Here's a scenario I see constantly: A business owner tells me they're targeting "plumber Louisville" and can't figure out why they're stuck on page two. Meanwhile, their competitor is ranking for 47 different keywords and getting 10x the traffic.
The difference? The competitor found the keywords their customers actually search for.
The Keyword Blind Spot
Most businesses make the same mistake: they optimize for the obvious terms. The generic, high-competition keywords everyone fights over.
But here's what they miss: there are probably 100 different ways customers describe what you do. And each of those variations represents real people, with real intent, typing real searches.
Real Example: A Louisville Plumber
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Who's Ranking? |
|---|---|---|
| "plumber Louisville" | 1,200 | You (#8) |
| "emergency plumber Louisville" | 480 | Competitor A (#2) |
| "water heater repair Louisville" | 320 | Not ranking |
| "clogged drain service" | 280 | Not ranking |
| "tankless water heater installation" | 210 | Competitor B (#1) |
| "sump pump repair near me" | 170 | Not ranking |
This business does all these services but only talks about one on their website.
See the pattern? This plumber offers emergency services, water heater repair, drain cleaning, and bathroom remodeling. But their website only mentions "plumbing services" generically.
Result: 1,600+ potential monthly searches going to competitors who actually mention these services on their sites.
Why This Happens
It's not that business owners are bad at SEO. It's that they suffer from expert blindness: they know their services so well that they forget customers describe things differently.
You think: "We do plumbing."
Customers search: "Why is my water heater making a popping noise?"
You think: "We offer HVAC services."
Customers search: "AC blowing warm air Louisville"
The gap between how you describe your business and how customers search for it is where your competitors are winning.
How to Find Your Missing Keywords
1. Study Your Competitors' Pages
Go to your top competitor's website. Look at their service pages, their blog posts, their FAQ sections. What topics are they covering that you aren't? Each of those pages is probably ranking for keywords you're missing.
2. Listen to Your Customers
What questions do customers ask when they call? What words do they use? "My toilet keeps running" is very different from "toilet repair," and both are real searches.
3. Think About Problems, Not Services
People don't search for "plumbing services." They search for solutions to problems:
- "Water pressure too low"
- "Garbage disposal humming but not working"
- "Pipe burst what do I do"
- "How much does it cost to replace water heater"
4. Use the Alphabet Soup Method
Go to Google and type your main service, then add each letter of the alphabet:
- "Louisville plumber a..." (affordable, available 24/7)
- "Louisville plumber b..." (bathroom, basement)
- "Louisville plumber c..." (cheap, commercial, clogged)
Google's suggestions show you what people actually search for.
What To Do With These Keywords
For service-based keywords (like "water heater repair Louisville"), create dedicated service pages. Not just a bullet point on your services page, but a full page explaining what you do, how you do it, and why customers should choose you.
For question-based keywords (like "why is my water heater making noise"), create blog posts or FAQ entries that actually answer the question. Be helpful. Be comprehensive.
For comparison keywords (like "tankless vs traditional water heater"), create educational content that helps customers make decisions. This is exactly the kind of content that also helps with AI search visibility.
The Compound Effect
Here's what makes this powerful: each new keyword you capture doesn't just bring its own traffic. It builds your site's overall authority. Google sees you as more comprehensive, more expert, more worthy of ranking for other terms too.
One plumber I worked with went from ranking for 12 keywords to 59 keywords in four months, just by creating pages for services they already offered but never talked about online.
Traffic increased 340%. Leads tripled.
They didn't get better at plumbing. They got better at being visible for the plumbing they were already doing.
Every keyword you're missing represents real customers searching for services you offer but can't find you for. That's not just lost traffic, it's lost revenue.
Start Here
Ask yourself these questions:
- How many services do I offer?
- How many dedicated pages does my website have for each service?
- What questions do customers ask me most often?
- Are any of those questions answered on my website?
If there's a gap between questions 1 and 2, or between 3 and 4, you've found your opportunity.
Want to see exactly what you're missing?
Let's look at your website together. I'll show you the gaps and opportunities your competitors are exploiting.
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