Unleash the Power of AI for Effortless Keyword Research
In the world of SEO, keyword research is the foundation upon which successful campaigns are built. Finding the right keywords can make or break your online visibility, but the process can often be time-consuming and expensive. What if I told you that there are 10 free ways to find thousands of easy keywords using AI and SEO techniques? In this article, we’ll explore these methods in detail, helping you unlock a treasure trove of low-competition, high-traffic keywords without spending a dime.
We strongly recommend that you check out our guide on how to take advantage of AI in today’s passive income economy.
Table of Contents
Method 1: Google Keyword Planner
One of the first methods you can use for free keyword research is Google Keyword Planner. To access this tool, simply type “Google Keyword Planner” into Google, and you’ll be directed to their campaign planner. From there, click on “Discover new keywords” and then “Start with a website.”
The beauty of this approach is that you can scrape your top competitors’ keywords. By analyzing what other successful websites in your niche are targeting, you can gain valuable insights into what’s working for them. For example, if you’re in the cakes niche and creating recipes, it’s much more effective to start with your competitors’ keywords rather than a huge list of random keywords.
To get started, plug your competitor’s URL into the “Start with a website” section and hit “Get results.” From there, you’ll see a list of keywords and their competition levels. Keep in mind that the competition score here is based on PPC, not SEO, so take it with a pinch of salt. We’ll discuss a way to check this more accurately in a moment.
Next, click on “Get keyword ideas” and then “Download” to open a Google Sheet with all the keywords. This process helps you reverse engineer what’s working best for your competitors. As you go through the list, focus on the most relevant keywords to your niche.
Remember, longer-tail keywords, such as “simple chocolate cake recipe,” are generally easier to rank for than broad terms like “cakes.” The more specific the keyword, the less competition you’ll face, making it easier to create content that ranks well.
Method 2: Checking Keyword Difficulty
While Google Keyword Planner provides valuable data, the competition score is based on PPC, not organic search results. To get a better understanding of how competitive a keyword is, you can use a free tool called Keyword Generator.
Simply take a keyword you’re considering creating content around and plug it into Keyword Generator. Wait for the results to load, and you’ll see data on that specific keyword. Keep in mind that there may be a limited number of searches per day for these keywords.
For example, let’s say you find a keyword like “number cake recipe” that seems relevant and has decent search volume. Plug it into Keyword Generator and check the results. If it shows up as an easy keyword, you’ve confirmed that it’s relevant to your niche, generates traffic, and is easy to rank for – all in just a couple of minutes, and completely free!
Method 3: Combining Keyword Research with Topical Maps
At this point, some of you might be thinking, “But what about topical maps? Aren’t they more important than keyword research?” The truth is, both keyword research and topical maps go hand in hand. You want to use topical maps to outline your website’s structure, but you also need to find easy keywords that you can actually rank for.
To combine these approaches, start by creating a topical map based on your competitor’s website. Specify your niche (e.g., cakes) and the language (e.g., English). Then, take the top 50-100 keywords you found earlier and plug them into ChatGPT.
ChatGPT can help you sort the keywords into a neat topical map. Keep in mind that it won’t be perfect, and there may be some overlap in search intent. For example, “vanilla cake recipe” and “easy vanilla cake” might have similar intent. Use your common sense to discard what you don’t like and keep what you do.
Method 4: Leveraging Sitemaps
Another free and fast way to gather easy keywords is by checking your competitor’s sitemap. Not all competitors will have a sitemap readily available, but if they do, it’s usually located at “sitemap.xml.”
Once you find the sitemap, grab the URLs from the page and paste them into ChatGPT. Ask ChatGPT to extract just the URLs and create a topical map table format based on them. It will organize the keywords into clusters and categories, making it easy for you to see the structure and target the most relevant keywords.
Method 5: Answer the Public
Answer the Public is a completely free tool that can provide you with a ridiculous number of keywords. To use it, sign in, type in your main keyword, select your country and language, and hit search. You’ll see a list of questions, prepositions, comparisons, alphabeticals, and related topics.
In the “Tables” section, you can view a list of questions people are asking on the internet, along with search volumes based on related keywords. You can sort this information into a list or view it as a wheel, giving you a plethora of ideas to work with.
Again, keep in mind that the competition score here is based on PPC. If you want to check if a keyword is easy to rank for organically, plug it into the free Keyword Generator tool we mentioned earlier.
Method 6: Leveraging Free Trials
Many paid SEO tools offer free trials, which you can leverage to access premium data without spending money. Tools like SE Ranking and SEMrush provide free trials for new accounts, giving you access to the same data as paying users for a limited time.
Method 7: Mangools Free Trial
Mangools is another tool that offers a free trial, allowing you to find even more keyword ideas. Sign in, navigate to “Find keywords,” and input a keyword you discovered earlier. Mangools will provide you with additional keyword suggestions.
