7 Easy (and Free) Keyword Research Tools for Marketers ...

7 Free Keyword Research Tools for Content Marketers

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As Google gets better at interpreting language and search intent, can we finally take it easy on keywords?

Not really. Keywords remain important indicators of how people use search. Even though we no longer need to go after the exact keywords, an analysis of keywords offers ideas for content that’s relevant to searchers and shows gaps that your content could fill.

Keyword analyses offer ideas for more relevant #content and filling content gaps, says @ab80 via @cmicontent. #SEOCLICK TO TWEET

To that end, these seven free keyword research tools, from most comprehensive to a little extravagant, can help.

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• 20 of the Best SEO Tips for Keyword Rankings and Google in 2020
• Will This Real-Life Search Turn Up a Keyword Ranking Opportunity?
• How to Use SEO to Boost Branded Keyword Rankings on Google

1. Keyword Surfer

If you want a fully immersive keyword research experience, then consider adding the Keyword Surfer Chrome extension. It hijacks each of your Google searches by displaying keyword statistics in the search bar. It also adds a side panel to the search result page, providing the top 10 keywords similar to the current query.

Now, Keyword Surfer is not intended to be your primary keyword research tool – the data is far from complete. But, it’s still a handy tool to have running in the background in case something catches your eye during your daily browsing.

.@surfer_seo #KeywordSurfer Chrome extension hijacks each of your Google searches by displaying keyword stats in the search bar, says @ab80 via @cmicontent. #toolsCLICK TO TWEET

Best for: Tip-of-the-iceberg ideas that can appear without adding another step

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 8+ Tools to Find Related Keywords for Your Content

2. Google Keyword Planner

Keyword Planner is a perfect balance of sophistication and simplicity. On the one hand, it’s a Google SEO tool so it accesses one of the biggest and the most reliable keyword databases. On the other hand, it doesn’t allow for much research customization and discloses only the most basic of keyword quality metrics.

Enter a few seed keywords and get a list of semantically similar keyword suggestions, complete with metrics like monthly search volume, competition, and bid ranges. There are likely to be thousands of results. You can use the sorting and filtering options to narrow them down. Most notably, you can exclude negative keywords – you won’t see the results for searches that include those words.

Even though you can see a lot of keywords, the variation is narrow and unlikely to inspire original content ideas. That said, Keyword Planner is still a great place to start your keyword research. Once you weed out irrelevant results, synonyms, and seldom-searched terms, you are left with a keyword list of about a dozen basic but actionable terms.

Best for: Finding pillar content ideas

Use a tool such as @Google #KeywordPlanner for finding pillar #content ideas, says @ab80 via @cmicontent. #tools #SEOtipsCLICK TO TWEET

3. QuestionDB

Another question-oriented keyword finder, QuestionDB pulls a keyword list from a database of over 48 million questions asked on Reddit.

#QuestionDB is a #keywordresearch tool using Reddit posts, says @ab80 via @cmicontent.CLICK TO TWEET

When people post to Reddit, they ask questions that are not readily answered by Google. That’s your opening to create a unique piece of expert content. You can even add it to the topic’s Reddit thread once it’s ready.

Sometimes this tool returns nothing useful, but other times it can be fascinating. In a search for “winter jacket,” I was surprised to find a question about using a rain shell and a sweater to construct a winter jacket and more than one question about form-fitting down jackets. Right there are two unexpected but promising content ideas.

Best for: Finding ideas for niche expert articles

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: How to Use Reddit and Quora for Content Marketing

4. Rank Tracker

Unlike most other SEO tools on this list, Rank Tracker is a collection of nine research methods. Those approaches can be broadly sorted into two distinct categories – spying on your competitors and playing with keyword semantics. (Disclosure. Rank Tracker is part of my company’s software portfolio.)

Rank Tracker finds the highest-ranking keywords for a competitor and exposes the keyword gaps on your site. As for semantic research, enter a keyword and get a list of related searches, related questions, and autocomplete suggestions. Keywords collected this way are a gold mine for content makers because many of them already sound like article titles.

