Think about the last time you searched for a product or service online. You didn’t type in a full sentence, right? You used a few words that described what you were looking for. That’s exactly what your potential customers are doing too.
Keyword research is how businesses figure out which words and phrases people are using in search engines like Google. It’s the foundation of search engine optimization (SEO), helping your website show up when someone types in something related to your business. Without knowing what your audience is searching for, it’s like trying to hand out sales flyers on a deserted street.
How Much Does Keyword Research Cost?
Many business owners assume that SEO is too technical or too expensive to manage. But with the right free keyword research tools and a bit of guidance, you can start making smarter decisions about your content and visibility. Whether you’re writing a blog post, updating your homepage, or naming a new service, keyword research helps ensure you’re speaking your customers’ language.
What Makes a Good Keyword Research Tool?
You don’t need bells and whistles. An effective keyword research tool simply helps you understand:
- What people are searching for.
- How often they search for it.
- How competitive the term is.
- Other related terms that could be easier to rank for.
If a tool gives you a clearer picture of how your audience thinks, it’s doing its job. And if it does all that for free? Even better.
Top Free Keyword Research Tools You Should Be Using
Each of these tools brings something different to the table. Some are good for finding new ideas, others help you understand trends or evaluate competition. You can use them individually, or combine them to build a more complete strategy for your digital marketing plans.
Google Keyword Planner
This is one of the most trusted tools out there, largely because it taps directly into Google’s data. It was originally created for advertisers, but it’s equally helpful for SEO research.
- What it offers: Search volume, keyword suggestions, and competition levels.
- Why it’s helpful: You’re getting information straight from the source.
- How to access it: Create a free Google Ads account to use it, even if you never run an ad.
Moz Keyword Explorer (Free Version)
Moz is one of the big names in the SEO world. Their Keyword Explorer tool gives insights into keyword difficulty, click-through rates, and related search terms.
- What it offers: A simple and visual snapshot of how strong a keyword is.
- Why it’s helpful: Perfect for small businesses who want to prioritize low-effort, high-return terms.
- Free usage note: Includes 3 keyword queries per day with a free account.
AnswerThePublic
AnswerThePublic visualizes questions and phrases people are entering into search engines. It’s particularly useful if you want to create content that answers real questions your audience is asking.
- What it offers: Question-based search terms and prepositions.
- Why it’s helpful: Great for developing blog content, service page FAQs, and social media ideas.
- How to use it: Enter a basic term like “home renovation” to see hundreds of related questions.
Ubersuggest
Built by digital marketing entrepreneur Neil Patel, this Ubersuggest provides keyword ideas, search volume, competition analysis, and even an overview of sites already ranking for that keyword.
- What it offers: A simple dashboard that’s easy to navigate.
- Why it’s helpful: You can see how competitive a keyword is and whether it’s worth your time.
- Free usage note: At the time of writing, this tool is limited to 3 daily searches on the free version.
Keyword Tool.io
Keyword Tool.io scrapes autocomplete suggestions from Google and other search engines, giving you keyword ideas that you might not find elsewhere.
- What it offers: Lists of real search phrases people use
- Why it’s helpful: Great for identifying long tail keywords that are less competitive and more specific.
- How to use it: Try entering something broad like “bookkeeping services” to find niche ideas.
Keyword Sheeter
Its name may be unusual, but this free keyword research tool is surprisingly powerful. This tool generates massive lists of keyword ideas in seconds.
- What it offers: Raw keyword lists from Google autocomplete.
- Why it’s helpful: Ideal for content brainstorming and seeing some of the different ways people search for the same topic.
- How to use it: Start with a seed keyword (a basic, broad search term that describes your product, service, or topic) like “landscaping ideas” and let it run.
Google Trends
Instead of showing search volume, Google Trends shows how interest in a keyword changes over time. It’s useful for spotting seasonal patterns or rising topics.
- What it offers: Trend graphs and geographic search interest.
- Why it’s helpful: Helps you time your content and campaigns for maximum visibility.
- How to use it: Enter “tax preparation” and compare with “file taxes online” to see which is gaining traction.
Bonus Tools That Deserve a Look
These tools might not be as widely known, but they’re still worth your time.
- Keyword Surfer: A Chrome extension that displays search volume and keyword suggestions directly in Google results
- AlsoAsked: This free tool shows how questions are connected, based on the “People Also Ask” section in search.
- Soovle: Soovle combines autocomplete suggestions from multiple search engines such as Google, YouTube, Bing, Amazon, and more in one screen.
These hidden gems help you expand your keyword universe without feeling like you’re drowning in data.
How to Use Free Keyword Tools Without Feeling Overwhelmed
Don’t feel like you need to use all seven tools at once. Start with one or two. Here’s a simple way to build a strategy without overcomplicating it:
- Pick a keyword that describes your product or service
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- Example: “digital bookkeeping for artists”.
- Run it through Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest
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- Get volume, variations, and competition data.
- Check for questions using AnswerThePublic
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- Add some of these questions to your content.
- Look at trends using Google Trends
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- Make sure the topic is still relevant and popular.
- Write content that naturally includes these terms
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- Don’t force it. Think about how your customers would say it, and match that tone.
The goal isn’t to stuff your page, content or paid campaign with keywords. It’s to build content that reflects how people are actually searching.
When You’re Ready to Go Beyond the Basics
If you’re seeing results and want to go further, premium tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and paid Moz subscriptions can give you deeper competitive analysis, backlink tracking, and site audits.
Whether using free tools or paid subscriptions, the key is knowing your audience, using the right phrases, and consistently building content that aligns with what your customers want. If you’re not seeing results, or if you’re ready to go beyond keywords, it’s time to hire a trusted SEO expert. Keyword placements are an excellent starting point, but SEO encompasses so much more when it comes to your brand’s visibility online and your website’s health and well-being.
Real Results Start Here
With the right free keyword research tools, you can uncover real insights about what your audience is searching for, then use that knowledge to drive more traffic, more engagement, and more business.
Contact us to Book a Strategy Call to review your own keyword research and to see if our team can help you further reach new audiences and improve your search engine rankings.