What I like about tools like Mangools is that the keyword difficulty metric isn’t solely based on backlinks. It takes into account factors like domain authority, page power, citation flow, and trust flow. While these metrics aren’t the be-all and end-all, considering the number of backlinks to the page and the overall backlink profile of your competitors can give you a more accurate assessment of keyword difficulty.
Method 8: Keyword Surfer
Keyword Surfer is a tool owned by Surfer SEO that I recently tested out. After installing it and refreshing Google, you’ll see a list of keyword ideas along with their search volumes. Clicking on each keyword will provide even more suggestions.
If you find a keyword you like, simply tick the box next to it to add it to your collection. This way, you can build up a list of target keywords effortlessly.
Method 9: WordStream Free Keyword Tool
WordStream offers a free keyword tool that, while more geared towards ads, can still provide valuable insights. Enter your keyword, hit “Find my keywords,” and let the tool prepare the results.
The WordStream interface is user-friendly, resembling a more intuitive version of Google Keyword Planner. You’ll see the keyword, search volume, bid amount, and competition level.
One useful aspect of this tool is that it shows you whether people are bidding on a particular keyword. If you see high bids, it could indicate a potential buyer intent keyword that could generate money. For example, if you’re targeting the keyword “SEO agency” and notice people bidding $54 for it, you know it’s a keyword you could rank for and potentially generate leads or sell directory listings on that page.
Method 10: Custom GPT Prompts
The final method involves using custom GPT prompts to generate keyword ideas. If you have access to a custom GPT tool, you can input your website’s niche (e.g., chocolate cake recipes) and let the AI generate a list of keywords.
When using this method, don’t take the entire question generated, as it likely won’t have much search volume. Instead, use your common sense to extract the main keyword, such as “best bird feeders,” and plug it into a premium tool to check its viability.
If you don’t have access to a custom GPT tool or ChatGPT Premium, you can still use the keyword research prompt provided in this article and plug it into the free version of ChatGPT.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these 10 methods demonstrate that keyword research doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. By leveraging free tools and AI-powered techniques, you can uncover thousands of easy-to-rank-for keywords that will help you drive traffic, generate leads, and boost your online visibility.
Remember, keyword research is an ongoing process. As you create content and monitor your rankings, continue to refine your keyword strategy and adapt to changes in search trends and user behavior.
By implementing these free keyword research methods and combining them with a well-structured topical map, you’ll be well on your way to dominating the search results and achieving your SEO goals.
FAQs:
What is meant by keyword research?
Keyword research is the process of identifying and analyzing the words and phrases that people use when searching for information on search engines like Google. It involves understanding what your target audience is looking for and determining which keywords are most relevant to your website or business. By conducting thorough keyword research, you can optimize your content to rank higher in search results and attract more targeted traffic to your site.
How do I generate keywords for SEO?
There are several methods you can use to generate keywords for SEO:
- Brainstorm relevant topics and phrases related to your niche or industry.
- Use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to discover popular keywords and analyze their search volume and competition level.
- Analyze your competitors’ websites to see which keywords they are targeting.
- Use Google’s autocomplete feature or related searches to find long-tail keywords and phrases that people are searching for.
- Leverage online forums, social media, and customer feedback to identify the language and terminology your target audience uses.
- Employ AI-powered tools like ChatGPT to generate keyword ideas based on your niche or website.
Remember to focus on keywords that are relevant to your content, have decent search volume, and are not too competitive.
What is the difference between SEO and keyword research?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a broad term that encompasses various strategies and techniques used to improve a website’s visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). Keyword research, on the other hand, is a specific component of SEO that focuses on identifying and targeting the most relevant and valuable keywords for your website.
While keyword research is an essential part of SEO, it is not the only factor. SEO also involves other elements such as on-page optimization, technical SEO, link building, and content creation. Keyword research helps inform and guide these other SEO efforts by providing insights into what your target audience is searching for and which keywords are most likely to drive qualified traffic to your site.
What is an example of keyword research?
Let’s say you have a website that sells organic dog treats. To conduct keyword research for your site, you might follow these steps:
- Brainstorm relevant keywords related to your products, such as “organic dog treats,” “healthy dog snacks,” or “natural dog biscuits.”
- Use a keyword research tool like Google Keyword Planner to see the monthly search volume and competition level for each keyword.
- Analyze your competitors’ websites to see which keywords they are targeting and how they are incorporating them into their content.
- Use Google’s autocomplete feature to find long-tail keywords like “best organic dog treats for small breeds” or “grain-free organic dog treats.”
- Check online pet forums and social media to see what questions and topics dog owners are discussing related to dog treats and health.
- Plug your main keyword “organic dog treats” into an AI tool like ChatGPT to generate additional keyword ideas and related phrases.
By conducting this keyword research, you can identify the most relevant and valuable keywords to target in your content, meta tags, and other on-page elements to improve your search engine rankings and attract more qualified traffic to your website.
We strongly recommend that you check out our guide on how to take advantage of AI in today’s passive income economy.