Keyword research is very important when blogging, as you need to write about terms and topics they are being actively searched for.
Hopefully you have a marketing plan for your blog outside of SEO, such as Facebook groups, but you need to know SEO for that targeted traffic, and traffic that is more likely to stick and convert.
And if you’re paying $99+ a month for keyword tools before your blog even has traffic, then you’re just burning money.
You don’t need Ahrefs.
You don’t need Semrush.
You don’t need to “invest in tools” at the beginning.
Now don’t get me wrong, those are fantastic tools, but they are overkill at the start. They are fantastic for when you’re running multi sites and are already earning, but you don’t need them to begin with.
You can actually do keyword research for free, right now, with tools already in front of you.
Why Keyword Research Actually Matters
Keyword research is all about writing stuff people are already searching for.
That’s it.
Good keyword research helps you:
- Write posts with built-in demand
- Avoid wasting time on content nobody wants
- Create topics that convert readers into subscribers
- Build topical authority over time
- Stack traffic without relying on social media
It’s the foundation of SEO.
A lot of new bloggers will chase high-volume keywords they have zero chance of ranking for. They obsess over monthly search data without understanding intent.
How To Do Keyword Research For Free
It’s really simple to do it for free, using Ahrefs free keyword research tool. The downside is it only gives you a certain number of terms in its result, but that doesn’t matter, it’s all you need at the start.
Here’s what you do, simply.
Search forums, groups, Pinterest, Reddit – anywhere your audience is hanging out. You can also use Google auto complete (Where you type something into google and it brings up popular terms).
Write down a load of questions and terms for your niche, it’s easy to find hundreds.
Simply put these questions into the free tool, use different ways to phrase the terms if need be, and see what pops up.
The reason you shouldn’t just take these phrases and questions you have found and just write about them is because you don’t know how difficult it will be to rank for them.
Now, that also doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write about them, as if it’s on topic for your audience and helpful, absolutely do it. But you will also need some easier long tail keywords to get some quick wins.
And here are a few other free keyword research tools you can use for ideas, too.
Keyword Sheeter — dump out thousands of auto-suggest results
AlsoAsked.com — visual map of related questions
AnswerThePublic — limited free use, still worth it
Keyword Difficulty
When you put in a search term, it will come up with a keyword difficulty score, you want the questions and keywords that are in the green, BUT, you also need to do your own research, don’t fully trust any keyword research tool, as they get it wrong.
Check the first page of Google yourself, see what is ranking. Are they high authority sites? Or do you have some low authority free WordPress or Substack sites ranking?
Always, always, always, do your own research on top.
Keyword Volume
The volume is the amount of traffic a month the keywords/phrases/question bring in a month, approx.
When you are starting out blogging, most of the ‘wins’ you can with SEO will be for long tail keywords with low search volume, and that’s OK.
I cannot tell you the number of times I have targeted a keyword that apparently has 0-100 search volume, or worse, no search data at all, and got wins.
Keyword Research tools often do not tell the whole story.
- Do you research and find out what your audience are asking
- Search it up using the free keyword research tool
- Find ones that are ‘easy’ to rank for, BUT check the first page of Google too and make your own obseverations.
- Don’t worry about search volume when starting out, you can target the bigger hitters when your site has some authority, you need to know your place.
- Write about and target the ‘easy’ to rank keywords, but also write about topics you know you won’t rank for as well if it is something you think your audience needs to know/needs help with. Mix it up.
And remember, never forget search intent. (Is the person looking to learn, do, or buy?)
Google Search Console For Keyword Research
This is something so many people don’t do.
Once your blog has some traffic, GSC is your best free keyword tool.
It tells you:
- What queries you’re showing up for
- What people are clicking
- What has impressions but no clicks (aka: opportunity)
Use it to update posts, add sections, or spin off new content.
Free Keyword Research Takes More Time, But It’s Free
Yes, free keyword research might take a bit more time, but it seriously is all you need, especially at the start of your journey.
That money you’re spending on Ahrefs/Semrush subscriptions can be put to some better use, like advertising.
They have a place and can be very helpful, but it’s down the road, not when you’re beginning.
Yes, they are great tools, but they aren’t tools that are needed.
And when you learn to do it manually, you learn to think like your reader.
