Finding the right keywords is a fundamental part of search engine optimisation (SEO). But not all keywords are easy to rank for—some are highly competitive, making it challenging for smaller businesses to appear in search results.
This is where low competition keywords come in.
These keywords have less competition, making them easier to rank while attracting valuable traffic.
This guide will walk you through how to find low competition keywords, why they matter, and the best methods to uncover opportunities that can help drive targeted traffic to your website.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve your keyword strategy, this step-by-step approach will make the process easier.
What Are Low Competition Keywords?
Low competition keywords are search terms that are easier to rank for due to lower competition in search engine results. With fewer websites targeting these keywords, well-optimised content has a higher chance of achieving better rankings.
These keywords are especially beneficial for newer websites or those with lower domain authority, as they provide an opportunity to attract organic traffic without having to compete directly with larger, more established sites.
Characteristics of Low Competition Keywords
- Lower Keyword Difficulty (KD): Measured by SEO tools, lower difficulty means fewer sites compete for the term.
- Moderate to High Search Volume: While not always high, they should still have enough search traffic to be worthwhile.
- Specific and Long-Tail Phrases: Longer and more detailed phrases often have lower competition.
- Less Targeted by Big Brands: These keywords are not a priority for major companies, making them easier to rank for.
For example, instead of targeting a broad term like “best running shoes”, a lower competition alternative could be “best running shoes for beginners with wide feet”.
How To Find Low Competition Keywords: A 10-Step Process
Finding low competition keywords requires the right approach, a combination of manual research, keyword tools, and competitor analysis. Below is a step-by-step process to help you discover low competition search terms that can drive targeted traffic to your website.
Step 1: Define Your Niche And Understand Your Audience
Before conducting keyword research, it’s essential to understand your niche and the audience you want to reach. Narrowing down your niche helps you focus on the most relevant topics instead of getting lost in broad, high-competition keywords.
By knowing your audience’s needs, interests, and search behaviour, you can pinpoint keywords that align with what they are looking for. Asking yourself the right questions can refine this process:
- What topics best represent my website?
- What are common problems my audience faces?
- What specific questions would they ask?
- What products or services do I provide?
These considerations will guide your keyword selection, making it more relevant and effective. A well-defined niche allows you to uncover low competition keywords that attract the right visitors, giving you a better chance of ranking higher in search results.
Step 2: Use Google’s Auto-Suggest And Related Searches
Google itself is one of the simplest yet most effective tools for finding low competition keywords. Its auto-suggest feature can help uncover longer, more specific keyword variations based on real user searches.
To use this method, begin by entering a broad keyword into Google’s search bar, and it will generate autocomplete suggestions based on popular user queries.
For instance, if you type “best laptop for”, Google may suggest “best laptop for video editing under $1000,” which is more specific and likely to have lower competition. Additionally, scrolling to the bottom of the search results page reveals Google’s Related Searches, offering further keyword ideas that users frequently explore.
These recommendations are particularly useful as they reflect real search behaviour, allowing you to uncover low competition, high-intent keywords without relying exclusively on paid keyword research tools.
By leveraging Google’s built-in search features, you can discover keyword opportunities based on actual user behaviour rather than guesswork.
Step 3: Use Free & Paid Keyword Research Tools
Keyword research tools help refine your search by providing data-driven insights into search volume, competition levels, and keyword difficulty. While manual research through Google is a great starting point, SEO tools take it further by offering metrics that help you evaluate which keywords are truly worth targeting.
Recommended Tools:
- Google Keyword Planner (Free): Shows search volume estimates and indicates competition levels (low, medium, or high). Focus on low and medium competition keywords for better ranking chances.
- Ubersuggest (Freemium): Provides keyword difficulty scores, search volume, and related keyword suggestions to help find long-tail variations.
- Ahrefs / SEMrush (Paid): Advanced tools that offer detailed competitor analysis, keyword difficulty scores, backlink insights, and search intent classification. These tools are particularly useful for identifying low competition gaps that competitors may have overlooked.
Using these tools removes the guesswork from keyword selection and helps you make informed decisions about which low-competition keywords are worth targeting. You can build a strong keyword strategy that balances search demand and ranking feasibility by combining manual research with keyword tools.
Step 4: Analyse Competitor Keywords
Studying what your competitors rank for can uncover low competition keywords that you may not have considered.
