Quick answer
Do keyword research by listing the services you sell, adding the towns you serve, checking Google autocomplete and 'People also ask' for the phrasing customers actually use, then mapping one primary keyword to one page based on search intent rather than volume alone.
Start with what you sell
List every service, then write the phrase a customer would type. Customers rarely use industry jargon — they search 'blocked drain' rather than 'drainage remediation'.
Use the free signals
Google autocomplete, 'People also ask', related searches at the bottom of the results, and Search Console's query report all show real phrasing at zero cost. Search Console is the most valuable because it shows terms you already appear for.
Match intent to page type
Commercial intent terms ('emergency electrician Leeds') belong on service or location pages. Informational terms ('why does my RCD keep tripping') belong in blog or knowledge-base articles that link to the service page.
Judge competition realistically
Search your target term and look at who ranks. If page one is national directories and large brands with hundreds of reviews, target a more specific long-tail variation first and build up.
Frequently asked questions
- How many keywords should one page target?
- One primary keyword and a handful of close variations. Trying to rank one page for unrelated terms weakens all of them.
- Is search volume important for local keywords?
- Less than you would think. A term with 30 monthly searches and clear buying intent often outperforms one with 2,000 informational searches.
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