These 3 Free Keyword Research Tools Make Blogging WAY Too Easy!

Keyword research is one of those things that can easily overwhelm people who are just getting into blogging. There are so many tools, numbers, charts, acronyms, and SEO gurus telling you what you’re supposed to do that it’s tempting to never bother with keywords at all.

But, at the risk of sounding totally pig-headed, I’ve created multiple types of viral content, including articles that have competed for the number one spot on Google, and I’ll tell you this:

Every blogger and writer posting their work online should do some form of keyword research.

That doesn’t mean you have to become an SEO wizard. You don’t need to buy an expensive program or take a six-week course. You just need to understand the basics of how keywords work, what your audience is searching for, and how to use that information when creating your content.

I went much deeper into things like SEO, intent, and Google’s Helpful Content Update in my previous article, so if you want the more technical version, go check that out.

It’s right here: Writing for Virality: A Simple Guide to SEO & Google’s Helpful Content Update 

However, for this article, we’re keeping things simple, straightforward, and useful.

Think of this as the bare-bones guide to making keyword research work for you and your blog. And to make things even easier, I’m going to show you how to do it, as I’m doing it while writing this article.

You’ll see what I mean. Let’s hop to it!

Let’s Keyword Research a Niche

For this example, I’m going to do keyword research for a very specific niche: indie publishing.

As a producer who runs a small publishing side gig, I’ve been contacted by both friends and coworkers looking to self-publish. Sadly, they repeatedly run into the same AI-generated articles and are looking for something fresh, human, and helpful.

This obvious demand and the lack of content out there written by humans can only mean one thing….

ThunderCats are goooo!!!

Since this topic has to do with digital content creation, it’s the perfect category to add to my blog here, but before I do, I need to do a little research on what specific questions people are looking for. This will help me shape my content to please my audience.

And this is where keyword research comes in.

Where To Begin

I want to start my research in a way that makes my content immediately relevant to my audience. Even if your niche is extremely specific, keyword research can help you discover what your audience actually wants to know about the topic. 

It also helps identify the exact questions they’re asking, so you can provide those exact answers in a way that makes search engines, like Google, want to send more people to your site.

In short, with keyword research, you’re getting a peek into what people are privately searching and then using what you learn to create something they’ll actually find useful. 

Not only is this helpful for content creation, but it’s also kinda fun. And addictive.

As I like to say, it’s one of the few times in life you get to be a total creep, and it’s totally okay!

Keyword research is one of the few times in life you get to be a total creep, and it’s totally okay!

1. Google Keyword Planner

My first stop for free keyword research tools is usually Google Keyword Planner.

This is Google’s free research tool that can help you discover related keywords and see how many searches those terms receive each month (a.k.a. search volume). 

It’s particularly useful when you’re trying to compare different keywords and figure out which ones are worth exploring. 

When using any keyword research tool, you’ll usually want to start with a broad topic related to your niche. For my indie publishing example, I might start with:

“self publishing”

You can type in multiple keywords or keyphrases if you have many you’d like to explore. Here’s a screenshot of the dashboard and how it looks when you first type in your keywords:

For simplicity’s sake, I’m going to start with only one keyword. I’m also not going to bother with dashes or apostrophes since keyword research tools don’t give a toot about them.

I’ll type it into the search box of the “Discover New Keywords” page, and Google will spit me out a whole list of related keywords and phrases.

Here’s a screenshot of my Google Keyword Planner after searching “self publishing”:

As you can see, Google gave me a lot of keywords and phrases about publishing on Kindle and Amazon. This tells me right off the bat that I should probably focus on creating content around self-publishing on Kindle Direct Publishing and Amazon, since people searching “self publishing” are interested in these topics.

But finding the keywords or phrases you want to target is just the first step. I’m looking for two more things:

• Search volume (“avg monthly searches”): How many people are searching for it?

• Competition: How competitive is the term?

You don’t necessarily want the biggest keyword you can find. Sometimes a smaller, more specific phrase is a much better opportunity for a newer blog.

As you can tell from my screenshot, most of these keywords have super high search volume (100k-1M a month!) and low competition.

Bingo.

