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keyword research tool
Use a keyword - use a <anchor>keyword research tool</anchor> (there's many free or paid options), type in your topic and find the queries your audience is searching for in places like Google. The tool will also give you the average monthly searches for each keyword. Pick the keyword with the highest monthly searches and is relevant.
17 BEST Keyword Research Tools for SEO [2024 Reviews]
17 BEST Keyword Research Tools for SEO \[2024 Reviews\]

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- [SEO Audit Checklist18-step guide to get higher Google rankings.](/seo-site-audit)
- [SEO StrategyLearn exactly how to create a strategy, step by step.](/seo-strategy)
- [Keyword Research for SEOExactly how to do keyword research in 2024.](/keyword-research)
- [SEO Competitor AnalysisLearn how to outrank your rivals in the SERPs.](/seo-competitor-analysis)
- [Google E-E-A-TUnderstand what it is and how to demonstrate it.](/google-e-e-a-t)
- [Internal Linking for SEOKey for any site that wants higher rankings in Google.](/hub/seo/internal-links)
- [Keyword Research for SEOFind and target the right search terms for your content](/keyword-research)
- [Technical SEOTechnical SEO is still SUPER important.](/technical-seo-guide)
- [On-Page SEOOptimize for UX, bounce rate, search intent, and more.](/on-page-seo)
- [Ecommerce SEOBoost your online store’s visibility in search results](/ecommerce-seo)

- [SEO Basics: A Beginners GuideStart your SEO journey with fundamental concepts](/seo-basics-for-beginners)
- [The Ultimate SEO TutorialMaster SEO from start to finish](/seo-tutorial)
- [Pillar PagesThe foundation of an effective SEO strategy.](/pillar-pages)
- [How to Do SEO for Your New WebsiteLaunch your site with a strong SEO foundation](/seo-for-new-website)
- [Important SEO TipsQuick wins to improve your search engine rankings](/actionable-seo-tips)
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- [Schema MarkupMaster schema markup to enhance SEO.](/schema-markup-guide)
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- [12 Content Marketing TrendsStay ahead with the latest strategies](/content-marketing-this-year)
- [What Is a Content Strategy?Plan your content for maximum impact](/hub/content/content-strategy)
- [Content Marketing ExamplesGet inspired by successful campaigns](/content-marketing-examples)
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- [Content Writing 101Tips, strategies and advanced techniques.](/hub/content/writing)
- [Types of Content MarketingExplore diverse formats to engage your audience](/hub/content/types)
- [CopywritingDiscover best practices, get insights](/seo-copywriting)

- [Link Building for SEOAn in-depth guide, complete with case studies](/link-building)
- [What are Backlinks?Understand the backbone of off-page SEO](/hub/seo/backlinks)
- [How to Get High Quality Backlinks7 proven strategies for building high quality backlinks](/high-quality-backlinks)
- [Link Building StrategiesAll the tactics you need to know](/link-building-strategies)
- [7 Link Building ServicesTrusted outreach services to boost your backlink profile](/link-building-services)
- [How To Do a Backlink AuditAnalyze your link profile to uncover opportunities](/step-by-step-backlink-audit)
- [Skyscraper MethodBoost traffic with this popular technique](/skyscraper-technique)
- [Increase Website Authority](/increase-domain-authority)

- [Competitor AnalysisLearn how to analyze your competitors effectively.](/competitor-analysis)
- [Effective Product Page ExamplesBest examples of high-converting product pages.](/product-page-examples)
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- [Keyword GeneratorFinds relevant terms from a seed keyword.](/tools/keyword-generator)

- [SEO ToolsOur top picks for optimizing your site.](/best-free-seo-tools)
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- [ChatGPT AlternativesWe tested dozens to find the best of the best.](/chatgpt-alternatives)