.@seopowersuite #RankTracker tool finds the highest-ranking #keywords for a competitor & exposes the gaps on your site, says @ab80 via @cmicontent.CLICK TO TWEET

In addition, Rank Tracker integrates with Google’s SEO tools, including analytics, keyword planner, and search console, so you can see detailed quality metrics, like organic search volume and keyword difficulty.

Best for: Borrowing good content ideas from your competitors

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: How to Do a Competitive Content Marketing Analysis

5. Google Trends

Using Google Trends is not as much about discovering the best keywords as it is about prioritizing your content ideas. It shows keyword popularity over time and across geographic locations. You can plot and compare several keywords on the same graph.

For example, Google Trends reveals “winter jacket” and “down jacket” are not as interchangeable as they seem. Searches for “winter jacket” peak in early November and are quickly overtaken by searches for “down jackets.” Perhaps people searching for winter jackets end up learning about the types and conclude down is the best type so they search for “down jacket.” After they learn about different down jacket brands, an uptick in “Arcteryx” searches can be seen.

With this information, a series of articles based on keyword priorities during the calendar year should be created and scheduled. Using this example, you could create a guide on types of winter jackets followed by a listicle of the best down jackets, and then publish a detailed review of best Arc’teryx models.

Best for: Refining your content strategy and editorial calendar based on keyword trends

Use @GoogleTrends for refining your #contentstrategy and editorial calendar based on keyword trends, says @ab80 via @cmicontent.CLICK TO TWEET

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• How to Create a Strategic Editorial Calendar
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6. Google Search Console

Google Search Console lets you discover opportunities for those keywords already used on your website.

Discover your site’s keywords that need help with #GoogleSearchConsole, says @ab80 via @cmicontent. #keywordresearchCLICK TO TWEET

Google Search Сonsole provides a list of keywords that your site ranks for, including SERP positions and click-through rates. The trick is that each SERP position has a widely accepted CTR benchmark. For example, a keyword in the first position should expect to have a CTR of about 30%. Each consecutive position drops an average of 5%, and the last four positions on the first page of SERP get a CTR of about 3%.

You can see if a keyword is falling behind its SERP position CTR benchmark. To raise the CTR, you could work on your snippets – come up with a catchier title, optimize the meta description, apply schema markup, or even rewrite the page to make your content a better fit for users’ expectations. Making improvements is likely to bring more traffic than trying to rank with new keywords.

Best for: Identifying underperforming pieces of content on your website that could benefit from a fresh coat of paint

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7. Answer The Public

Searchers are increasingly confident in using natural language when forming queries because search engines are getting smarter and delivering the results searchers seek. More highly specific, question-like searches are being asked and Google is delivering more featured Q&A snippets at the top of results.

If you want to join this game, Answer The Public is a perfect place to start your search for long-tail keywords.

Enter a keyword and Answer The Public turns it into an appealing infographic of the relevant queries that use questions, comparisons, and prepositions sorted by popularity.

That’s all the tool does, but the displayed queries are always on point and present a few dozen actionable ideas for each keyword. Some of those queries could be turned into stand-alone articles, while others may be grouped as section headers in a larger piece of content.

Answer The Public is a direct line to members of your audience, their concerns, and the language they use to express them. All you have to do is publish the answers they seek.

.@answerthepublic is a direct line to your audience members, their concerns, and the language they use to express them, says @ab80 via @cmicontent. #keywordresearchCLICK TO TWEET

Best for: Generating ideas for individual articles or detailed guides

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Out of Ideas? 13+ Tools to Spark Content Creation

Connecting searches to content

These seven free SEO tools range from an easy tool for the lazy keyword search to a niche tool for Reddit question search terms. Start with comprehensive SEO tools that return basic results and move on to wild-card tools to find something edgy. Let me know what SEO tools you use and how they inform your content development.

Please note: All tools included in our blog posts are suggested by authors, not the CMI editorial team. No one post can provide all relevant tools in the space. Feel free to include additional tools in the comments (from your company or ones that you have used). 

Best free keyword research tool

9 Free Keyword Research Tools to Help Plan Your New Site

Are you in the process of rolling out a new website?

As you know, there’s a lot that goes into the process. From the design to the development, from content creation to your marketing strategy, there’s not enough time in the day to tackle every task.

