No, AI won’t replace keyword research.
But it does replace the boring, manual thinking part that most people get wrong anyway.
Use it to spot opportunities – especially when you’re working with a low-authority site.
What AI Is Actually Good at (And What It Isn’t)
AI is bad at:
- search volume accuracy
- competition metrics
- predicting rankings
AI is good at:
- pattern recognition
- language variation
- intent expansion
- turning vague ideas into specific problems
- Helping with schema
Low-competition keywords live in language, not tools.
How to Use AI the Right Way When Blogging: 7 Things Smart Creators Know
Start With a Broad Topic (Not a Keyword)
Don’t say:
“Give me keywords for X”
That gets garbage – instead, start with a problem space.
Example:
“People trying to grow a new website with no traffic”
Then I ask AI:
“List the frustrations, mistakes, and questions beginners have around this.”
This gives you:
- emotional language
- real phrasing
- problem-first ideas
Low competition lives here.
Ask AI to Think Like a Beginner
Prompt something like:
“What would a beginner Google when they don’t know the right terminology yet?”
Beginners don’t search:
“topical authority framework”
They search:
“why isn’t my site ranking after blogging for 6 months”
That difference is everything.
These beginner-style queries:
- are longer
- have lower competition
- convert better
Force AI to Add Constraints
Constraints create long-tail keywords automatically.
Ask AI to rewrite ideas using:
- “with no budget”
- “with no backlinks”
- “for beginners”
- “for small sites”
- “without tools”
Example shift:
- “keyword research” > “keyword research for new sites with no authority”
Same topic, but completely different competition level.
Generate Variations, Not Lists
Avoid:
“Give me 50 keywords”
Instead, ask:
“Rewrite this idea 10 different ways a real person would search it.”
This surfaces:
- question-based keywords
- conversational phrasing
- natural long-tails Google loves
Most SEO tools won’t show these clearly – AI will.
Sanity-Check in Google (Always)
AI suggests.
Google decides.
For every promising phrase:
- Google it
- Look at page one
- Ask:
- Are these big sites?
- Are the results generic?
- Can I go more specific?
If the results are weak or mismatched, you’ve found a window.
Use AI to Analyze the SERP, Not Replace It
This is underrated.
Paste page-one titles into AI and ask:
“What angle is missing here?”
AI is great at spotting:
- overused formats
- repeated advice
- gaps in explanation
That’s how to write content that fits the keyword but still stands out.
Turn One Idea Into a Cluster
Once you find one low-competition keyword – ask AI:
“What sub-questions would someone ask next?”
This turns one keyword into:
- multiple posts
- internal linking opportunities
- topical authority
That’s how small sites scale without chasing harder terms.
What I Don’t Do With AI (On Purpose)
I don’t:
- trust AI difficulty scores
- skip manual Google checks
- publish AI-written content blindly
- chase volume numbers
AI helps me think better, not lazier.
Why This Works for Low-Authority Sites
Low-competition keywords aren’t rare.
They’re just:
- phrased differently
- problem-focused
- ignored by big sites
- too “small” for tools to highlight
AI helps surface that language fast.
So…
If a keyword:
- sounds like something a real person would type
- includes context or constraints
- returns weak or generic results
- solves a specific problem
Write about it.