- [Semrush ReviewComprehensive analysis of Semrush’s tool suite.](/semrush-review)
- [Ahrefs ReviewIn-depth look at Ahrefs’ features and performance.](/ahrefs-review)
- [Ahrefs vs SemrushCompares Ahrefs and Semrush for SEO.](/ahrefs-vs-semrush)
- [Clearscope ReviewEvaluates Clearscope’s content optimization capabilities.](/clearscope-review)
- [Majestic SEO ReviewReviews Majestic’s backlink analysis tool.](/majestic-seo-review)
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- [SEO Audit Checklist18-step guide to get higher Google rankings.](/seo-site-audit)
- [SEO StrategyLearn exactly how to create a strategy, step by step.](/seo-strategy)
- [Keyword Research for SEOExactly how to do keyword research in 2024.](/keyword-research)
- [SEO Competitor AnalysisLearn how to outrank your rivals in the SERPs.](/seo-competitor-analysis)
- [Google E-E-A-TUnderstand what it is and how to demonstrate it.](/google-e-e-a-t)
- [Internal Linking for SEOKey for any site that wants higher rankings in Google.](/hub/seo/internal-links)
- [Keyword Research for SEOFind and target the right search terms for your content](/keyword-research)
- [Technical SEOTechnical SEO is still SUPER important.](/technical-seo-guide)
- [On-Page SEOOptimize for UX, bounce rate, search intent, and more.](/on-page-seo)
- [Ecommerce SEOBoost your online store’s visibility in search results](/ecommerce-seo)

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- [SEO Basics: A Beginners GuideStart your SEO journey with fundamental concepts](/seo-basics-for-beginners)
- [The Ultimate SEO TutorialMaster SEO from start to finish](/seo-tutorial)
- [Pillar PagesThe foundation of an effective SEO strategy.](/pillar-pages)
- [How to Do SEO for Your New WebsiteLaunch your site with a strong SEO foundation](/seo-for-new-website)
- [Important SEO TipsQuick wins to improve your search engine rankings](/actionable-seo-tips)
- [Small Business SEOEffective strategies to compete locally and beyond](/small-business-seo)
- [Schema MarkupMaster schema markup to enhance SEO.](/schema-markup-guide)
- [Internal LinkingOptimize internal links for better SEO.](/hub/seo/internal-links)
- [Website Migration ChecklistEssential steps for a smooth site migration.](/website-migration-checklist)

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- [What Is Content Marketing?Comprehensive guide for beginners](/hub/content/what-is-content-marketing)
- [SEO Copywriting: The Definitive GuideWrite content that ranks and converts](/seo-copywriting)
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- [12 Content Marketing TrendsStay ahead with the latest strategies](/content-marketing-this-year)
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- [Content Writing 101Tips, strategies and advanced techniques.](/hub/content/writing)
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- [Link Building for SEOAn in-depth guide, complete with case studies](/link-building)
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- [Keyword GeneratorFinds relevant terms from a seed keyword.](/tools/keyword-generator)

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- [SEO ToolsOur top picks for optimizing your site.](/best-free-seo-tools)
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###### Find Keyword Ideas in Seconds

Boost SEO results with powerful keyword research

Free Keyword Research Tool

# 17 Best Free and Paid Keyword Research Tools for SEO

Last updated Aug. 30, 2024

![Brian Dean](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ff8eab31fb6066670f6d0fe9d9f0166f?s=96&d=mm&r=g)

Written by [Brian Dean](/blog/authors/brian-dean)

![15 BEST Keyword Research Tools for SEO](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2020/06/keyword-research-tools.png)

This is a list of the 17 **best** keyword research tools in 2024.

These amazing tools have helped my organic traffic grow by **20.57%** over the last year:

![Analytics – Backlinko – Organic traffic growth](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/analytics-backlinko-organic-trafic-growth.png)

And in this guide, I’ll reveal the world’s best keyword research tools…

…and help you choose the best one for you.

The best SEO keyword research tools for SEO have one thing in common: **helping users boost organic traffic and search engine visibility**.

However, each tool approaches this goal differently. Some are all-in-one SEO platforms that specialize in technical SEO, backlink opportunities, and guest post outreach.

Others focus on niche SEO opportunities, such as finding underserved and easy-to-rank keywords or topic cluster research.

We’ve updated this post to account for SEO opportunities in 2024 and guide your choice of the best keyword research tools suitable to your needs.

Let’s jump in.

