If you want to find valuable keywords, you request to usage keyword investigation tools.
In this post, we’ll look astatine 18 of nan champion SEO keyword investigation devices (including immoderate free options) to thief you execute effective keyword research.
Let’s start.
Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool is simply a powerful keyword investigation tool.
It draws from nan largest keyword database connected nan market—over 25 cardinal keywords crossed 142 world databases. And has AI features to thief you spot information circumstantial to your website.
Enter your seed keyword (a wide word related to your business), participate your domain sanction successful nan “AI-powered feature” box, prime your preferred country, and click “Search.”
You’ll spot thousands (or millions) of keyword ideas and their corresponding metrics successful seconds.
And if you entered your domain, you’ll besides spot your Personal Keyword Difficulty (PKD %) score—which indicates really difficult it would beryllium for your circumstantial domain to rank highly for a fixed term.
This helps you quickly place easier-to-rank-for keywords that are a cleanable fresh for your site. And person nan imaginable to earnestly summation your SEO rankings.
Here's really to refine your results utilizing this metric:
- Click nan "Personal KD %" drop-down menu
- Select your desired keyword trouble level (e.g., "Easy") aliases participate a civilization range
- Click “Apply”
Selecting "Easy" will springiness you a database of keywords that you’re apt to easy rank for by creating high-quality content that matches nan searcher's intent.
The array besides displays "KD %," nan wide keyword difficulty score. Which reflects really difficult it is for each sites to rank successful nan apical 10 connected Google for a circumstantial keyword.
Comparing “PKD %” and “KD %” tin springiness you a clearer image of what keywords are astir applicable to your site.
For example, nan keyword "cheap car insurance" mightiness person a precocious “KD %” of 85%, indicating beardown competition.
But if your website is known for its low-cost car security and has precocious website authority, this could lead to a little Personal Keyword Difficulty score, meaning it’s much apt to rank successful nan apical 10 than different sites pinch akin KD % scores.
Consider utilizing nan pursuing filters to further refine your results:
- “Questions”: To spot keyword ideas successful nan shape of questions
- “Broad Match,”“Phrase Match,” “Exact Match,” and “Related”: To spot different variations of your seed keyword
- “Languages”: To look for keywords successful different languages
- “Volume”: To hunt for keywords that autumn nether circumstantial search volume ranges
- “Intent”: To spot keywords that bespeak a circumstantial search intent, for illustration “Informational,” “Navigational,” “Commercial,” aliases “Transactional”
Pricing
The Keyword Magic Tool is simply a portion of Semrush’s SEO toolkit. You tin sign up for free and execute 10 keyword searches per day. But nan disposable information will beryllium limited.
To usage nan Keyword Magic Tool to its fullest potential, subscribe to 1 of nan paid plans.
The pricing starts astatine $108.33 per period (billed annually).
2. Keyword Overview
Keyword Overview provides a elaborate overview of immoderate keyword successful nan Semrush database. And generates different related keyword ideas.
Enter 1 aliases much (up to 100) keywords you want to analyse and input your domain sanction to get personalized results.
Then, prime your preferred state and click “Search.”
The instrumentality will make an overview study for your keyword.
The study has 3 main sections.
The first conception gives you a speedy snapshot of cardinal metrics, like:
- Volume: The mean number of monthly searches successful nan selected database
- Domain-specific insights: Including Personal Keyword Difficulty, topical authority (your website’s wide authority and expertise connected nan subject), your ranking potential, and your existent position successful hunt results
- Intent: The intent (or nan “why?”) down nan search
Here’s what that conception looks like:
Click "View high-potential keywords" to spot a database of keywords your website could easy rank for based connected your existent authority and nan competition.
The 2nd conception will springiness you an overview of different applicable keywords, including “Keyword Variations” and “Questions,” pinch PKD % scores adjacent to each.
Click nan “View each # keywords” buttons to spot each nan keyword ideas related to your main keyword for each of nan categories.
Lastly, nan “SERP Analysis” conception shows nan top-ranking pages for nan analyzed keyword.
Here’s what it looks for illustration successful nan tool:
Toggle nan "SERP Analysis" heading to "Domain" to summation insights into your website's ranking imaginable for that circumstantial keyword.
