How to Do Keyword Research (With Free Tools)
Want more traffic from Google without spending a fortune? You don’t need fancy software or a big budget to do effective keyword research. With the right free tools and a clear process, you can uncover the search terms your audience is using and create content that ranks.
In this post, we’ll walk you through what keyword research is, why it matters, and how to do it step-by-step using free tools.
🔍 What Is Keyword Research?
Keyword research is the process of identifying the words and phrases people type into search engines when looking for information, products, or services.
By targeting the right keywords, you can:
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Drive more organic traffic to your website
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Understand what your audience is really searching for
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Create content that answers their questions
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Improve your SEO and rankings
✅ Step-by-Step: How to Do Keyword Research (Using Free Tools)
Step 1: Brainstorm a List of Seed Topics
Start with a general idea of what your business or content is about.
For example:
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If you’re a fitness coach → Think: “weight loss”, “home workouts”, “meal plans”
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If you sell skincare products → Think: “acne treatment”, “anti-aging cream”, “skincare routine”
These are your seed topics—broad terms that reflect your niche.
Step 2: Use Free Keyword Research Tools
Here are the best free tools to turn your seed topics into a list of keyword ideas:
🔧 1. Google Search (Autocomplete + People Also Ask)
Start typing your seed keyword in the Google search bar and look at the suggestions. Scroll to the “People Also Ask” and “Related Searches” sections for more ideas.
Example:
Type “skincare for” and see results like:
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Skincare for oily skin
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Skincare for men
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Skincare for sensitive skin
💡 Pro Tip: These are real user searches—use them to guide blog titles and product pages.
🔧 2. AnswerThePublic (https://answerthepublic.com)
Enter a topic and get hundreds of questions, comparisons, and phrases people search.
Example:
Search “home workout” → You’ll see queries like:
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“Home workout without equipment”
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“Best home workout apps”
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“Home workout vs gym”
Use this to find long-tail keywords (more specific = easier to rank for).
🔧 3. Ubersuggest (https://neilpatel.com/ubersuggest)
Get keyword suggestions, search volume, SEO difficulty, and content ideas. It also shows top-ranking pages for any keyword.
Free version gives limited daily searches—plenty for beginners.
🔧 4. Google Keyword Planner (https://ads.google.com)
Technically for advertisers, but great for organic keyword research too. See search volume ranges and competition for each term.
Requires a free Google Ads account (you don’t need to run ads).
🔧 5. Google Trends (https://trends.google.com)
Compare keywords and see what’s trending over time. Useful for seasonal topics or tracking rising interest in a niche.
Step 3: Analyze and Choose the Right Keywords
Focus on keywords that are:
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Relevant to your content or offer
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Have moderate to high search volume
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Have low to medium competition (especially if your site is new)
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Specific (long-tail keywords are easier to rank for)
Example Comparison:
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“Fitness” → Too broad, competitive
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“15-minute home workout for beginners” → Specific, lower competition, more actionable
Step 4: Organize Keywords by Intent
Not all keywords serve the same purpose. Group them based on user intent:
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Informational: “What is intermittent fasting?”
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Navigational: “Nike official store”
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Transactional: “Buy whey protein powder”
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Commercial Investigation: “Best laptops under $1000”
Match your content type to the intent:
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Blog post = informational
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Product page = transactional
Step 5: Use Keywords Strategically in Your Content
Once you’ve chosen your target keywords, use them in:
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Page title and meta description
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URL (slug)
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Headings (H1, H2, etc.)
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First 100 words of your content
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Image alt tags
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Naturally throughout the content (avoid keyword stuffing)
✅ Bonus: Free Keyword Research Spreadsheet Template
Organize your keywords, intent, search volume, and content ideas in one place. Want a free downloadable template? Just ask and I’ll send it over!
🧠 Final Thoughts
Keyword research doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated. With a few reliable free tools and a bit of consistency, you can uncover what your audience is searching for—and create content that delivers.
Start small, focus on long-tail keywords, and always write for humans first, search engines second.