## What Are The Top 5 Tools?

ToolBest ForFavorite FeaturePricing[Semrush](https://www.semrush.com/analytics/keywordmagic/start?utm_campaign=keyword-research-tools&utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral)All-in-one competitor and keyword analysisKeyword Magic$139+ per month (when paid annually); 14-day free trial[Keyword Tool by Backlinko](https://backlinko.com/tools/keyword)Beginners and free access to keyword dataLeveraging Semrush’s keyword databaseFree[Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/about)Identifying and enhancing existing rankingsGoogle Analytics + Google Search ConsoleFree[Soovle](https://soovle.com/)Quick multi-source keyword suggestionsSaved SuggestionsFree[Jaaxy](https://www.jaaxy.com/)In-depth keyword competition analysisQuoted Search Result$49+ per month; free starter trial

## 1\. Semrush

[Semrush](www.semrush.com?utm_campaign=keyword-research-tools&utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral "Semrush") works a little differently than the other tools I will show you.

Instead of entering a seed keyword and getting a long list of keyword ideas, Semrush shows you keywords that your competition already ranks for.

(These are usually outside-the-box keywords that would be impossible to find using any other tool.)

Here’s how it works:

First, enter a competitor’s domain name in the field at the top of the page.

![Semrush – Input website](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/semrush-input-website.png)

If you’re doing SEO in a country outside of the US (for example, in Google.co.uk), you can choose to see information about that specific market. Just choose that country from this menu:

![Domain Overview – Countries](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/domain-overview-countries.png)

Next, take a look at the “Organic Research” section:

![Organic Research – Backlinko – Overview](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/organic-research-backlinko-overview.png)

Here’s what the different terms in that section mean:

- **Keywords** are the estimated number of monthly organic visitors that come from Google.
- **Traffic** is the estimated number of monthly visitors.
- **Traffic Cost** indicates how valuable this traffic is (based on Google Ads CPC).

So if you see a domain with a lot of Organic Search Traffic but a low Traffic Cost, you know that they’re ranking for keywords that don’t convert into buyers.

But the real value of Semrush comes from the “Organic Keywords” data:

![Organic Research – Backlinko – Top Keywords](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/organic-research-backlinko-top-keywords.png)

This box will show you 5 of the top keywords that your competitors are ranking for. To see more, click on “View all \[number\] keywords”.

And you’ll get a list of all of the keywords that the site or URL ranks for:

![Organic Research – Backlinko – Organic Search Positions](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/organic-research-backlinko-organic-search-positions.png)

This page alone will usually give you a handful of solid [keywords for digital marketing](https://trafficthinktank.com/what-is-a-keyword/).

But if you want more ideas, go back to the “Organic Research” overview and check out the “Competitors” in the menu bar.

And you’ll see that site’s first-page competition:

![Organic Research – Organic Competitors](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/02/organic-research-organic-competitors.png)

When you click on one of THOSE results, you can see the exact search queries they’re ranking for.

There will be some overlap from what you just saw, but you’ll also (usually) dig up some real gems.

You can also start your Semrush search with a keyword instead of a competitor’s site:

![Keyword Magic Tool – Search – Gardening tips](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/keyword-magic-tool-search-gardening-tips.png)

Semrush will show you a “Broad match report”, which is a list of long-tail keywords that include variations of the keyword you entered:

![Keyword Magic Tool – Gardening tips – Report](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/keyword-magic-tool-gardening-tips-report.png)

This is really helpful for finding long-tail variations of Head and Body Keywords.

For example, if you wanted to rank for the keyword “keto diet”, you’ll quickly find that it’s simply too competitive.

But Semrush will show you long-tail variations, like the “keto diet meal plan”, that is easier to rank for:

![Keto diet meal plan – Keyword difficulty](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/keto-diet-meal-plan-difficulty.png)

**My Favorite Feature:** [Keyword Magic Tool](https://www.semrush.com/analytics/keywordmagic/start?utm_campaign=keyword-research-tools&utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral)

This tool pulls keyword suggestions from Semrush’s **massive database** of over 25 billion terms.

But that’s not all.

