How to Find Low-Competition Keywords: A Practical SEO Guide for Better Rankings

Getting organic traffic from Google does not always require targeting keywords with thousands or millions of monthly searches.

For a new website, personal blog, small business, or relatively new domain, competing immediately for highly popular keywords can be difficult. Established websites may already have years of content, backlinks, brand recognition, and topical authority around those terms.

A more practical approach is to identify low-competition keywords that are relevant to your audience and realistic for your website to target.

Finding these keywords can help you discover search opportunities that larger competitors may overlook.

In this guide, you will learn how to find low-competition keywords, how to evaluate whether a keyword is actually easy to rank for, which tools you can use, what mistakes to avoid, and how to turn low-competition keywords into a long-term SEO strategy.

What Are Low-Competition Keywords?

Low-competition keywords are search queries for which relatively few strong and highly relevant pages are competing for visibility.

They are often more specific than broad keywords.

For example, compare:

Broad keyword:

SEO

with:

More specific keyword:

SEO checklist for a new website

The first keyword covers an enormous topic and has competition from major websites, software companies, agencies, educational platforms, and other authoritative domains.

The second query has a much narrower intent.

This does not automatically mean the second keyword is easy to rank for. Competition must be evaluated by looking at the actual search results, the quality of competing pages, search intent, topical relevance, and your own website’s authority.

That’s an important distinction:

Low search volume does not automatically mean low competition.

And:

A keyword tool’s difficulty score is not a guarantee that a keyword will be easy to rank for.

Why Low-Competition Keywords Matter for New Websites

A new website usually starts with limited authority.

It may have:

• Few backlinks

• Little brand recognition

• Limited content

• No established search history

• Few referring domains

• Little topical authority

Trying to rank immediately for extremely competitive keywords can therefore require significant resources.

Low-competition opportunities can provide a more practical starting point.

Potential benefits include:

• Easier opportunities to gain initial visibility

• More targeted traffic

• Better alignment with specific search intent

• Faster feedback about your content strategy

• Opportunities to build topical authority

• Potentially higher conversion relevance

• A foundation for targeting more competitive topics later

The objective should not be to collect hundreds of easy keywords.

The objective is to find valuable keywords that your website can realistically compete for.

Low Competition Does Not Mean Low Value

One of the biggest mistakes in keyword research is assuming that high search volume equals high value.

Imagine these two keywords:

Keyword A:
10,000 monthly searches

Keyword B:
150 monthly searches

Keyword A may attract a large amount of traffic, but suppose most searchers are looking for general information and have no intention of purchasing a service.

Keyword B might be much more specific and closely connected to what you offer.

For a service business, 150 highly relevant searches can sometimes be more commercially useful than thousands of unrelated searches.

Therefore, evaluate keywords using several factors:

Relevance + Intent + Competition + Business Value + Search Demand

How to Find Low-Competition Keywords

There is no single method that works for every website.

A strong keyword research process combines keyword tools with manual analysis of Google’s search results.

Here is a practical step-by-step process.

Step 1: Understand Your Target Audience

Before opening a keyword research tool, identify the people you want to reach.

Ask:

• Who are they?

• What problems are they trying to solve?

• What questions do they ask?

• What products or services do they need?

• What information do they search for?

• What terminology do they use?

• What stage of the buying journey are they in?

For example, if your website focuses on SEO services, potential audiences might include:

• Small business owners

• Startup founders

• Bloggers

• Ecommerce businesses

• Marketing professionals

• Local businesses

• Website owners

• Freelancers

Each audience searches differently.

Understanding the audience gives you better starting ideas than blindly searching for high-volume keywords.

Step 2: Create a Seed Keyword List

Seed keywords are broad terms that describe your main subject.

For an SEO website, seed keywords might include:

• SEO

• keyword research

• technical SEO

• on-page SEO

• local SEO

• ecommerce SEO

• SEO tools

• link building

• content marketing

• Google Search Console

• organic traffic

• SEO audit

Do not try to choose your final keywords yet.

The purpose of seed keywords is to generate hundreds of more specific ideas.

