Do you have plans to enhance your website’s ranking in the search engines? Welcome to the site! Getting into one of the most important themes, which one will need to study if one wants to improve their internet presence. Do not be scared – we will explain all the terms and concepts in a very easy manner.Â
Here are some more detailed free keyword research tools that we will present to you to help define the most suitable words for your website. These tools can be considered as guides that show you where the gold that is the keywords to attract more visitors to your site is.
The following is a list of free keyword research tools that will revolutionize your online marketing. They enable you to know what people are looking for and how to match your content with what people are searching for. With these tools, you would be able to fine-tune your website to a greater extent and hence may increase the traffic and your online success. Now let’s see how these tools can change your view on the concept of online visibility!
What Are Keywords?
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Keywords are the relevant terms or phrases that the users type on the search engines when in search of information on the internet. It is said that they are the essence of what people are looking for. For example, a person who wants to find a recipe for cookies will type in Google ‘easy chocolate chip cookie recipe’. These specific words are the keywords.Â
Thus, by using correct keywords in the content of your website, you assist search engines in understanding the purpose and topic of your site. It is due to this that your content stands better chance of appearing in a search when people look for topics that are closely related to your website.Â
In other words, keywords are an intermediary between the user’s intent and the content of your site and are a necessary component in increasing your site’s ranking in search engines.
Why Does Keyword Research Matter?
Keyword research is super important for a few reasons:
- Understand Audience Intent: Keyword research shows what your target market is looking for and that helps to create content that fits their needs.
- Discover Content Opportunities: Looking at the most popular and currently trending keywords, one can come up with what his target audience is interested in and would like to read.
- Boost SEO Rankings: There are numerous benefits of focusing on the right keywords since this increases the chances of the website appearing first on the search results hence increased organic traffic and better search engine optimization (SEO).
- Outpace Competitors: Keyword research assists you in defining less competitive keywords and exploiting them since the competitors cannot notice it.
- Optimize Resources: By concentrating on high-impact keywords you can save your time and money and achieve better results by targeting visitors most likely to become leads or customers and, thus, increase ROI.
6 Must-Have Features To Look For In A Free Keyword Research Tool
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When you’re choosing a free keyword research tool, here are some important things to look for:
- Search Volume: This is probably the single most important piece of information that must be provided in any keyword research tool – the monthly search volume for each keyword. This metric enables you to determine the level of popularity of a specific keyword to estimate the traffic flow that can be generated by the keyword to your website. High search volume keywords attract more visitors but it also comes with the problem of having more competitors.
- Keyword Difficulty: Another factor that has to be taken into account in selecting a free keyword research tool is keyword difficulty. This metric gives information on how hard it might be to optimize for a certain keyword based on rivalry. An important tool is keyword difficulty which lets you know whether a certain keyword is too hard to rank for or not.
- Related Keywords: A good keyword research tool should also come with related keywords. These keywords assist you in casting your net wider since you can identify other keywords that users may be using. The related keywords are great assistance in ranking as they allow the creation of content as clusters around a topic, which will be helpful for the site in terms of SEO.
- Trend Data: Another feature that is worth checking in the context of a free keyword research tool is keyword trend. Trends show the performance of a keyword over time as to whether it is rising or fading out thus helping one to forecast the likely performance. It helps you identify when a topic is gaining popularity or when interest in it is high during some months of the year, and grab the opportunities that come with such trends.
- SERP Analysis: Another feature that should be present in a good keyword research tool is the SERP analysis, which allows the user to view what content currently occupies this or that keyword. This feature assists you analyze the competition and know the kind of content that does well for a particular keyword. It also helps to look at what other pages more people visit and see what it is about them that makes them so popular and apply them to your content.
- Export Options: Export options are required for further analysis and reporting. There is a free keyword research tool that enables you to download keyword data; this is useful because it offers more options for further analysis. As an added feature you can export data and manage keywords, compare different data sets, and then incorporate them with other SEO tools or in a new Excel sheet.