Further reading: How to Use Keyword Overview to Analyze Keywords
Price
The Keyword Overview instrumentality comes pinch Semrush’s SEO toolkit. You tin sign up for free to analyse 10 keywords per day.
If you want to analyse much keywords, subscribe to nan Pro plan for $108.33 per period (billed annually).
3. Google Trends
Google Trends is 1 of nan champion free keyword investigation devices that lets you spot which topics are trending successful regions astir nan world.
Just participate a keyword into nan hunt barroom and click “Explore.”
You’ll spot whether nan liking for that keyword is growing, declining, aliases remaining steady.
The instrumentality will besides show related queries and topics based connected your main keyword.
You tin moreover comparison 2 aliases much keywords against each different to spot which keyword is astir popular.
For example, if we comparison “car insurance” pinch “auto insurance,” we spot much group are searching for “car insurance.”
That doesn’t make “auto insurance” a bad keyword to target. It’s conscionable thing to consider.
You tin (and should) target some keywords if they’re applicable to your business.
Pricing
Google Trends is free.
4. Keyword Strategy Builder
Keyword Strategy Builder is simply a keyword instrumentality from Semrush that helps you create a website architecture that users and hunt engines will love. By taking your keyword ideas and generating tons of grouped ideas.
Here’s really to usage it:
Enter your seed keyword and click “Create list.”
The instrumentality will return you to a study that lays retired your topics, pillar pages (main pages covering wide topics) and subpages (pages focusing connected circumstantial subtopics wrong nan main themes).
Scroll down to nan "Pages Details" conception to amended understand which keywords are astir applicable to each pillar page and subpage.
Clicking connected immoderate pillar aliases subpage reveals a database of keywords (called a keyword cluster) you tin usage connected that circumstantial page to optimize it for search.
Look for nan greenish "high ranking potential" tag. Which indicates an perfect operation of hunt measurement and keyword difficulty.
You tin deliberation of this measurement of organizing contented for illustration a tree:
- Trunk: Your pillar pages are for illustration nan main trunk of your tree. And screen wide topics (e.g., "digital marketing").
- Branches: Your subpages are for illustration nan branches that stem from nan trunk. They research circumstantial parts of your main topics (e.g., "social media marketing").
- Leaves: The keywords listed nether each pillar page and subpage are for illustration nan leaves connected nan branches. They show you what circumstantial words and phrases to usage successful your contented to pull nan correct group to your site.
By pursuing this tree-like structure, you'll create a website that's easy to navigate and helps hunt engines understand what your tract is about.
Price
Keyword Strategy Builder is simply a paid tool. To usage it, subscribe to 1 of Semrush’s paid plans.
Subscriptions commencement astatine $108.33 per period (billed annually).
5. Organic Research
Semrush’s Organic Research instrumentality helps you observe your competitors’ keyword data.
Here’s really to usage it.
Open nan tool, participate a competitor’s domain, and click “Search.”
You’ll spot tons of different information points.
Go to nan “Top Keywords” conception and click nan “View each # keywords” button.
You’ll spot each nan keywords that competitor ranks for successful Google’s apical 100 results.
If nan database is massive, and you want thing much manageable, use 1 aliases much of nan pursuing filters:
- Positions
- Volume
- Keyword difficulty
- Intent
- SERP features
Like this:
You tin besides export this data.
Just click connected nan “Export” fastener successful nan correct area astatine nan apical of nan array and take your preferred record type.
This characteristic is useful erstwhile you’re successful a hurry and want to analyse those keywords later.
Price
Organic Research is simply a freemium instrumentality that gives you 10 free searches per day. The disposable keyword information is constricted successful nan free plan.
With nan paid plan, you tin unlock much data. Pricing starts astatine $108.33 per period (paid annually).
6. QuestionDB
QuestionDB shows you nan questions group inquire connected forum sites for illustration Reddit and Stack Exchange. This tin thief you create question-based keywords.
Its mobility database gives you penetration into what your assemblage wants to know. So you tin create adjuvant contented that answers those questions.
For example, beneath are a fewer results for nan seed keyword “content creation.”
And you tin usage it for aggregate position to make moreover much keyword ideas.