While there’s sure to be a lot on your mind, make sure that you spend enough time on keyword research to guide your content strategy. By doing so, up front, you’ll have a clear idea as to where you want to take your site in the future and how to shape your content.

There are a few keyword research shortcuts that you can take, and tools often serve as the most effective options.

In the past, I’ve discussed a variety of keyword suggest tools that new businesses can use to target the best keywords for their niche, from long tail search terms to negative keywords. This time around, I’m going to focus on 10 free keyword research tools. With these, you’ll be able to:

• Choose the best keywords, based on your industry, monthly searches and more.
• Create a content calendar that’s based on related long tail keywords.
• Learn more about your competition.
• Know which keywords on your targeted list have the highest search volume.
• Boost your search engine rank.

Although you can pay for access to a variety of high level keyword suggestion tools, this isn’t something you have to do. Instead, you can rely on a combination of free tools to compile a quality list that’ll bring you results.

Are you ready to take advantage of these free keyword tools to gain prominence with search engines and produce quality, useful content for your readers?

Then let’s get started.

1. Google AdWords: Keyword Planner

The most obvious choice for the top spot, this free keyword tool has been a favorite for many years.

Not only is the Google Keyword Planner a good choice when starting a new site, but it can also be your best friend as you grow and produce more content.

The primary benefit of this tool is easy to see: you’re able to pull information directly from Google, which is the search engine you’re most likely to target, when optimizing your website.

The first step is as simple as entering your keyword or keywords into the search box.

From there, everything you need is laid out in a clear and concise manner.

In addition to your search term(s), you’re provided with many other ideas. Some of these will work, some won’t. Either way, you want to pay close attention to all of the keywords. You never know when you’ll find a gem.

Along with the keyword list, you’ll find:

• Average monthly searches
• Competition
• Suggested bid (if you’re using AdWords)

I’ll be the first to admit that the Google Keyword Planner doesn’t do anything special. However, it does everything right and that’s what matters most.

If you’re seeking keyword data from the source, you can’t go wrong with this tool.

2. AdWord & SEO Keyword Permutation Generator

Are you struggling to uncover new keywords in your keyword research?

This is a challenge that you may face when launching your new site. While you’re familiar with the top keywords in your niche, you don’t know where to go from there. And, as you know, that can be a problem as you create more content.

Consider this keyword tool a great way to help.

With the AdWord & SEO Keyword Permutation Generator tool, it’s easy to get creative as you search for keywords that align with your site, marketing strategy and goals.

The thing that I like best about this tool is the way that you can get creative. You can enter a keyword in each of three boxes, hit “generate permutations” and watch the magic happen.

Here’s an example:

As you can see, the more keywords you add into the first three boxes, the more results you’ll receive.

The only downside to this tool is that some of the keyword results may not make sense. For this reason, you must be prepared to spend a good amount of time moving through the list, searching for those that best suit your site.

If keyword creativity is an issue for you, let this tool be your guide. It’ll point you towards some ideas that you may not have previously considered.

3. Google Correlate

As noted above, there’s nothing better than getting advice straight from the source. And, once again, Google is the source I’m talking about.

Google Correlate is an often overlooked tool that can be extremely powerful for generating a large keyword list.

The primary reason to use this tool is the ability to see which keywords get searched together. With this information, you can begin to grow your keyword list (especially longtails).

In the example below, you’ll see that people who search for “diet plan” also search related phrases:

So, while diet plan may be your primary keyword, there are several others that you can focus on, as you create your content calendar. For example, you may decide to create a blog post based on some or all of the “correlations.”

If you find yourself in a keyword rut, Google Correlate can help you escape. You simply enter your primary keyword. From there, the tool does all of the work for you.

4. IMforSMB Bulk Keyword Generator

Some keyword tools are good for every type of website. Others, however, are only a good fit for a particular site type.

This is where the IMforSMB Bulk Keyword Generator fits in. This tool works best for local service companies, as it’s designed with the idea that you’ll want to find local keywords.

Using the tool begins with selecting a category:

From there, take the time to carefully choose your service type:

Finally, enter your service location and click “Generate Keywords.” Then, get ready to be mesmerized by the results.