The tool leverages AI to show you how difficult it will be for your domain to rank for a chosen keyword. It calculates Personal Keyword Difficulty (PKD%) and Topical Authority metrics for each keyword and estimates your domain’s competitive power.

![Keyword Magic Tool – Keyword research – Personal Keyword Difficulty](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/keyword-magic-tool-keyword-research-personal-keyword-difficulty.png)

### Start your keyword research

Explore the largest keyword database.

Analyze![Backlinko Logo](https://api.backlinko.com/app/themes/backlinko/dist/images/semrush-logo_50c66e41.svg)![Semrush Logo](https://api.backlinko.com/app/themes/backlinko/dist/images/backlinko-logo_fcd71cff.svg)

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> Semrush is my favorite keyword research tool. Not cheap. But if you’re serious about SEO, it’s a must-have.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 2\. Free Keyword Tool by Backlinko

For those just starting with SEO, it can be daunting to invest in expensive keyword research tools.

That’s why we’ve created this **[free keyword research tool](https://backlinko.com/tools/keyword "Free Keyword Research Tool by Backlinko")**, leveraging the extensive database of keywords from Semrush.

This tool assists in pinpointing low-competition keywords, sparking ideas for blog content, and providing insights into monthly search volumes.

![Backlinko – Keyword Tool – Results](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/07/backlinko-keyword-tool-results.png)

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> This is our first free tool on Backlinko and I love using it for quick keyword research.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 3\. Google Search Console

**Find hundreds of “Opportunity Keywords”.**

The [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console "Google Search Console") isn’t a traditional [keyword research](https://www.semrush.com/blog/keyword-research-guide-for-seo/?utm_campaign=keyword-research-tools&utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral "The Ultimate Keyword Research Guide") tool.

But it does have a feature that makes finding awesome keywords a CINCH.

The feature?

[The Performance Report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7576553?hl=en "Performance Report").

![GSC – Performance report](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/gsc-performance-report.png)

This report list out the pages on your site that get the most clicks from Google.

(And the exact keywords that brought them there.)

So: how can you use this feature for keyword research?

It’s easy: use it to find “Opportunity Keywords”.

Opportunity Keywords are where you rank between #8-#20 in Google for a specific keyword.

And with little extra [on-page SEO](https://backlinko.com/on-page-seo "On-page SEO"), you can find yourself with a nice rankings boost.

For example, my average rankings for the keyword “SEO tools” is 11.0.

![GSC – SEO tools – Position](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/gsc-seo-tools-position.png)

That keyword is an Opportunity Keyword. And if I optimize my page around “SEO tools”, my rankings for that term should go up.

**My Favorite Feature:** Google Analytics + Google Search Console

Did you know that you can combine your Google Search Console and [Google Analytics](https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/ "Google Analytics") accounts?

Well, you can.

And it’s VERY helpful.

When you do, you’ll get more in-depth keyword data than you would with either tool by itself.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> The Google Search Console is an underrated keyword research tool. No other tool can help you find Opportunity Keywords like the GSC.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 4\. Soovle

**Scrape suggested keywords from multiple sources.**

[Soovle](https://soovle.com/ "Soovle") gives you suggested keyword ideas from Google, YouTube, Bing, Yahoo, Amazon and more.

(All in one place.)

That way, you can find untapped keywords that your competition doesn’t know about.

![Soovle](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/03/soovle.png)

**My Favorite Feature:** Saved Suggestions

Easily save your favorite keyword ideas with Soovle’s “drag & drop” saved suggestions feature.

![Soovle – Saved suggestions](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/soovle-saved-suggestions.png)

Then, download your favorite keywords to a CSV file.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> Soovle is one of the best free tools for keyword research out there.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 5\. Jaaxy

**Get thousands of related keyword ideas within seconds.**

This is a straightforward (yet powerful) tool.

So, what makes [Jaaxy](https://www.jaaxy.com/ "Jaaxy") unique?

First off, it gives you LOTS of different keyword ideas.

(Including some that you won’t find in most other tools.)

Plus, you get helpful data on every keyword that it generates (including competition, search volume, and potential traffic).