Step 3: Expand Your Seed Keywords

Take each seed keyword and generate variations.

For example:

Seed keyword: keyword research

Possible variations:

• how to do keyword research

• keyword research for beginners

• keyword research for a new website

• low competition keyword research

• how to find low competition keywords

• keyword research without expensive tools

• long tail keyword research

• keyword research for small business

• keyword research for blog posts

• keyword research mistakes

The more specific the query becomes, the more opportunities you may discover.

Step 4: Use Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are usually more specific search queries.

For example:

Short keyword:

SEO

Longer keyword:

SEO for small businesses

More specific keyword:

how to do SEO for a small business website

Very specific keyword:

how to find low competition keywords for a new website

Long-tail searches often provide clearer information about what the searcher wants.

However, do not assume that every long-tail keyword is automatically low competition.

Always check the actual search results.

Step 5: Use Google Autocomplete

Google’s autocomplete suggestions can provide useful keyword ideas based on searches people commonly enter.

Start typing your seed keyword.

For example:

how to find

Google may suggest variations related to:

• how to find low competition keywords

• how to find keywords for SEO

• how to find long tail keywords

• how to find keywords for a blog

Try different prefixes and modifiers.

Useful modifiers include:

• how

• why

• what

• best

• guide

• checklist

• examples

• tools

• tips

• for beginners

• for small business

• for ecommerce

• without

• step by step

These can uncover highly specific queries.

Step 6: Explore “People Also Ask”

Google’s People Also Ask results can reveal related questions around a topic.

Suppose you search for:

low competition keywords

You might discover related questions such as:

• What are low competition keywords?

• How do I find easy keywords to rank for?

• What keyword difficulty should I target?

• How many keywords should a new website target?

• Are long-tail keywords easier to rank for?

These questions can become:

• FAQ sections

• Separate blog posts

• Supporting articles

• Content cluster topics

This is particularly useful when building topical authority.

Step 7: Look at Related Searches

At the bottom of many Google search results pages, Google displays related searches.

These suggestions can reveal alternative ways people search for the same topic.

For example, a topic around organic traffic might generate related searches involving:

• increasing website traffic

• SEO traffic

• organic search traffic

• getting traffic to a new website

• free website traffic

Record relevant ideas and evaluate them individually.

Step 8: Use Keyword Research Tools

Keyword research platforms can help you discover:

• Search volume

• Keyword variations

• Keyword difficulty

• Search intent

• Related keywords

• SERP information

• Traffic estimates

• Competitor keywords

Depending on your budget and requirements, you can use free or paid tools.

Examples include:

• Google Keyword Planner

• Google Search Console

• Google Trends

• Ahrefs

• Semrush

• Ubersuggest

• Keyword Planner alternatives

• Other SEO keyword research platforms

Remember that tool metrics are estimates.

They should help you prioritize research, not replace your judgment.

Step 9: Check Keyword Difficulty

Many SEO tools provide a keyword difficulty or competition metric.

These scores can be useful for comparing keywords within the same tool.

For example, a tool might classify keywords as:

• Very easy

• Easy

• Medium

• Difficult

• Very difficult

Or it might provide a numerical score.

However, don’t make your decision solely based on the number.

Different tools calculate difficulty differently.

A keyword marked as “easy” may still have strong competitors in Google.

Therefore:

Use keyword difficulty as a filter, not as a final decision.

Step 10: Manually Analyze Google Search Results

This is one of the most important steps.

Search the keyword yourself and examine the first page.

Look at:

• Which websites are ranking?

• Are the results highly authoritative?

• Are the pages closely matched to the search intent?

• Are the articles comprehensive?

• Are there outdated results?

• Are there forums or community discussions?

• Are small websites ranking?

• Are there pages that don’t directly answer the query?

• Are the top results poorly structured?

• Are there content gaps?

The actual SERP can tell you things that a keyword difficulty score cannot.

What Makes a Keyword SERP Look More Accessible?

There is no guaranteed formula, but certain patterns can indicate an opportunity.

