Tammivaara Digital Marketing

Keyword research is the foundation of successful SEO, no matter the language. But Finnish presents unique challenges with its grammar, compound words, and smaller search volumes.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to performing keyword research in Finnish – with practical tools, examples, and local insights.

Step 1: Understand how Finnish works

Before diving into tools, get familiar with how the language behaves:

• Finnish has 15 grammatical cases, which means keywords can appear in many forms
• Compound words are very common (verkkokauppa = online store, kotivakuutusyhtiö = home insurance company)
• Plurals and inflected endings affect search queries

This makes simple keyword matching unreliable without deeper linguistic awareness.

Step 2: Start with English terms and map intent

Begin with your product or service terms in English, then ask:

• What would a Finnish user type when searching for this?
• Are they comparing, looking for reviews, or ready to buy?

For example:
“best running shoes” might translate literally to parhaat juoksukengät, but Finnish users may search:

• juoksukenkä testivoittaja (test winner)
• juoksukengät kokemuksia (user experiences)

Step 3: Use Finnish-specific tools (or general tools carefully)

Popular keyword tools may not support Finnish well. Still, here are options:

• Google Keyword Planner – Use in Finland’s location & language
• Ahrefs / SEMrush – Filter by country and compare variants
• SE Ranking – Better for small markets
• Autocomplete tricks – Use Google.fi or YouTube’s search bars
• SEMrush’s Keyword Magic Tool + filtering with wildcards helps catch variations

Always double-check search volume and real queries manually with Google.

Step 4: Analyze variants and compound forms

Create a spreadsheet of variants:

• Base word: matto (rug)
• Variants: mattoa, maton, matolle, matoilla, matostasi

Also test different compound structures:

• kotivakuutus yhtiö vs kotivakuutusyhtiö
• verkkokauppa alennus vs verkkokauppa-alennus

Track which version Google suggests in autocomplete and what’s actually ranking.

Step 5: Choose keywords based on intent and local language

Don’t just pick keywords with the highest volume. Instead:

• Prioritize local intent (review vs. purchase)
• Consider long-tail keywords – they often convert better
• Include common Finnish synonyms and wordings

Example:
Instead of only targeting matto (rug), also include iso olohuoneen matto (large living room rug)

Step 6: Localize the content accordingly

Once you’ve selected the right Finnish keywords:

• Use them naturally in headings, body text, and metadata
• Avoid keyword stuffing – Finnish readers are sensitive to unnatural phrasing
• Match tone and cultural expectations

Keyword research in Finnish takes extra effort – but it’s worth it. With the right tools, language awareness, and local insight, you can build a content strategy that connects with Finnish users and ranks well in Finnish Google.

Need help with Finnish keyword research or SEO? See my SEO in Finland services.