Hire Keyword Researchers

Hire the Top 3% of Freelance Keyword Researchers

Hire keyword researchers, on demand. Top companies and startups choose keyword researchers from Toptal for competitive keyword analysis, search intent optimization, long-tail keyword strategy, SEO campaign planning, keyword cannibalization audits, seasonal keyword calendars, and more.

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Trusted by leading brands and startups

Hire Freelance Keyword Researchers

Carol Ferraz

Freelance Keyword Researcher
Verified Expert in Marketing
Canada
Toptal Member Since May 2, 2023

Carol is an SEO specialist with 8+ years of industry experience. She recently completed a Data Analyst Boot Camp at Berkeley University. She's led the creation of websites, IA architecture, keyword research, content, optimizations, WordPress setup, and page publishing. Carol has used Python and SQL to develop effective code in her data analysis work and implemented AI modules and neural networks to create advanced analysis systems. She provides reports with have-done, to-do, and monthly metrics.

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Linze Lucas

Freelance Keyword Researcher
Verified Expert in Marketing
United States
Toptal Member Since August 8, 2024

Linze is an SEO and digital marketing expert with over a decade of experience. She has led campaigns that have transformed small brands into global names. At Stellium SEO, she delivered a remarkable 8,700% ROI for her first client in one year—far exceeding the average of 300% in three years. Linze's skills span business analysis, teaching, and content creation. She also holds a patent for an intent-based keyword research process, showcasing her forward-thinking approach to SEO.

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Felipe Monsalve

Freelance Keyword Researcher
Verified Expert in Marketing
United States
Toptal Member Since September 19, 2022

Felipe is an SEO strategist with 10+ years of experience helping businesses grow through technical audits, content strategy, on-page optimization, and search intent mapping. He specializes in building scalable SEO systems—from local to enterprise, combining data, UX, and automation to drive sustainable rankings. Felipe's work bridges algorithms and human behavior to create search experiences that convert.

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Dmitry Koshkin

Freelance Keyword Researcher
Verified Expert in Marketing
United Kingdom
Toptal Member Since July 11, 2024

Dmitry is an SEO and content marketing expert with solid experience growing organic traffic and revenue in scale-up and enterprise companies. His expertise—spanning technical and on-page SEO, content strategy, link building, and globalization—is rooted in hands-on work across 50+ sites and leading teams of 20+ specialists. He also collaborates cross-functionally to drive integrated and sustainable growth. At Skyscanner, Dmitry grew organic traffic by 4x and email subscribers by 20x in two years.

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Yashica Pathak

Freelance Keyword Researcher
Verified Expert in Marketing
Germany
Toptal Member Since February 16, 2024

Yashica, a seasoned marketing professional, seamlessly blends a decade of B2B/B2C expertise with dynamic skills. Mastering content marketing, SEO, and CRM tools, she excels in precision project delivery. Known for adept communication, multitasking, and trend-savvy insights, Yashica spearheads impactful campaigns, specializing in compelling content for boosted search visibility. With 10+ years in digital and growth marketing, she's an asset driven by an unwavering passion for continuous growth.

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Kelti Goudie

Freelance Keyword Researcher
Verified Expert in Marketing
Canada
Toptal Member Since August 15, 2024

Kelti is an accomplished professional writer and published author who specializes in website content, blog posts, and product descriptions for big and small clients globally. With expertise in mental health, fitness, and dog behavior, she enjoys exploring a diverse array of topics. Kelti's favorite aspect of her work is crafting engaging, standout content that resonates with clients and their audiences.

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Blake Stockton

Freelance Keyword Researcher
Verified Expert in Marketing
United States
Toptal Member Since March 27, 2024

Blake is a dynamic strategist with 15 years of digital marketing expertise, including roles at Google, an Inc. 5,000 fastest-growing startup, and the Small Business Administration. With a creative and entrepreneurial approach, he crafts impactful content and strategies, drawing on his experience founding successful online ventures. In 2018, Blake won the Rising Star of the Year award in Florida for pioneering Facebook Live training and providing social media algorithms and content updates.

