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Keyword Research Essentials with Semrush

Tired of watching competitors outrank you in search engines and AI tools? This course reveals how to use Semrush to discover high-impact keywords and AI-powered search prompts. Transform your strategy from guesswork into a data-driven approach that boosts visibility across Google, ChatGPT, and beyond. Enroll today!

Who is this сourse for?

Those who've mastered SEO basics and want to stay ahead as AI reshapes search. Whether launching a new site or optimizing an existing one, you'll gain skills to make your content stand out to both traditional search engines and AI-powered tools like ChatGPT.

What you’ll learn

Learn to use Semrush keyword tools like a pro. Uncover low-competition gems, spy on competitors, audit rankings, and research AI prompts. Build strategic keyword maps that transform your pages into traffic-driving machines across search engines and AI platforms.

Earn Your Certificate from Semrush Academy

Semrush has been recognized by the search community across the globe, winning several accolades as the best SEO software suite. Learn more

Alex Lindley

With more than a decade of experience as a managing editor, Alex has led content and SEO teams at startups, established enterprises, digital marketing agencies, and print publications. His SEO strategy work has earned clients top rankings for competitive keywords across verticals like SaaS, programmatic advertising, legal services, ecommerce, and more. He‘s also a niche site tinkerer and AI enthusiast.

Rita Cidre

Rita Cidre is a marketing leader, instructor, and storyteller with 15 years of experience working at the intersection of marketing and content. Rita has held growth marketing leadership roles at Zillow Group, Time Inc., and National Public Radio (NPR). Currently, as the Head of Academy at Semrush, she builds innovative educational programs and courses designed to empower digital marketers around the globe.

Course Structure

Course Intro

Meet Rita, your guide through this keyword research journey. Learn what to expect and make sure to download the worksheet in the related materials, which will become your strategic roadmap for connecting every page on your site to your researched keywords.

1 video

3 minutes

Strategy: Quick AI SEO Intro

The search landscape is evolving! This intro explains why AI platforms like ChatGPT and Google's AI Mode are reshaping search marketing—and why we've updated this course to include AI SEO essentials.

1 video

2 minutes

Strategy: Keywords and Keyword Research

What exactly are keywords and why do they matter? Discover the bridge between what people search for and what your business offers. See how keywords serve as fundamental signals to search engines about your content's relevance.

1 video

2 minutes

Strategy: The Value of Keyword Research Tools

Stop guessing what your audience wants! Learn why keyword research tools are essential for finding terms people actually search for. See how Semrush's industry-leading database helps identify keywords with the right balance of search volume and competition.

1 video

3 minutes

Strategy: Seed Keywords: The Foundation of Keyword Research

Master the art of selecting seed keywords—the base of your entire keyword strategy. Learn to identify these broad, distinct terms that represent your core business offerings, as they will guide the rest of your research process.

1 video

4 minutes

Walkthrough: Identify a Seed Keyword

In this lesson, Rita teams up with SEO expert Alex Lindley to explore how to choose and validate seed keywords for Good Dog Shirts using Semrush tools and strategy.

1 video

7 minutes

Strategy: Create a Target Keyword List

Transform your seed keywords into a strategic list that brings customers to your site. Discover the perfect balance between search volume, keyword difficulty, and search intent to find terms that attract qualified traffic you can actually rank for.

1 video

5 minutes

Walkthrough: Low-Hanging Fruit with Keyword Magic Tool

Expand your keyword list with the powerful Keyword Magic Tool. Uncover keywords with the perfect difficulty-to-volume ratio, explore sub-categories for long-tail variations, and discover question-based terms perfect for blog content and FAQs.

1 video

6 minutes

Walkthrough: Check Your List in Keyword Strategy Builder

Learn how to organize your keyword list using Semrush’s Keyword Strategy Builder. In this lesson, Rita and Alex explore when to group similar terms, how to think about search intent, and how clustering helps plan content around user needs.

1 video

5 minutes

Walkthrough: Discover Keywords You Already Rank for with Organic Research

Learn how to uncover hidden SEO opportunities using Semrush’s Organic Research tool. Rita will help you to explore your competitors’ keywords, filter for low-difficulty wins, and build a list to boost your traffic fast!