![Jaaxy – Keto diet – Results](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/jaaxy-keto-diet-results.png)

**My Favorite Feature:** QSR

QSR stands for “Quoted Search Result”.

![Jaaxy – QSR](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/jaaxy-qsr.png)

This is a fancy way of saying: “how many other websites are trying to rank for this exact term?”.

Obviously, the lower this number, the better chance you have of ranking #1.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> Jaaxy is a decent freemium tool. Not nearly as good as something like Semrush. But at $50/month, it’s not a bad deal.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 6\. Ahrefs Keywords Explorer

**Make smarter keyword decisions.**

Some time ago, [Ahrefs](https://backlinko.com/hub/seo/ahrefs "Ahrefs") rolled out a new and improved “ [Keywords Explorer](https://ahrefs.com/keywords-explorer "Ahrefs – Keywords Explorer")”.

And what I like most about Keywords Explorer is this:

It gives you SUPER in-depth information on each keyword.

Sure, you get the data you’d expect (like search volume). But you also get a breakdown of the first page competition… and how many searchers actually click on a result.

![Ahrefs – Keywords explorer – Features](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2022/11/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-features.png)

**My Favorite Feature:** Keyword Difficulty

Most keyword research tools give you vague difficulty info (like “easy” or “difficult”). Or a score (like “89/100”).

But Ahrefs tells you EXACTLY how many [backlinks](https://backlinko.com/backlinks-guide "Backlinks") you’ll need to rank on the first page of Google.

![Keyword Difficulty – Link building](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2020/01/keyword-difficulty-link-building.png)

Awesome.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> Ahrefs is mostly known as for backlink analysis. But I have to say: it’s got a killer keyword research tool.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 7\. SECockpit

**Keyword research for SEO pros.**

This a Swiss Army Knife of keyword research tools.

Like any other keyword tool, you give [SECockpit](https://secockpit.com/ "SECockpit") a seed keyword… and you get a list of results.

But what makes SECockpit unique is the built-in features that allow you to get A LOT of depth on search trends, organic competition and traffic estimates.

Which means that it’s a tool largely designed for SEO professionals.

Sure, newbies can get value out of this tool. But there’s no doubt that SECockpit is targeted for people that sleep, eat and breathe SEO.

If you’re brand new to SEO, the sheer number of features in this tool might be overwhelming for you. But if you’re looking for lots and lots of depth, you’ll probably get your money’s worth.

With that, here’s how it works.

When you login you’ll automatically go to your Dashboard, where you can create projects around sets of keywords…or jump right in with a single keyword search.

![SECockpit – Dashboard](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2018/08/se-cockpit-dashboard.png)

To start the keyword research process, click on “ **Start a Keyword Search**”:

![SECockpit – Start keyword search](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/secockpit-start-keyword-search.png)

Then, enter a seed keyword in the field marked “Keyword Phrase”:

![SECockpit – Keyword Phrase](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/secockpit-keyword-phrase.png)

You can get even more results by choosing to include Google Suggest, Related Searches and synonyms pulled from Google Ads:

![SECockpit – Include extras](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/secockpit-include-extras.png)

When you’re done, click on “ **Save and close**” and the tool will get to work.

Here’s the report you’ll get:

![SECockpit – Keyword research results](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/secockpit-keyword-research-results.png)

If you’ve ever used [the Google Keyword Planner](https://backlinko.com/google-keyword-planner "Google Keyword Planner"), the data here should look familiar to you.

In fact, the columns “Phrase”, “Monthly Searches” and “CPC” are pulled directly from the GKP:

![SECockpit – GKP data](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/secockpit-gkp-data.png)

(The only difference is that CPC is called “Top of page bid” in the GKP.)

So: what does the other information in SECockpit mean?

Well you’ll notice a bunch of green bars under the column labeled “Niche”:

![SECockpit – Niche bars](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/secockpit-niche-bars.png)

This bar is a single metric that takes into account first page competition, monthly search volume, and commercial intent. In other words, whether or not that search query is a good overall choice. The larger the bar, the better the keyword.

