How to Create a Keyword Search in Excel

Excel is a powerful tool for organizing and analyzing data, including keywords for SEO, marketing, or research. Creating a keyword search in Excel helps you quickly find and filter relevant terms in large datasets. Follow this step-by-step guide to set up your own keyword search.

Step 1: Prepare Your Data

Start by organizing your keywords in a single column. For example, list your keywords in Column A (e.g., A1:A100). Ensure there are no empty cells between entries to avoid errors.

Step 2: Add a Search Box

Insert a cell where you’ll type your search term (e.g., Cell D1). Label it "Search Keyword" for clarity. This will serve as your interactive search box.

Step 3: Use the FILTER Function (Excel 365/2021)

If you have Excel 365 or 2021, use the FILTER function to dynamically display matching keywords. In a new column, enter:
=FILTER(A1:A100, ISNUMBER(SEARCH(D1, A1:A100)), "No matches found")
This formula searches for the term in D1 and returns all matches.

Step 4: Conditional Formatting (Optional)

Highlight matching keywords by selecting your keyword column > Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule. Use "Format only cells that contain" and set the rule to "Cell Value" > "contains" > D1. Choose a highlight color.

Step 5: Advanced Search with Wildcards

For partial matches, use wildcards like * (e.g., *marketing* to find "digital marketing" or "marketing strategy"). Adjust your FILTER or SEARCH formulas accordingly.

Conclusion

Creating a keyword search in Excel saves time and improves efficiency for SEO, content planning, or data analysis. With these steps, you can easily filter and analyze keywords in any dataset.