, we were discussing the downward spiral of one of my clients’ websites. Our SEO expert pointed out that our competitors’ rankings in the top spots of Google have captured the search intent right.
We, on the other hand, were creating informational content when our audience was ready to take action.
In other words, they were not looking for lists or articles on the topic; they were ready to purchase.
So, when picking up your keywords, don’t base them on only the number of people searching (search volume). Keep in mind the search intent.
Here’s some tips on how to optimise for semantic search (not simple keyword search, but understanding what the searcher’s intent is):
- Use semantic keywords and related terms.
- Create in-depth, comprehensive content (topical authority wins).
- Optimise for the Google system (focus on improving your content, technical SEO, and user experience), and not just for AI overview (it’s still new and experts are still trying to figure it out)
I have talked about search intent in detail. Go check it:
You still need to analyse your competitors’ content
Analyse Competitor Keywords to Discover Gaps.
It sounds like too much work. I, too, had the same attitude, but it helps improve your content, serve the readers what they are looking for, and provide some important extra information that your competitors have missed.
Why reinvent the wheel?
Studying what your competitors rank for helps you spot opportunities and improve upon their strategy.
Here’s how you can analyse competitor keywords:
- Use SEMrush or Ahrefs to see top-performing keywords.
- Check Google’s People Also Ask for related ideas.
- Scan competitors’ content, meta descriptions, and headlines.
- Identify content gaps where they do not cover relevant subtopics.
- Use Ask the public to get more relevant keywords
- AlsoAsk is another useful tool to stay ahead of your competitors.
The simple strategy is to find what they missed and rank for it.
Here’s a tip: Don’t rely on just one tool—cross-check keyword difficulty and trends across platforms.
Use AI as an assistant
I see many writers complaining about AI. But shunning AI completely is not going to help you in 2025.
Nvidia’s founder, president, and CEO, Jensen Huang, says, “AI is not going to take your job. The person who uses AI is going to take your job.”
Treat it as another tool, and you will be irreplaceable.
Search Engine Journal compared the output generated by Chatgpt, Gemini, and Claude. They found that generative AI is smarter than newbies at times, but it still cannot outsmart people with education, expertise, and experience.
So, avoid acting like the master and asking your AI slave to do all your SEO and content writing.
Use it as your assistant, and you are good to go.
If you have already learned about analysing content, keywords, and backlinks and using AI to speed up your content creation, you don’t need to fear AI, as you are moving in the right direction.
Do audience research
SEO isn’t going anywhere, but it changes with time. Keyword trends shift fast, so staying updated is key.
To understand your audience and stay ahead of the trends, you need to use different social media platforms.
Here’s how you can use them:
- Exploding Topics – Discover emerging keyword trends.
- Google Trends – Check keyword popularity over time.
- Twitter/X, Quora & Reddit – See what your audience is talking about in real-time.
Optimise for Voice Search & Conversational Queries
Most people use voice search to find local businesses. Apart from that, people who have a smart speaker use it for everyday searches.
That does not mean Amazon’s Alexa only has this feature. It is available on most applications and devices.
In short, voice search continues to grow, and people speak differently than they type. So, you need to think about that while using or sprinkling keywords in your content.
That’s why natural language and question-style keywords are must-haves.
following are some tried and tested voice search optimisation tips:
- Use questions in your content (e.g., “What are the best keywords for SEO in 2025?”)
- Write in a conversational tone
- Add FAQ sections and use FAQ schema markup
Here’s an example of how you can optimise for voice search. Instead of “SEO keywords 2025”, try: “What keywords help rank on Google in 2025?”
Why should you avoid keyword stuffing? Why is using natural language important?
Do you think finding the right keywords is the only job you need to do for SEO?
If yes, you are wrong.
Finding keywords is half the job. The other half? Placing them strategically and naturally.
Following are the places where you need to place the keywords:
- Title Tag – Include your primary keyword under 60 characters.
- Meta Description – Use both primary and secondary keywords naturally.
- Headings (H1-H5) – Incorporate related phrases.
- First 100 Words – Get the keyword in early.
- Image Alt Text – Describe visuals using keyword-rich terms.
- URL Structure – Keep it short and keyword-focused.
Want to know more about keyword stuffing? Check my article on it:
Final Thoughts: Smarter Keyword Research = Smarter SEO
In 2025, successful keyword research is no longer about stuffing pages with high-volume phrases. It’s about understanding your audience, aligning with search intent, and adapting to AI-driven search engines.
By using smart tools, voice-friendly queries, and building content around semantic relationships, you can do SEO that reaches your audience and make them trust you wholeheartedly.
Start with one piece of evergreen content, find its long-tail variants, and build a content cluster around it.
I have already talked about basic keyword research, why long-tail keywords are so important, and how to do basic SEO. Go check them for more clarity.
Let me come up with some other useful topics for you.
Until then, keep wearing your writer’s hat, keep honing your SEO and marketing skills.
Bye-bye!