5+ Best Keyword Research Tools in 2022 (Including Free Options)
A big part of search engine optimization (SEO) is about keywords. Targeting the right ones and using them appropriately can make a huge difference when it comes to ranking your pages and articles on Google.
That's why you need keyword research tools.
However, keyword research can be a complex process. There are many free and paid tools you can use to help you select keywords to target.
We will introduce you to the top 5 keyword research tools in this article.
5 of the best free and paid SEO keyword research tools
There are many options when it comes to keyword research tools. For this list, we wanted to focus on those that don't have a big budget. While many of these platforms are paid options, you can use most of them for free with limited capacity.
1. Ahrefs
With Ahrefs, you can find out more about your competitors' keywords and rank them on the search engine.
You can also use it to get suggestions of new keywords to target.
When you search for keywords using Ahrefs, you will also see a competition score for each (ranging from 0 to 100).
In addition, it shows you estimated search volume, clicks, cost per click (CPC), cost per sale (CPS), return rate (RR), and "key topics".
Most free keyword research tools only provide you with a subset of these metrics. However, Ahrefs is one of the only platforms to offer analytics such as CPS and RR.
Ahrefs offers a seven-day trial for $7, although its SEO toolbar includes free analytics.
However, it does not provide any keyword research functionality unless you upgrade to the paid plan.
Key features of Ahrefs keyword search
- Find the most important keywords for any domain.
- Get an accurate keyword ranking for your website.
- Find new keywords and their expected difficulty, search volume, clicks, CPC, and conversion rate.
2. Moz
Moz is one of the most important SEO resources and a leader in this field. It provides both free and paid keyword research tools.
As far as free features are concerned, Moz's domain or site analysis tool allows you to examine the most important keywords for your site based on the number of clicks and ranking.
In addition, it also shows you an overview of your domain's branded keywords, a list of your top search competitors, and even the most frequently asked questions that drive users to your website.
Moz's Keyword Explorer is a more comprehensive search tool, providing suggestions of terms to target based on search volume and relevance.
On the free plan, you can only search ten free keyword explorer queries per month. That's not enough for a complete analysis of most sites, especially if you have an active blog.
With Moz Pro, you can generate thousands of suggestions as well as monthly search volumes, ranking difficulties, and organic click-through rates. You can test it with a free 30-day trial.
Main features of MOZ keyword search
- Find data for existing keywords and SERP ranking distribution.
- Find your best competitor.
- View keyword suggestions, search volume, difficulty, and click-through rate.
3. SEMrush
SEMrush also provides a number of free tools that give you access to the majority of its features. Its reports include search volume, keyword difficulty, and CPC.
The maximum number of keyword reports you can generate per day is ten, which is an improvement over ten Moz reports per month.SEMrush, on the other hand, restricts you to ten keyword suggestions per search.
SEMrush covers other important SEO information in addition to keyword research.
When you create a site report, it displays an overview of your traffic, backlink information, top keywords, competitor data, and more.
It also includes a paid keyword manager that is equivalent to Moz's keyword lists.
While SEMrush's free features are somewhat limited, it's a great addition to any keyword research toolkit.
If you'd like to try out the paid version to see if the extra suggestions are worth it, there's a seven-day free trial.
Key features of keyword research SEMrush
- Get detailed reports on your site, including traffic, backlinks, keywords, and competitor data.
- Get keyword ideas based on search volume, trends, difficulty, and CPC.
- You can create up to ten reports per day for free.
4. Keyword Tool
The Keyword Generator offers another combination of paid and free search features.
You don't need to create an account to start searching for keyword suggestions, which is nice.
Just enter an initial search term and target an area.
Once you search, the Keyword Generator displays a list of suggestions, search volume, CPC, and competition score.
The Keyword Generator gets its information from Google Autocomplete, which provides unique terms not included on most other platforms.
The free version of this keyword tool only gives you data for the top 5 results.
You can still see hundreds of keyword suggestions, but without specific data on them, it can be difficult to analyze which ones are worth targeting.
In short, the free version of Keyword Tool is great for brainstorming content, but if you want accurate metrics, you'll have to pay and opt for the paid plan.
There is no free trial of Keyword Tool Pro, but it does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. The subscription prices are a bit lower than the other platforms on this list if you choose the annual payment.
However, keep in mind that you'll need to upgrade to the Plus plan for CPC data, and this keyword tool is more specialized than Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz.
Key features of the Keyword Tool
- Find keyword suggestions with search volume, CPC, and competition score.
- View the unique search terms generated by Google Autocomplete.
- Export keyword lists as CSV files.
5. Google Ads Keyword Planner
Because Keyword Planner is the king of free keyword research tools, we saved it for last. To use it, you'll need a Google Ads account, but you don't have to run an active campaign to save money.
Once inside, you can view keyword suggestions by entering a query and selecting the language and regions to target.
With Keyword Planner, it is normal to receive hundreds of recommendations as well as average monthly searches, competition level, and CPCs.
When it comes to keyword suggestions, it's hard to find a better tool than Google Ads or the Google Ads Keyword Planner for a large number of options it offers.
Other tools may include additional metrics, such as Ahrefs' RR data or Moz's CTR percentages, but none of them surpass Google's solution in terms of volume.
However, it's important to note that Google Keyword Planner doesn't handle site analysis, backlink monitoring, or any other advanced tasks. Keep your priorities and goals in mind when choosing a keyword research tool.
Key features of the Google Ads Keyword Planner
- Search for keyword suggestions filtered by language and region.
- View monthly averages for search and competition, as well as CPC estimates.
- Price: free
Conclusion
When it comes to keyword research tools, you don't have to shell out a lot of capital to find the data you need.
Paid services often provide more information, but unless you're in a highly competitive niche, they may be unnecessary.
For best results, we recommend using the set of tools mentioned in this list. Google Ads Keyword Planner displays the most suggestions for targeting search terms at no cost.
With the combination of site analysis from a premium platform like SEMRush or Moz - it's worth a try.
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