1 video

4 minutes

Walkthrough: Conduct a Keyword Gap Analysis

Find out what your competitors rank for that you don't! This lesson shows you how to compare your site against competitors, identify missing opportunities, and find keywords where you're ranking below competitors but could easily improve.

1 video

5 minutes

Expert: AI and Keyword Research

In this lesson, Alex and Rita explore how AI is changing the way we approach keyword research and SEO. Learn why search intent matters more than ever, how to prioritize keywords effectively, and what helps content get featured in AI-generated results.

1 video

4 minutes

Strategy: Keyword Mapping

Organize your website like a well-planned library! Learn how to map specific keywords to particular pages, preventing multiple pages from competing for the same terms. See how to create a logical structure that guides both visitors and search engines, and discover which types of content work best for different search intents.

1 video

4 minutes

Walkthrough: Cluster Your Keyword List

Rita and Alex discuss how to map keyword clusters to website pages. They cover cleaning up your list, choosing between existing and new pages, and making strategic SEO decisions based on site structure and content potential.

1 video

9 minutes

Walkthrough: Map Keywords to a Page on Your Site

In this lesson, Rita and Alex map clustered keywords for "dog shirts" using Semrush and the course worksheet. Learn how to assign primary and secondary keywords and optimize pages based on search intent.

1 video

8 minutes

Walkthrough: Keyword Mapping

In this lesson, Rita walks through the process of refining and organizing a keyword list using the Keyword Strategy Builder before setting up position tracking. She demonstrates how to clean the list based on actual website content and future content ideas, and then maps relevant keywords to existing and new pages. The session wraps with tips on exporting and structuring the data for easier keyword-to-page mapping.

1 video

11 minutes

Strategy: A Word on Topical Authority

Discover why Google trusts sites that demonstrate deep knowledge on specific topics. Learn the pillar-cluster model that helps establish your authority in key subject areas, allowing you to rank for more keywords with less effort and future-proof your SEO.

1 video

4 minutes

Walkthrough: Pillar-Cluster with Keyword Strategy Builder

Learn a powerful shortcut to streamline your keyword research using Semrush’s AI-powered Keyword Strategy Builder. In this lesson, Rita walks you through how to generate a comprehensive keyword plan—from seed keywords to topic clusters and high-potential opportunities—all with just a few clicks in the SEO Toolkit. Perfect for saving time while still building a robust SEO strategy.

1 video

4 minutes

Walkthrough: Adding Competitors in Position Tracking

In this lesson, Rita walks you through how to add competitors to your Position Tracking project in Semrush. Learn how to compare keyword rankings side by side with your competitors and stay ahead in your SEO strategy.

1 video

3 minutes

Walkthrough: Track Your Keywords with Position Tracking

Track how your keyword strategy translates into real ranking changes. Learn to use Semrush's Position Tracking tool to monitor your visibility, estimated traffic, and average position, while keeping an eye on competitors' performance.

1 video

7 minutes

AI SEO: Intro to Prompt Research

What is prompt research and why does it matter for your SEO strategy? Uncover the three fundamental ways AI prompt research differs from traditional keyword research, plus the new metrics that define success in AI visibility.

1 video

4 minutes

Walkthrough: Conducting Prompt Research with Semrush

A hands-on tutorial for identifying prompts that matter, analyzing competitor prompt strategies, and building a robust tracking system for topics that drive AI visibility and brand awareness.

1 video

6 minutes

Congratulations and Next Steps

WOOF! You’ve just completed a deep dive into keyword research—from finding seed keywords to building a content hierarchy with Semrush. Now, all that’s left is to pass the final test and earn your certificate—share it proudly and tag us so we can celebrate with you.

1 video

1 minute

Would You Recommend This Course?

One last thing! If you enjoyed this course (or even if you didn't, we won't take it personally), please give us some feedback so we can keep making even better free content in the future!

1 video

1 minute

Create your keyword & AI prompt strategy

Download our keyword mapping template and follow along as we build a real-world SEO and AI optimization strategy together.