How to find the best keywords using Semrush Keyword Magic Tool

Executive overview

Most content creators know what to write but not which search terms will drive organic traffic. Semrush's Keyword Magic Tool surfaces keyword opportunities by volume, difficulty, and user intent.

Balance keyword difficulty against search volume — not just one or the other.

Starting with broad terms and refining

• Begin with a general seed keyword (e.g. "hiking boots") to see what the tool surfaces
• Check related terms — "hiking shoes" may carry comparable volume and warrant inclusion
• Gender-specific variants (e.g. "hiking boots for men/women") often have lower difficulty with solid volume
• Review the Questions tab to find long-tail queries that enrich content (e.g. "how long do hiking boots last")

Filtering by commercial intent

• Apply a commercial intent filter to focus on keywords matching buyer mindset
• Specific variants like "best hiking boots for men" and "hiking boots reviews" appear at this stage
• Skip branded keywords — they'll be covered naturally when reviewing products
• Low keyword difficulty is a key filter alongside volume; high volume alone is not enough

Building the keyword strategy

• Designate a primary keyword with the best volume-to-difficulty ratio (e.g. "hiking boots")
• Assign secondary keywords for dedicated sections or subtitles (e.g. "hiking boots for women", "waterproof hiking boots")
• Cover question keywords within the body to capture informational queries
• Include high-volume synonyms (e.g. "hiking shoes") in the text even if they're not the primary target
• Lower-difficulty keywords rank first; higher-volume keywords follow as authority builds