How to find low-competition, high-traffic keywords using free tools (exact steps)

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Goal: find keywords people search for but competitors don’t dominate.

Tools you can use (free):

  • Google Search (People Also Ask / related searches)

  • Google Trends

  • Google Search Console (discover queries you already rank for)

  • Keyword Surfer (Chrome extension)

  • AnswerThePublic (limited free queries)

  • Keyword Sheeter (free extraction of autosuggest)

  • MozBar (free toolbar shows page authority)

Step-by-step method

  1. Start with intent & seed topics. Write 5 core topics (e.g., “best winter jackets”, “how to cold brew coffee”).

  2. Collect auto-suggest keyword ideas. Use Google autocomplete and Keyword Sheeter to get many long-tail phrases (type “how to cold…” and scrape suggestions).

  3. Use AnswerThePublic to find question-style searches and long-tail topics people ask.

  4. Check volume & competition clues with Keyword Surfer.

    • Install Keyword Surfer; search your seed phrase in Google and watch estimated monthly volume and related keywords side panel.

    • Pick keywords with decent volume (e.g., 500–5000 monthly for niche) and lower competition scores shown by Surfer or lower top-ranking page authority using MozBar.

  5. Use Google Trends to confirm rising interest and seasonality.

  6. Analyze SERP difficulty manually:

    • For each candidate keyword, Google it and check the top 10 results.

    • If many results are forum posts, local pages, or thin content, that’s a good sign you can outrank them with a higher-quality post.

    • Use MozBar to check Domain Authority (DA) or simply scan: are top results from big brands (NYT, Forbes)? If yes → high competition; look for niche topics where top results are older/low-quality pages.

  7. Leverage your own GSC. If you already have pages showing impressions but low clicks for related queries, those are prime opportunities to optimize and capture traffic (low-hanging fruit).

  8. Prioritize:

    • High priority = decently searched long-tail keyword (≥300 monthly), low-quality top results, and aligned intent with your business.

Quick selection rule:
Pick keywords where the top 10 results have: low domain authority, thin content, or content older than 2 years. Those are often winnable.

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