These results aren’t anything special, as you could eventually come up with the same keyword list by using another tool. However, with its local approach, you’ll feel as if you’re on the right track quicker.

Pro tip: even if your business type isn’t available, you can still use this tool. You’ll have to replace some of the keywords with your own, in the search results.  But, you’ll end up with the same basic results.

5. Keyword In

If you want to “combine your keywords the easy way,” you’re in the right place.

It all starts with a long tail (or seed) keyword or keywords. From there, this tool mashes everything together, to provide you with a long list of potential keywords.

Here’s the example shared that’s when you first visit the site:

Once you hit the “generate” button, you’re shown the following:

Keyword In is, by far, one of the simplest keyword research tools to use. It only takes a couple of seconds to plug in your keywords, choose your options and generate results.

You may not always like what you see, but it’s easy to double-back and change your seed keywords. The more you do this, the more results you’ll generate.

Pro tip: experiment with each match type, including broad, phrase match and exact match.

I like keyword tools that are easy to use. Furthermore, I always tell people who are launching a new site to keep things as simple as possible. With Keyword In, you get the best results without any complications.

6. Soovle

Have you ever used Google’s autocomplete feature to generate keywords or a blog post title?

If this is a trick you’ve used in the past, you’ll love what Soovle has to offer.

In short, this free keyword research tool provides autocomplete suggestions from a variety of sources, not just from Google, to help you boost your search volume.

While you can use it for Google suggestions, there are many other sources, including Yahoo, Bing, YouTube, Wikipedia and Amazon.

The first thing you need to do is choose your source. Google is the default, but you can change this easily enough, by clicking on one of the many other icons below the search box.

The search results aren’t the most advanced, but you’ll probably find a few suggestions that make sense for your blog. For example, a search for “content marketing” shows the following suggestions from Google:

As you jump around to other sources, such as Yahoo, the results change:

The best way to use Soovle is to experiment with a variety of keywords, while paying close attention to the results from each source.

Using Soovle is as simple as entering your keyword and reviewing the results. It’s quick, it’s efficient and it’ll guide you towards a few good keywords.

7. Ubersuggest

Do you rely heavily on the Google Keyword Planner?

If so, you expect this tool to provide you with all of the keywords and data that you need to make informed decisions. And, while this typically holds true, it’s important to remember one thing: you may not be getting as much data as you think.

Ubersuggest provides you with keywords that are not available through the Google Keyword Planner.

With this in mind, I suggest that you always run a Ubersuggest search, after checking your keywords through the Google Keyword Planner.

Type in your keyword to this keyword tool and click “suggest.” This generates a list of keywords that is big enough to keep you busy for quite some time.

The thing that I like best about Ubersuggest is the way that it breaks down results by the letter. For example, a search for “content marketing” and the letter “a” shows the following:

With this organized approach, you have a better chance of reviewing every keyword, without missing one that could be a game changer for your site.

Pro tip: in addition to a web search, you can also search Images, Shopping, YouTube and News.

8. Wordtracker Scout

Have you ever considered the fact that your competition can provide you with the best keyword data? Do you need a new keyword suggest?

There are a lot of tools out there, including many on this list, that help you generate in-depth keyword lists.

But, you could be missing the boat, if you’re not paying attention to what your competition is doing.

It goes without saying that you can visit any web page, such as a blog post on a competitor’s site and dig around for keyword data. After a few minutes, you should have a better idea of the primary and secondary keywords.

However, this can be time consuming. And, you could also miss out on a few keywords, every now and again.

Wordtracker Scout is a high-powered Chrome extension that ensures your success, if this is a strategy that interests you (and it should be).

Once you have the extension installed, you simply visit a webpage, hover over the content and hit the “W” button. This generates the following:

(via Wordtracker Scout)

Some of the key features of this keyword research tool includes:

• The ability to analyze what your competitors are doing.
• Access to high level keyword performance metrics.
• Simple to use and understand.

When launching a new site, it’s only natural to wonder what your competition is doing. What steps are they taking to reach the top of the search engines and generate traffic?

