1. Introduction
Finding good keywords is very important. But it can be hard to know which words are popular or how hard it is to rank for them. That’s where keyword research tools come in. They help you discover the best words to use in your content.
The good news is, you don’t always need to spend money. There are many free tools that can help you find the right keywords. These tools are easy to use and can give you a lot of helpful information.
In this article, I will share some of the best free keyword research tools for 2024. I’ll tell you what makes each one special and how you can use them to improve your website’s SEO. Whether you are new to SEO or have a small business, these tools can help you get started without spending time.
2. Why Use Free Keyword Research Tools?
When I first started working on my own website, I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on tools. I looked for free options to learn how keywords work. That’s when I found some very useful free tools that helped me grow my traffic. Using free tools is a smart way to start because it saves money and still gives you good results.
Free keyword tools are perfect for beginners. They help you understand what people are searching for and what words you should include in your content. If you own a small business or run a hobby website, these tools are just right for you.
But, there are some things to keep in mind. Free tools may have limits. You might only get a certain number of searches each day or see less detailed data. Still, they are a great way to learn and get your website noticed with little or no cost.
3. Top Free Keyword Research Tools in 2024
3.1 Google Keyword Planner
One of the most popular free tools is Google Keyword Planner. It is made by Google, and it is mainly used to find keywords for Google Ads. But, it’s also very helpful for SEO.
Best for: Finding keyword ideas and doing research for paid ads (PPC).
Features: It shows how many people search for a word each month, how hard it is to rank for that word, and how much it costs if you want to run ads.
How to access and use: You need a free Google Ads account. Once you sign up, you can enter words or phrases, and the tool will give you a list of related terms and data about them.
I used Google Keyword Planner when I started my blog. It helped me find keywords that people were searching for but weren’t too hard to rank for. That made my content more visible.
3.2 Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is another great free tool. It was created by Neil Patel, a well-known SEO expert. I like it because it’s simple and gives lots of useful ideas.
Best for: Finding keyword ideas and checking what competitors are doing.
Features: It shows search volume (how many people search for a word), how difficult it is to rank for that word, and ideas for related content.
Benefits of free plan: You can do several searches per day, enough for small projects or learning.
I have used Ubersuggest to find long-tail keywords—these are more specific phrases that often bring in visitors who are ready to buy or learn. It’s a handy tool for beginners.
3.3 Moz Keyword Explorer
Moz is a trusted name in SEO. Their free tool, Keyword Explorer, gives detailed keyword suggestions and useful metrics.
Best for: Getting a wide list of keyword ideas with helpful data.
Free plan limits: You can only perform a few searches each month unless you sign up for a paid plan.
Unique features: It shows how difficult it might be to rank for each keyword and offers insights into the search engine results page (SERP)—that’s the list of websites that show up after a search.
I’ve used Moz to find keywords related to my niche and to see how competitive they are. It helped me choose better words to focus on.
3.4 SEMrush Free Plan
SEMrush is a very powerful SEO tool. Its free version lets you explore keywords and analyze your competitors.
Best for: Advanced SEO insights and competitor research.
Features: It shows you gaps in your keywords compared to competitors, and how your site ranks for different search terms.
Limitations of free usage: You can only do a few searches each day, but it’s enough to get valuable data.
I’ve found SEMrush useful when I want to see which keywords my competitors are ranking for and how I can improve my own site.
3.5 Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
One tool I like to use is Ahrefs Webmaster Tools. It helps you find quick-win keywords—that means words that are easy to rank for and can give you fast results.
Features overview:
It shows which keywords bring visitors to your site and helps you see what your competitors are doing. You can find keywords with less competition, so you get results faster.
How to leverage limited free data:
Even with free access, Ahrefs gives useful information. You can see which keywords are easy to rank for and focus on those. When I started using Ahrefs, I looked for simple keywords that I could rank on quickly, and it helped me grow my website faster.
3.6 Google Trends
Google Trends is a great tool to see how popular certain keywords are over time. It shows if a topic is rising or falling in interest.
Best for:
Analyzing keyword trends over months or years. It helps you find topics that are currently popular or seasonal.
Features:
You can see trending topics, seasonality (like how searches for Christmas decorations spike in December), and related queries. This helps you plan content for when people are most interested.
My experience:
I used Google Trends when I wanted to write about holiday gift ideas. It showed me which products people were searching for most during different seasons, so I created content at the right time.
3.7 Keyword Tool (Keywordtool.io)
Keyword Tool is helpful for finding long-tail keywords—these are longer, more specific phrases that people search for.
How it works:
It uses autocomplete suggestions from Google and other search engines. When you type a word, it gives you many related ideas based on what people are actually searching.
Free vs paid features:
The free version shows many keyword ideas, but for more detailed data like search volume, you need to upgrade. I started with the free version to gather ideas and then decided if I needed the paid features later.
3.8 Answer the Public
Answer the Public helps you discover questions people are asking online. These questions are perfect for creating content that answers real needs.
How it helps with content planning:
It shows common questions related to your keywords. When I wrote blog posts, I used this tool to find what people wanted to know. Answering their questions made my content more helpful and improved my search rankings.
Limitations of free access:
You can only do a few searches per day unless you subscribe. But even with limited searches, it’s a great way to get ideas for new content.
3.9 Mangools KWFinder
KWFinder by Mangools is known for analyzing keywords and showing how hard it is to rank for each one.
Best for:
Finding keywords with lower difficulty scores so you can rank faster.
Free tier features:
The free plan allows you to search for a few keywords each day and see their difficulty scores. It’s simple and easy to use.
User interface and usability:
I found KWFinder very user-friendly. It has a clean design, and I could quickly understand which keywords to target.
4. How to Choose the Right Free Keyword Tool
When picking a tool, think about what’s most important for you. Do you want accurate search volume? Easy to use? Deep data? Sometimes, using a combination of tools gives the best results. For example, I use Google Trends for trends, Ubersuggest for ideas, and Moz for detailed metrics.
To get the most out of free tools, I suggest setting clear goals. For instance, if you want quick wins, focus on low-competition keywords. If you’re planning seasonal content, trends data will help.
5. Tips for Effective Keyword Research with Free Tools
- Focus on long-tail keywords: These longer, specific phrases often have less competition and attract visitors who are ready to buy or learn. I’ve had good luck finding these with Ubersuggest and Keyword Tool.
- Analyze competitor keywords: See what keywords your competitors rank for. Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs can help with this.
- Use trend data for seasonal content: Google Trends shows when certain topics are popular, so you can plan your content ahead of time.
- Prioritize keywords: Look at how hard it is to rank for a keyword versus how many searches it gets. Target those with good search volume and low difficulty.
Using these tips, I’ve been able to grow my website steadily by choosing the right keywords and creating content that matches what people are searching for most.
