Writing a great post is only half the job. If nobody is searching for the words you used, the post can sit on page five of Google forever. That is where keyword research comes in: finding the exact words and questions people type into search engines, then writing content that answers them.
Many beginners think they need expensive SEO tools to do this. You don't. In this guide, you will learn how to do keyword research for free using tools you already have access to, how to pick keywords a new blog can actually rank for, and how to use them in your post without stuffing.
What Is a Keyword (and Why Long-Tail Keywords Matter)?
A keyword is simply a search phrase. "SEO" is a keyword, and so is "how to add a sitemap to Blogger". The second one is called a long-tail keyword: it is longer, more specific and usually searched less often.
For a new or small blog, long-tail keywords are your best friend because:
- Less competition: big websites usually chase short, popular terms, leaving specific questions open.
- Clear intent: someone searching "how to remove ?m=1 from Blogger URL" knows exactly what they want, so a focused post can satisfy them fully.
- They add up: twenty posts that each bring a little steady traffic can beat one post fighting for a single big keyword.
Step 1: Start With Seed Topics
Write down five to ten broad topics your blog covers. These are your seed keywords. For a blogging tips site, they might be "Blogger", "AdSense", "SEO", "WordPress" and "make money blogging".
Think like your reader. What problems do they have? What did you struggle with when you started? Every honest answer is a potential seed.
Step 2: Use Google Autocomplete
Google's own search box is one of the best free keyword tools. Open Google in a private or incognito window (so your past searches have less influence) and start typing a seed keyword slowly.
- Type "blogger how to" and note the suggestions that drop down.
- Add letters after your seed: "adsense a", "adsense b", "adsense c" and so on to uncover more ideas.
- Try question words in front: "why", "how", "can I", "what is".
Every suggestion is a phrase real people search for, which is exactly what you want.
Step 3: Mine "People Also Ask" and Related Searches
Search one of your seed keywords and scroll down the results page.
People Also Ask
This box shows questions related to your search. Clicking one often loads even more questions. These make perfect post ideas, H2 headings or FAQ entries.
Related searches
At the bottom of the page, Google lists related searches. These help you discover different ways people phrase the same need, which you can use as secondary keywords in your post.
Step 4: Check Interest With Google Trends
Go to trends.google.com and enter two or three keyword ideas to compare them. Trends does not show exact search numbers, but it shows which phrase is more popular and whether interest is rising, falling or seasonal.
You can also change the country filter. If most of your readers are in Nigeria, for example, set the location to Nigeria to see what people there actually search for. This is especially useful when planning posts about new trends.
Step 5: Get Rough Search Volumes for Free
When you want numbers, two free tools help:
- Google Keyword Planner: it is part of Google Ads and free to use with a Google Ads account. If you are not running ads, it may show broad ranges such as "100–1K" instead of exact numbers, but that is enough to compare ideas.
- Bing Webmaster Tools: once your site is added, its Keyword Research tool shows search data from Bing. Bing traffic is smaller than Google's, but the ideas and trends are still useful.
Don't chase the biggest numbers. A keyword with a few hundred monthly searches that you can rank for is far more valuable than one with 100,000 searches dominated by giant websites.
Step 6: Find Keywords You Already Rank For in Search Console
If your blog is already in Google Search Console, open the Performance report and look at the Queries tab. Sort by impressions. You will often find searches where your posts appear but get few clicks.
These are easy wins: update the post to answer that query more directly, improve the title, or write a new dedicated post for it. If some of your pages are not showing up at all, read our guide on fixing indexing issues in Google Search Console first.
Step 7: Check the Competition Manually
Before you commit to a keyword, search it on Google and study the first page:
- Are there forums, Q&A sites or small blogs ranking? That usually means the keyword is winnable.
- Is the whole page filled with huge, well-known brands? Consider a more specific long-tail version.
- What type of content ranks? If every result is a step-by-step guide, write a step-by-step guide, not a news post.
- What is missing? Outdated screenshots, skipped steps or unanswered questions are your chance to do better.
Step 8: Use Your Keyword Naturally in the Post
Once you have chosen a main keyword and a few related phrases, place them where they matter:
- Title: include the main keyword, ideally near the start.
- URL: on Blogger, use a custom permalink that is short and contains the keyword.
- Search description: write a clear summary under about 150 characters that includes the keyword.
- First paragraph and a heading or two: mention it naturally, then use related phrases in other headings.
- Image alt text: describe the image honestly, using the keyword only if it fits.
Never repeat the keyword unnaturally. Write for the reader first. For more on on-page settings, see how to make a BlogSpot blog SEO and mobile friendly and our in-depth SEO optimization guide.
A Simple Keyword Research Routine
Keep a free spreadsheet with these columns: keyword, rough volume, competition (low/medium/high), search intent, and post status. Spend 30 minutes a week adding ideas from autocomplete, People Also Ask and Search Console. In a month, you will have more post ideas than you can write.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I really do keyword research without paid tools?
Yes. Paid tools save time and show more data, but Google autocomplete, People Also Ask, Google Trends, Keyword Planner, Bing Webmaster Tools and Search Console are enough to find good topics for a new blog.
How many keywords should one post target?
Focus on one main keyword and a handful of closely related phrases or questions. If two keywords need completely different answers, they deserve separate posts.
What is keyword stuffing?
It is repeating a keyword again and again to try to manipulate rankings. It makes posts hard to read and goes against Google's spam policies, so use keywords only where they fit naturally.
How long does it take to rank for a keyword?
It varies. Low-competition long-tail keywords can start bringing traffic within weeks, while competitive terms can take months. Publishing consistently and improving older posts helps.
Conclusion
Keyword research is not about fancy software. It is about understanding what your readers type into Google and giving them the best answer. Start with seed topics, collect ideas from autocomplete and People Also Ask, check interest in Google Trends, confirm rough volume, study the competition, and then write a genuinely helpful post. Do this for every article and your blog traffic will grow steadily over time.
Which free keyword tool do you use the most? Share it in the comments below.
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