Keyword research is a fundamental part of creating content that ranks well on search engines, reaching the right audience, and driving organic traffic. We all wish we had the SEO budget of Nike, Walmart and Microsoft, so that we could pay a subscription to premium SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz. But for the average American company, using free tools to achieve SEO success is a more financially-friendly route.
Let’s unpack how to use these free tools for effective keyword research to craft a powerful, data-driven strategy for your website.
What is keyword research?
Keyword research is the process of identifying and analyzing the words and phrases people use in search engines when looking for information, products, or services. The goal is to find relevant keywords that can drive organic traffic to your website by aligning your content with the terms your target audience is searching for.
It’s so much more than just finding words with a high search volume. It’s about understanding your audience, their needs, and the language they use to find solutions. Here’s what keyword research can help you achieve:
Targeted traffic
By understanding what your audience searches for, you can bring relevant visitors to your site.
Content relevance
Keywords reveal the specific questions and pain points of your audience, helping you tailor content to their needs.
Competitive advantage
Researching keywords gives insight into competitors’ strategies, allowing you to create content that fills existing gaps.
Match keywords to search intent
To create a comprehensive keyword strategy, it’s important to understand keyword types and search intent.
The main types of keywords
- Short-Tail Keywords: Broad, general terms with high search volume but high competition.
- Long-Tail Keywords: Specific phrases that attract lower volume but often have higher conversion rates.
- Exact-Match Keywords: Keywords that match a query exactly, useful for capturing targeted traffic.
- Broad-Match Keywords: Variations of a base keyword, allowing for a wider reach in searches.
- Phrase-Match Keywords: Keywords with a specific phrase that can match within longer search queries.
- Latent Semantic Indexing Keywords: Related terms that help search engines understand the topic context better.
- Buyer Keywords: Keywords that indicate a strong intent to make a purchase.
- Informational Keywords: Keywords for users looking for information, not necessarily to buy.
- Navigational Keywords: Keywords used to navigate to a specific brand or website.
- Transactional Keywords: Keywords showing intent to complete an action, such as buying or signing up.
- Seasonal Keywords: Keywords focused on certain times of year or events, like holidays.
- Geo-Targeted Keywords: Location-based keywords for attracting local traffic.
- Competitor Keywords: Keywords targeting a competitor’s brand, product, or service to capture their audience.
Why is the person doing a Google search?
Each keyword carries an intent, which refers to the user’s goal in performing a search. Understanding intent helps ensure your content aligns with what users actually need.
- Informational Intent: Users are looking for information, such as “how to start a blog” or “benefits of yoga.”
- Navigational Intent: Users want to go to a specific site or page, for example, “LinkedIn login” or “Amazon homepage.”
- Commercial Intent: Users are in research mode but may be close to buying. Keywords might include “best laptops 2024” or “top digital cameras.”
- Transactional Intent: These users intend to make a purchase, so they might search for terms like “buy Nike shoes” or “order pizza online.”
The best free keyword research tools in 2024
Here’s an in-depth look, along with tips for maximizing their potential.
Google Keyword Planner
While designed primarily for Google Ads users, Google Keyword Planner is a powerful tool for keyword research, even for those not running ad campaigns. It provides insights into search volume, competition, and even forecasts for specific keywords.
How to use it
- Create or log into a Google Ads account.
- Go to the “Tools & Settings” menu and select “Keyword Planner”.
- Choose “Discover new keywords” and enter a seed keyword or your site’s URL for related keywords.
Top tips when using it
- Use Broad and Specific Seed Keywords: Try both broad terms and more specific queries to see a wide range of related keywords.
- Compare Search Volume Ranges: Note that Google shows volume in ranges, so prioritize keywords with the highest ranges.
- Geographic and Language Filters: Tailor results by location and language to refine for local or global SEO.
Google Trends
Google Trends is highly valuable for tracking keyword popularity over time and identifying rising topics, seasonal trends, and regional interests.
How to use it
- Go to Google Trends and enter a keyword or topic.
- Set filters such as location, time range, and category to refine results.
- Scroll down to view “Related queries” for more specific keyword ideas.
Top tips when using it
- Identify Seasonal Keywords: Use Trends to plan seasonal content, like “Halloween costumes” in the fall or “New Year’s resolutions” in December.
- Compare Multiple Keywords: Add up to five keywords to compare relative popularity and gauge audience interest.
- Explore Emerging Trends: Check the “Trending Searches” section to see daily trends and potential content ideas.