Next to monthly searches you’ll notice a series of orange bars labeled “Top Results”:

![SECockpit – Top results bars](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/secockpit-top-results-bars.png)

This bar indicates the difficulty of ranking for that particular keyword based on the current top 10 results.

And when you click on a keyword, you get a breakdown of that keyword’s search results.

When you do, SECockpit will display important competition metrics for the top 10 pages in the results… including Moz Domain Authority and total backlinks:

![SECockpit – Competition metrics](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/secockpit-competition-metrics.png)

This is a great way to quickly size up competition without having to look one-by-one at [the SERPs](https://backlinko.com/hub/seo/serps "SERPs").

And you go back to the keywords page, you can actually add at least 20 more columns to the results:

![SECockpit – Add more columns](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/secockpit-add-more-columns.png)

For example, you can see a ratio of the keyword’s competition in comparison to its search volume. Or you can get a comparison of the estimated traffic you’ll get from hitting the top 3 for that keyword. And lots more.

**My Favorite Feature:** Filtering

You can use over 100 filters to find the keywords that you want.

![SECockpit – Filters](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/secockpit-filters.png)

For example, do you only want keywords that get searched for at least 10k times per month? Done.

Or maybe you want terms that have the best ratio of search volume and competition. You got it.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> Clunky? Yes. Intuitive? Heck no. Feature-rich? Absolutely. If you want lots of advanced features, and don’t mind a steep learning curve, definitely check out SECockpit.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 8\. Google Keyword Planner

**Tap into Google’s massive keyword database.**

The [Google Keyword Planner](https://ads.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/ "Google Keyword Planner") (GKP) is pretty vanilla compared to most other keyword research tools.

So why use it?

Because the data you get from it comes straight from Google.

(So you know its legit.)

![GKP – Gardening tips – Keywords](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/gkp-gardening-tips-keywords.png)

**My Favorite Feature:** “Top of page bid”

This is how much people advertisers are bidding on a keyword.

![Google Keyword Planner – Top of page bid](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2021/03/google-keyword-planner-top-of-page-bid.png)

For example, of you see a top of page bid of $10, people are spending an average of 10 bucks per click.

Obviously, the higher this number, the more [commercial intent](https://backlinko.com/commercial-intent "Commercial intent") that searcher has.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> The data in the GKP is the most reliable out there. That said, because it’s designed for Google Ads, using it for SEO can be tricky. This Google Keyword Planner Guide shows you how the GKP for SEO-focused keyword research.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 9\. KeywordTool.io

**Get boatloads of targeted keyword ideas.**

Here’s another Google Suggest scraper (just like [UberSuggest](https://backlinko.com/hub/seo/ubersuggest "UberSuggest") and Soovle).

What makes [KeywordTool](https://keywordtool.io/ "KeywordTool") unique?

Two things:

First, KeywordTool gives you A LOT of keyword suggestions.

For example, I just did a search for “SEO”… and got 648 relevant keywords.

![Keyword Tool – Search – SEO](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/keyword-tool-search-seo.png)

Not bad.

Second, you can easily filter, drill down, or expand the results to find the right keywords for you.

![Keyword Tool – Search settings](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/keyword-tool-search-settings.png)

**My Favorite Feature:** Question-Based Keywords

KeywordTool.io excels at generating question-based keywords, which are incredibly valuable for SEO.

When you enter a seed keyword, the tool automatically generates a list of questions people are actually asking about that topic. This feature is incredibly useful for:

- Developing comprehensive, user-focused content
- Identifying gaps in your current content strategy

For example, if I enter “content strategy” as my seed keyword, I might get questions like:

- “What are the 3 components of content strategy?”
- “Why do you need a content strategy?”
- “What goes into a content strategy?”

![Keyword Tool – Questions](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/keyword-tool-questions.png)

These questions not only give you keyword ideas but also provide insight into what your audience wants to know.

This makes it easier to create content that directly addresses user needs and search intent.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> One of the best overall keyword research tools on the market. Worth a try.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 10\. Moz Keyword Explorer

**Find keywords that will generate the most traffic.**

Moz’s [Keyword Explorer](https://moz.com/explorer "Moz – Keyword Explorer") does an awesome job of finding “lateral” keyword ideas.