For example, you may find search results containing:

• Older articles

• Thin content

• Poorly targeted pages

• Pages that only partially answer the query

• Forum discussions

• User-generated content

• Low-quality directories

• Pages with weak topical relevance

• Outdated information

If you can create a substantially more useful page that directly satisfies the search intent, you may have an opportunity.

But remember:

Weak-looking competitors do not guarantee rankings.

Step 11: Analyze Search Intent

Search intent is more important than many beginners realize.

Consider the keyword:

SEO tools

The searcher could be looking for a list of tools, comparisons, pricing, reviews, or recommendations.

Now compare:

how to use Google Search Console for SEO

The intent is much clearer.

Your page should match what the searcher expects.

If Google predominantly shows:

• Tutorials

then creating a product page may not match the intent.

If Google predominantly shows:

• Product/category pages

then a purely informational article may not be the strongest format.

Before targeting a keyword, ask:

Can I create the type of page that this searcher actually wants?

Step 12: Find Keywords Where Your Competitors Are Weak

Competitor research is another excellent way to discover opportunities.

Find several websites that publish content in your industry.

Analyze their:

• Blog topics

• Ranking keywords

• Service pages

• Content gaps

• Question-based content

• Internal linking

• Content depth

You may discover keywords that competitors rank for but haven’t covered particularly well.

That creates an opportunity to build a better resource.

Step 13: Look for Content Gaps

A content gap exists when users need useful information but existing search results do not fully address the topic.

For example, suppose most articles explain:

How to perform keyword research

but none explain:

How to perform keyword research for a brand-new website with no ranking history

That narrower angle may be valuable.

Content gaps can come from:

• Missing information

• Outdated examples

• Poor explanations

• Lack of practical steps

• Missing screenshots

• Missing case studies

• Weak organization

• Insufficient examples

The goal is not simply to be longer.

The goal is to be more useful.

Step 14: Find Question-Based Keywords

Questions are often excellent sources of content ideas.

Examples:

• How do I find low competition keywords?

• What is keyword difficulty?

• How many keywords should a blog post target?

• Are long-tail keywords easier to rank for?

• How do I find keywords without paid tools?

• What keywords should a new website target?

Question-based searches can become:

• Blog posts

• FAQ sections

• Tutorials

• Guides

• Videos

• Social media content

They can also help you understand the problems your audience is actively trying to solve.

Step 15: Use Google Search Console Once Your Website Has Data

For an established website, Google Search Console can become one of the best sources of keyword opportunities.

Look at queries where your pages already receive impressions.

For example, suppose one article is ranking around positions 15–30 for several related queries.

Those queries can reveal opportunities to improve the page.

You may discover that your article is already appearing for searches you didn’t intentionally target.

You can then:

• Expand relevant sections

• Improve topical coverage

• Add examples

• Improve internal links

• Clarify search intent

• Update the title where appropriate

• Create supporting content

This approach is often called query expansion or content optimization based on existing search data.

Step 16: Use Google Trends for Topic Validation

Google Trends can help you understand whether interest in a topic is:

• Increasing

• Declining

• Seasonal

• Stable

• Region-specific

For example, two keywords might have similar estimated search volume, but one may be growing rapidly while another is declining.

Trends data can therefore add context to keyword research.

It should not be treated as a direct ranking predictor.

Step 17: Evaluate Business Value

A keyword can be easy to rank for and still be a poor target.

Ask:

Does the keyword relate to my website?

Does the searcher fit my target audience?

Could this visitor eventually become a customer?

Does the topic support my products or services?

Can I create a genuinely useful page for this query?

A keyword with moderate search demand and strong relevance may be more useful than an extremely easy keyword that attracts the wrong audience.

Step 18: Build a Keyword Opportunity Score

You don’t need a complicated mathematical formula.

You can evaluate each keyword using a simple framework.

Score each area from 1 to 5:

The purpose is not to create a perfect score.

It is to compare opportunities consistently.

Step 19: Prioritize Keywords for Your Website

Once you’ve researched your keyword list, divide it into groups.

Priority 1: Quick opportunities

Relevant, specific keywords with relatively accessible competition.

Priority 2: Supporting topics

Keywords that help build topical authority around your primary subjects.