Many businesses focus on high-volume, competitive keywords, leaving gaps where lower competition terms can be targeted instead. By analysing the keywords that smaller competitors are ranking for, you can identify opportunities to rank with less effort.
Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Ubersuggest can help you examine which keywords similar businesses are targeting and how difficult they are to rank for.
If low-authority websites, forums, or Quora pages appear on the first page of Google for a keyword, it’s a strong indicator that the term has less competition. Instead of competing with industry giants, you can focus on these underutilised keywords and increase your chances of ranking quickly.
This method allows you to learn from competitors’ successes while avoiding highly competitive terms that are harder to break into.
Step 5: Look For Question-Based Keywords
Many low competition keywords come in the form of questions, as fewer websites specifically optimise for them.
People often phrase searches as questions when looking for detailed explanations or solutions, making these keywords ideal for informative blog posts, FAQs, and guides.
To find these keywords, you can use tools like AnswerThePublic or AlsoAsked, which generate common question-based search queries related to your niche. Another useful resource is Google’s “People Also Ask” section, which provides real questions that users frequently search for.
For example, instead of targeting a broad competitive term like “best fitness tracker”, a lower competition alternative could be “what is the best fitness tracker for seniors?”
Since question-based keywords are often less saturated, creating content around them gives you a better chance of ranking while directly addressing what users want to know.
Step 6: Check Search Intent
Understanding search intent is key to ranking well in search results, as Google prioritises content that matches what users are looking for.
- Informational Intent: Keywords including how-to, the best way-to, or tips indicating that users want guides, tutorials, or educational content. These work best for blog posts and articles.
- Commercial Intent: Keywords with best, top, or review suggest that users compare products or research before making a purchase. These are great for listicles, product reviews, and recommendation pages.
- Transactional Intent: Keywords such as buy, discount, or cheap indicate that users are ready to make a purchase. These should be targeted in product pages, landing pages, and sales-driven content.
Matching your content to search intent improves click-through rates, user engagement, and search rankings. If your content doesn’t align with what users expect, it’s unlikely to rank well, no matter how well-optimised it is.
Step 7: Use Forums And Community Discussions
Forums, Q&A websites, and online communities are great resources for discovering low competition keywords based on real user discussions.
These platforms provide insights into people’s exact questions and concerns, often highlighting niche topics that aren’t heavily targeted by major competitors. Since larger businesses tend to focus on high-volume, mainstream keywords, forum discussions can help identify specific, less competitive search queries.
Websites like Reddit and Quora allow you to see what people are actively asking, which can guide your content creation. Similarly, niche forums, YouTube comment sections, and Facebook groups reveal recurring topics without detailed search engine content.
By engaging with these discussions, you can identify content gaps and create articles that directly answer common user queries, increasing your chances of ranking for less competitive keywords.
Step 8: Focus On Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases that typically have lower competition and higher conversion rates.
Unlike short, broad, highly competitive keywords, long-tail keywords target narrower, more defined searches that reflect what users are looking for. For example, instead of competing for a broad term like “keyword research,” a more refined and low competition alternative would be “what is keyword research and their best practices?”
Since these searches are more detailed, they often attract users who are further along in the decision-making process, leading to higher engagement and better conversions.
Another advantage is that fewer websites directly optimise for long-tail keywords, making it easier to rank higher in search results.
Step 9: Look For Keywords With Low Authority Results In SERPs
A great way to assess keyword competition is by analysing the search engine results pages (SERPs). If a keyword returns low-authority websites, small blogs, or forum pages on Google’s first page, it’s a sign that the term has lower competition.
On the other hand, if well-known brands, government sites, or high-authority domains dominate the top results, the keyword is likely too difficult to rank for.
To perform this check, simply search for your chosen keyword on Google and review the first-page results. If you see results from platforms like Quora, Reddit, or niche forums, this indicates an opportunity to create better-optimised content that can outrank weaker competitors.
This method allows you to filter out highly competitive keywords and focus on those that offer a realistic chance of ranking well.
Step 10: Prioritise Keywords Based On Volume vs. Competition
Not all low competition keywords are worth pursuing, which is why it’s important to balance search volume and difficulty. Some keywords may be easy to rank for, but if very few people search for them, they won’t drive meaningful traffic. A good approach is to prioritise keywords using the following criteria:
- High Search Volume + Low Competition → Best choice – These keywords bring in substantial traffic while being relatively easy to rank for.
