Reputifly editorial · Reviewed 27 September 2026 · 2 min read
Use service fit, intent, page readiness and unit economics to prioritise a keyword test.
Read the whole query
A keyword is useful when the likely need matches something you can deliver. A high search volume or a competitive bid alone does not make it commercially attractive. Read the words as a customer request and decide what that person expects next.
Use four checks
| Check | Question |
|---|---|
| Service fit | Can we provide the thing being requested in this location? |
| Intent | Is the person researching, comparing, buying, looking for support or seeking a job? |
| Page readiness | Does a useful destination answer this particular need? |
| Economics | Could the likely customer contribution support the acquisition cost? |
A service-business example
For a company selling commercial cleaning, “office cleaning quotation” may match a clear service enquiry. “Cleaning jobs” does not match the customer-acquisition objective, even though it shares a word. “How to clean an office carpet” may be useful editorial demand but needs a different case for paid spend.
These examples illustrate classification, not predictions of search volume, price or conversion rate.
Learn from the actual searches
After launch, inspect the search terms available in reporting rather than assuming the keyword label describes every visit. Review lead suitability and add exclusions when the evidence supports them.
Keep a small test log: keyword theme, destination, spend, suitable enquiries, sales feedback and decision. Expand when the evidence is useful, not simply because the campaign spent its budget. Pair this process with the campaign audit checklist.