Priority 3: Commercial keywords

Queries connected to products or services.

Priority 4: Long-term targets

Highly competitive keywords that may become realistic after your website develops more authority.

This allows your SEO strategy to grow progressively.

Step 20: Create Content Around Keyword Clusters

Don’t create one article for every tiny keyword variation.

Instead, group closely related searches.

For example:

Main topic

Low-Competition Keywords

Supporting searches:

• how to find low competition keywords

• low competition keyword research

• easy keywords to rank for

• low difficulty keywords

• long-tail keyword research

• keyword research for new websites

A comprehensive article may satisfy several closely related queries.

Other closely related questions can become separate supporting articles when the search intent is substantially different.

Step 21: Use Keywords Naturally

Once you’ve identified a target keyword, don’t repeat it unnecessarily.

Use the keyword naturally in places such as:

• Page title

• H1

• Introduction

• Relevant headings

• Body content

• URL

• Image alt text when genuinely descriptive

• Internal link anchor text where appropriate

Also use related concepts and terminology naturally.

Modern search systems can understand topics beyond exact keyword repetition.

The objective is to communicate clearly—not to create a page that sounds like a keyword list.

Step 22: Create Better Content Than the Current Results

Finding an easy keyword is only half the job.

The next question is:

Why should Google rank my page instead of the existing pages?

Your answer could be:

• Better explanation

• More practical steps

• Original examples

• First-hand experience

• Updated information

• Better organization

• Helpful visuals

• Unique research

• Case studies

• Templates

• Checklists

• Better answers to related questions

Do not simply create a longer article.

Create a more useful resource.

Step 23: Build Internal Links Around Your Target Keyword

Once you publish a page targeting a low-competition keyword, connect it to related content.

For example, an article about low-competition keywords could link to:

• Keyword research guide

• SEO checklist

• New website SEO guide

• Organic traffic guide

• Long-tail keyword guide

• Content strategy guide

These connections help users discover related information and create a more organized content ecosystem.

Step 24: Promote Your New Content

After publishing your article, consider promoting it through appropriate channels.

For example:

• LinkedIn

• Email newsletters

• Relevant communities

• Social media

• Industry networks

• Professional groups

Promotion can bring early visitors and help your content reach people who may find it useful.

Do not use automated or spammy promotion tactics.

How to Find Low-Competition Keywords Without Expensive Tools

You don’t necessarily need an expensive SEO subscription to begin keyword research.

You can start with:

Google Search

Use:

• Autocomplete

• People Also Ask

• Related searches

• Search result analysis

Google Trends

Use it to compare interest and identify trends.

Google Search Console

Use your existing search queries to find opportunities.

Google Keyword Planner

Use it to discover keyword ideas and estimated search demand.

Your audience

Talk to customers and record the actual words they use to describe their problems.

Competitor websites

Study the topics competitors cover and identify gaps.

The tools make the process faster, but good keyword research depends on understanding search intent and your audience.

Examples of Low-Competition Keyword Opportunities

The actual competition of these phrases will vary by country, industry, and time, so treat them as examples of keyword patterns rather than guaranteed easy keywords.

Broad topic

SEO

More specific opportunities

• SEO checklist for a new website

• SEO checklist before launching a website

• how to check if a website is indexed

• how to submit a sitemap to Google

• how to find low competition keywords

• keyword research for a new website

• how to improve organic traffic for a new website

• technical SEO checklist for beginners

• internal linking strategy for a blog

• SEO mistakes new websites should avoid

Notice the pattern.

The searches become more specific as the user’s problem becomes clearer.

Keyword Modifiers That Can Reveal Opportunities

Try adding modifiers to your seed keywords.

Beginner modifiers

• beginner

• beginner’s guide

• simple

• basic

• step by step

Audience modifiers

• for beginners

• for small business

• for startups

• for bloggers

• for ecommerce

• for local business

Problem modifiers

• without

• fix

• improve

• solve

• troubleshoot

• mistakes

Format modifiers

• checklist

• guide

• examples

• template

• tutorial

• comparison

Intent modifiers

• best

• how

• what

• why

• vs

• alternatives

• review

These modifiers can uncover highly specific search queries.