List Of Top 10 Free Keyword Research Tools
1. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner was developed for advertisers; however, it is one of the best tools for keyword research. It gives data from Google, the world’s most-used search engine, thus making the results more accurate.Â
Some of the things that the tool reveals include the search volumes, competitive level, and even the keywords to use. It’s easy to use, assisting the business to increase the effectiveness of SEO campaigns by providing the appropriate keywords for niche campaigns. Furthermore, you don’t have to run ads to access it, which makes it a viable option for users who prefer organic traffic.
How to use it:
- Sign up for a Google Ads account (you don’t need to run ads to use the tool)
- Go to the Keyword Planner tool
- Enter a keyword or your website URL
- Review the keyword ideas and data provided
Benefits:
- Direct data from Google
- Provides search volume ranges
- Offers keyword ideas and suggestions
- Shows competition levels for keywords
2. Ubersuggest
Developed by Neil Patel, this is an excellent tool for beginners, and it is entirely free of charge and accessible at Ubersuggest. What it does is it generates keywords, and content ideas and offers an insight into what your competitors are doing in your particular niche. While there is a paid version, a lot can be had from the free version and keyword difficulty is one of them.Â
Ubersuggest is very good, especially because its interface is quite plain and gives users the ability to fine-tune the keyword search and come up with strategies for organic search expansion. Here is the trial view:
How to use it:
- Go to the Ubersuggest website
- Enter a keyword or domain
- Explore the keyword ideas, content suggestions, and competitor analysis
- Use the filters to refine your results
Benefits:
- Easy-to-use interface
- Provides keyword difficulty scores
- Offers content ideas based on keywords
- Shows top-ranking pages for each keyword
4. Keyword Surfer
Answer The Public is a rather untypical tool that provides keywords based on the questions asked by users. It depicts search queries in a search cloud; thus, it is suitable for content creators and marketers who want to respond to a particular user query.Â
It is not the tool to use for search volume data but it is ideal if you are looking for long-tail keywords and analyzing users. It is very useful for generating content ideas and creating lots of useful, basic ‘frequently asked questions’ type content.
How to use it:
- Visit the Answer The Public website
- Enter your main keyword
- Review the questions, prepositions, and comparisons provided
- Use the visualization or switch to data view for easier reading
Benefits:
- Provides question-based keywords
- Helps understand user intent
- Great for content ideation
- Offers unique visualization of data
5. Wordtracker Scout
Wordtracker Scout is an add-on tool to Google Chrome that enables you to analyze any Web site concerning keyword usage. It helps find out what keywords your competitors are using thus making it easy to note any gaps they may have.Â
While Wordtracker does have a paid version, the free add-on named Scout can be used for fast on-page keyword research to make necessary changes to your own content and SEO strategy based on your competitor’s results.
How to use it:
- Install the Wordtracker Scout Chrome extension
- Visit any web page
- Click the extension icon to analyze the page
- Review the keywords used and their prominence on the page
Benefits:
- Analyze competitors’ keyword usage
- Helps identify gaps in your keyword strategy
- Easy to use directly on any web page
- Provides quick on-page keyword analysis
6. Keywords Everywhere
Keywords Everywhere is a browser add-on that gives you keyword information right on your SERP. The tool provides the results of related keywords, long-tail keywords, and search volume. While some of the functions are available in the paid version only, basic keyword research on Google is possible with the help of the free version.Â
It is a very basic tool. It functions as an add-on in the browser and provides keyword ideas in real-time while you are browsing the web to save time and make keyword targeting much easier.
How to use it:
- Install the Keywords Everywhere browser add-on
- Perform a Google search
- Review the keyword suggestions provided on the right side of the search results
- Click on keywords to get more details
Benefits:
- Provides keyword suggestions while searching
- Shows related and long-tail keywords
- Works directly within your browser
- Offers a clean, easy-to-understand interface
7. Soovle
Soovle collects keywords from many search engines, including Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Amazon search engines. The fact is, it is perfect for coming up with many different keyword ideas and finding relevant long-tail keywords in different platforms.Â
While it is not a tool that offers search volumes, or estimates, Soovle can be very useful to research keywords that might turn out well on the other search engines. The tool is quite simple and is highly effective at collecting keywords from other sources, which makes it quite useful for content writers.
