🌍 Introduction
If you’re looking to do keyword research without paid tools, you’re not alone. Many beginner bloggers, solopreneurs, and digital marketers start their SEO journey on a tight budget. The good news? You don’t need to spend a rupee to uncover powerful keywords that can help your content rank on Google. In this blog post, we’ll walk through a simple and effective keyword research process using 100% free tools.
Many marketers think they need expensive tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to discover winning keywords. While those tools are powerful, there are many free methods and tools you can use to find keywords that rank and convert. In this guide, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step keyword research process using only free tools, suitable for beginners, solopreneurs, or anyone on a budget.
Whether you’re running a small business, growing a personal blog, or scaling a startup, this guide will show you how to uncover low-competition, high-potential keywords without spending a rupee.
📌 Why Keyword Research Matters
Keyword research is the foundation of SEO. It helps you:
Find what your audience is searching for
Understand search intent
Create content that ranks and converts
When you target the right keywords, you drive more traffic to your blog, website, or landing page.
🔧Free Tools for Keyword Research Without Paid Tools
Here are the best tools you can use:
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Google Search Autocomplete | Discover trending searches |
| Ubersuggest | Free keyword metrics & suggestions |
| Google Trends | Find what’s popular now |
| Keyword Surfer (Chrome Extension) | Search volume in Google results |
| AnswerThePublic | Get long-tail keyword ideas from questions |
| People Also Ask (Google SERP) | Understand what your audience wants to know |
🔢Step-by-Step Keyword Research Without Paid Tools
✅ Step 1: Start with a Topic or Niche Idea
Think about your niche. If your site is about digital marketing, you might start with:
Social media marketing
Blogging tips
SEO for beginners
Choose a topic you want to rank for and expand from there.
✅ Step 2: Use Google Autocomplete
Open an incognito window and type part of your keyword in the search bar. For example:
“how to grow a blog”
“seo for beginners in 2025”
“best free seo tools for”
Google will suggest phrases that people are actively searching for.
✅ Step 3: Use Ubersuggest (Free Version)
Visit Ubersuggest
Enter your keyword idea
Look at search volume, SEO difficulty (SD), and keyword suggestions
Aim for:
Volume: 100–1,000
Difficulty: Under 40
Create a short list of easy-to-rank keywords.
✅ Step 4: Check “People Also Ask” and Related Searches
When you search a keyword, scroll down to “People also ask” and “Related searches.” These provide real questions and long-tail keywords you can target.
Example:
“How to start a blog and make money?”
“Is SEO still relevant in 2025?”
✅ Step 5: Use AnswerThePublic for Questions
Visit AnswerThePublic
Enter a seed keyword (e.g., SEO tools)
Get hundreds of questions people are asking online
Use these to shape your H2s and FAQs in blog posts.
✅ Step 6: Validate Search Intent
Make sure the keyword matches your content type:
| Intent Type | Example |
| Informational | “how to use free seo tools” |
| Navigational | “ubersuggest tool” |
| Transactional | “buy seo course online” |
For blog content, focus on informational keywords.
✅ Step 7: Use Keyword Surfer
Install the Keyword Surfer Chrome Extension
Shows volume directly in Google
Gives sidebar suggestions
It’s great for quick checks while browsing.
✅ Step 8: Build a Keyword List
Use Google Sheets to create a simple keyword bank:
| Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Intent | Notes |
| seo for beginners | 1,300 | Medium | Informational | Evergreen |
| free seo tools 2025 | 720 | Low | Informational | Link to tools post |
✅ Step 9: Choose Primary + Secondary Keywords
For each blog:
Choose 1 primary keyword (main focus)
Use 3–5 secondary keywords for variation
Place primary keyword in:
Title (H1)
URL slug
Meta description
First 100 words
✅ Step 10: Write Valuable, SEO-Optimized Content
Use the keywords to:
Create useful blog posts
Solve real problems
Use H2/H3 for structure
Add internal links to related content
Final Thoughts
You don’t need expensive tools to succeed in SEO. With a few smart steps and free tools, you can discover powerful keywords that drive traffic to your blog or website. Consistency is key: the more you practice this process, the more efficient and effective you’ll become.
Now that you know how to do keyword research without spending a rupee, go ahead and apply it to your next blog post—and start ranking!
Need help writing optimized content? Check out our Top SEO Content Writing Tips.
