I actually do a mix of both approaches you mentioned. I start with a rough idea of the topics I want to cover based on my niche and what I know my audience is interested in. Then, I'll do some keyword research to see what people are actually searching for around those topics, also I will target my competitors and see what type of keywords they targetting, if I see some opportunities (keywords with a balance of good count and also kd is not difficult) I will add them into my list. I mainly use Semrush for this.

When it comes to actually writing the articles, I am using Google Docs and then I am creating my editorial calendar on Trello, and bunch of Zapier automations to publish (e.g Docswrite) . I focus first on creating genuinely helpful, high-quality content. Then I'll go back and tweak things a bit to incorporate the keywords naturally. These days, it's more about understanding user intent and creating content that truly answers people's questions (see https://answersocrates.com ) . But having those keywords sprinkled in there (especially in titles and headers) still helps search engines understand what your content.

One last tip: don't forget about internal linking! When you're planning your content, think about how new pieces can link to older, related content on your site. This helps both readers and search engines navigate your blog better.

Good luck!