- Low Search Volume + Low Competition → Good for niche traffic – These may not generate large numbers of visitors, but they can attract a highly engaged audience.
- High Competition + Low Search Volume → Not worth targeting – These are difficult to rank for and provide little return on effort.
By focusing on low competition keywords that still have a reasonable search volume, you can attract consistent, high-quality traffic without getting lost in highly competitive search results.
Why Are Low Competition Keywords Important?
Low competition keywords offer several advantages, particularly for those looking to improve their online visibility without investing in expensive marketing campaigns.
Since they are easier to rank for, they provide a great opportunity for smaller websites to compete in search results. Here’s why focusing on finding low competition keywords can be a smart strategy:
1. Easier To Rank For
Unlike highly competitive keywords that require strong domain authority, low competition keywords allow newer or smaller websites to rank without extensive link-building efforts.
By focusing on these lower-competition keywords, businesses increase their likelihood of ranking on the first page of search results. This approach is particularly beneficial for newer websites that are still building their authority and have fewer backlinks or an established digital footprint.
2. Faster SEO Results
SEO can take time, but low competition keywords provide an opportunity for quicker ranking improvements.
Since fewer websites are competing for them, search engine crawlers can index and rank your content faster.
Instead of waiting several months to gain traction, you may start seeing organic traffic in just a few weeks. This makes them ideal for businesses looking to drive traffic more efficiently without waiting too long for SEO efforts to pay off.
3. More Targeted Traffic
Most low competition keywords are long-tail, meaning they are more aligned with user intent. People searching for long-tail terms are often further along in their decision-making process, which leads to higher engagement rates.
For example, someone searching for “best protein powder for muscle gain without dairy” has a clearer intent than someone searching for “protein powder.”
By targeting specific queries, businesses can attract users who are more likely to take action, such as signing up, making a purchase, or requesting a service.
4. Lower Cost In Paid Ads
For businesses running Google Ads or PPC campaigns, low competition keywords offer a cost-effective way to reach potential customers.
Since fewer advertisers bid on these terms, the CPC is usually lower, allowing businesses to stretch their advertising budgets further. This means you can get more clicks for less money, increasing the ROI of your ad campaigns.
Additionally, targeting high-intent low competition keywords in paid search can increase conversion rates since the traffic is more relevant.
5. Helps Build Authority In A Niche
Ranking for low competition keywords can help a website build topic authority over time. When a website consistently produces high-quality content around a specific subject, search engines start recognising it as a trusted source.
For example, if a fitness blog ranks well for several low competition fitness-related keywords, it increases its credibility in that niche. As the site gains more trust and traffic, it becomes easier to rank for slightly more competitive keywords in the future.
This step-by-step growth approach is often more effective than immediately targeting highly competitive search terms.
6. Long-Term SEO Benefits
Unlike paid ads, which stop driving traffic once the budget runs out, ranking for low competition keywords brings lasting organic traffic.
Once a website secures a high ranking for these keywords, it can continue to receive traffic without additional investment. This makes low competition SEO strategies particularly useful for businesses that want sustainable growth.
Additionally, as search engines recognise a website’s relevance for specific topics, they may start ranking it for related searches, increasing overall organic reach.
Conclusion On How To Find Low Competition Keywords
Finding low competition keywords is a powerful strategy for improving your website’s search rankings without having to compete with industry giants.
However, ranking higher on Google requires more than just finding the right keywords. It takes a well-planned SEO strategy, optimised content, and technical improvements to achieve long-term success.
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Frequently Asked Questions About How To Find Competition Keywords
Is It Better To Target Low Competition Keywords Than High Competition Ones?
It depends on your website’s authority. Low competition keywords are ideal for new or smaller sites, while high competition ones require more effort.
Should I Only Focus On Low Competition Keywords?
A balanced approach is best. Low competition keywords offer quick wins, while high competition ones can provide long-term value.
Are Low Competition Keywords Always Long-Tail Keywords?
Not always. However, many long-tail keywords tend to have lower competition due to their specificity.
How Do I Find Low Competition Keywords For Free?
Use Google Auto-Suggest, Related Searches, Keyword Planner, and AnswerThePublic for free keyword ideas.
How Many Low Competition Keywords Should I Target?
It depends on your content strategy, but having a combination of low, medium, and high competition keywords is ideal.
When Will I See Results From Low Competition Keywords?
Depending on content quality and SEO efforts, rankings often improve within a few weeks to months.
