Tammivaara Digital Marketing

Doing SEO in Finland? Don’t underestimate the power – and complexity – of keyword research in Finnish.

The language’s unique structure makes typical SEO tools and strategies less effective unless you truly understand how Finnish works.

Here are five things that may surprise you 😉.

Finnish keywords are full of endings

Unlike English, Finnish words change based on case, number, and more.

That means a single base word can appear in dozens of forms. For example:

• matto (rug) → mattoa, matolle, matoilla, matostasi, etc.
  If your keyword tool doesn’t catch these variations, you may miss search volume and intent completely.

Compound words are everywhere

Finnish is famous for long, packed-together compound words like kotivakuutusyhtiö (home insurance company). But here’s the catch: users search both compound and split forms.

Example:

• kotivakuutusyhtiö vs. kotivakuutus yhtiö
  Understanding which variations are common is crucial for accurate keyword research in Finland.

Translation ≠ localization

Many international sites try to translate their English keywords into Finnish directly – and fail.

For instance, “best running shoes” might become parhaat juoksukengät, but that’s not how people search. Locals might type juoksukengät kokemuksia (running shoe reviews) or juoksukenkä testivoittaja.

Real Finnish search intent requires local insight.

Search volumes are lower – but don’t panic

Finland has a small population, which means lower search volumes across the board. But that doesn’t mean the keywords aren’t valuable – they’re often high intent and highly relevant. A few hundred monthly searches can drive significant results.

Tools need human backup

Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush – they all have blind spots with Finnish.

To get accurate, relevant data, you need a native speaker who understands the context, tests different variants, and knows how to interpret the numbers.

I include Finnish keyword research in every SEO package – check out my Finnish SEO services

Finnish keyword research is the foundation of SEO success in Finland. The right words, in the right form, used in the right way, can make or break your visibility.