Finding low-competition keywords is one of the fastest ways to get traffic when you are starting a blog, a small business site, or a niche page. Low-competition keywords are search phrases that are easier to rank for because fewer strong websites are already focused on them. The trick is not just to find words with low competition, but to find the right ones that bring the kind of visitors who will read, subscribe, or buy. A little research and smart judging of search results will do more for most new sites than copying big, competitive keywords. (Ahrefs)
Why low-competition keywords matter
When a topic is crowded, big sites with lots of links, long histories, and heavy SEO budgets usually win the top spots. That means a new or small site may never outrank them for broad terms. Low-competition keywords let you compete where the playing field is more even. They often come as longer phrases or more specific questions that reflect what real people type into search boxes. Because they are more specific, they usually bring visitors who already know what they want — and that often means better engagement and higher chance of conversion. (Search Engine Land)
Start with what people actually ask
A strong, simple method is to listen first. Use Google itself — autocomplete suggestions, the “People also ask” box, and related searches at the bottom of the results page — to see how people phrase a problem. Forums, Reddit threads, Facebook groups, Quora, and product reviews are gold mines for natural language queries: people type their problem the same way they’d search. These real-world phrases often become low-competition, high-intent keywords because they are specific and not targeted by many sites. You don’t need fancy tools to begin; a few searches will show the kinds of questions people ask and which sites are answering them already. (Google Business)
Look for long-tail opportunities
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases (for example, “best rechargeable lawn mower for small yards” vs. “lawn mower”). They usually have lower search volume, but that is not a disadvantage. Because they are narrow, fewer authoritative pages target them directly, which makes them easier to rank for. Long-tail visitors also tend to have clearer intent: they might be ready to buy, compare, or follow a step-by-step guide. Focus on writing great content that directly answers those long, specific queries — that content often outranks broader pages for that exact audience. (Search Engine Land)
Use the right tools (free and paid)
Tools speed up the search. Google Keyword Planner and Google Search Console are free starting points: Planner helps you discover related phrases and volume estimates, while Search Console shows the queries your site already appears for and where small gains could push you into higher ranks. There are many third-party tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, Ubersuggest, LowFruits, Keywords Everywhere and others) that give metrics like keyword difficulty or an estimated score for how hard it is to rank. These scores are only estimates — different tools use different formulas — but they help prioritize which phrases are worth chasing. If you’re on a budget, several good free options exist and browser extensions can add helpful data directly to search pages. (Google Business)
How to judge real competition — look at the SERP
Don’t rely only on a “difficulty” number. Always open the search engine results page (SERP) for a candidate keyword and look at the actual results. Ask yourself: are the top results forum posts, listicles, product pages, or big authority sites? Are the pages thin (short, poor information) or high quality? If the top results are mainly from weak pages, you have a realistic chance to outrank them with one very useful, well-structured article. Also check for featured snippets, “people also ask”, and shopping or video carousels; these features can change click behavior and make organic traffic harder to capture. This human check of the SERP is one of the most important steps and often beats raw numbers from tools. (Ahrefs)
Practical step-by-step method you can follow now
Begin with a seed topic related to your niche and type it into Google to gather phrase ideas from autocomplete and related searches. Next, plug promising phrases into a free tool (Keyword Planner, Keyword Surfer, or a tool with a free tier) to get volume and competition clues. Open the SERP for each phrase and scan the top ten results: read a couple of those pages, note how long and how detailed they are, and check whether they fully answer the query. If you find short or poorly structured answers, that keyword is a strong target. Finally, pick a handful of similar long-tail phrases and create a single thorough article that answers them all — this often captures more queries than writing multiple thin pages.
Content strategy that wins for low-competition keywords
When you write, think usefulness first. A single long article that covers different angles of the same question is usually better than several short posts that slightly overlap. Use clear headings that match search intent (people looking to buy want different content than people looking for a how-to). Add examples, small case studies, photos, and step-by-step instructions. People and search engines both prefer content that answers a question completely and clearly. Over time, link that content from other pages on your site and share it in relevant communities; natural links and user signals help lift a page into better positions. (Search Engine Land)
Quick checks for low competition (do these every time)
When you consider a keyword, quickly check:
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Search the phrase and skim the top results.
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Count how many authoritative sites (big brands, .edu/.gov, or sites with lots of backlinks) appear.
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Look for content gaps — missing steps, outdated posts, or no clear answer.
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Check whether the phrase is covered by many paid ads or dominated by shopping cards (that can reduce organic clicks).
These small checks take a few minutes and will save you time chasing impossible keywords. The human read of the SERP beats an unexamined metric every time. (Ahrefs)
Where to find inspiration beyond tools
Don’t forget social platforms, niche forums, and product reviews. Customers often phrase problems differently than SEO tools expect. Also, check your own site's Search Console reports: you may already be ranking in positions 8–20 for phrases that need just a small content tweak to move into the top 5. Finally, look at question sites (Quora, Reddit), “How to” videos on YouTube, and Amazon reviews to see natural language that can be turned into useful content topics.
Measuring progress and scaling
Once you publish, don’t stop. Track the keywords where your new page ranks and watch position and clicks in Search Console. If a page climbs, add internal links to it from related content and consider updating it with fresh details. Over time, try to find clusters of similar low-competition keywords and target them with hub pages that link to more specific articles. This hub-and-spoke approach lets you scale content without repeating the same thin posts.
Tools and resources to try
There are many quality tools; some give limited data for free and others require subscription. If you want a simple starting list, try Google Keyword Planner and Search Console first, then add a browser extension like Keyword Surfer or Wordtracker Scout to see quick metrics on search pages. Paid tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush are useful if you want deep link data and more automation, but free tools will get you far if you learn to read SERPs well. (Zapier)
Final advice — focus on value, not tricks
Low-competition keywords are not a magic shortcut. They are a practical way to reach the right readers faster, but they still require good writing, useful information, and time to build trust. Treat each keyword as a promise you make to the reader: if they click, they should find exactly the answer they expected. Do that consistently, and the traffic will grow. Do it well, and other sites will link to you — which makes it easier to compete for tougher keywords later.