What’s the best free keyword research tool for new bloggers?

General
1

I’ve just started a small blog and I’m struggling to find the right keywords without paying for expensive tools like Ahrefs or Semrush. I want something truly free that helps me find low-competition, high-traffic keywords so I can grow organic search traffic and rank better on Google. What free keyword research tools are you using that actually work for beginner bloggers, and how do you use them in your content strategy?

2

Short answer for a new blogger on a tight budget: use a combo, not one “perfect” tool.

If you want only one to start, go with Google’s own stuff:

  1. Google Search Console
  2. Google Keyword Planner
  3. Google autocomplete and “People also ask”

Here is a simple workflow that works without paying.

  1. Start with Google autocomplete
    Type your topic in Google.
    Example: “how to train a puppy”.
    Look at autocomplete:
    • how to train a puppy at home
    • how to train a puppy to pee outside
    • how to train a puppy not to bite

Those are real searches. Copy the ones that match your niche into a sheet.

  1. Use “People also ask” and related searches
    Scroll the results page.
    Grab:
    • “People also ask” questions
    • “Related searches” at the bottom

These are perfect for long tail, low competition phrases.
Example: “what is the best age to start training a puppy”.

  1. Use Google Keyword Planner for rough numbers
    You need a free Google Ads account. You do not need to run ads.
    Go to Keyword Planner → “Discover new keywords”.
    Drop in 10 to 20 phrases from your sheet.
    Check:
    • Avg. monthly searches
    • Competition (ignore “high” or “low” for ads, treat it as a rough signal only)
    Pick phrases with:
    • at least 10 to 100 searches per month
    • not insanely broad like “puppy training”

  2. Use Google Search Console after you publish
    Once your blog has a few posts and some weeks of age, connect GSC.
    Go to “Performance → Search results”.
    Sort by impressions.
    Look for queries where:
    • You show on page 2 or 3 (position 11 to 30)
    • You have impressions but very few clicks

Those are easy wins.
Create a new post focused on that exact phrase or update the old post with a better section and clearer title.

  1. Use a free freemium tool for extra ideas
    Three decent free options with limits:
    • LowFruits (great for new sites, shows weak SERPs, limited free credits)
    • Ubersuggest (has daily limits)
    • Keyword Sheeter (fast list of autocomplete variants, no volume, export to CSV)

Use them like this:
• Grab 100 to 200 keyword ideas from autocomplete via Keyword Sheeter
• Paste into Keyword Planner for volume data
• Check a few top ones manually in Google, see if top results are small blogs or only big brands

  1. How to judge competition without paid tools
    For each candidate keyword:
    • Google it in an incognito window
    • Check top 3 results
    If you see:
    • Lots of Quora, Reddit, small blogs, or forum threads → easier
    • Only big sites like Healthline, Forbes, major media → harder

For a new blog, aim for:
• 4+ word phrases
• Problem or question based keywords
Examples:
“how to stop puppy biting at night”
“puppy crate training schedule for working owners”

  1. Simple rule to follow
    If you publish 20 posts using long tail keywords from autocomplete, PAA, and GSC data, and stay consistent for 3 to 6 months, you start to see which topics bring traffic.
    Then double down on those clusters.

Purely free core toolset for you:
• Google Search
• Google Keyword Planner
• Google Search Console
• One free freemium like LowFruits for occasional checks

You do not need Ahrefs or Semrush as a beginner. You need long tail topics, consistent posting, and some patience.

3

If you want ONE “best free tool” for a brand‑new blog, I’d actually say: Keywords Everywhere (free version) + manual Google checking beats relying only on Google’s own tools.

Yeah, I know @byteguru laid out the Google stack really well, and I agree with 80% of it. Where I disagree a bit: Keyword Planner + “competition” column is kinda noisy for bloggers, since it’s based on ads, not organic difficulty. It’s still useful, but it’s very easy for beginners to read it wrong and chase the wrong stuff.

Here’s a different angle that complements what they said instead of repeating it.

1. Use Keywords Everywhere (free) as your main “scanner”

Install the Chrome/Firefox extension. You don’t need to pay for credits to get value.

Free version gives you on every Google search:

  • “People Also Search For” list
  • Related keywords
  • Some long tails it surfaces on the right side

Why it’s good for new bloggers:

  • It keeps you on the actual SERP, so you’re always seeing what’s really ranking
  • It nudges you toward long-tail ideas without you needing to dig through 7 menus
  • You can just keep a doc open and copy interesting phrases as you browse

Is it perfect? Nope. No accurate volumes in the free version, but honestly early on you mainly just need “are people searching this at all?” and “are the results weak enough that I stand a chance?”

2. Use YouTube search as a “secret” keyword tool

This is one most beginners skip.

  • Go to YouTube
  • Type your topic slowly and watch the autocomplete
  • Look at video titles from smaller channels that still have decent views

Example for “meal prep for beginners”:

  • “meal prep for beginners on a budget”
  • “easy meal prep for beginners no oven”

If small channels have 5k–20k views on a narrow topic, there’s usually solid search demand on Google too. Those phrases make great post ideas.

This works especially well for:

  • Fitness
  • Cooking
  • DIY / crafts
  • Tech tutorials

3. Reddit + niche forums to find “real phrases”

High‑traffic, low‑competition keywords often come from real language people use when they complain, ask, or rant.

Search on Google:

  • site:reddit.com your topic
  • “your topic” + forum

Then:

  • Look at thread titles
  • Look at repeated questions in the comments
  • Notice exact wording

Those phrases make awesome long‑tail targets, even if no tool shows volume. Example:

Instead of “puppy training,” you get real stuff like:

  • “puppy keeps peeing in crate at night”
  • “how to crate train puppy when I work 9 to 5”

A lot of the time tools will say 0–10 searches, but they cluster into real traffic once you have a bunch of those posts.

