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How to choose keywords for a site (without thousand-dollar tools)
A practical approach to keyword research: think like a customer, use free tools and write for real questions.
You don't need an expensive professional keyword research tool to start — you need to think like a customer with a concrete problem looking for a solution, not like a company trying to sell a service using its own internal terminology.
A practical procedure that actually works
Write down the exact questions customers actually ask you by phone or in person before deciding to hire you — those questions are a goldmine for topics and phrases people really type into Google.
Use free Google autocomplete (start typing in the search box and see what Google suggests as a continuation) and the "People also ask" section appearing in search results for related ideas about topics people search for.
Check for free through Google Search Console (if the site already exists) which phrases already bring traffic to your site, even if you don't rank highly for them yet — those are the phrases within reach that you can easily push higher.
A common mistake to avoid
Targeting exclusively generic, highly competitive terms (e.g. just "web design") where you compete with thousands of other sites worldwide and across the region.
More specific, longer phrases (known as "long-tail" keywords, e.g. "website development for a dental practice in Sarajevo") bring less total traffic individually, but the person typing them has a much clearer, more concrete intent — and thus a higher probability of converting into a real inquiry or purchase.
A good strategy combines both: build towards generic terms long-term, but get your first results and traffic quickly through more specific, less competitive long-tail phrases.
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Nikola Cerić
Founder & CEO, Manage IT
More than 10 years of software development experience — in his own company and in major IT companies across the Balkans.