What You Get With Google Keyword Planner

Google currently requires you to complete an account setup, including billing information, to access basic Keyword Planner features. You don’t necessarily have to start buying ads, but the setup is a little more involved than some of the other tools on this list.

2. Keyword Surfer

If you want something even easier, Keyword Surfer is one of my favorites.

It’s a free Chrome extension that puts keyword information directly into your Google searches. Search for a term, and Keyword Surfer can show estimated monthly search volume, related keyword suggestions, and even how much other keywords overlap with your current selection.

This is especially handy because you don’t have to leave Google to do your research.

Let’s say I search:

“how to self publish a book”

Instead of simply reading the search results and guessing whether people actually care about that phrase, I can use what Keyword Surfer provides to start identifying related searches and potential content ideas.

Keyword Research on Keyword Surfer

Careful with this tool though; this one is so easy and super addictive. If you’re prone to spending your nights tumbling down Wikipedia rabbit holes, prepare to be entertained for hours.

Bonus: It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s free.

This is the kind of tool I recommend to people who are just dipping their toes into SEO because it doesn’t make keyword research feel like homework.

Here’s a better close-up of my search, so you can see what I mean. Note that each of these keywords is linked. You could click and just keep clicking…and clicking…and clicking…

3. AnswerThePublic

The third tool I’d recommend is AnswerThePublic.

This one is particularly fun because it helps you see the questions and phrases people are searching around a particular topic. You enter a keyword or topic, and it generates related questions, comparisons, and other search phrases.

For example, if I enter “self-publishing,” I might discover questions people are asking about the process, costs, platforms, formatting, marketing, and everything in between.

Check out this graph it built out (again, completely free) that helps me see what’s being searched and where my audience is searching for their answers:

BOOM! Suddenly, I’ve got a content calendar!

That’s the part I love about keyword research.

You’re not just hunting for numbers. You’re learning what your audience actually wants. You don’t have to guess or take a poll on Facebook (to which only 3 people respond: mom, dad, and grandma).

Additionally, good keyword research always opens doors to new ideas for more content. 

You might begin by searching for “how to publish on Amazon.” Soon, you realize people are also asking “how to format a book for Amazon,” which naturally leads to “how to make an ebook cover,” and so on.

See why I feel so sad for people who give up on keyword research? It’s like tapping a well of endless inspiration!

Good keyword research always opens doors to new ideas for more content.

Keyword Research on AnswerThePublic

As far as price, AnswerThePublic currently offers three free searches per day with a free account. So, yes, this one has limits, but three searches (especially if you’ve honed in on what keywords or phrases you already are looking for via Keyword Planner or Surfer) is plenty to get started if you’re researching your niche a little at a time.

Where Do I Actually Put the Keyword?

Now that you’ve found a keyword or keyphrase worth targeting, you might be wondering what the heck you’re supposed to do with it.

Don’t panic.

You don’t need to cram that phrase into every available inch of your article. In fact, please don’t. It makes for really clunky and boring reading.

Google is smart enough to understand related words and phrases, and keyword stuffing can make your writing sound robotic and annoying to actual humans.

Instead, use your primary keyword or keyphrase naturally throughout the article.

How To Use Keywords

For example, if you’re writing a post targeting “how to self publish a book,” you might use that phrase in a few important places:

• Your title: How to Self-Publish a Book on Amazon KDP
• Your URL/slug: /how-to-self-publish-a-book/
• Your introduction: Mention the phrase naturally within the first few paragraphs.
• At least one heading: If it fits naturally, work the phrase or a close variation into an H2 or H3.
• The body of your article: Use the phrase naturally where it makes sense, along with synonyms and related terms.

You can also use related keyphrases throughout the article. If your primary keyword is “how to self-publish a book,” related phrases might include:

• self-publishing a book
• indie publishing
• publishing your own book
• Amazon KDP
• book formatting
• self-publishing costs.

Think of these related phrases as breadcrumbs. They help search engines understand the bigger picture of what your article is actually about.

Don’t Forget the Back End

There are also a few places behind the scenes where you’ll want to tell search engines what your article is about.