Price
The instrumentality has a free option, but you’ll spot constricted results successful each search.
The Solo plan costs $15 per period and offers 100 monthly searches pinch unlimited results for each search.
7. Keyword Gap
Keyword Gap is simply a powerful keyword spread analysis instrumentality that helps you excavation done your competitors’ keyword profiles to spot really galore keywords you stock pinch them. It besides shows missing keywords—ones your competitors rank for but you don’t.
The missing keywords are fundamentally new keyword opportunities for your website.
First, unfastened nan tool, participate your domain and up to 4 competitors’ domains, and click “Compare.”
The instrumentality will make a broad study for you.
The “Keyword Overlap” conception of nan study shows you nan comparative size of each domain’s keyword floor plan and really overmuch they overlap.
Below, you tin analyse your existent keyword floor plan against your competition.
Focus connected nan “Missing” and “Weak” tabs to find keywords you haven’t targeted yet. Or those you could execute amended for.
Click connected keywords you’d for illustration to study much about. Or nonstop them to Keyword Strategy Builder to reference later.
Price
Keyword Gap is simply a freemium tool. You tin execute 10 comparisons per time for free.
For more, you’ll request to subscribe to a paid plan. Pricing starts astatine $108.33 per period (billed annually).
8. Rank Tracker for YouTube
Rank Tracker for YouTube is an app that tracks your YouTube transmission rankings. So you tin amended your videos' performance.
You tin besides way competitor’s channels to spot what’s moving for them.
To get started, transcript and paste your YouTube transmission URL successful nan provided barroom and click “Add Channel.”
Next, adhd your keywords. You tin do this manually by adding 1 keyword per statement and clicking “Import Keywords.” Or by importing a database of keywords from Semrush aliases your YouTube channel.
Once you import your keywords, you tin reappraisal nan mean ranking position, your keyword distribution, and rank changes for each your targeted keywords.
You tin besides pinpoint which contented performs champion for that keyword (by clicking “Preview”).
Pricing
Rank Tracker for YouTube is subscription-based and costs $19 per month (after a seven-day free trial). This includes search for unlimited YouTube channels and up to 200 keywords.
You tin adhd much keywords for an further charge.
9. AlsoAsked
The AlsoAsked keyword hunt instrumentality aggregates questions from Google’s People Also Ask (PAA) boxes. To uncover question-based keywords surrounding your main topic.
The instrumentality shows each nan mobility keywords connected a branching sketch that illustrates their relationships.
For example, these questions populate if you participate “content creation” successful nan U.S.:
These questions person their ain PAA results. And those caller questions show further branches.
If you click connected nan “+” 1 of nan branches, you tin position a caller sketch starting from that point.
This shows some imaginable topics and their relationships. Which tin thief you find really to building your articles.
You tin besides export this information arsenic a CSV (for Lite and Pro plans) aliases an image for study aliases presentations.
Price
AlsoAsked is simply a free keyword investigation instrumentality pinch paid options.
A free relationship allows you to execute 3 searches each 24 hours. The paid plans commencement astatine $15 monthly and springiness you 100 monthly searches.
10. Keyword Analytics for YouTube
Keyword Analytics for YouTube reveals user trends connected YouTube. So you tin target words that bring your videos much viewers.
Say you want to station an iPhone 15 merchandise reappraisal video to your YouTube transmission but don’t cognize what keywords to usage to get traffic.
Simply type your taxable into nan hunt barroom and click “Search.” And connected nan left, you’ll spot nan database of apical keywords, their hunt volumes, and their competitory rates.
On nan right, you’ll spot nan metrics for nan keyword selected, a container that displays keywords related to your specified keyword, and nan apical videos trending for nan chosen keyword.
Once you’ve wished nan information you want to attraction on, you tin export this accusation to a PDF by clicking “Export to PDF.”
Price
Keyword Analytics for YouTube is an app successful nan Semrush App Center and costs $10 monthly. You tin besides entree nan instrumentality pinch a free seven-day trial.
11. Ecommerce Keyword Analytics
Ecommerce Keyword Analytics is simply a keyword investigation app that offers accusation astir nan keywords users hunt for connected starring retailers’ domains (e.g., “amazon.com” and “target.com”).