How to use it:
- Go to the Soovle website
- Enter your main keyword
- Review the suggestions from different search engines
- Save interesting keywords to your “favorites” list
Benefits:
- Provides keyword ideas from multiple sources
- Great for finding long-tail keywords
- Helps understand differences in keywords across platforms
- Simple and easy-to-use interface
8. Google Trends
Google Trends is an online tool that is free to use and provides information on the trending keywords in the selected period. It is especially beneficial in identifying trends and the changes in the searches that occur during certain seasons.Â
While it doesn’t give us the actual search numbers, it is perfect for keyword comparison and knowing the popularity of something in a particular area. It is a useful tool in planning content based on current events and trends and it is useful in seeing which trends may affect your SEO in the market.
How to use it:
- Visit the Google Trends website
- Enter a keyword or topic
- Adjust the settings for region, period, and categories
- Compare multiple keywords to see their relative popularity
Benefits:
- Shows keyword popularity over time
- Allows comparison of multiple keywords
- Provides regional data for keywords
- Helps identify seasonal trends
9. Keyword Tool.io
Keyword Tool. io also employs Google Autocomplete for coming up with long-tail keywords. The free version of the tool is quite useful if you’re looking for keywords you would not usually come up with by yourself since it provides hundreds of suggestions. It also supports multiple platforms or channels like YouTube channel and even Bing search engine channel.Â
Even though some additional functions are available only with the paid subscription, the free version of the tool provides an effective means of finding not only highly valuable but also less competitive keywords that can enhance content visibility.
How to use it:
- Go to the Keyword Tool.io website
- Enter your main keyword
- Select your preferred search engine (Google, YouTube, Bing, etc.)
- Review the list of keyword suggestions provided
Benefits:
- Generates a large number of long-tail keywords
- Works with multiple search engines and platforms
- Easy-to-use interface
- Provides questions people ask about your topic
10. SEOquake
SEOquake is a rather universal extension that provides several SEO features, including keyword research. It offers on-page SEO audit, keyword density, and search results comparison. It also provides keyword density information in order to make the necessary adjustments that will favor better ranking.Â
The free version of SEOquake is packed with many functions, which is perfect for users who seek both SEO and keyword analysis functions in one software that can provide an overall solution regarding the optimization of web pages.
How to use it:
- Install the SEOquake browser extension
- Perform a Google search
- Review the SEO parameters shown for each search result
- Use the SEOquake toolbar for a more detailed analysis
Benefits:
- Provides on-page SEO analysis
- Allows comparison of search results
- Offers keyword density information
- Integrates with other SEO tools
Tips To Use These Free Keyword Research Tools
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- Use multiple tools: That is why there is no perfect keyword research tool that can give all the answers. All the tools have some special features like the search volume data, the competitors’ analysis, or the trends. The advantage of using different tools is that one can get more information or cross-check the data received from different tools to ensure that they are accurate.
- Focus on long-tail keywords: Long-tail keywords are usually more niche and therefore fewer people are searching for them and therefore better odds of ranking higher. In general, these phrases are more indicative of the user’s intent, which is why it is important to use them to attract relevant audiences.
- Consider user intent: Keyword selection requires the proper identification of the user intent. Consider what purpose a person has for entering a given term and what results they are likely to want. Keywords can be of various types and these types include informational, navigational, and transactional.
- Look for trending topics: Trends of keywords are useful for predicting what is coming up next since it show topics that are becoming popular. Using services such as Google Trends, you can identify keywords that are becoming more and more popular, which means you get the opportunity to create content that will be popular at the time when it is posted.
- Analyze your competitors: It is a viable method of fine-tuning your keyword selection in the competitive analysis. Several tools are available for free and these include the Ubersuggest and SEMrush which can show you the keywords for which your competitors are ranking, thus providing you with information on their SEO plans. From such gaps or keywords that they are not using, you can exploit opportunities that they have not considered.