Depending on the website platform or SEO plugin you’re using, look for places to add:

• SEO title: Your primary keyword should usually appear here.
• Meta description: Include your keyword naturally while writing a description that makes someone want to click.
• URL/slug: Keep it short and descriptive, and include the primary keyword when appropriate.
• Image alt text: Describe the actual image. If the image is relevant to your keyword, you can naturally include it, but don’t stuff keywords into alt text just for SEO.

If you’re using WordPress with an SEO plugin like Yoast or Rank Math, these fields are usually pretty easy to find. If you’ve built your WordPress website using my tips from How To Start A Money Making Blog, you’ll find a field to input your keyword, slug, and meta description down at the very bottom of a new post, after expanding the Meta Boxes tab.

Here’s a screenshot of where I’m adding my keyword for this article (Yup! The one you’re reading right now!).

My keyword is “keyword research”:

However, come to think of it, it might be better if it were “keyword research tools”, since it’s more specific.

Yup, I just checked Google Keyword Planner, and it has less competition. Dang. Yeah, I’ll go change it real quick.

Moving on…

Further down, you’ll have option to change your slug and meta description. Don’t forget to do this. Here’s another screenshot of how I did it for this article:

And here’s the most important rule:

Write for humans first.

Don’t sacrifice a good title for a keyword. Don’t make a sentence awkward because you’re trying to squeeze in a keyphrase. And don’t turn your meta description into a pile of keywords.

Your goal isn’t to convince Google that your article contains a keyword.

Your goal is to make it crystal clear what your article is about while giving an actual human a reason to read it.

Now Put It All Together

Here’s where the magic happens.

Use these tools to build a little collection of words, phrases, and questions related to your niche. 

Then look for opportunities.

Maybe you find a phrase with a decent search volume and relatively low competition. Or maybe you discover a question nobody seems to have answered particularly well. Maybe you find a topic that makes you think, “Wait… people are searching for THAT?”

If something strikes you as interesting, write it down.

Then create something genuinely useful around it.

Answer the question clearly and in your own voice. And remember what we talked about earlier: search intent matters. A keyword can tell you what people are searching for. Your job as the creator is to figure out why they’re searching for it and give them something worth finding.

Keyword Research Doesn’t Have To Be Complex

You can take keyword research as deep or as shallow as you want.

There are entire careers built around this stuff. There are expensive software programs, complicated analytics platforms, and enough SEO jargon to make your eyes cross.

But you don’t need all of that to get started. Or even to benefit from it.

Even a little keyword research can help you create better content, come up with new topics, understand your audience, and give Google a better idea of who your content is for.

You can have the prettiest blog on the internet and write the most brilliant article anyone has ever seen, but all that glitter doesn’t mean a thing if nobody actually reads it.

One More Tool: Google Search Console

Already have a blog? Don’t skip Google Search Console.

Unlike the other tools in this article, Search Console is less about finding keywords before you write and more about discovering what is already happening after you publish.

Its Performance reports can show you which searches are bringing people to your website, along with clicks, impressions, click-through rate, and average position.

This can be incredibly helpful because you may discover that Google is already showing your article for searches you never specifically targeted.

And those unexpected searches?

They’re MORE content ideas!

You can use them to update an existing article, create a follow-up post, or start building an entire little content cluster around a topic your audience is clearly interested in.

Here’s how the process goes, at a glance:

Find what people search → create useful content → publish → see what actually brings people in → create more of what works.

That’s keyword research working for you.

Free Tools to Bookmark

Here’s your little SEO toolbox:

• Google Keyword Planner — Discover keywords and compare search volume and competition.
• Keyword Surfer — Get keyword information directly inside Google.
• AnswerThePublic — Discover questions and content ideas surrounding your niche.
• Google Search Console — See which searches are already bringing people to your website.

Bookmark these babies. You’ll probably use them more than you think.

Keep Creating With Me

See? Keyword research isn’t nearly as scary as the SEO dweebs make it sound. You just need to be curious about your audience, pay attention to what they’re searching for, and use what you learn to create something genuinely helpful.

And if you want more tips like these, come hang out with me!

I’m currently working on a newsletter with more tips, tricks, and strategies for creating digital content, growing your audience, and making your work work harder for you.

So, sign up for the newsletter and let’s keep creating! 

The sign-up form is down below.

Love,

Kirstie “Kolbie” Piper