Using AI for SEO Keyword Research

AI tools like ChatGPT can supercharge your keyword research, but they work differently than traditional SEO software. Think of ChatGPT as a creative brainstorming partner rather than a direct replacement for keyword planners. With the right prompts, ChatGPT can surface ideas and angles you might not have thought of. However, it doesn’t have real-time search volume or ranking data – it won’t know current keyword difficulty or traffic numbers. Instead, it excels at understanding concepts and generating related ideas based on its training data. In short, use AI to explore topics and generate keyword ideas, then verify and expand those ideas with conventional SEO tools.

What ChatGPT Can (and Can’t) Do:

• Strength – Ideation and Topic Expansion: ChatGPT is great at giving you a fresh perspective on a topic. For example, you might prompt it: “What are 10 popular subtopics related to [your main topic]?” ChatGPT will use its language model to suggest angles, niches, and long-tail variants you might not have considered. It’s like having an expert in your niche brainstorm with you. You can ask it to list related topics, common questions, trending news items, or even hypothetical campaign themes. In practice, SE professionals use it to find “untapped pockets” of keywords by posing creative prompts.
  
• Limitation – No Real Metrics: ChatGPT does not know actual search volumes, current trends beyond its training cutoff, or live competitors’ data. It may hallucinate – for instance, inventing a plausible-sounding keyword that has little or no actual search interest. As one expert warns, “ChatGPT isn’t an SEO tool … it can even create new keywords if you give it the right prompt. … You must not blindly rely on the data you get back from ChatGPT”. In other words, use ChatGPT’s output as a starting list of ideas, not definitive facts.
  
• Strength – Competitive Inspiration: You can have ChatGPT review and summarize competitor content themes or suggest what might fill gaps. For instance, ask it “What blog titles might rank for [competitor’s URL]?” or “What questions do people ask about [topic] on forums?” It can simulate looking at many sources. This isn’t a substitute for tools like Ahrefs or Semrush, but it can spark creativity.
  
• Limitation – Outdated or Inaccurate Info: Remember that ChatGPT’s knowledge has a cutoff (e.g., October 2023 for GPT-4), and even with browsing, it’s no substitute for a live keyword database. Always double-check anything critical. For real search data (volume, trends, SERP features), still rely on Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, or other SEO platforms.
  

Practical Strategies and Prompts:
Here are some ways to leverage ChatGPT effectively in keyword research, with examples adapted from SEO guides:

• Seed Topic Expansion:
  Prompt: “List the most popular sub-topics related to [your main topic].”
  What It Does: Generates related angles and categories. For example, for “sustainable travel”, it might list sub-topics like eco-friendly accommodations, carbon offsetting, green certifications, etc. These become ideas for keyword groups or article sections. ChatGPT can produce lists you can further refine.
  
• Question Generation:
  Prompt: “What are 10 questions people commonly ask about [your topic]?”
  What It Does: Helps you think of FAQ-style keywords or long-tail questions. If the topic is “keto diet,” it might suggest questions about benefits, meal planning, side effects, etc. These questions often align with “People Also Ask” keywords in Google.
  
• Competitor Insights:
  Prompt: “What content topics might competitor [Competitor Name or URL] cover for the topic [your keyword]?”
  What It Does: Simulates analyzing a competitor’s content strategy. ChatGPT could suggest they focus on, say, local case studies or advanced techniques. This can guide you to keywords or angles they may have missed.
  
• Broad Keyword Brainstorm:
  Prompt: “Give me 20 long-tail keywords related to [topic].”
  What It Does: Produces a raw list of potential keyword phrases. These are starting points; you’ll then feed them into a keyword tool to check actual search volume.
  
• Content Outline Ideas:
  Prompt: “Outline a blog post about [topic] and include subtopics and keywords.”
  What It Does: Provides a structured content plan with suggested headings and terms. You can use the suggested headings to ensure you cover relevant keywords and themes.
  

Use these prompts as a springboard. The goal is to get ideas quickly, which you can refine. For example, after ChatGPT gives you a list of 20 keyword ideas, you might pick the most relevant 5-10 and run them through a keyword planner for volume and difficulty.

Coding and Automation (Advanced):
If you’re comfortable with code, you can automate parts of this process using the OpenAI API or tools like Zapier. For instance, a Python script could send a prompt to the ChatGPT API and retrieve keyword ideas:

import openai

openai.api_key = 'YOUR_API_KEY'

prompt = "List 10 long-tail SEO keyword phrases related to 'AI in digital marketing'."

response = openai.ChatCompletion.create(

    model='gpt-4o',

    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": prompt}]

)

keywords = response['choices'][0]['message']['content']

print(keywords)

This snippet shows how easily ChatGPT can be queried for keywords. However, remember that any output should be treated as draft suggestions, not final data. Always post-process by checking metrics or refining the phrasing.

Best Practices:

• Iterate Prompts: Refining your questions will yield better answers. If ChatGPT’s first attempt is vague, add more context or ask it to “think step by step.”
  
• Combine Tools: Use ChatGPT alongside an SEO tool. For example, after ChatGPT lists ideas, put them into Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to get real volumes and related suggestions.
  
• Validate and Expand: Take ChatGPT’s creative suggestions and expand them. If it mentions an unexpected niche or theme, investigate with keyword tools or Google Trends to confirm interest.
  

In summary, ChatGPT can accelerate the creative phase of keyword research by generating angles and ideas in minutes. It’s best used for brainstorming and expansion. Then, pair those insights with hard data from traditional SEO tools. This hybrid approach – AI for ideation, tools for verification – lets you innovate your keyword strategy while keeping it grounded in reality. We’ve actually put this principle into practice, and boosted our client’s YoY organic traffic by 93% through AI-assisted programmatic SEO.