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Vadym Kurdohlov

Freelance Keyword Researcher
Verified Expert in Marketing
Bulgaria
Toptal Member Since July 19, 2023

Vadym is an SEO expert with 9+ years of experience specializing in lead generation for B2B and B2C companies in the US, EU, and UK markets. He has expertise in software, hardware, betting, trading, law, educational, SaaS, and eCommerce sites. Skilled in technical and on-page SEO, page speed optimization (Core Web Vitals), and coding, he's developed his own SEO app and gained global experience working on different sites, which showcases his versatility and proficiency as an SEO professional.

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Martin Etchegaray

Freelance Keyword Researcher
Verified Expert in Marketing
Argentina
Toptal Member Since December 13, 2023

Martin crafts high-impact content strategies that drive engagement, authority, and growth for B2B, AI, and emerging tech brands. His expertise spans content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), thought leadership, and social media. He manages content for Sculpt and consults on data-driven content strategies, thought leadership that establishes credibility, and content production for SEO, engagement, and conversions. Martin also oversees LinkedIn strategies for CEOs, founders, and brands.

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Kirstie Jeffries

Freelance Keyword Researcher
Verified Expert in Marketing
United States
Toptal Member Since June 7, 2023

Kirstie is a marketing specialist with over 12 years of professional experience driving growth for early-stage startups and established organizations. She has built out new marketing strategies and elevated existing ones using expertise in digital marketing, demand generation, and a wide range of skills, including SEO, SEM, and website management. With international experience and a curious, data-driven approach, Kirstie will deliver measurable results and propel any business forward.

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Daniyal Alam

Freelance Keyword Researcher
Verified Expert in Marketing
Pakistan
Toptal Member Since September 16, 2024

Daniyal is a seasoned search engine optimization (SEO) manager with over six years of experience. He manages large-scale websites, drives organic growth, and implements data-driven SEO strategies. Specializing in technical SEO, data analysis, and content strategies, Daniyal excels at leading cross-functional teams to solve complex SEO challenges. His expertise spans various industries, from telecom to travel, making him a valuable asset for any digital marketing initiative.

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Despite accelerating demand for coders, Toptal prides itself on almost Ivy League-level vetting.

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Drilling into real-time data creates an industry game changer
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How to Hire Keyword Researchers Through Toptal

1

Talk to One of Our Client Advisors

A Toptal client advisor will work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics.
2

Work With Hand-selected Talent

Within days, we'll introduce you to the right keyword researcher for your project. Average time to match is under 24 hours.
3

The Right Fit, Guaranteed

Work with your new keyword researcher for a trial period (pay only if satisfied), ensuring they're the right fit before starting the engagement.

EXCEPTIONAL TALENT

How We Source the Top 3% of Keyword Researchers

Our name “Toptal” comes from Top Talent—meaning we constantly strive to find and work with the best from around the world. Our rigorous screening process identifies experts in their domains who have passion and drive.

Of the thousands of applications Toptal sees each month, typically fewer than 3% are accepted.

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Capabilities of Keyword Researchers

Toptal’s keyword researchers play a foundational role in digital marketing success by uncovering valuable terms your target audiences are searching for. Their expertise in analyzing search behavior, identifying opportunities, and developing strategic keyword frameworks helps businesses improve organic visibility, drive qualified traffic, and achieve measurable ROI in competitive online markets.

Comprehensive Keyword Research

Effective keyword research is the foundation of high-performing SEO and digital marketing strategy. Toptal keyword specialists use advanced features of tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Google Keyword Planner to identify high-value terms that align with your business goals.

Long-tail Keyword Identification

Long-tail keywords are essential for targeting specific audience segments with precision. Our researchers excel at discovering these less competitive, highly specific search phrases that drive qualified traffic with high conversion potential.

Keyword Competition Analysis

Keyword competition analysis determines which terms offer the best opportunities for ranking success. Our specialists evaluate keyword difficulty metrics, analyze SERP features, and assess competitor strength to prioritize the most realistic and impactful search terms to target.

Keyword Intent Segmentation

Keyword intent segmentation aligns content with user needs at every point in the customer journey. Toptal researchers classify keywords by search intent—informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional—to enable targeted content creation and meet users where they are in their decision-making process.

Keyword Lists for SEO and PPC

Tailored keyword lists maximize performance across organic and paid channels. Our specialists develop customized keyword portfolios that distinguish between terms best suited for SEO content and those best for pay-per-click campaigns to maximize your success across both channels.