For example, take a seed keyword like “weight loss”.

Like most other tools, you get a list of closely related keywords:

![Moz – Keyword Explorer – Keyword Suggestions](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/moz-keyword-explorer-keyword-suggestions.png)

But what makes Moz unique is that it’s SMART.

This means you get outside-the-box suggestions that you probably won’t find anywhere else.

![Moz – Keyword Explorer – Out-of-the-box keywords](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/moz-keyword-explorer-out-of-the-box-keywords.png)

**My Favorite Feature:** “Organic CTR” and “Minimum DA”

These two awesome features let you know how many clicks you can expect to get from your target keyword.

Organic CTR is the number of clicks you can expect to get if you crack the top 10. For example, if a SERP has a ton of PPC ads, news results, and a knowledge graph, your CTR is gonna be low.

![Moz – Keyword Explorer – Organic CTR](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/moz-keyword-explorer-organic-ctr.png)

Minimum DA show the minimum domain authority for the sites ranking in the top 10. It can help you decide whether or not you should target a particular keyword.

![Moz – Keyword Explorer – Minimum DA](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/moz-keyword-explorer-minimum-da.png)

So if you’re overwhelmed by keyword data, you can use this metrics to find keywords that are going to bring you the most traffic from Google.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> Moz’s keyword tool is pretty darn awesome. Unfortunately, it’s not a standalone tool (you have to pay for their entire suite of SEO tools to use it).

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 11\. Keywords Everywhere

**Get search volume (and more) wherever you go.**

[Keywords Everywhere](https://keywordseverywhere.com/ "Keywords Everywhere") is a paid keyword research tool that displays keyword data on top of 10 websites… including Ebay, Amazon and Answer The Public.

![Keywords Everywhere – Homepage](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/keywords-everywhere-homepage.png)

That way, you don’t need to copy and paste keywords into the Google Keyword Planner. The data shows up in your Chrome browser. Very cool.

**My Favorite Feature:** “Related Keywords” and “People Also Search For”

Get a list of keywords related to your search term… in the Google search results.

![Keywords Everywhere – Features](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/keywords-everywhere-features.png)

What’s cool about this feature is that you can find keywords that your target customer searches for when they’re not searching for what you sell.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> If you’re serious about keyword research you NEED to install this extension. It rocks.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 12\. Exploding Topics

**Discover trending keywords before they take off.**

Want to get ahead of the curve? Exploding Topics helps you uncover topics (and keywords) that are just starting to trend.

Here’s how it works:

Open the Exploding Topics platform, and you’ll see a dashboard of trending topics across various categories:

![Exploding Topics – Homepage](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/07/exploding-topics-homepage.png)

You can filter the topics by timeframe and category. This makes it super easy to find relevant trends for your niche.

Click on any topic to see more details, such as:

- Brief explanation of the trend
- The growth rate over time
- Related topics

To use these trends for keyword research, explore related topics and consider how they might fit into your strategy. You can also use the trend names as seed keywords in other tools.

**My Favorite Feature:** Meta Trends

The Pro version of Exploding Topics has many cool features, but the one that stands out is the ability to identify larger meta trends that group related topics together.

![Exploding Topics – Meta Trends](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/exploding-topics-meta-trends.png)

This feature can help you spot border shifts in your industry and help you adjust your strategy appropriately.

## 13\. Google Trends

**Find new keywords and search trends.**

There are two ways to use [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/ "Google Trends") for keyword research:

First, you can search for a specific keyword…

![Google Trends – Search – Paleo diet](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/google-trends-seach-paleo-diet.png)

…and take a look at the “Related topics” and “Related queries” sections.

![Paleo Diet – Related topics & queries](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/paleo-diet-realted-topics-queries.png)

Second, you can see if whether or not a keyword is growing in popularity.

![Paleo Diet – Interest over time](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/paleo-diet-interest-over-time.png)

Why is this important?

Well, let’s say you’re debating between two keywords:

“Content Marketing” and “Inbound Marketing”.

As you can see, interest for “Content Marketing” is growing fast… and fewer people are searching for “Inbound Marketing” than ever before.