It’ll take more than the right keywords to outdo your competition and achieve the same, or better, position with the search engines. But, it’s good to collect as much data as possible. Using this free Chrome extension puts you in position to analyze the target keywords of any web page.

9. WordStream Free Keyword Tool

As a free keyword tool for the first 30 searches, it never hurts to become familiar with what WordStream has to offer.

Similar, in many ways, to the Google Keyword Planner, this is one of the more user-friendly keyword research tools on the list.

Just as with every other tool, your first asked to enter your keyword. From there, you’re supplied a list of keywords:

Pro tip: if you’re willing to share your email address, you can have all of the keywords sent directly to your inbox.

Going beyond the basic tool means experimenting with the Free Keyword Niche Finder. Sticking with the “content marketing” example, here are the results.

The goal of this keyword research tool is to help you find a profitable niche. In the event that you’ve yet to settle on a niche, it can give you the guidance you’re seeking.

The more you use the many free tools by WordStream, the more intrigued you’ll become.

Whether you’re seeking keywords for your new site or need help settling on a niche, you’ll want to rely heavily on the tools offered by WordStream. They’re powerful, accurate and informative.

https://tiktokly.com/ Conclusion

When it comes to keyword research, there’s a right and a wrong way of performing your analysis.

Rather than guess and hope for the best, I urge you to experiment with all 10 of these free keyword research tools. Doing so will go a long way in ensuring that you choose the right keywords for your new site, thereby guiding your content strategy, increasing your ranking with search engines and edging you closer to success.

Do you have experience with any of these keyword research tools?  Which free keyword tool has been the most helpful in your content strategy? Share your feedback in the comment section below.

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Hey, I'm Neil Patel. I'm determined to make a business grow. My only question is, will it be yours?

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About Neil Patel

He is the co-founder of NP Digital and Subscribers. The Wall Street Journal calls him a top influencer on the web, Forbes says he is one of the top 10 marketers, and Entrepreneur Magazine says he created one of the 100 most brilliant companies. Neil is a New York Times bestselling author and was recognized as a top 100 entrepreneur under the age of 30 by President Obama and a top 100 entrepreneur under the age of 35 by the United Nations.

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Do you want more traffic?

Hey, I'm Neil Patel. I'm determined to make a business grow. My only question is, will it be yours?

Arabic / EgyptArabic / IsraelArabic / LibyaArabic / Palestinian TerritoryArabic / QatarArabic / Saudi ArabiaArabic / TunisiaArabic / United Arab EmiratesBulgarian / BulgariaCatalan / SpainCatalan / Valencian AndorraChinese / ChinaChinese / TaiwanCroatian / CroatiaCzech / Czech RepublicDanish / DenmarkDutch / BelgiumDutch / NetherlandsEnglish / AustraliaEnglish / CanadaEnglish / IndiaEnglish / IrelandEnglish / MalaysiaEnglish / MaltaEnglish / New ZealandEnglish / SingaporeEnglish / South AfricaEnglish / Sri LankaEnglish / United KingdomEnglish / United StatesEstonian / EstoniaFinnish / FinlandFrench / AlgeriaFrench / CanadaFrench / FranceGerman / AustriaGerman / GermanyGerman / SwitzerlandGreek / GreeceHebrew / IsraelHungarian / HungaryIcelandic / IcelandIndonesian / IndonesiaItalian / ItalyJapanese / JapanKorean / KoreaMalay / MalaysiaNorwegian / NorwayPolish / PolandPortuguese / BrazilPortuguese / PortugalRomanian / RomaniaRussian / RussiaSerbian / SerbiaSlovak / SlovakiaSlovene / SloveniaSpanish / ArgentinaSpanish / BoliviaSpanish / ChileSpanish / ColombiaSpanish / Costa RicaSpanish / Dominican RepublicSpanish / EcuadorSpanish / El SalvadorSpanish / GuatemalaSpanish / MexicoSpanish / NicaraguaSpanish / ParaguaySpanish / PeruSpanish / Puerto RicoSpanish / SpainSpanish / UruguaySpanish / VenezuelaSwedish / SwedenTagalog / PhilippinesThai / ThailandTurkish / TurkeyUkrainian / UkraineEnglish / United States

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