In my 9 years of experience in SEO, I’ve used these 20 keyword research tools and understood how they work, their pros and cons, and everything. In this detailed guide, I’ll walk you through these best free keyword research tools that helped me grow my blog and my clients to generate revenue of more than eight figures. What I’ve learned from my experiences is that, to beat your competitors and to get more traffic and real conversions from search engines and LLMs, you have to find out the right topic and keywords.
Most blogging beginners failed to learn this and end up creating content that may not generate traffic or bring value to their readers.
You have a SEO strategy but it is not generating revenue means that your keywords don’t attract people who are ready to buy.
Let’s dive in to my favorite list of best free keyword research tools that I use to bring more traffic to my blog. I will also help you to learn the best keyword research technique in SEO.
What is the best keyword research technique?
One of my first steps to do this is just go to Google and start typing in a keyword that you want to rank for and check what Google Autocomplete shows. After this, I will analyze the links shown up and see if there are any mismatches in search intent. This is the very best initial step any beginner should do.
Then combine this with the other steps like:
- Checking on Google Trends and it’s keyword suggestions
- Google Keyword Planner for knowing the search volume of your keyword
- A Chrome Extension called “Keywords Everywhere” to figure out the volume metrics of your keyword
To be successful in generating high traffic content, keyword research is extremely important. If you do this 20% job correctly, you can easily attract 80% traffic or real conversions for your website.
On the other hand, if you are targeting a wrong keyword, you are going to have hard time generating revenue from your blog.
Based on my experiences from 2017, I started to think from buyer’s perspective before starting my keyword research thing.
Instead of just focusing on high traffic and low competition keywords, just begin to think what people were actually searching in Google to find your product or services.
Is there any most accurate keyword research tool?
Absolutely, though many keyword research tools vary in accuracy. There are some free tools that can generate accurate keywords that people are searching for in real time.
- Google Autocomplete
- Ahref
- Semrush
- Google Keyword Planner
Now, let’s explore the best free as well as paid keyword research tools I use.
20 Best Free Keyword Research Tools
-
Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is one of the first tools I started using when I got into SEO. Even today, I still use it—not because it’s perfect, but because it gives me a reliable baseline.
Whenever I find a keyword idea from somewhere else, I come here to validate:
- Does it have search volume?
- Is the competition too high?
- Is there any commercial intent (CPC)?
One thing you should understand is:
Google doesn’t show exact numbers unless you run ads.
But still, the ranges are enough to make decisions. I usually don’t rely on it alone—I combine it with other tools.
-
Google Autocomplete
Honestly, this is one of the most powerful tools—and it’s completely free.
Whenever I’m stuck or starting fresh, I just open Google and start typing a keyword. The suggestions that appear are not random—they are based on real user searches.
For example, if you type:
👉 “pcos diet”
You’ll see:
- pcos diet plan
- pcos diet for weight loss
- pcos diet for beginners
These are literally content ideas handed to you by Google.
I personally use this step as my starting point for every blog post.
-
Google Trends
This tool helped me avoid writing content that no one is searching for.
Sometimes a keyword looks good, but when you check it in Google Trends, you realize:
It’s declining or seasonal
I use it mainly for:
- Checking if a topic is growing
- Comparing multiple keywords
- Finding breakout trends
For example, during certain seasons, some health topics spike. If you publish at the right time, you get faster traffic.
-
Keywords Everywhere
This Chrome extension made my life much easier.
Instead of going to different tools, I can see:
- Search volume
- CPC
- Competition
directly on Google itself.
Whenever I search something, it shows related keywords on the side. Sometimes, I find better keyword ideas here than in paid tools.
I mostly use it for quick validation.
-
Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is something I recommend to almost every beginner.
Why? Because it’s simple.
You don’t need to be an SEO expert to understand it. Just enter a keyword, and it will show:
- Keyword ideas
- SEO difficulty
- Content ideas
- Traffic estimates
I usually use this when I want to find low competition keywords quickly.
-
AnswerThePublic
This tool is amazing when you want to understand what people are actually asking.
Instead of just keywords, it gives you:
- Questions
- Comparisons
- Prepositions
For example:
👉 “why does pcos cause weight gain”
👉 “how to fix pcos naturally”
These are perfect for:
- Blog headings
- FAQ sections
- Featured snippets
I use this tool mainly when I want to make my content more helpful and detailed.
-
Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator
Ahrefs is one of the most powerful SEO tools out there, and even their free version is useful.
You can get:
- Top keyword ideas
- Keyword difficulty
- Estimated traffic
Even though it shows limited results, the data quality is very high.
I use this when I want more accurate keyword difficulty insights.
-
SEMrush Free Tools
SEMrush is another tool I’ve used for years.