Common Mistakes When Finding Low-Competition Keywords

Mistake 1: Trusting keyword difficulty blindly

A numerical score cannot fully represent the quality and relevance of every page in the SERP.

Always inspect the results.

Mistake 2: Choosing keywords only because they are easy

An easy keyword that has no relevance to your business may generate little value.

Relevance comes first.

Mistake 3: Ignoring search intent

A page can be well optimized and still fail to perform if it doesn’t satisfy what users are looking for.

Mistake 4: Targeting zero-demand keywords

Some keywords appear easy simply because almost nobody searches for them.

Make sure there is reasonable evidence of interest.

Mistake 5: Creating separate pages for every variation

Several keyword variations may represent the same search intent.

Creating multiple near-identical pages can create unnecessary duplication.

Mistake 6: Keyword stuffing

Repeating a keyword dozens of times doesn’t make a page more relevant.

Write naturally.

Mistake 7: Ignoring commercial intent

If your objective is lead generation or sales, include keywords that connect with your commercial offerings.

Mistake 8: Focusing only on search volume

Search volume is only one part of keyword evaluation.

Consider:

Relevance + Intent + Competition + Business Value

A Simple Low-Competition Keyword Research Workflow

If you are starting from scratch, follow this process:

Step 1

Choose 5–10 seed topics.

Step 2

Generate keyword variations.

Step 3

Add long-tail and question-based variations.

Step 4

Check search volume and keyword difficulty using available tools.

Step 5

Search your most promising keywords manually.

Step 6

Analyze the first-page results.

Step 7

Evaluate search intent.

Step 8

Look for weak or incomplete content.

Step 9

Evaluate business relevance.

Step 10

Group related keywords.

Step 11

Choose your primary keyword.

Step 12

Create a genuinely useful page.

Step 13

Build internal links.

Step 14

Promote the content.

Step 15

Monitor Search Console data and improve the page.

This process can be repeated for every major topic on your website.

How Many Low-Competition Keywords Should You Target?

There is no fixed number.

For a new website, quality and relevance are more important than creating a huge keyword spreadsheet.

A practical starting point could be to identify:

• 10–20 primary content opportunities

• Supporting keyword variations for each

• A few commercial opportunities

• A group of long-term competitive targets

As your website develops, expand the keyword database based on actual performance.

Should New Websites Only Target Low-Competition Keywords?

Not necessarily.

Low-competition keywords can provide useful starting opportunities, but your long-term strategy should not be limited to easy keywords.

Think of SEO as a progression.

Phase 1

Target specific, relevant opportunities.

Phase 2

Build topical authority.

Phase 3

Earn links and brand mentions.

Phase 4

Improve existing content.

Phase 5

Gradually pursue more competitive topics.

This approach allows your keyword strategy to evolve alongside your website.

How Low-Competition Keywords Support Topical Authority

Suppose your website focuses on digital marketing.

Instead of publishing random articles, you could create a topic cluster around keyword research.

Your content might include:

1. What Is Keyword Research?

2. How to Find Low-Competition Keywords

3. Long-Tail Keyword Research Guide

4. Keyword Research for New Websites

5. Search Intent and Keyword Research

6. Keyword Mapping Guide

7. Common Keyword Research Mistakes

8. How to Use Google Search Console for Keyword Research

These articles can be internally linked.

Together, they provide broader topical coverage than a single article targeting one keyword.

How to Measure Whether Your Keyword Strategy Is Working

After publishing your content, monitor performance.

Important metrics include:

Impressions

How often your pages appear in search results.

Clicks

How many users visit your website from search.

Click-through rate

The percentage of impressions that result in clicks.

Average position

An estimate of where your page appears for the queries reported in Search Console.

Conversions

The actions that matter to your business.

For example:

• Contact form submissions

• Phone calls

• Purchases

• Consultation requests

• Newsletter registrations

Don’t judge a new keyword strategy only by rankings.

Look at the complete journey from search → visit → engagement → conversion.

What If Your Keyword Isn’t Ranking?

Don’t immediately assume the keyword is impossible.