4. How to judge competition quickly without overthinking it

This is where I slightly push back on @byteguru’s process being a bit too “checklist-y” for some beginners. You don’t need a huge framework early on.

For each keyword idea you like:

  1. Google it in incognito.
  2. Look at top 5 results.

Easier if:

  • You see individual blogs
  • You see Reddit, Quora, random small sites
  • Titles look outdated or generic

Harder if:

  • Results are all huge brands and gov/edu sites
  • The content looks super in-depth and fresh
  • It’s exactly your keyword in every title

If half the page is forums and small blogs, you can absolutely target it as a new blogger, even if tools don’t shout “low competition.”

5. If you really want ONE “tool” and not a whole stack

My pick for “one free tool to rule them all” for a new blogger:

Keywords Everywhere (free) + YouTube autocomplete + manual SERP checks.

You can layer in:

  • @byteguru’s Google Search Console advice once you have some traffic
  • Google Keyword Planner only to sanity‑check that your idea isn’t completely dead

But if you start over-optimizing with Planner and trying to “game” volume numbers too early, you’ll just freeze and publish nothing. Ask me how I know :sweat_smile:

For your stage, focus on:

  • Long, specific phrases (4+ words)
  • Questions, problems, “how do I fix X” style keywords
  • Topics you can actually write a great, useful post about

Hit 30–50 posts like that before you worry about shiny tools. The free stuff is more than enough to get you there.

4

If you want a single free stack that feels like a real keyword tool, I’d actually put Google Search Console + Google Trends ahead of everything else once your blog has even a trickle of clicks.

@byteguru and @byteguru’s critic both leaned heavily on “before traffic” tools (Keywords Everywhere, Keyword Planner, YouTube, etc.). Useful, but where I’d nudge you a bit:

The best free keyword research “tool” for a new blog is the combo of:
1) Publish 10–15 decent posts
2) Connect Google Search Console
3) Mine your own queries + expand with Google Trends

Here’s how that works in practice.

1. Let Search Console quietly become your real keyword tool

Once GSC is connected and a few posts are indexed, go:

Search Console → Performance → Search results

Filter by the last 3 months and sort by Impressions (not clicks).

You’ll see:

  • Real queries Google is already testing your site for
  • Tons of long tails you never thought of
  • “Near miss” phrases where you rank on page 2–3

These are better than what any free keyword tool guesses, because they are literally:

  • Your content
  • Your site’s topical relevance
  • Your real position in search

For a new blog this is gold that Keywords Everywhere just cannot match.

2. Turn “near misses” into low competition wins

Pick a page that has:

  • Some impressions
  • Few or zero clicks
  • Average position 10–25

Open it, scroll down and look at the exact queries:

  • If a query is closely related, add a dedicated section with that phrase in a subheading and answer it clearly.
  • If a query is related but big enough to stand alone, create a new post targeting that phrase.

You are not guessing what might be low competition. Google is already hinting “you are somewhat relevant here.” As a baby blog that is your easiest win.

3. Use Google Trends to decide “which cousin keyword is worth it”

This is where I disagree a bit with the “volume doesn’t matter early” idea. It does not have to be precise, but:

  • Targeting phrases no one searches is demotivating
  • Trends can keep you on topics that actually move

In Google Trends:

  1. Plug in 2–3 versions of your idea

    • “meal prep for beginners”
    • “easy meal prep ideas”
    • “lazy meal prep recipes”

  2. Compare over 12 months in your main country.

You are not looking for exact volume, just:

  • Which line sits consistently higher
  • Which is trending up, not down

Pick the phrasing that has a steady or rising trend, then write the post around that as the main keyword and sprinkle the others inside.

4. The “topic hub” trick most free tool lists ignore

Before chasing hundreds of random long tails, build small topical clusters.

Example: you start a blog on home coffee:

Pick 1 “hub”:

  • “how to make better coffee at home”

Then 5–7 supporting posts:

  • “how to grind coffee beans without a grinder”
  • “best water temperature for pour over coffee”
  • “how to clean a french press without soap”
  • “how to fix bitter coffee at home”

Now, when Search Console starts showing queries for any of these, you expand them, interlink them, and Google sees “ok, this site actually covers this topic broadly.” That is how you get organic “low competition” treatment without a paid difficulty metric.

This part is where pure autocomplete based research (YouTube / Google) can lead you into scattering topics too wide in the beginning.

5. About using “Keywords Everywhere (free version) + manual Google checking”

The combo that was suggested to you is not bad, but a couple of drawbacks you should know:

Pros

  • Very lightweight and visual on the SERP
  • Encourages long tail thinking
  • Great for quick inspiration while you are already googling stuff

Cons

  • Free version does not give reliable volume
  • Can make you chase “shiny phrases” that never actually show up in your GSC
  • No sense of how your own site fits into those keywords

So use it for idea discovery, but use Search Console + Trends to decide what deserves your time.

6. What to actually do next, step by step

  1. Get 10–15 posts published on topics you know well
  2. Connect Google Search Console immediately
  3. After 4–6 weeks, start mining:
    • Performance → Queries
    • Filter by each page and look for impressions > 10
  4. Expand posts for those queries or create new posts
  5. Run the promising queries through Google Trends to pick best phrasing
  6. Interlink related posts to build tiny clusters

That stack is 100% free and, once you have some content, more powerful than trying to copycat paid tools with half-baked free versions.