AI Keyword Research
Discover untapped keyword opportunities and build content strategies based on competitor analysis
The Problem with Traditional Keyword Research
Manual keyword research is time-consuming and often misses opportunities. Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush show keywords, but require hours of analysis to find actual ranking opportunities.
Harbor flips this approach: instead of starting with keywords, start with successful competitors. Analyze their entire content strategy, discover what's working, and replicate their success.
Harbor's AI Keyword Research Method
Find Successful Competitors
Google your primary topic and identify the top 3-5 ranking sites. Look for sites with similar domain authority to yours.
Pro Tip: Avoid analyzing sites that are too authoritative (DR 80+) as you won't be able to compete yet.
Extract Their Sitemap
Use Harbor to scrape competitor sitemaps. This reveals every single piece of content they've published and are ranking for.
Pro Tip: Focus on their blog/content section, not product pages or docs.
Analyze Content Gaps
Compare multiple competitor sitemaps to find topics they're all ranking for that you're missing. These are proven winners.
Pro Tip: Look for patterns - if 3+ competitors cover a topic, it's worth targeting.
Prioritize Keywords
Harbor's AI analyzes search intent, difficulty, and relevance to rank keywords by opportunity score.
Pro Tip: Start with "quick win" keywords (low competition, decent volume) to build momentum.
Build Content Calendar
Export your keyword list and create a 30-90 day content calendar. Batch similar topics together for efficiency.
Pro Tip: Group keywords into content clusters to build topical authority faster.
Types of Keywords to Target
Informational Keywords
Best for top-of-funnel traffic. Examples: "how to", "what is", "guide to".
- • High volume, broad reach
- • Builds brand awareness
- • Good for link building
- • Lower immediate ROI
Commercial Keywords
Mid-funnel, research intent. Examples: "best", "review", "comparison".
- • High conversion potential
- • Strong commercial intent
- • Competitive but valuable
- • Drives qualified traffic
Long-Tail Keywords
Specific, low competition. Examples: 4-6 word phrases.
- • Easy to rank quickly
- • Lower search volume
- • Very targeted traffic
- • Perfect for scaling
Problem-Solution Keywords
Pain point focused. Examples: "fix", "solve", "problem with".
- • High engagement
- • Strong conversion signals
- • Less competitive
- • Great for SaaS/products
Harbor vs Traditional Tools
| Approach | Harbor | Traditional |
|---|---|---|
| Time to Find Keywords | 10 minutes | 2-4 hours |
| Keywords Discovered | 100-500+ | 20-50 |
| Competitor Insights | Full strategy | Limited |
| Content Creation | Built-in AI | Separate tool |
Pro Tips
Analyze Multiple Competitors
Research 5-10 competitors to find the most comprehensive keyword opportunities. More data = better insights.
Update Quarterly
Re-analyze competitors every 3 months to discover new keyword trends and content opportunities.
Focus on Intent Match
Don't just chase volume. Ensure your content matches the search intent behind each keyword.
Track Results
Monitor which keywords drive traffic and conversions. Double down on what works.
Ready to Discover Winning Keywords?
Use Harbor's AI-powered competitor analysis to find hundreds of keyword opportunities in minutes.
