How to Do B2B Keyword Research Using Ubersuggest

Key Takeaways

• Intent beats volume in B2B. Long-tail, comparison, and pain-point keywords bring the highest-quality traffic
• Your best keywords come from conversations, not tools. Sales teams and customers surface language that tools can't predict
• B2B funnels require keyword mapping. TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU terms attract different stakeholders at different readiness levels
• Clusters win in B2B SEO. Organizing keywords into pillars builds authority and guides buyers naturally
• Keyword lists are only valuable when activated. Use them for on-page optimization, schema, content hubs, and LLMO

B2B vs B2C Keyword Research

With B2B marketing, you focus on various decision-makers, like a team lead, manager, or even the CEO. These keywords are typically lower volume, but higher value when you rank well for them.

Key differences:

• B2B sales cycles are longer (software suite vs. pair of socks)
• Multiple decision-makers involved
• Intent mapping is critical
• Demonstrating niche expertise matters more

Pro tip: To inspire your B2B keyword research, ask yourself:

• What kind of businesses am I targeting? How big are their teams?
• Am I trying to reach executives, managers, or employees?
• What challenges are they facing? How is their current system failing them?

The B2B Buyer Journey & Keywords

B2B buyers don't search like consumers. Your keyword strategy needs to map to every funnel stage:

Important: If you skip a stage, you risk confusing or losing your audience.

5 Steps to Find High-Intent B2B Keywords

▸Step 1: Interview Your Sales Team and Customers

Your sales team knows exactly what questions prospects ask before they buy:

• What are the top questions you hear?
• What phrases come up in discovery calls?
• What signals buying intent?

Then talk to customers:

• What did they Google before finding you?
• What words did they use to describe their problem?
• Why did they choose you over competitors?

▸Step 2: Use Tools To Expand Your Keyword Set

Plug seed terms into keyword tools to scale:

Pro tip: High CPC (cost per click) usually means a keyword is converting for someone.

▸Step 3: Spy on Competitors

Reverse-engineer what's working:

• Plug competitor domains into Semrush/Ahrefs
• See exact keywords they rank for
• Look for content gaps they missed
• Find topics you could go deeper on

▸Step 4: Analyze Intent, Not Just Volume

In B2B, high volume ≠ high value.

High-intent keyword examples:

• "SOC 2 vs ISO 27001" — Comparison searches show active evaluation
• "Lead scoring software for SaaS" — Specific, solution-aware, bottom-funnel

Filter by modifiers like "vs," "best," "alternatives," or "[industry] software."

▸Step 5: Group Keywords Into Pillars and Clusters

Don't just build a list—build a structure:

Pillar page: "Email Marketing Software"

Clusters:

• Email automation for B2B
• Lead nurturing workflows
• Best B2B email sequences

This approach:

1. Strengthens SEO by signaling topical authority
2. Aligns with the buyer journey
3. Creates clear paths to conversion

4 B2B Keyword Types That Actually Convert

▸1. Comparisons

High-intent gold. "HubSpot vs Salesforce" or "SOC 2 vs ISO 27001" — they're in evaluation mode.

▸2. Integrations

"Slack integration with project management software" signals product fit and technical alignment.

▸3. Use-Case Specific

"Lead scoring software" is nice, but "lead scoring software for early-stage B2B SaaS" is better.

▸4. Pain Point Phrases

"How to reduce churn in B2B SaaS" or "Why aren't my sales qualified leads converting?" — strong entry points for solution-aware buyers.

What To Do After You Have Your Keywords

1. On-page optimization — Meta descriptions, body copy, headers
2. Schema markup — FAQs, pricing for rich snippets
3. Content hubs — Internal linking structure around topics
4. LLMO (Large Language Model Optimization) — Optimize for AI-generated answers
5. Repurpose content — Turn questions into videos, slideshows
6. Editorial calendar — Map keywords to goals, funnel stages, audience segments

B2B SEO Strategy Quick Tips

1. Conduct B2B keyword research (use Ubersuggest)
2. Understand what matters to your target decision-makers
3. Optimize your site with meta descriptions and internal linking
4. Create content that positions you as the answer
5. Promote content and build domain authority through backlinks

Conclusion

The goal with B2B content tactics is to position yourself as the answer decision-makers need.

Your keyword research will reveal the topics that reel in buyers, and the content you create will help secure conversions.

Ask yourself: Where do you stand? How can you satisfy buyers in a way that your competitors aren't?

Source: Adapted from Neil Patel's B2B Keyword Research guide