Keyword research is one of the most essential SEO strategies.
Note that keywords are what visitors use to get to your website, and Google ranks websites for the most relevant ones. It’s therefore vital to use them well for you to be able to drive the kind of traffic you want to your page.
That will only be possible if you do keyword research. While you cannot do it by yourself, there are tools that you could employ for no extra cost. Here are some of the best free keyword research tools.
1. Google Trends
Google is trusted. Therefore, it‘s only logical that this tool will get you what you want. Also, it’s always better to get information and keyword data from the most used search engine. Google Trends, as the name suggests, keeps track of how search trends keep changing. Note that users should not apply the same keywords all year round since search queries and phrases do not remain static. If you want to rank for relevant keywords, Google Trends is helpful tool.
2. Rank Tracker
Rank Tracker is another effective free keyword research tool with one of the most prominent keyword databases.
As searches become more specific, there’s an increasing need to use long-tail keywords. As much as the one-word keywords are still relevant, the long-tails lend themselves to more meaningful search results and can improve your site’s SEO. The tool will also help you with keyword analysis. That is, how much the keyword is being used, the keywords your competitors use and keyword difficulty.
3. Google Keyword Planner
This is another Google creation that you need for keyword research. Just like Rank Tracker, Google Keyword Planner also boasts one of the largest keyword databases. Among the many actionable insights include average monthly searches, keywords your competitors are ranking for, and a series of other metrics. You will also benefit from suggestions which will make keyword creation an easy task.
Being Google’s tool, you are already at an advantage. Google Keyword Planner is also user-friendly, and you will waste no time trying to navigate it.
4. Google Search Console
If you’re not looking to invest a lot in a paid tool, Google Search Console would be another good option. Recommended by countless SEO experts, this tool provides you with a list of keywords that are most searched during a given period. It will also provide you with keyword data on videos, images and content. The best part is that you can sync it with other tools like Google analytics, which enables you to identify richer insights
The interface is user-friendly, and if you’re new to it and you can always get training to help you navigate the features and functionality.
The role that keyword research plays in the success of SEO cannot be ignored. For this reason, you need to do everything possible to see to it that the keywords you use are relevant.
Dancun Kanguri is the content writer at keyword.com.