Competitor Analysis

Analyzing your competitors’ keywords reveals untapped opportunities in your market. Our researchers conduct thorough audits of competitor keyword strategies to identify search terms your competitors are ranking for—or missing—so your business can capitalize on gaps and strengthen your competitive position.

Content Keyword Mapping

Strategic content keyword mapping drives successful editorial planning. Toptal keyword specialists identify high-potential topics based on search demand and provide your content team with data-driven recommendations for blogs, articles, landing pages, and other assets that answer specific questions your audience is asking.

Performance Tracking

Ongoing performance monitoring ensures continued visibility in a volatile search landscape. Our researchers track ranking changes, traffic patterns, and conversion metrics to enable agile strategy adjustments and protect your hard-won search rankings.

Trending Keyword Identification

Trending and seasonal keywords offer timely opportunities for SEO success. Our specialists analyze search trends, seasonal patterns, and emerging topics so your organization can create timely content that captures surging interest and demonstrates industry leadership.

Keyword Research Reports

Comprehensive keyword research reports translate data into actionable strategy. Our keyword experts deliver detailed, prioritized recommendations and competitive insights to empower your team to make informed decisions that drive measurable results.

FAQs

  • How quickly can you hire with Toptal?

    Typically, you can hire keyword researchers with Toptal in about 48 hours. For larger teams of talent or Managed Delivery, timelines may vary. Our talent matchers are highly skilled in the same fields they’re matching in—they’re not recruiters or HR reps. They’ll work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics, and match you with ideal candidates from our vetted global talent network.

    Once you select your keyword researcher, you’ll have a no-risk trial period to ensure they’re the perfect fit. Our matching process has a 98% trial-to-hire rate, so you can rest assured that you’re getting the best fit every time.

  • To hire the right keyword researcher, it’s important to evaluate a candidate’s experience, technical skills, and communication skills. You’ll also want to consider the fit with your particular industry, company, and project. Toptal’s rigorous screening process ensures that every member of our network has excellent experience and skills, and our team will match you with the perfect keyword researchers for your project.

  • At Toptal, we thoroughly screen our keyword researchers to ensure we only match you with the highest caliber of talent. Of the more than 200,000 people who apply to join the Toptal network each year, fewer than 3% make the cut.

    In addition to screening for industry-leading expertise, we also assess candidates’ language and interpersonal skills to ensure that you have a smooth working relationship.

    When you hire keyword researchers with Toptal, you’ll always work with world-class, custom-matched keyword researchers ready to help you achieve your goals.

  • You can hire keyword researchers on an hourly, part-time, or full-time basis. Toptal can also manage the entire project from end-to-end with our Managed Delivery offering. Whether you hire a keyword researcher for a full- or part-time position, you’ll have the control and flexibility to scale your team up or down as your needs evolve. Our keyword researchers can fully integrate into your existing team for a seamless working experience.

  • We make sure that each engagement between you and your keyword researcher begins with a trial period of up to two weeks. This means that you have time to confirm the engagement will be successful. If you’re completely satisfied with the results, we’ll bill you for the time and continue the engagement for as long as you’d like. If you’re not completely satisfied, you won’t be billed. From there, we can either part ways, or we can provide you with another keyword researcher who may be a better fit and with whom we will begin a second, no-risk trial.

Tap Into World-class Talent

  • Trusted Talent Only

    Trusted Talent Only

    Our talent are thoroughly vetted professionals who ramp up quickly, function as essential team members, and deliver results.

  • Precise Matching

    Precise Matching

    Our experienced talent matchers specialize in pairing you with the right fit. They work to understand exactly what you need and hand-select the best professionals for your project.

  • Seamless Hiring

    Seamless Hiring

    We handle all aspects of billing, payments, and NDAs, streamlining the hiring process so you can focus on innovation, not overhead.

  • No-risk Trial Period

    No-risk Trial Period

    We want to be sure your engagement is a total success, so we offer a no-risk trial period. Work with your new hire for up to two weeks and pay only if you’re satisfied.

  • Effortless Scaling

    Effortless Scaling

    Scale your team up or down as needed, with quick and efficient hiring in under 48 hours.

  • Flexible Engagements

    Flexible Engagements

    Choose the engagement type that suits your needs—hourly, part-time, or full-time— and enjoy the flexibility to adjust as needed.

Top Keyword Researchers Are in High Demand.

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