Keyword Research for Beginners – Find Low Competition Keywords
If “keyword research for beginners” makes you feel like you’re about to accidentally enroll in a night class taught entirely in acronyms… same. The good news: finding low competition keywords isn’t magic, and it’s definitely not reserved for SEO wizards with 17 monitors and a suspiciously calm personality.
It’s more like thrift shopping.
You’re not trying to buy the fanciest designer coat on the rack (a.k.a. “best credit cards” or “lose weight fast”). You’re trying to find the weirdly perfect jacket nobody noticed yet… that still fits, looks good, and actually gets worn.
That’s what this guide is: how to spot those ignored-but-gold keyword opportunities, pick the right ones for your site, and turn them into posts that rank without you needing a backlink miracle.
30-second cheat sheet (read this if you’re busy or mildly panicking)
- Low competition keywords are usually longer, more specific phrases (3+ words) with clear intent.
- You win by targeting “winnable” SERPs, not by chasing huge volume.
- Use a simple workflow: seed topic → expand → filter → SERP reality check → write the best answer.
- New sites should prioritize easy wins (low difficulty + clear intent + weak-ish results).
- One “meh” keyword won’t change your life. A system of 30–100 low-competition posts absolutely can.
What “low competition keywords” actually means (without the fluff)
A low competition keyword is a search phrase where you can realistically rank on page 1 without already being a big brand, having tons of backlinks, or having a domain that’s older than your favorite hoodie.
But here’s what most people miss:
“Low competition” isn’t a number. It’s a situation.
Low competition usually looks like this:
- The search query is specific (long-tail).
- The current results are… kind of underwhelming.
- Google is still trying to figure out the best answer.
- You can match the search intent better than what’s ranking now.
And it’s not always tied to low volume.
Sometimes a keyword gets 200–1,000+ searches/month and still has weak results because:
- Big sites don’t care about it,
- It’s too niche,
- it’s new-ish,
- Or the intent is annoying to satisfy (meaning lazy content gets punished).
The beginner keyword framework I wish someone handed me earlier
Before tools, spreadsheets, and spiraling… You need a simple mental model.
The 4-part “Should I write this?” test
For any keyword idea, ask:
- Intent: Can you tell what the searcher wants in one sentence?
- Relevance: Does this fit your site’s vibe and audience?
- Winnability: Do the current top results look beatable?
- Payoff: If you ranked, would it help you (traffic, email signups, affiliate clicks, sales)?
If you can’t answer these fast, that keyword is not “bad”… it’s just not ready yet.
Step-by-step: Keyword research for beginners (low-competition edition)
This is the workflow. It’s not fancy. It works.
Step 1: Start with “seed topics” (but don’t pick the most obvious ones)
A seed topic is a broad theme that your audience cares about.
Examples:
- “meal prep”
- “budgeting”
- “home workouts”
- “email marketing”
- “dog training”
- “RV camping”
But beginners make one classic mistake: they start with the biggest, most generic seed possible and then wonder why everything is hard.
Instead, shrink it slightly.
Better seed topics:
- “meal prep for night shift”
- “budgeting with irregular income”
- “home workouts for bad knees”
- “email marketing for Etsy sellers”
- “dog training for anxious rescue dogs”
- “RV camping with kids under 5”
Those seeds produce keyword ideas that naturally lean towards low competition.
Step 2: Expand your list (free + paid options)
You need a big, messy list before you clean it up.
Free expansion sources (shockingly effective)
- Google Autocomplete (type your seed, see suggestions)
- “People also ask” boxes
- “Related searches” at the bottom of Google
- Reddit threads (look for repeated wording)
- YouTube search suggestions (great for how-to phrasing)
- Pinterest search suggestions (amazing for lifestyle niches)
What to do: copy phrases into a doc. No judging yet.
Paid tools (faster, deeper, less guessy)
If you can swing a tool subscription for even one month, it speeds everything up.
Common tool styles:
- Keyword explorer tools (difficulty + volume + ideas)
- Topic clustering tools (group keywords into content hubs)
- SERP analysis tools (see who ranks and why)
If you’re starting from scratch, don’t buy a tool because someone on Twitter yelled at you. Buy it because you’re ready to publish consistently and you want to reduce “wasted post” risk.