With this app, you tin reappraisal nan top-performing retail keywords based connected nan estimated number of orders, conversion rates, and more.
If you find a keyword pinch a precocious conversion rate, you tin presume it comes pinch comparatively precocious acquisition intent. So, it could beryllium valuable for your campaign.
To usage Ecommerce Keyword Analytics, take your country, participate your keyword, and click “Search.”
Under nan “Retail Keywords” tab, you tin analyse up to 4 keywords crossed aggregate domains.
You tin besides reappraisal related keywords and nan apical online retailers for your designated keywords successful nan tables beneath nan graph.
Go to nan “Top Keywords” tab to spot a database of nan apical 25 keywords crossed ecommerce sites.
Price
You tin trial this app first pinch a free seven-day trial.
After nan free trial, Ecommerce Keyword Analytics runs $19.99 per month.
12. Organic Traffic Insights
The Organic Traffic Insights combines information from Semrush, Google Analytics, and Google Search Console to supply a high-level look astatine really your apical pages perform.
You tin besides retrieve keywords antecedently concealed nether nan “not provided” class successful Google Analytics.
Start by setting up a task successful nan tool.
Then, you’ll spot a study pinch tons of information points:
Go to nan “Keywords” conception of nan study to find your underperforming keywords. These are immoderate keywords for which your rankings are 11 aliases higher.
You’re practically invisible to hunt motor users if you’re not ranking successful nan apical 10. So, uncovering your underperforming keywords and optimizing your website for them is important.
To find underperforming keywords, group nan position select to only show keywords wherever you rank successful position 11 aliases higher.
Price
Organic Traffic Insights comes arsenic portion of Semrush’s SEO toolkit. A free account gives you constricted entree to keyword data.
To unlock much data, subscribe to a paid plan for $108.33 per period (billed annually).
13. Keyword Surfer
Keyword Surfer is simply a free keyword investigation instrumentality successful nan shape of a Google Chrome extension. And shows keyword suggestions straight connected hunt motor results pages (SERPs).
It shows related keywords, their overlap pinch nan original hunt query (the percent of hunt results shared pinch nan original hunt query), and their hunt volumes.
And it shows nan pursuing accusation for hunt results:
- Estimated monthly traffic
- The number of words connected nan page
- How galore times nan nonstop hunt building appears connected a page
- A “Title Change” badge successful lawsuit Google has changed nan original title tag
Price
Keyword Surfer’s hold is simply a free tool.
14. AnswerThePublic
AnswerThePublic is keyword package that uses autocomplete suggestions from hunt engines for illustration Google to find questions group are searching for.
In this example, we’ll usage “content creation” arsenic our seed keyword and look astatine nan hunt information from nan U.S.
The instrumentality show nan queries it finds related to “content creation,” grouped successful a visual:
The hunt position marked pinch a darker shadiness of orangish are much popular.
You tin besides position nan aforesaid information successful array format:
All these questions thief you understand what your assemblage wants to know. So you tin reside them successful your content.
You tin besides find:
- Search phrases by a preposition (e.g., “content creation for societal media”)
- Comparisons (e.g., “content creationvsmarketing”)
- Alphabeticals (e.g., "content creation apps” would beryllium grouped nether "A”)
- Related searches
Price
You tin usage AnswerThePublic for free, but nan number of searches you tin tally is constricted to 3 per day.
Paid plans commencement astatine $11 monthly, giving you 100 regular searches.
15. TubeBuddy
TubeBuddy is simply a browser hold that helps you execute YouTube-specific keyword research. To optimize and turn your YouTube channel.
It uses its Keyword Explorer characteristic to do that.
To usage it, participate a keyword you’re willing successful and click “Explore.”
In nan “Summary” tab, you’ll find a people for your keyword retired of 100.
This people considers nan magnitude of title you person and really well-optimized nan top-ranking videos are.
The higher nan score, nan much title you have. The little nan score, nan little title you person for a keyword.
Here, you’ll besides find a breakdown of liking complete clip for that keyword connected YouTube and Google, arsenic good arsenic related video topics and tags.
Click nan “Results” tab for a snapshot of nan existent YouTube results for that keyword.