The free version is limited, but still useful for:
- Competitor keyword research
- Keyword variations
- Basic SEO analysis
One thing I like is:
You can see what keywords your competitors are ranking for
This helps you reverse-engineer their strategy.
-
Moz Keyword Explorer
Moz gives you a few free searches, and I use it mainly for quick checks.
It provides:
- Keyword difficulty
- Organic CTR
- Priority score
What I like here is the priority score, which combines multiple factors.
It helps you decide whether a keyword is actually worth targeting or not.
-
Keyword Surfer
Another Chrome extension that works directly in Google search.
It shows:
- Search volume
- Related keywords
- Traffic estimates
I like using this when I’m doing quick research without opening multiple tabs.
It saves a lot of time.
-
AlsoAsked
This tool focuses on “People Also Ask” data from Google.
When you search a keyword, it shows:
- Related questions
- How they are connected
This is extremely useful when building:
- Content clusters
- Internal linking
I use this to structure my blog posts better.
-
Soovle
Soovle is something I use when I want ideas from multiple platforms.
It pulls suggestions from:
- YouTube
- Amazon
- Bing
This is useful if you are creating content not just for blogs, but also for:
- YouTube
- eCommerce
-
Keyword Tool.io
This tool uses autocomplete data, just like Google, but in a more structured way.
It generates a lot of keyword ideas quickly.
Even though the free version doesn’t show full data, it’s still great for:
Finding long-tail keywords
-
SERPstat
SERPstat is like a lighter version of Ahrefs or SEMrush.
With the free plan, you can:
- Analyze keywords
- Find competitors
- Get keyword variations
I use this occasionally when I want another perspective on a keyword.
-
WordStream Free Keyword Tool
This is a simple tool, but useful.
It gives:
- Keyword ideas
- Competition level
- Opportunity score
Good for beginners who don’t want complexity.
-
Google Search Console
This is honestly one of the most powerful tools—and many people ignore it.
It shows:
- Keywords you already rank for
- Impressions
- Clicks
- CTR
I use it to:
Find “hidden keywords” that I can optimize and rank higher
This alone has helped me increase traffic without writing new content.
-
QuestionDB
QuestionDB pulls questions from forums like Reddit.
This gives you:
- Real user queries
- Unique content ideas
I use this when I want to create content that actually connects with readers.
-
Reddit & Quora
These are not tools, but they are extremely powerful.
When you read discussions, you understand:
- Real problems
- Language people use
- Pain points
This helps you write content that feels natural and relatable.
-
Bing Keyword Research Tool
Most people ignore Bing, but it still has users.
It gives:
- Keyword suggestions
- Search volume (Bing data)
I use it as a secondary data source.
-
ChatGPT (AI for Keyword Research)
AI tools like ChatGPT have changed the way we do keyword research.
I use it to:
- Generate keyword ideas
- Build content clusters
- Understand search intent
But one important thing:
Never rely only on AI—always validate with real tools.
Final Thoughts
After years of using these tools, I realized one thing:
The tool doesn’t matter as much as your understanding.
If you:
- Understand search intent
- Focus on user problems
- Combine multiple tools
You will always find better keywords than your competitors.
FAQs
1. How many keywords should I target in one blog post?
I don’t focus on just one keyword anymore.
Instead:
- 1 primary keyword
- 3–5 related keywords
- Multiple variations naturally
Google is smart enough to understand context, so you don’t need to over-optimize.
2. Are free keyword tools accurate?
They are not 100% accurate, but they are good enough to make decisions.
Even paid tools are just estimates.
👉 That’s why I always recommend combining multiple tools instead of relying on just one.
3. What is the difference between short-tail and long-tail keywords?
Short-tail keywords are broad and competitive.
Example: “SEO”
Long-tail keywords are more specific and easier to rank.
Example: “free keyword research tools for beginners”
👉 I personally focus more on long-tail keywords, especially for new blogs.
4. How important is keyword research in SEO?
Keyword research is everything.
If you get this part right:
👉 You can generate traffic even with average content
If you get it wrong:
👉 Even great content won’t rank
That’s how important it is.
5. How often should I do keyword research?
I do keyword research almost every time before writing a new post.
Also, I revisit old content using tools like Google Search Console to find new keyword opportunities.
6. Can I rank using only long-tail keywords?
Yes, and this is actually the best strategy for beginners.
Long-tail keywords:
- Have less competition
- Are easier to rank
- Bring more targeted traffic
Over time, this builds your authority.
7. Which tool is best for finding content ideas?
For content ideas, I usually rely on:
- AnswerThePublic
- Google Autocomplete
- Reddit & Quora
These platforms show what people are actually asking, which makes your content more useful.