How to tell if a keyword is truly low competition (SERP reality check)
Tools will give you numbers. Google will give you the truth.
Open an incognito window (or just do a normal search and don’t overthink it). Searfor ch your keyword. Look at the top 10.
Green flags (you can probably compete)
- Forums like Reddit/Quoranking are in the top 5.
- Pinterest pins ranking (common in recipes, DIY, decor).
- Thin content with vague answers.
- Outdated posts (2018–2021) still ranking.
- Titles that don’t match the search (intent mismatch).
- Small blogs ranking (this is big: it means Google allows small sites here).
Yellow flags (possible, but you’ll need to work)
- A couple of strong brands, but also a couple weak results.
- Results are decent, but missing practical steps, examples, photos, templates, or updated info.
- The query is ambiguous (Google is mixing different intents).
Red flags (save for later)
- Dominated by massive brands (Healthline, NerdWallet, Amazon, etc.) with perfectly matched content.
- Results are packed with tools, interactive calculators, or product category pages when you can’t compete with that format.
- The top pages have insane author,ity, and the content is actually good. (Annoying, but fair.)
My lazy-but-effective scoring trick
Give each of the top 10 results a “beatability score”:
- 0 = no chance (big brand + great content)
- 1 = hard (big brand or great content)
- 2 = maybe (decent but has gaps)
- 3 = beatable (weak, outdated, thin, messy)
If you see at least 4 results scored 2–3, that keyword is worth a real look.
The “intent” part beginners skip (and then wonder why nothing ranks)
Search intent is the reason behind the search.
Most beginner SEO pain comes from writing the wrong type of content for the keyword.
The 5 basic intent types (use this like a cheat code)
- Informational: “how to,” “what is,” “why does”
- Commercial investigation: “best,” “top,” “review,” “vs”
- Transactional: “buy,” “coupon,” “discount,” “near. me”
- Navigational: “login,” “dashboard,” “brand .name”
- Local: “in [city],” “near me,” “ope.n now”
Now look at the SERP. Google tells you the intent by what it ranks:
- If results are mostly listicles, don’t publish a “definition” post.
- If results are mostly tutorials, don’t publish a product roundup.
- If results are mostly category pages, don’t publish a 4,000-word diary entry (tempting though).
How to find low competition keywords with free tools (the “no budget” path)
You can absolutely do this without paying. It just takes more eyeballs and a bit more patience.
Method 1: Autocomplete + alphabet soup
Type your seed into Google, then add a letter.
Example:
“keyword research for beginners a…”
“keyword research for beginners b…”
Repeat with:
- “for”
- “with”
- “without”
- “near”
- “under”
- “best”
- “template”
- “checklist”
You’ll pull out long-tail phrasing straight from real searches.
Method 2: People Also Ask mining
Search your seed. Expand a few PAA questions. Keep clicking.
Then save:
- exact question wording,
- any repeats,
- any oddly specific questions (those are often easy wins).
Method 3: Reddit + Quora wording extraction
Use searches like:
- site:reddit.com “your topic” “how do I”
- site:quora.com “your topic” “best way”
People write how they actually think. Those phrases often become perfect long-tail keywords.
Method 4: Google Trends for “rising” niches
This doesn’t replace keyword research, but it helps you spot:
- emerging subtopics,
- seasonal spikes,
- phrasing variations.
If you’re early, competition tends to be lower.
How to find low competition keywords with paid tools (the “I value my time” path)
If you’re using a keyword tool that shows difficulty and volume, here’s the basic filter setup that works for most new-ish sites:
Beginner-friendly filter baseline
- Word count: 3+
- Difficulty: low (or under ~20–30, depending on the tool)
- Volume: 200+ (nice when feasible, but don’t be religious about it)
- Include: “for,” “best,” “how to,” “near,” “without,” “vs,” “template,” “checkl.ist”
Then you still do the SERP check because difficulty scores are helpful but not holy.
The sneaky filter that finds “buyer-ish” long tails
If your blog makes money via affiliates or products, look for modifiers like:
- “best”
- “review”
- “alternative”
- “worth it”
- “for beginners”
- “for small business.ess”
- “under [price]”
- “with [feature]”
- “without [pain po.int]”
Those keywords often convert way better than pure info queries.
