Keyword research sounds technical, but it is a simple job: find out what your customers type into Google, then make sure you have a page that answers it. Most small businesses in Nepal skip this step and write pages around the words they use internally, which are often not the words customers search.
This guide shows a free, step-by-step process using only Google's own tools, with examples from Nepal.
Why keyword research comes before writing
Google's SEO Starter Guide explains that Google tries to show pages that answer what a person searched. If nobody searches for "premium ergonomic seating solutions", a page built around that phrase will not get visitors, even if it is beautiful. "Office chair price in Nepal" is what people type.
Keyword research also tells you intent. Someone searching "what is SEO" wants to learn. Someone searching "seo services nepal" wants to hire. Those need different pages.
Step 1: Start with your customers' words
Before any tool, write down 10 to 20 questions customers ask you on the phone, in Messenger or on WhatsApp. Note the exact wording. "Kati parchha?" becomes "price", "cost" or "fee" in English searches. Customers mix languages, so include Roman Nepali phrases like "kasari garne" where they make sense.
Then add the locations you serve: Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Pokhara, Butwal, or Nepal as a whole.
Step 2: Expand with Google Autocomplete
Type a seed phrase into Google and read the suggestions before pressing Enter. These come from real searches. Here is what Google suggested for "graphic design course in nepal" when I checked on 11 November 2026:
| Seed | Autocomplete suggestions |
|---|---|
| graphic design course in nepal | near me, cost, best, online, fees, in kathmandu |
| youtube monetization nepal | requirements in nepal, rules in nepal, shorts monetization in nepal, is youtube monetization available in nepal |
| online business in nepal | from home, without investment, for students, ideas, registration |
Each suggestion is a possible page or section. "Graphic design course in nepal cost" tells you people want a price. "Near me" and "in kathmandu" tell you location pages matter.
Do this for each of your main services, and also try adding a letter after the seed, such as "seo nepal a", "seo nepal b", to see more.
Step 3: Collect questions from People also ask
Search your main keyword and open the "People also ask" box. Click a question and more appear. Copy the ones that match your business. These are ideal for FAQ sections and for blog posts, because they are literally the questions Google sees people asking.
Step 4: Check demand with Google Keyword Planner
Keyword Planner is free inside a Google Ads account, and you do not need to run ads to use it. Google's Keyword Planner guide describes two options:
- Discover new keywords: enter words or a website and get related keyword ideas.
- Get search volume and forecasts: paste your own list and see estimates.
The tool shows an estimate of monthly searches for each keyword, plus a competition level and bid estimates that are useful if you also plan Google Ads. Google notes that keywords with very low search volume, or ones it considers sensitive, cannot be discovered or forecast, which is common for small Nepali niches. A low or missing number does not mean zero demand. It means the search is rare, so treat Autocomplete and your customer notes as the stronger signal in that case.
Google also says Keyword Planner forecasts are refreshed daily and based on the last 7 to 10 days, adjusted for seasonality. Use them for direction, not as exact predictions.
Step 5: Check seasonality with Google Trends
Google Trends is free and shows relative interest over time, filtered by country. Set the region to Nepal and compare two phrases to see which one people prefer, for example "website design" versus "web design", or watch how "gift" searches rise before Dashain and Tihar. Trends does not give search counts, only relative interest, so pair it with Keyword Planner.
Step 6: Use Search Console for keywords you already rank for
If your website is verified in Google Search Console, the Performance report lists the real queries that showed your pages, with impressions, clicks and average position. This is the most accurate keyword data you can get, because it is your site's own data.
Look for:
- Queries with many impressions but few clicks. Improve that page's title and description.
- Queries ranking between position 8 and 20. A content update can move them to page one.
- Queries you did not expect. They may deserve their own page.
My guide to ranking on Google covers what to do with each of these.
Step 7: Sort by intent and plan pages
Put every phrase into a sheet with three columns: keyword, intent, page.
| Intent | Example keywords | Page type |
|---|---|---|
| Buy or hire | seo services nepal, logo design company in nepal | Service page |
| Compare or price | seo price in nepal, website cost in nepal | Pricing guide or blog post |
| Learn or how to | how to rank website on google, keyword research free | Blog post |
| Local | digital marketing agency in kathmandu | Service page with location section |
One main keyword per page. Related phrases and questions go into the same page as sections and FAQ, which keeps you from creating five thin pages that compete with each other.
Free tools at a glance
| Tool | What it gives you | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Google Autocomplete | Real phrases people type, by country | Free |
| People also ask | Real questions for FAQ and posts | Free |
| Google Keyword Planner | Monthly search estimates, competition, bid ranges | Free with a Google Ads account |
| Google Trends | Relative interest over time, by region | Free |
| Google Search Console | Your own queries, impressions, clicks, positions | Free, needs site verification |
Paid tools add backlink data and bigger keyword databases, but for a small Nepali business the free set above is enough to build a good first keyword plan.
Common mistakes
- Chasing high-volume English keywords from other countries. Set the location to Nepal in every tool.
- Ignoring Roman Nepali searches such as "kasari garne" and mixed phrases.
- Writing one page for ten keywords with different intents.
- Doing research once and never opening Search Console again. Repeat this every two or three months.
If you want this done for your site, keyword research is the first step of my SEO service in Nepal. For businesses that serve a city or area, the local SEO checklist adds the Google Business Profile side.
FAQ
Is Google Keyword Planner really free?
Yes. It is part of Google Ads, and you can use it without running a campaign. Some accounts see ranges rather than exact numbers until they spend on ads, but the keyword ideas and relative demand are still useful.
How many keywords should I target?
Start with one main keyword per important page, plus a handful of related phrases and questions inside that page. For a small business site, 10 to 30 well-chosen keywords are plenty.
What if Keyword Planner shows no volume for my keyword?
Google says keywords with very low volume are not discoverable or forecastable. Check Autocomplete and your own customer questions instead. Niche searches in Nepal are often small but valuable because the person is ready to buy.
Should I target Nepali-language keywords?
If your customers search in Nepali or Roman Nepali, yes. Check Autocomplete with both spellings and see which versions Google suggests.