Answer The Public
Answer The Public is a question-based tool that provides a visual representation of questions people are asking around a topic. It’s ideal for creating content that answers specific user queries.
How to use it
- Visit Answer The Public and type in a seed keyword.
- Browse the visual or list-based results, which include questions, prepositions, and comparisons.
Top tips when using it
- Use Questions for FAQ Pages: Compile common questions into an FAQ page, which can help with featured snippets.
- Group Content Ideas by Theme: The tool organizes keywords by themes, so use it to create related content pieces or a blog series.
Ubersuggest
Developed by Neil Patel, Ubersuggest offers keyword suggestions, search volume data, keyword difficulty, and content ideas based on the entered keywords.
How to use it
- Open Ubersuggest and enter your keyword or domain.
- Navigate through the “Keyword Ideas” and “Content Ideas” tabs to see potential keywords and topics.
Top tips when using it
- Find Low-Competition Keywords: For sites with lower domain authority, focus on keywords with moderate volume and low difficulty.
- Use Content Ideas for Inspiration: Check out content ideas to see what’s performing well on social media, helping you gauge what might engage your audience.
Keyword Surfer (Chrome Extension)
Keyword Surfer is a Chrome extension that provides keyword search volumes and suggestions directly on the Google search results page, offering quick insights without navigating to a separate tool.
How to use it
- Download the Keyword Surfer extension and activate it.
- Run a Google search, and you’ll see search volumes, cost-per-click data, and related keyword suggestions in the sidebar.
Top tips when using it
- Observe Competitor Content: Use Keyword Surfer to evaluate keywords competitors rank for and consider gaps you could fill.
- Use “People Also Ask”: Pair with Google’s “People also ask” feature for question-based keywords that are relevant to the main keyword.
A step-by-step guide to doing keyword research
Let’s see an example of using these tools together for a complete keyword research process.
An example scenario
You’re writing a blog on “plant-based diet benefits.”
- Start with Google Trends: First, use Google Trends to check the popularity of the term “plant-based diet benefits” over the past year. Note any spikes and see if related topics like “vegan diet” are trending.
- Expand with Answer The Public: Next, go to Answer The Public and enter “plant-based diet.” Review the questions, prepositions, and comparisons for ideas, like “Is a plant-based diet good for weight loss?” or “benefits of a plant-based diet for athletes.”
- Get Specific with Google Keyword Planner: Plug these question-based keywords into Google Keyword Planner to get search volume estimates and additional keyword ideas.
- Refine with Ubersuggest: Enter the keyword “plant-based diet benefits” in Ubersuggest to find similar keywords, search volumes, and keyword difficulty. Consider variations like “health benefits of plant-based diet.”
- Test Keywords on Keyword Surfer: Finally, use Keyword Surfer to search for “plant-based diet benefits” and similar terms. Review the volumes and related keywords directly on the results page, fine-tuning your list for competitiveness.
Choose the best keywords
Now that you’ve gathered a list of keywords, it’s time to prioritize them based on factors like search volume, competition, and user intent.
Search volume
Select a mix of high, medium, and low-volume keywords. High-volume keywords attract broad audiences, while low-volume, specific keywords can bring highly engaged users.
Keyword difficulty
If your site is new, aim for keywords with lower difficulty scores to increase your chances of ranking.
Intent and relevance
Ensure keywords match user intent and align with your content. For example, “plant-based diet recipes” fits a recipe page, while “benefits of a plant-based diet” works for an informational article.
How to structure and map your keywords
Use your keywords strategically by grouping related terms into clusters and assigning them to specific pages.
Content clusters
Build pillar pages on broad topics, linking to detailed subpages. For instance, a pillar page on “Plant-Based Diet Guide” could link to posts on “Health Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet,” “Plant-Based Recipes,” and “Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet.”
On-page optimization
Place keywords naturally in headings, titles, meta descriptions, and body text, without over-stuffing. Long-tail keywords and related terms help broaden content relevance.
Monitor and adjust your keywords
Keyword research doesn’t end with content publication. Regularly monitor your performance to refine your strategy:
Google Search Console
Use Google Search Console to check which keywords are driving traffic and impressions to your site, and adjust accordingly.
Update Content Regularly
Review and refresh content every few months, especially if keyword trends shift.
Get help from a keyword expert
Keyword research can seem daunting at first. That’s why we’re here to help you. As Florida’s resident digital marketing and SEO experts, XDigitalSEO has many years of helping American businesses choose the right selection of keywords. Contact us to get started.
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