Investigate.

Possible reasons include:

• Search intent mismatch

• Weak content

• Insufficient topical coverage

• Poor internal linking

• Technical problems

• Indexing problems

• Strong competition

• Weak authority

• Content quality issues

• The page is too new

Use the available data to determine what needs improvement.

Sometimes the best solution is to improve the existing page rather than create another article.

Low-Competition Keywords and AI Search

Search behavior is changing as users increasingly interact with AI-powered search experiences.

This makes clear, useful, well-structured content even more important.

When creating content around a low-competition keyword:

• Answer the main question clearly

• Define important concepts

• Use descriptive headings

• Include useful examples

• Cover related questions

• Demonstrate relevant expertise

• Keep information accurate

• Support important factual claims

• Add original insights

• Organize information logically

The goal should not be to create content specifically to manipulate AI-generated answers.

Instead, build a resource that is genuinely useful for people and easy for search systems to understand.

A Practical Keyword Research Template

You can maintain a spreadsheet with columns such as:

This makes your keyword research more organized and helps prevent random content creation.

Final Low-Competition Keyword Checklist

Before selecting a keyword, ask:

☐ Is the keyword relevant to my website?

☐ Do I understand the search intent?

☐ Is there evidence that people search for it?

☐ Have I checked the actual Google results?

☐ Are the current results directly relevant?

☐ Can I create a substantially useful page?

☐ Does the keyword have business value?

☐ Is the topic connected to my broader content strategy?

☐ Can I internally link it with related content?

☐ Is the keyword realistic for my current website authority?

If most answers are yes, the keyword may be worth investigating further.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest way to find low-competition keywords?

Start with a broad topic, generate long-tail and question-based variations using Google autocomplete and keyword research tools, and then manually analyze the search results. Look for relevant queries where the existing content does not fully satisfy the search intent.

Are long-tail keywords always low competition?

No. Long-tail keywords are more specific, but some highly specific searches can still have strong competition. Always evaluate the actual search results.

What keyword difficulty should I target?

There is no universal difficulty score that works for every website. A keyword difficulty that is challenging for a new website may be relatively manageable for an established authoritative domain. Use difficulty as one input rather than a fixed rule.

Can a new website rank for low-competition keywords?

Yes, a new website can potentially rank for less competitive searches when it provides relevant, useful content and has a technically sound foundation. There is no guarantee of a particular ranking position.

Should I target low-volume keywords?

Low-volume keywords can be valuable when they are highly relevant and have strong search intent. Don’t reject a keyword solely because its estimated search volume is small.

Are low-competition keywords better than high-volume keywords?

Neither is universally better. High-volume keywords can offer greater potential search demand but may also have stronger competition. Low-competition keywords can provide more specific opportunities. Your choice should depend on relevance, intent, competition, and business objectives.

Can I find low-competition keywords for free?

Yes. You can use Google Search, autocomplete, People Also Ask, related searches, Google Trends, Google Search Console, and Google Keyword Planner to generate and evaluate keyword ideas.

How many keywords should one blog post target?

There is no fixed number. A page should primarily target one main search intent while naturally covering closely related queries and subtopics. Avoid creating content simply to include a predetermined number of keywords.

How often should I perform keyword research?

Keyword research should be an ongoing process. Revisit your keyword strategy when you launch new services, enter new markets, publish new content, see changes in search behavior, or discover new opportunities through Search Console.

Conclusion

Finding low-competition keywords is not about discovering a secret list of keywords that nobody else knows.

It is about identifying relevant search opportunities where your website can realistically provide a better answer than the existing results.

The strongest process combines keyword research tools with manual SERP analysis, search-intent evaluation, competitor research, content-gap analysis, and an understanding of your audience.

For a new website, start with specific and relevant topics. Build useful content around them. Connect related articles with internal links. Monitor your search performance. Then use the data you collect to discover your next opportunities.

Remember the core principle:

Don’t chase keywords simply because they are easy. Find keywords where relevance, user intent, business value, and realistic competition come together.

That is how low-competition keyword research can become a sustainable part of a broader SEO strategy.