How to Do Keyword Research Like a Pro (With Free Tools)

If you’re serious about growing your website traffic, building a blog, or ranking higher on Google, keyword research is non-negotiable. It’s the foundation of every successful SEO strategy. But you don’t need expensive tools or a big budget to get started.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to do keyword research like a pro using free tools—so you can find keywords that actually drive traffic, leads, and conversions.

🔍 What is Keyword Research?

Keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing search terms that people enter into search engines like Google, YouTube, or Bing. These keywords help you understand what your target audience is looking for, allowing you to create content that matches their intent.

Whether you’re writing blog posts, launching product pages, or optimizing your website, keyword research ensures your content is visible to the right audience.

🎯 Why Keyword Research Matters

Better rankings: Targeting relevant keywords helps your site appear on the first page of search results.
Increased traffic: More visibility means more clicks and visits to your site.
Higher conversions: When you target the right search intent, users are more likely to take action (buy, sign up, contact).
Content strategy: Helps generate blog ideas and create content people actually search for.

✅ Step-by-Step Keyword Research Process (Free Tools Included)

Let’s break down the process of keyword research using only free tools and practical methods.

Step 1: Start with Seed Keywords

Seed keywords are the foundation of your keyword research. These are broad terms related to your niche, product, or service.

Examples:

If you sell shoes: “running shoes,” “sports shoes,” “formal shoes”
If you’re a digital marketer: “SEO,” “content marketing,” “Google Ads”

How to generate seed keywords:

Think like your customer: What would they type into Google?
Check competitor websites and blog topics.
Use your product/service categories as a starting point.

Step 2: Use Google Suggest & “People Also Ask”

One of the easiest free methods is using Google itself.

🔹 Google Autocomplete:

Start typing your seed keyword into the Google search bar and note the autocomplete suggestions.

Example:
Type “digital marketing for” and Google suggests:

digital marketing for beginners
digital marketing for small businesses
digital marketing for startups

🔹 “People Also Ask” Section:

Scroll down on a Google results page and you’ll find a box with related questions.

Example:

What are the basics of digital marketing?
Is digital marketing a good career?
How do I start with digital marketing?

Write these down as long-tail keyword ideas.

Step 3: Expand Keyword Ideas Using Free Tools

Now, take your seed keywords and plug them into these powerful free keyword research tools:

✅ 1. Google Keyword Planner (Free with a Google Ads account)

Use for: Keyword ideas, search volume, competition level

Go to: https://ads.google.com
Click “Discover new keywords”
Enter a broad keyword
Get a list of keyword ideas with monthly search volume and competition

💡 Pro Tip: Even if you’re not running ads, this is a goldmine for SEO research.

✅ 2. Ubersuggest (Free version by Neil Patel)

Use for: Keyword ideas, volume, difficulty, SERP analysis

Go to: https://ubersuggest.com
Type in a keyword
Get suggestions, related keywords, content ideas, and top pages

💡 Pro Tip: Use the free version by logging in with Google. It gives limited daily searches but valuable data.

✅ 3. AnswerThePublic

Use for: Question-based keywords, content ideas

Go to: https://answerthepublic.com
Enter a seed keyword
See visual maps of questions, comparisons, prepositions, etc.

Example: For “SEO,” you’ll get questions like:

What is SEO in digital marketing?
Why is SEO important?
How does SEO work?

💡 Use these for blog titles and FAQ content.

✅ 4. Google Trends

Use for: Seasonal trends, compare interest over time

Go to: https://trends.google.com
Enter multiple keywords to compare interest
Discover rising topics in your niche

💡 Combine Google Trends with Keyword Planner for time-sensitive content strategies.

✅ 5. Keyword Tool.io (Free version)

Use for: Long-tail keyword ideas

Go to: https://keywordtool.io
Enter your keyword, choose platform (Google, YouTube, Amazon, etc.)
View hundreds of autocomplete-based keyword ideas

Note: Free version doesn’t show volume, but still great for ideation.

🔢 Step 4: Analyze Keyword Metrics

When choosing your final keywords, focus on three core metrics:

Search Volume:
- How many people search for this term monthly?
- Focus on medium to high-volume keywords with consistent traffic.
Keyword Difficulty (Competition):
- How hard is it to rank for this keyword?
- Beginners should target low-to-medium difficulty keywords.
Search Intent:
- What is the user’s goal behind the search?
  - Informational: Looking for answers (blog posts)
  - Navigational: Looking for a brand/site (homepages)
  - Transactional: Looking to buy (product pages)

💡 Match your content type to search intent to improve both rankings and conversions.

✅ Step 5: Organize Keywords by Topics

Once you have a list of keywords, group them into content clusters:

Pillar Content: A broad topic (e.g., “What is SEO?”)
Supporting Content: Related articles (e.g., “SEO vs SEM,” “On-Page SEO tips,” “SEO tools for beginners”)

This is called the Topic Cluster Model and it boosts your topical authority—something Google loves.

✅ Step 6: Prioritize and Create Content

You now have:

Keyword list ✅
Volume and difficulty insights ✅
Search intent ✅

It’s time to create content around your priority keywords.

Examples:

Keyword: “email marketing tips for small businesses”
→ Blog Post: 10 Proven Email Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
Keyword: “best free SEO tools”
→ Blog Post: 7 Best Free SEO Tools for 2025 (That Actually Work)

🔄 Step 7: Update and Refine Regularly

Keyword trends change. New competitors rise. Google updates its algorithm.

Revisit your keyword research every few months:

Add new keywords
Update outdated content
Optimize underperforming posts with new keywords

📝 Final Thoughts

Mastering keyword research doesn’t require expensive tools or paid software. With the right approach and free tools, you can uncover powerful keywords that connect with your audience and grow your organic traffic.

Just remember:

Always focus on search intent
Choose keywords that are relevant and realistic
Create valuable content around those keywords

🚀 Need Help With Keyword Strategy?

At Sunrag Solution, we use proven SEO techniques and tools to help businesses find the right keywords, optimize their websites, and generate organic growth.

📞 Contact us today for a free SEO audit and keyword consultation!

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