- Don’t ignore low-volume keywords: Even if these keywords have lesser search volume they are less competitive keywords which makes it easier to dominate the search engine. These keywords may be specific, but they are likely to attract traffic with a higher propensity to purchase, thus making them more valuable. In this way, by targeting several low-competition keywords, you will be able to steadily increase the website’s ranking.
- Regularly update your keyword research: Search trends change and the keywords that were useful a few months back may not be useful today. One should update his or her keyword research frequently to keep abreast with the latest search trends. It is worth using Google Search Console where you can find out which keywords are currently popularized on your site.
Limitations Of Using Free Tools And When Is The Right Time To Upgrade?
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While free keyword research tools are great for getting started, they do have some limitations:
- Limited data: While several tools are available for free, they are usually limited in the type of information that they can offer and do not offer as much data as is required when conducting much more detailed keyword research. You may lose such features as long-tail keywords, competitors’ information, or specific to your industry data, which makes it difficult to create a detailed SEO plan for your website.
- Restricted features: Most of the tools such as SERP analysis, backlink, and competitor analysis are available only in the paid version. These tools lack the depth to give you a comprehensive plan on the best strategies to use in SEO and monitoring the strategies that your competitors are using.
- Usage limits: Most of the free tools have limitations such as daily or monthly searches that limit the amount of research one can do. However, if you are working with several websites or large projects, these limits may turn into a big problem to obtain the required data for analysis.
- Less accurate data: The free tools might contain old or less accurate data as compared to the paid tools. This can lead to wrong keyword choices or more often, lack of good keywords to target. If you rely on real-time trends and exact numbers for SEO, then, it is necessary to use paid tools for accurate performance.
- Limited support: Freeware usually comes with limited customer support which can be a problem if you need to seek help or encounter a problem. Paid tools have support teams which are very helpful if you are stuck somewhere or need some assistance, and this makes paid tools better for growing businesses.
You Might Consider Upgrading To A Paid Tool When
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- Your Website Traffic is Growing Significantly: With the growth of website traffic, there is a need for deeper and more segmented data to analyze visitors’ behavior, improve conversions, and look for patterns.
- You Need More Detailed Data for Decision-Making: While basic analytics give you basic information, it is important to have detailed data as your business expands.
- You’re Managing Multiple Websites or Clients: Managing multiple websites or clients is a challenging process and needs a solution that can provide the data in one place.
- You Require More Advanced Features like Rank Tracking or Competitor Analysis: In free tools, features such as rank tracking, keyword performance, and competitor analysis which are very important for growth may be missing.
- You’re Spending a Lot of Time Piecing Together Data from Multiple Free Tools: When one depends on several free tools, the data is fragmented, making work ineffective and time-consuming.
Conclusion
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Free keyword research tools are a great place for any webmaster who wants to increase website ranking in a given search engine to start. It is helpful to know what your audience is looking for as it can help you determine your content strategy. Compared to paid solutions, they do have some drawbacks; however, the majority of the features are sufficient for novices and small enterprises.
Please bear in mind that the essence of keyword research is not in identifying the most searched keywords, but in catering to your audience’s needs. These tools are provided to be used as a guideline in doing the actual work of providing quality content to the users.
Of course, as your needs increase, and your website becomes larger, you may want to consider paid variants. However, with those tools being free, they are perfectly sufficient for improving your online presence and targeting the right audience.
FAQs
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- Which of the free keyword research tools is the most effective?
As with many tools, there is no single ‘best’ tool because each tool has its specialty. Google Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest are some of the most effective tools to get the data.
- When should I use the keyword?Â
It is recommended to check your keywords on a monthly or at least quarterly basis to monitor the new trends and changes in users’ behavior.
- May I depend only on the free keyword research tools?Â
For instance, for new bloggers, and small-scale websites, one may use free tools. For a deeper analysis, you may need to look at paid tools as your needs increase.
- How many keywords should be optimized on a single web page?
Ideally, a page should be optimized for only one or two primary keywords and a few related keywords.
- Are long-tail keywords important?Â
Indeed, long-tail keywords are generally less competitive, but they can be used to draw more targeted visitors to a site.
