Keyword research • Tool-assisted
Keyword Research Tools & Techniques for UK Schools: SE Ranking, Ahrefs, SEMrush, GSC & More
Published by SEO for Schools • Author: Paul Delaney
Tools don’t win rankings—decisions do. This playbook shows how to use SE Ranking, Ahrefs, SEMrush and Google Search Console to form entity-based query families, judge realistic difficulty for schools (not SaaS), and output publishable page briefs. It also includes MAT scaling and reporting.
What job each tool does
Discovery & validation
| Tool | Use |
|---|---|
| Google Search Console (GSC) | Truth source for current queries that already show your pages. Segment by hub (Admissions, Term Dates, Absence, SEND). |
| SE Ranking / Ahrefs / SEMrush | Expand synonyms, see UK volume & trend, find SERP features (People Also Ask, featured snippets, Local Pack) and top pages. |
| Google Trends / Keyword Planner | Seasonality sense-check for UK regions; admissions deadlines and exam windows vary by area. |
Competitive context
| Observation | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| LA/GOV. UK dominance | Choose “Assist” pages: explain briefly and link to the definitive source. |
| SERP features present | Plan FAQ/Event schema, or accept a Local Pack first result. |
| Top school pages | Borrow language parents use; note content components that answer tasks quickly. |
Search behaviour and features change. Use tools to observe reality and make pages more helpful. See Search Essentials.
Build query families from GSC
/admissions/, /term-dates/). Export queries.Enrich with tool data (volume, features, trends)
| Data point | How to get it | Decision it informs |
|---|---|---|
| UK volume & 12-month trend | SE Ranking/Ahrefs/SEMrush; Google Trends for sanity check | Seasonality: when to update Term Dates/Admissions |
| SERP features | Tool SERP overview + live checks | FAQ/Event schema; Local Pack expectations |
| Top pages / competing domains | Tool “SERP competitors” | Own vs Assist vs Avoid (see difficulty model) |
| Parent phrasing | Tool “related terms” + GSC queries | Title/H1 wording; section headings and anchors |
A school-friendly difficulty model
ADI + SERP Reality Score
| Factor | Score 1–3 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Authority fit | 1–3 | Is a school the natural authority? (Admissions yes ⇒ 3; general education policy no ⇒ 1) |
| Demand window | 1–3 | Is demand concentrated (Term Dates) or background (Uniform)? |
| Intent completion | 1–3 | Can your page complete the task on-site? (forms, tables, event booking) |
| SERP reality | 1–3 | How crowded is the first page with LA/GOV. UK/directories? |
Total 4–12. Triage: 10–12 Own (build or refresh now), 7–9 Assist (concise explainer + official link), ≤6 Avoid (not worth standalone work).
Examples
| Query family | Decision | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “Term dates 2025/26 [School]” | Own | High intent + easy on-page completion with table + PDF. |
| “School admissions deadline [LA]” | Assist | LA dominates; provide steps and link to portal. |
| “What is GCSE grading?” | Avoid | National informational query; not school-specific. |
From data → page briefs (titles, sections, schema)
| Field | Guidance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cluster | Entity and audience | Admissions — Parents |
| Title | Task first; brand last; ~50–60 core chars | Admissions: How to Apply for Year 7 | [School] |
| H1 | Reflects the same task | Admissions: How to apply for Year 7 |
| Sections | One-sentence answer + bullets; action links | Steps • Deadlines • Open Evenings • Appeals • LA portal |
| Components | Tables, forms, contact cards, event blocks | Dates table; “Book open evening” form |
| Internal links | Hub ↔ spokes; breadcrumbs | Admissions hub ↔ Appeals; Open Evening |
| Schema | Only for visible content | FAQ/Event |
Rank tracking & intent clustering
Track by family, not single keywords
SE Ranking/Ahrefs/SEMrush: add representative queries for each family (core + 2–3 synonyms). Report on average position and visibility, not individual terms.
Validate with GSC
Use GSC to check whether impressions/CTR improved for the family after a refresh. This guards against rank-tracker sampling quirks.
MAT scaling & reporting
Shared taxonomy
Maintain a central list of entities (Admissions, Term Dates, Absence, SEND, Uniform, Ofsted). Provide title patterns, anchor taxonomies and year-token policy.
Reporting cadence
| Frequency | Metrics |
|---|---|
| Monthly | CTR by cluster; duplicate URLs per query; new PAA/snippet flags |
| Termly | Pattern review; add FAQs gathered from inbox and site search |
| Annually (July) | Roll-over academic year tokens; validate Term Dates and PDFs |
Print-screen workflows & checklists
Research Stack — 8 Steps
Screenshot or print this cardTitle & H1 — 10 Rules
Screenshot or print this card| 1 | Lead with the task; keep brand last. |
| 2 | Front-load nouns (Admissions, Term dates, Absence). |
| 3 | Sentence case; avoid emoji and ALL CAPS. |
| 4 | ~50–60 core characters; longer OK if meaningful. |
| 5 | H1 mirrors the task (not necessarily identical). |
| 6 | One page per family; avoid boilerplate duplicates. |
| 7 | Tokenise academic years ([YEAR/YEAR+1]). |
| 8 | Add locality only when it clarifies (campus/town). |
| 9 | Match titles to on-page components (tables, forms). |
| 10 | Request indexing after changes; track CTR. |
Need practical SEO support?
Speak With Paul Delaney
Paul Delaney helps schools turn complex SEO into simple, effective actions. As a guest writer for SEO for Schools, Paul shares step-by-step playbooks and evidence-based guidance that busy teams can apply immediately. With three decades’ experience working with UK and international institutions, he understands the challenges school teams face and is well positioned to offer support and guidance.
For our readers, Paul offers free 30-minute sessions for institutions exploring how to raise visibility, strengthen brand trust and streamline admissions. Sessions are practical, jargon-free and free from sales pressure. You can contact him using the buttons below—please mention SEOforSchools.co.uk.
