How to Do Keyword Research for Your Design Blog

The difference between a post that gets zero visits and one that gets 3,000 per month is often just keyword research. Here's a simple, repeatable process using Semrush — no SEO experience needed.

The difference between a blog post that gets 0 visits and one that gets 3,000 visits per month is often just one thing: keyword research. Not better writing, not fancier graphics — choosing the right target before you write a single word.

Why Keyword Research Changes Everything

When you write without keyword research, you're publishing into a void. Keyword research tells you exactly what your audience types into Google, how many people search for it each month, and how difficult it is to rank in the top 10. For design bloggers, it's especially powerful because most competitors don't do it — meaning there are hundreds of low-competition keywords sitting unclaimed.

Types of Keywords to Target

How-to keywords — "how to resize an image in Canva" — high intent, easy to rank with a tutorial post
Best-of keywords — "best Canva templates for Pinterest" — great for affiliate content
Comparison keywords — "Canva vs Adobe Express" — very high conversion, users are about to make a decision
Question keywords — "is Canva free for commercial use" — often appear in Google's People Also Ask boxes

Long-tail keywords (3+ words, lower volume) are easier to rank for and convert better than short, competitive terms.

Using Semrush's Keyword Magic Tool

Type a seed keyword — e.g. "canva", "color palette", or "design portfolio"
Filter by KD% (Keyword Difficulty) — look for anything under 30%
Check the volume column — aim for at least 100 searches/month
Open keyword details to see "People Also Ask" questions — these become your H2 headings

Finding Low-Competition Keywords Fast

Here's a trick that works extremely well: use competitor gap analysis. Enter a competing blog's URL into Semrush's Organic Research tool, then look at their top pages by traffic. Find keywords they rank for that you don't. These are validated topics with proven demand — and you know they're winnable because a similar site already ranks for them.

Structuring Posts Around Keywords

Put your target keyword in the post title, the first paragraph, at least one H2 heading, and your meta description. Use 3–5 related terms naturally throughout. Write for humans — Google's algorithm has been sophisticated for years. Clear, helpful content on a focused topic outperforms keyword-stuffed content every time.

Once your post is live, link it from other relevant posts on your site — including from ColorSense color and design tool mentions — to strengthen its ranking signal.