What to write: content formats that win low-competition SERPs
If you want to rank, don’t just pick the keyword. Match the format.
Formats that tend to work ridiculously well
- Step-by-step tutorials (with screenshots, templates, checklists)
- “Best X for Y” lists (but genuinely specific)
- Comparison posts (“X vs Y for beginners”)
- Problem-solver posts (“how to fix…” “why is…”)
- Starter kits (“what you need to start…”)
- Templates and swipe files (these get saved/shared)
Pro tip: Add one “experience layer.”
Beginners can beat big sites by being more real.
Add:
- a quick mini story,
- a mistake you made,
- a screenshot of your own notes,
- your exact process,
- your “I thought this would work,ork but it didn’t” moment.
Google’s not allergic to personality. Readers definitely aren’t.
Mini case note: How one “tiny” keyword became a traffic faucet
A while back, I helped a friend with a brand-new blog (the kind with three posts and one of them was an emotional rant about oat milk).
We found a keyword that sounded almost too specific:
“morning routine for ADHD moms”
Not huge volume. Not glamorous.
But the SERP was weak. A coupleof forums. Some vague list posts. Nothing is actually practical.
So we wrote the post like a real person:
- a realistic routine that starts late (because life),
- a “minimum viable morning” checklist,
- a printable,
- and a section called “what to do when your kid loses a shoe at 7:58.”
That post started ranking within weeks. It pulled in the right people. And once those readers trusted the blog, affiliate recommendations in later posts actually worked.
That’s the low-competition keyword game:
not viral in a day, but stable and compounding.
The “money” part: Choosing keywords that can earn (without being gross about it)
Here’s how to make affiliate content feel helpful instead of… like you’re trying to pay rent with link spam.
Two buckets of affiliate-friendly keywords
1) Commercial investigation (best/review/vs)
These are obvious monetizers.
Examples:
- “best keyword research tool for beginners”
- “Ubersuggest vs Semrush for small business”
- “best planner for ADHD adults”
- “best air fryer for small apartment”
2) Problem-solving (soft monetization)
These are sneaky and often convert well because the pain is real.
ExamplesHow
- how to organize receipts tax.xes.”
- “how to start journaling when you hate writing.”
- “how to stop dog from pulling on leash”
The trick: recommend a product only when it genuinely helps solve the problem faster/easier.
Contextual tools & resources (with Amazon links you can actually use)
These aren’t “must buys.” They’re “if this solves a real pain point, it’s worth it” suggestions.
For keyword research + planning chaos
- A simple paper planner for content mapping and weekly publishing rhythm: content planner for bloggers
- A whiteboard for keyword clusters and topical maps (surprisingly motivating): whiteboard for office
- Sticky notes for SERP intent mapping (low-tech, high value): sticky notes
For writing posts that actually rank (and don’t ruin your posture)
- A basic laptop stand (your neck will write you a thank-you note): laptop stand
- A budget external keyboard (typing long posts on a laptop is a villain arc): wireless keyboard
- A desk lamp for late-night “I’ll just outline this real quick” sessions: desk lamp
For content creation assets (screenshots, visuals, organization)
- A ring light (if you create video + blog): ring light
- A cheap tripod (steady hands are optional): phone tripod
The decision matrix: Pick the right keyword (without overthinking it)
When you’re staring at 200 keyword IDs, eas, and your brain turns into a screensaver, use this.
Quick scoring (0–2 points each)
Give each keyword:
- Intent clarity (0–2)
- Relevance to your site (0–2)
- SERP beatability (0–2)
- Monetization potential (0–2)
- Evergreen value (0–2)
Total out of 10.
Beginner rule: publish the 7–10s first.
The 5–6s go in the “later” list.
The 0–4s get politely escorted out.
What most people miss (aka why your “low competition” post still doesn’t rank)
Let’s talk about the quiet killers.
1) They pick a keyword but ignore the SERP format
If Google is ranking listicles and you write a tutorial… you can be “better” and still lose.
2) They aim for one keyword per post, like it’s 2012
One post can rank for dozens of related long-tails if you cover the topic deeply and naturally.
3) They skip internal links
Internal links are your site’s way of saying, “hey Google, this is important and connected.”
Simple internal linking plan:
- Each new post links to 2–3 older relevant posts.
