Keyword Research in Dari and Pashto: A Practical Method

Dari and Pashto keyword research means finding the exact words Afghans type into Google when they look for your product or service, in their own language and script, rather than translating English keywords. Because standard keyword tools show little or no volume for most Dari and Pashto phrases, the practical method combines customer language, Google autocomplete, Search Console data and careful handling of spelling variants.

Key Takeaways

• Keyword tools under-report Dari and Pashto searches; treat "zero volume" as "unknown", not "nobody searches".
• Collect seed terms from real customer conversations: calls, WhatsApp, Facebook comments and questions at the shop counter.
• Expand with Google autocomplete and "People also ask" in each language, and check results on mobile.
• Account for spelling variants: Arabic versus Persian letters, Pashto-specific letters, spacing, and Latin-script spellings.
• Validate with your own Google Search Console data once pages are live.

Why Is Keyword Research in Dari and Pashto Different?

It is different because the data is thinner and the writing is less standardised. Most keyword tools are built around large markets; for Afghan languages they often show no volume at all, even for queries that people clearly type. Search behaviour also mixes languages: a Kabul user might search a Dari phrase with an English brand name, type Dari in Latin letters on a phone without a Persian keyboard, or switch to English for technical topics.

Spelling adds another layer. The same word can be typed with Arabic ي and ك or Persian ی and ک, depending on the keyboard. Pashto has letters such as ښ, ږ, ځ, څ, ډ, ټ, ړ and ڼ that some keyboards lack, so users substitute similar letters. Google often treats these variants as related, but not always identically, so your research should capture them.

Step 1: Where Do You Find Seed Keywords?

Start with the words your customers already use. Seed keywords are the short, core phrases that describe your offer, and the best source in Afghanistan is real conversations, not a tool. A practical method:

1. List your main products or services in plain language, in all three languages.
2. Ask the staff who answer phones and WhatsApp to note the exact words customers use when they ask about each service, for two or three weeks.
3. Read the comments and messages on your Facebook page and on competitors' pages; note recurring phrases and questions.
4. Write down the place names customers combine with services, such as Kabul neighbourhoods (Karte Char, Shahr-e Naw, Khair Khana) or cities like Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kandahar and Jalalabad.
5. Note how diaspora customers phrase things, because they often mix English and Dari, for example a service word in English plus "Kabul" or "Afghanistan".

Twenty to forty solid seed terms per language is a good start.

Step 2: How Do You Expand Keywords Without Volume Data?

Use Google itself as the research tool. Type each seed term into Google on a phone and note the autocomplete suggestions; these are drawn from real searches. Add letters after the seed term to trigger more suggestions. Look at the "People also ask" boxes and the related searches at the bottom of the page. Repeat with Persian and Arabic letter variants and with Latin spellings.

Google Keyword Planner and paid tools are still useful for the English side and for occasional larger Dari queries; just don't discard terms that show zero. For relative interest, Google Trends can compare a few terms over time in Afghanistan, though for small queries it may have too little data to show anything.

If you already run ads, the search terms report in Google Ads is one of the richest sources of real Dari and Pashto queries, because it shows exactly what people typed before they clicked.

Step 3: How Should You Handle Spelling Variants and Script?

Pick one standard spelling for visible content, then cover common variants naturally. Practical rules:

• Use Persian ی and ک in Dari content, which is the standard for Afghan Dari, but expect some searches with Arabic forms. Google usually normalises these, so you rarely need both on the page.
• Use correct Pashto letters in Pashto content; do not replace ښ or ږ with Dari equivalents to match a guess about keyboards.
• Use the zero-width non-joiner where standard spelling requires it (for example in ویب‌سایت), but be aware that some users type a space or join the parts; check how your important terms appear in autocomplete.
• If Latin-script searches show up, mention the transliterated term once in natural context, such as with a brand or place name, rather than stuffing it.

Step 4: How Do You Group Keywords and Map Them to Pages?

Group keywords by search intent, then assign each group to one page. Intent usually falls into four types: informational ("how to", "what is"), commercial investigation ("best", "price", "compare"), transactional ("buy", "book", "order") and local ("near me", a city name). One page should target one main intent and its close variants in one language.

For a trilingual site, keep a simple spreadsheet with columns for the English, Dari and Pashto keyword of each page. They will not be literal translations of each other, and that is the point. Our guide to multilingual SEO for Dari, Pashto and English explains how the pages connect through hreflang.

Step 5: How Do You Check Whether Your Keywords Work?

Publish, wait for indexing, then read the queries report in Google Search Console. After a few weeks you will see the real Dari and Pashto queries that triggered your pages, including variants you did not predict. Add the strongest ones to titles, headings and copy where they fit naturally, and create new pages for intents you are not yet covering. Repeat every few months. If you are new to the tool, start with our Google Search Console beginner's guide.

Work With Sheen

Sheen's team works natively in English, Dari and Pashto, so our keyword research reflects how Afghan customers actually search. See our SEO services or book a consultation, or contact info@sheen.af or +93 784 966 018.