If you click done to watch 1 of those videos, you’ll find a “Videolytics” panel. It shows capacity data, video tags, etc.
Price
With a free account, you tin execute 25 regular searches.
You tin take from aggregate paid tiers (including an endeavor option). They commencement astatine $3.75 per month.
Keyword Tool uses autocomplete information from various hunt engines and sites—including Google, Bing, YouTube, Amazon, Instagram, eBay, and Play Store—to thief you find keyword ideas and celebrated hashtags.
First, prime nan hunt motor and state for which you want to position data. Then, participate your seed keyword and deed nan hunt icon.
The instrumentality will make a database of autocomplete suggestions, questions, and prepositions from your selected source.
Then, you tin prime each nan keywords you want to target and click nan export icon to download them arsenic a CSV aliases Excel file.
Price
You tin usage nan free type of Keyword Tool without creating an account, but you won’t beryllium capable to spot metrics for nan position it shows.
Paid plans connection much accusation and commencement astatine $69 per month.
17. Keyword Planner
Keyword Planner is simply a Google keyword investigation tool.
Although Google intends it for advertisers who put successful pay-per-click (PPC) advertizing pinch Google Ads, you tin besides usage it arsenic an SEO keyword tool.
To entree Keyword Planner, you’ll request a Google Ads account. If you’re unsure really to group that up, travel nan instructions successful our guideline to Google Keyword Planner.
You tin usage Keyword Planner to find caller keywords and find humanities information astir keywords.
To find caller keywords, click “Discover caller keywords.” Then, participate your seed keyword and click “Get results.”
You’ll spot a bunch of keyword ideas successful seconds.
To find monthly hunt measurement information for a database of keywords, click “Get hunt measurement and forecasts.”
Then, you tin type, transcript and paste, aliases upload your database of keywords. And click “Get started.”
Here, you’ll find humanities information for your batch of keywords. To measure caller keywords you’re considering.
Price
Keyword Planner is free, but you tin only entree it via a Google Ads relationship (which asks for billing information).
It’s champion to entree this instrumentality utilizing an relationship that spends money connected Google Ads, arsenic this tin thief you entree amended data.
18. Soovle
Soovle is simply a free keyword study instrumentality that aggregates hunt suggestions crossed aggregate hunt engines and websites. Including Google, Bing, Wikipedia, Amazon, eBay, and YouTube.
After you participate your seed keyword, nan suggestions will automatically populate complete their respective hunt motor logos.
You tin usage your correct arrow cardinal to move done each hunt motor and click connected immoderate keyword to position its unrecorded hunt results page.
To prevention a keyword to reference later, resistance it to nan book icon successful nan apical near corner.
Price
Soovle is free.
With truthful galore keyword investigation devices available, choosing nan correct 1 whitethorn look overwhelming.
Consider these cardinal factors erstwhile deciding:
- Database size: A larger database intends much imaginable keyword ideas. Semrush boasts nan largest keyword database (over 25 cardinal keywords), which tin thief you find applicable and high-performing keywords.
- Personalized insights: Look for devices that connection insights tailored to your website. For example, Semrush’s Personal Keyword Difficulty metric and taxable authority appraisal tin thief you pinpoint nan champion keywords to target.
- Strategy features: Tools that thief you organize, prioritize, and instrumentality your keyword strategy (like Keyword Strategy Builder) tin prevention clip and effort
- Integration pinch different tools: A instrumentality that integrates seamlessly pinch different devices tin streamline your workflows. For example, Semrush integrates pinch devices for illustration Google Search Console, Google Analytics,Yoast, Surfer, and Supermetircs.
- Cost: While free keyword devices tin beryllium a bully starting point, they often person limitations. Paid devices connection broad data, precocious features, and personalized insights for a much effective SEO strategy. While there's a cost, nan imaginable return connected finance tin beryllium significant.
Pick nan Right Keyword Research Tools
Effective keyword investigation is nan instauration of a successful SEO strategy. It helps you understand what your target assemblage is searching for, truthful you tin create contented that drives imaginable customers to your business.
Semrush offers a scope of powerful keyword investigation devices to thief you observe your website's astir applicable and high-performing keywords.
Want to trial them retired earlier committing to a paid plan?
No problem! You tin motion up for a free trial.