Day 11 of 28 · AI Challenge
SEO and Keywords with AI
⏱ 7 min
📊 Beginner
Social media posts disappear in 24 hours. A blog post that ranks on Google? That sends you traffic for years. SEO — search engine optimization — is how you get found by people who are already searching for what you offer.
The problem? SEO used to require expensive tools, months of study, and a lot of guesswork. AI changes that. Today you'll learn how to use AI to find keywords, understand search intent, and create content that ranks.
Keywords are questions people ask
Forget the technical jargon. A keyword is just something someone types into Google. And behind every search is a question, a need, or a desire.
"Best CRM for freelancers" = I need a tool to manage my clients.
"How to price graphic design services" = I don't know what to charge and I'm afraid of getting it wrong.
"Freelance contract template" = I need something right now to protect myself with a new client.
Your job is to find the keywords your audience is searching for, understand why they're searching, and create content that gives them exactly what they need. AI makes every step of this faster.
Knowledge Check
What is a keyword in the context of SEO?
A
A tag you add to your website's metadata
B
A word you repeat as many times as possible on your page
C
A word or phrase someone types into a search engine to find information
D
A secret code that unlocks Google rankings
Keywords are simply the searches your audience performs. Understanding them means understanding what your potential customers are looking for — and creating content that answers those searches. No secret codes, no keyword stuffing. Just matching real questions with real answers.
Using AI for keyword research
You don't need a $99/month SEO tool to get started. AI can do solid keyword research right now. The key is asking the right questions:
Seed keywords — Start with your broad topic and ask AI to expand it into specific search queries real people would type.
Search intent — For each keyword, understand whether the searcher wants information, wants to compare options, or wants to buy something. This determines what kind of content you create.
Long-tail keywords — These are longer, more specific phrases. "CRM" has enormous competition. "Best CRM for freelance photographers under $20/month" has almost none — and the person searching it is ready to buy.
I'm a freelance bookkeeper targeting small business owners. Give me 15 keyword ideas grouped by search intent: informational (they want to learn), comparison (they're evaluating options), and transactional (they're ready to hire). Focus on long-tail keywords with low competition.
Here are 15 keyword ideas for your freelance bookkeeping business:
**INFORMATIONAL (they want to learn)**
1. "do I need a bookkeeper for my small business"
2. "difference between bookkeeper and accountant"
3. "how to organize business receipts for tax season"
4. "when should a small business hire a bookkeeper"
5. "bookkeeping mistakes that cost small businesses money"
**COMPARISON (they're evaluating options)**
6. "freelance bookkeeper vs QuickBooks self-service"
7. "best bookkeeping options for Etsy sellers"
8. "virtual bookkeeper vs local bookkeeper pros and cons"
9. "how much does a freelance bookkeeper cost per month"
10. "Bench vs freelance bookkeeper for startups"
**TRANSACTIONAL (they're ready to hire)**
11. "freelance bookkeeper for small business near me"
12. "hire virtual bookkeeper monthly"
13. "bookkeeper for online business owner"
14. "affordable bookkeeping services for solopreneurs"
15. "bookkeeper who knows QuickBooks and Shopify"
The informational keywords are great for blog posts that build trust. The comparison keywords work for landing pages. The transactional keywords are what you optimize your service pages for.
Want me to outline a blog post for any of these?
↻ Replay conversation
Knowledge Check
Why are long-tail keywords valuable for small businesses?
A
They have less competition and attract more specific, ready-to-act searchers
B
Google prefers longer phrases over short ones
C
They contain more words, so Google ranks them higher
D
They're easier to spell correctly
"Bookkeeper" gets millions of searches — and massive competition from huge companies. "Freelance bookkeeper for Etsy sellers" gets fewer searches but almost zero competition, and the person searching it knows exactly what they want. For small businesses and freelancers, long-tail keywords are where the real opportunities live.
Analyzing what ranks (and why)
Here's a powerful trick: ask AI to analyze the content that's already ranking for your target keyword. This tells you what Google considers valuable for that search.
I want to write a blog post targeting "when should a small business hire a bookkeeper." What would the ideal blog post look like? What topics should I cover, how long should it be, and what structure would help it rank?
Here's your content strategy for that keyword:
**Search intent:** Informational — the reader is considering hiring but hasn't decided yet. They need to be educated, not sold to.
**Recommended structure:**
1. **Hook** — "If you're spending Sunday nights sorting receipts, it might be time."
2. **Signs you need a bookkeeper** — List 5-7 specific signs (revenue threshold, time spent, tax complexity, errors increasing)
3. **What a bookkeeper actually does** — Demystify the role
4. **DIY vs. hiring: the real cost comparison** — Show that 10 hours/month of your time at $75/hr = $750, while a bookkeeper costs $300-$500
5. **How to find the right bookkeeper** — Qualities, questions to ask, red flags
6. **FAQ section** — Address common follow-up questions
**Ideal length:** 1,500-2,200 words
**Tone:** Helpful and trustworthy, not salesy
**Key detail:** Include specific dollar amounts and time estimates — specifics build trust and keep readers on the page longer
Want me to write the full post?
↻ Replay conversation
Content optimization checklist
Once you've written your content (with AI's help), run through this quick optimization checklist:
Title tag — Include your target keyword naturally. Keep it under 60 characters. Make it compelling enough to click.
Headers — Use H2 and H3 tags that include related keywords. These help Google understand your content's structure.
First 100 words — Mention your target keyword early. Not forced — just naturally woven into the opening.
Internal links — Link to your other relevant content. This helps Google understand your site's structure and keeps visitors browsing.
Meta description — Write a 150-character summary that includes the keyword and makes people want to click. AI is great at generating these.
You don't need to be an SEO expert. You need to be a helpful content creator who follows a checklist. AI handles the research and the writing. The checklist makes sure it's optimized.
Knowledge Check
What's the most important thing to include in your blog post's title tag?
B
Your target keyword, naturally written, in under 60 characters
C
The date the article was published
D
As many keywords as possible
The title tag is what appears in Google search results. It needs your target keyword so Google knows what the page is about, it needs to be under 60 characters so it doesn't get cut off, and it needs to be compelling enough that a real person clicks on it instead of the other results.
The long game
Here's why SEO matters for your business: a single well-optimized blog post can bring in 50-500 visitors per month for years. No ad spend. No daily posting. No algorithm changes wiping out your reach.
One freelance copywriter wrote 12 SEO-optimized blog posts using AI over the course of a month — about 2 hours per post. Six months later, those posts bring in over 3,000 monthly visitors and generate 15-20 leads per month. That's the equivalent of about $2,000/month in Google Ads — except it's free and it keeps growing.
Social media is the sprint. SEO is the marathon. The smartest content strategy uses both.
Final Check
What makes SEO content different from social media content as a long-term strategy?
A
SEO content continues generating traffic for months or years, while social posts have a short lifespan
B
Social media content ranks better on Google
C
SEO content is harder to write
D
There's no real difference — both work the same way
A LinkedIn post might get engagement for 48 hours. A blog post that ranks on Google brings in traffic every single day for months or years. Both are valuable, but SEO content compounds over time. Today's blog post is still working for you next year.
🔍
Day 11 Complete
"Keywords are just questions your customers are already asking. Answer them better than anyone else, and Google sends you traffic for free."
Tomorrow — Day 12
Visual Content and Design
Tomorrow you'll create professional visuals without touching Photoshop.