How to use free tools to source low-competition keywords

Search marketing always throws up fresh opportunities to identify and target keywords across many varied levels of difficulty, intent and competition.

But you may not be aware that lower-competition terms often have a key role to play in marketing campaigns and SEO.

Make the most of the available tools

You’ll find you can use many tools in keyword research, including free ones like Google Search Console, Trends and Keyword Planner. Equally, there are free versions of ScreamingFrog, Semrush and others.

Stage 1: Identifying your topics

Look at the top-level categories of your three most important competitor sites as a starting point for identifying your own key topics.

Stage 2: Get the full picture

Once you have identified the gaps in topics in your content, you can create a plan to fill them in, for the user and for search purposes. Free tools like AnswerThePublic can help.

Stage 3: Checking with Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI has been embraced incredibly rapidly – and it can have a key role to play here. Confidence-check your core content framework with ChatGPT to be sure you haven’t left anything out.

Stage 4: Overlap metrics data and prioritise key terms

To do this, just copy and paste your main terms into Google Keyword Planner. This will yield relevant metric information, including cost-per-click, search volume, competition and so on.

You’ll then have all the metrics needed to prioritise and create the right content so you are targeting the right topics.

Identify emerging trends

Use Google Trends to understand shifts in interest levels plus emerging trends. Lower current trend levels often mean correspondingly less competition. So you’re then in a great position when competition and demand increase.

The same tool can also identify new trends to target.

Think how you speak

Voice and conversational searches have become increasingly important in recent years – with many of us using voice-enabled devices daily.

Equally, most voice and conversation-based search terms comprise strings of five to 10 words, typically reducing competitiveness.

Adding a human element in this way can help you succeed in areas of lower keyword competition, while helping to meet the needs of those who want an online experience that’s more similar to an offline one.

Talk to us

Front Page Advantage has been helping organisations to get the best from their digital marketing efforts since 2006. We’re all about long-term relationships with the broad range of clients we serve.

Talk to us today about how we could help you with sourcing low-competition keywords for maximum results.