- Each older post gets updated to link back (when possible).
- Use natural anchor text, not robotic exact-match everywhere.
4) They publish and never update
Low competition keywords are often “winnable” because the search content is stale.
A 10-minute refresh can keep rankings:
- update screenshots,
- add a new section,
- answer a new PAA question,
- improve the intro,
- Tighten headings.
A beginner-friendly content plan (that doesn’t require hustle culture)
If you want results, consistency beats intensity.
The “12 post” starter plan
Pick:
- 6 informational posthow-to/beginner guides)
- 4 commercial investigation posts (best / vs / review)
- 2 “tools + templates” posts (checklists, swipe files)
Publish 1 per week for 12 weeks.
You’re not trying to become an SEO legend in a month.
You’re building a library that compounds.
How to optimize your post (without turning it into keyword soup)
Here’s the on-page approach that’s people-first and SEO-friendly.
Where the keyword should show up naturally
- Title (make it human, not a robot’s grocery list)
- First 100 words (once is enough)
- A couple of headings (only when it fits)
- Image filename/alt text (describe the image like a normal person)
- FAQ questions (great place for natural long-tails)
What to do instead of stuffing
Use:
- synonyms,
- related phrases,
- concrete examples,
- entities (tools, platforms, concepts),
- “People also ask” questions as subheads.
If it reads weird out loud, Google probably won’t love it either.
Conclusion (ethical CTA, no weird pressure)
If keyword research has felt like a confusing popularity contest, here’s the reset: you’re not trying to win the whole internet. You’re trying to win specific searches from real people who want a clear answer.
Start small. Pick winnable SERPs. Publish consistently. Improve what works.
And if you want to make this fun: treat low competition keywords like tiny doors. Open enough of them, and eventually one leads to a hallway full of traffic.
Plain question: What niche are you working in (or thinking about), and do you want mostly informational traffic, affiliate income, or both?
Frequently Asked Questions about Keyword Research for Beginners – Find Low Competition Keywords
1) What are low competition keywords in SEO?
Low competition keywords are search phrases where the current top results are easier to beat, usually because the query is specific and the ranking pages are weak or mismatched.
2) Are low competition keywords always long-tail keywords?
Often yes, because longer phrases tend to be more specific and less contested, but not every long-tail keyword is automatically easy.
3) What’s a good keyword difficulty for a new blog?
As a beginner, aim for the lowest difficulty you can find and confirm it by checking the actual search results.
4) How many keywords should a beginner target per blog post?
Start with one primary keyword, then naturally include related subtopics and questions so the post can rank for multiple long-tail variations.
5) How do I check competition without paid tools?
Search the keyword in Google and evaluate the top results for weak content, outdated posts, and forums ranking high.
6) What’s the fastest way to find low competition keywords?
Use a seed topic, expand with autocomplete and “People also ask,” then filter ideas and run a SERP reality check.
7) Should I ignore high-volume keywords completely?
No—just don’t build your whole early strategy around them. Use low competition keywords to gain traction, then level up.
8) How do I find buyer-intent, low competition keywords?
Look for modifiers like “best,” “review,” “vs,” “alternative,” “for beginners,” and “under [price].”
9) Can low competition keywords still bring meaningful traffic?
Yes, because dozens of small keywords can add up to strong traffic over time, especially when posts rank for many variations.
10) Why do some low difficulty keywords still not rank?
Because difficulty scores can’t fully capture intent match, content quality, and SERP feat, res—always validate manually.
11) How often should I update old keyword-targeted posts?
A light refresh every 3–12 months helps, especially if rankings slip or the SERP changes.
12) How do I choose between two similar keywords?
Pick the one with clearer intent and a more beatable SERP, then incorporate the other as a secondary phrase in the same post.
13) Do I need backlinks to rank for low competition keywords?
Sometimes, but many low competition queries can rank with strong content and smart internal linking—especially for smaller niches.
14) What’s the best content type for low competition keywords?
Usually tutorials, checklists, templates, and very specific “best X for Y” posts—whatever matches what Google is already rewarding.
15) How many low competition posts do I need before seeing results?
Of the 10–30 helpful, targeted posts can start moving the needle, but consistency and topic focus matter more than a magic number.