What are the latest trends in keyword research for online marketing?

In 2025, keyword research is smarter, more intent-focused, and AI-integrated — it’s not just about finding words, it’s about understanding how your audience searches, speaks, and thinks.

Here are the latest trends in keyword research that EMILY® leverages to elevate our clients' SEO, paid ads, and content strategies:

🔍 1. Search Intent Segmentation

📌 Trend:

Modern keyword research categorizes terms by intent stage:

• Informational ("how to fix a clogged drain")

• Navigational ("Home Depot store hours")

• Transactional ("buy ergonomic office chair")

• Commercial/Investigative ("best laptops under $1000")

🎯 EMILY maps keywords by funnel stage and aligns content or ads to match.

🧠 2. AI-Generated Keyword Clustering

📌 Trend:

Instead of targeting one keyword per page, we now group thematically related terms into semantic clusters.

✅ Tools:

• SERanking Keyword Grouping

• Surfer SEO, Frase, MarketMuse

• NLP-based topic modeling (from Google's BERT & MUM models)

🎯 This helps EMILY build pillar pages, supporting content, and internal linking that boosts topical authority.

🎙️ 3. Voice Search & Natural Language Optimization

📌 Trend:

Search queries are becoming longer, more conversational, and question-based — thanks to smart assistants and AI.

✅ Tips:

• Use keywords like “what is,” “how do I,” “near me,” “best way to…”

• Optimize for featured snippets + FAQ schema

• Include long-tail phrases and answer formats

🎯 We integrate voice search keywords into blog content, local SEO, and Q&A blocks.

📊 4. First-Party Data Enrichment

📌 Trend:

Instead of relying only on public tools, brands use internal site search, CRM, and ad data to find real user terms.

✅ Sources EMILY analyzes:

• On-site search bar data

• Google Ads Search Terms Report

• Meta keyword-based interest groups

• Form fills and email replies

🎯 We build custom keyword lists informed by your actual customers — not just volume metrics.

🧬 5. Zero-Click & SERP Feature Optimization

📌 Trend:

Many Google searches now result in no click — but still offer brand exposure via snippets, carousels, People Also Ask, etc.

✅ Strategy:

• Target keywords that trigger featured snippets

• Include schema markup (FAQ, HowTo, Product)

• Optimize for visual SERPs (images, video, local packs)

🎯 EMILY doesn’t just chase rankings — we optimize for clickless visibility and brand recall.

🌎 6. Hyper-Localized & Geo-Intent Keywords

📌 Trend:

With the rise of local and voice search, people search with more specificity:

• “wedding photographer near Greenville SC”

• “best vegan restaurant in Columbia on Main Street”

✅ Tools:

• Google Business Insights

• Geo-targeted keyword data in SERanking or BrightLocal

🎯 We use this for local SEO, Google Ads, and service area page creation.

🤖 7. Predictive & Trend-Based Keywords

📌 Trend:

Marketers now use trend forecasting tools to target rising topics before they peak.

✅ Tools:

• Google Trends, Exploding Topics, AnswerThePublic

• Seasonal keyword planning with SEMrush or Ubersuggest

🎯 EMILY builds editorial calendars and ad campaigns around emerging search intent.

✅ Summary: 2025 Keyword Research Trends

Trend	How EMILY Uses It
Intent-based segmentation	Maps content + ads to user mindset
Semantic keyword clustering	Builds authority with topic groups
Voice & conversational search	Optimizes for long-tail, FAQ, and voice devices
First-party data enrichment	Informs keywords from real customer behavior
SERP feature optimization	Gains visibility through featured content
Local & geo-targeting	Dominates “near me” and city-specific terms
Predictive trend spotting	Plans content before competitors do

📅 Want a Smart Keyword Plan That Reflects 2025 Search Behavior? EMILY delivers custom keyword maps, SEO briefs, and paid ad targeting plans based on the latest trends and tools.

🔗 Request a Keyword Strategy Session 

📧 info@ermarketinggroup.com 

📞 803-271-0875