![Google Trends – Compare keywords](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/google-trends-compare-keywords.png)

This isn’t to say that “Inbound Marketing” is a bad keyword. But the fact that it’s trending down is one factor to keep in mind as you decide on your next keyword.

**My Favorite Feature:** YouTube Search

See whether a given keyword is growing on the world’s 2nd most popular search engine: YouTube.

![Google Trends – YouTube Search](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/google-trends-youtube-search.png)

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> If you write lots of [evergreen content](https://backlinko.com/hub/content/evergreen "What Is Evergreen Content?"), you NEED to use Google Trends. That way, you can see if a keyword is going to bring you traffic over the long haul… before you write a word of content.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 14\. KWFinder

**A powerful keyword tool that’s also easy to use.**

[KWFinder](https://kwfinder.com/ "KWFinder") is quickly becoming one of my go-to keyword research tools.

Why?

Because it has lots of the features that other tools have. But unlike most other tool, KWFinder is VERY intuitive.

![KWFinder – Homepage](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2021/10/kwfinder-homepage.png)

**My Favorite Feature:** Keyword Difficulty

As you might expect, this tells you how hard it will be to rank for that keyword.

But unlike most other tools, KWFinder automatically shows a Keyword Difficulty score next to every keyword.

![KWFinder – Keyword Difficulty](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/kwfinder-keyword-difficulty.png)

(So there’s no need to click on every single one to see its difficulty score… which gets old fast.)

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> At $29/month you really can’t go wrong with a KWFinder subscription. Great value.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 15\. QuestionDB

**Find lots of question-focused keyword ideas (for free).**

[QuestionDB](https://questiondb.io/ "QuestionDB") pulls question-focused keywords from threads on Reddit.

So if you’re looking for an alternative to Answer The Public, QuestionDB does the job.

![QuestionDB – Homepage](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/questiondb-homepage.png)

**My Favorite Feature:** Ask AI

Click on the “Ask AI” next to any keyword. This will allow you to find the answer to any question-focused keyword, helping you quickly judge whether or not you should create content for that keyword.

![QuestionDB – Ask AI](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/questiondb-ask-ai.png)

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> When it comes to finding question-keywords for blog content, QuestionDB can’t be beat.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 16\. Serpstat

**Analyze the first page competition.**

[Serpstat](https://serpstat.com/ "Serpstat") is a SEO software suite with tools for content, link building, and more.

![Serpstat – Homepage](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/01/serpstat-homepage.png)

Which means Serpstat doesn’t specialize in keyword research.

Even so, it still has a VERY decent keyword research tool.

**My Favorite Feature:** Competitors Graph

This lets you visualize the sites that are competing for a given keyword (and related terms).

![SerpStat – Competitors graph](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2018/08/serpstat-competitors-graph.png)

So if you see big bubbles for “Wikipedia” or “Amazon” it’s probably time to look for a different keyword.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> Is Serpstat one of best tools on the market? No. But at $59 a month, you get a lot of pro features for your money.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

## 17\. AlsoAsked

[AlsoAsked](https://alsoasked.com/ "AlsoAsked") a fantastic tool for topic cluster research.

![AlsoAsked – Homepage](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/alsoasked-homepage.png)

Seasoned SEOs understand that the best way to rank for head keywords is to create topic clusters — multiple pages that talk about the topic in-depth.

AlsoAsked helps you map out these clusters and visualize how people ask questions on the topic.

For example, let’s say you wanted to rank for ‘home security cameras’ – a head keyword that has a 100,000 monthly search volume.

Plugging this keyword into AlsoAsked gives us four distinct cluster topics, divided into specific questions around each cluster.

![AlsoAsked – Clusters](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/08/alsoasked-clusters.png)

Answering these questions in your content is an excellent method of building authoritative topic clusters — and driving tons of SEO traffic.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

> **Brian’s Bottom Line**
>
> With API access coming soon on Alsoasked, and with an affordable pricing, it could be a tool for SEO veterans to use while undertaking massive SERP analysis across different niches and regions.

![](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2019/09/brian-dean-sm.png)

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