Keyword research template

Many teams waste hours chasing the wrong keywords. They pull data from multiple keyword research tools, dump it into spreadsheets, and struggle to decide which terms deserve priority. Without a structured framework, keyword research becomes overwhelming and time-consuming. The keyword research template solves this by providing a clear step-by-step process.

With organized sections for core keyword information, user intent, competition analysis, content strategy, and metrics, you can create a reliable keyword research report template that works for both SEO specialists and beginners. Whether you need a keyword research template for Ahrefs, a keyword research template for Google Sheets, or a flexible SEO keyword research template for in-depth content planning, this framework helps you build an effective keyword strategy.

Who benefits from keyword research templates?

An organized keyword research template helps every team member align on priorities and focus their SEO efforts. Instead of juggling a list of keywords, teams use the template to centralize data, compare opportunities, and run effective keyword research.

By documenting search volume, keyword difficulty, and intent in one place, the template provides a shared foundation that supports marketing campaigns, content strategy, and overall SEO performance.

Marketers

Digital marketing teams use the keyword research template to associate target keywords with specific campaigns. They track metrics such as monthly search volume, keyword difficulty, and search intent to select the most effective keywords for content marketing, PPC, Google Ads, and social media. By aligning search terms with target audience behaviors, they improve outreach and optimize messaging.

SEO specialists

SEO specialists rely on the template to streamline keyword data from Ahrefs, Semrush, and Google Keyword Planner. They analyze search engine results pages (SERPs), compare CPC costs, and identify keyword opportunities with commercial intent. By centralizing data in a single keyword research report template, they save time, avoid scattered documents, and track rankings more effectively.

Content teams

Content strategists and writers use the template to organize keyword ideas into a content strategy. They identify relevant keywords, map them to content topics, and determine where long-tail keywords are most effective. With structured keyword data, content teams create blog posts, landing pages, and campaigns that support the overall SEO strategy.

Why use Asana's keyword research template

One SEO manager told us that their team cut hours of manual work when they switched from Excel sheets to Asana’s keyword research template.

Asana’s keyword research template brings order to keyword data by assigning a designated space to every metric. Teams log search volume, difficulty, and search intent in one shared workspace. They assign ownership for competition analysis and connect insights directly to content strategy. This approach accelerates the research process and yields more effective keyword lists.

You can also tie this work into an SEO strategy template to align research with long-term optimization goals. Reasons to adopt this template include:

• Track search volume, keyword difficulty, and CPC in one keyword research tool.

• Assign ownership for competition analysis to avoid duplicate work.

• Connect keyword data with content strategy and content marketing plans.

• Organize a keyword research template for Google Sheets, Excel, or Asana.

• Create a keyword research report template that scales across digital marketing teams.

How to use this free keyword research template

Build your keyword research template using our framework to capture and analyze the keyword data that drives SEO. Each section of the template organizes your workflow into manageable steps. You can also explore Asana’s full library of templates to simplify every part of project and content management.

Step 1: Collect core keyword information

Start by listing seed keywords and target keywords in the Core Keyword Information section. Include metrics such as monthly search volume, keyword difficulty, CPC, and search intent. These numbers give you a benchmark for comparing keyword opportunities.

Add columns for metrics such as CTR and relevance to identify which keywords deserve priority. Assign tasks to team members for gathering keyword data from Ahrefs, Semrush, or Google Keyword Planner.

Step 2: Run competition analysis

Evaluate who ranks for your particular keywords and what content appears on the SERPs. Use our gap analysis template to identify overlooked keywords and inform your competitive strategy.

Record competitor sites, backlink counts, and on-page SEO details. Look for keyword opportunities where competitors rank with low competition.

Assign ownership for each competitor analysis task. Have one person track backlinks, another record keyword rank, and another analyze content strategy. Document these findings in the competition analysis section so your team can optimize content around the right keywords.

Step 3: Build your content strategy

Translate keyword data into a content strategy by linking keywords to blog posts, landing pages, and campaigns. Our content strategy template provides a ready-made structure for mapping keywords directly to content formats.

Add long-tail keywords to specific content ideas. Record search intent to match keywords with funnel stages.

Assign tasks to content writers for drafting posts based on keyword clusters. Connect SEO strategy with PPC campaigns by tagging commercial intent keywords. Content teams can then align keyword research with digital marketing plans, ensuring every piece of content serves a purpose.

Step 4: Track additional metrics

Use the Additional Metrics section to log KPIs like organic traffic, keyword rank, and CTR. Monitor how keywords perform after publishing. Track backlinks, social media shares, and link-building opportunities. Pair this with an SEO audit template to identify technical issues that may hinder rankings.

Assign tasks to monitor keyword rank weekly. Compare search volume with actual traffic to determine if your content strategy is yielding the desired results. By documenting additional metrics, you turn keyword research into a repeatable process that improves SEO efforts over time.

Step 5: Organize and refine the template

Use the Template Organization section to keep your keyword data structured. Group specific keywords by intent, volume, or difficulty. Create filters to highlight low-competition opportunities or high-CPC keywords worth testing in PPC.

Asana research features

Features in Asana enable you to tailor the keyword research template to your specific SEO workflow. They give your team visibility into keyword data, competition analysis, and content strategy. You can explore the complete list of features.

Custom fields

Custom fields enable you to track key metrics, including search volume, keyword difficulty, and CPC. SEO specialists can sort and filter fields to surface high-priority keywords. Custom fields enable fast and repeatable keyword prioritization.

Project views

Timeline view helps you schedule keyword research tasks and align them with content publishing. Content marketing teams can plan blog posts around target keywords and ensure timely delivery.

Attachments

Attachments let you connect exports from keyword research tools, competitor docs, and brainstorming lists. By centralizing data, you reduce version issues and improve collaboration.

Rules and automation

Rules enable you to automate workflows, such as creating tasks when a keyword's rank changes or when monthly search volume reaches a specified threshold. Automation reduces manual work, allowing teams to focus on strategy.

Recommended integrations for your keyword research template

Integrations connect your keyword research template with other tools, creating a single workspace for SEO planning. They keep keyword data updated and aligned with your broader digital marketing strategy. You can explore the complete list of integrations.

Google Sheets

Google Sheets integration lets you sync keyword data directly into the template. Teams export lists from Ahrefs, Semrush, or Google Keyword Planner into Sheets and connect them to Asana. This creates a seamless keyword research template for Google Sheets.

Slack

Slack integration keeps the team updated on keyword research tasks. Assignments, updates, and completed reports push directly into Slack channels. This ensures everyone stays aligned on keyword strategy.

Tableau

Tableau integration allows you to visualize keyword metrics. Build dashboards showing search volume, CTR, and keyword rank over time. Connect these dashboards to Asana tasks so stakeholders can see progress.

Power BI

Power BI integration helps track keyword opportunities against performance. Teams pull keyword data, compare it to organic traffic, and refine content marketing campaigns. With Power BI connected to Asana, keyword research becomes measurable and actionable.

Google Drive

Google Drive integration allows you to attach keyword exports, research reports, and competitive analysis documents directly to tasks. Everyone works with the most current keyword data, eliminating the need to search through folders.

FAQs about keyword research templates