Find the Right Words: A Guide to the Best Keyword Research Tools for Your Business
I didn’t know much about keyword research when I started my first blog. I wrote whatever I thought would be interesting and informative as long as it was related to my industry.
A few months after starting, I sat at my desk staring at the computer screen, feeling completely frustrated. I started the blog with so much passion and excitement, but I couldn't grow it. No matter how much content I created, I wasn't getting any traffic, and my conversion rate was minimal.
I felt I was missing something crucial but couldn't put my finger on it. That was until I stumbled upon an article about keyword research and how it could help optimize my content to make it more visible to search engines and attract more traffic to my site.
I was skeptical at first. I mean, how much of a difference could a few keywords really make? But as I read on, I realized that I had been writing without any real strategy. I was missing out on an entire world of potential customers searching for businesses like mine using specific keywords and phrases.
So, I started researching the best keyword research tools, and let me tell you, there are some incredible options out there. These tools helped me uncover keywords and phrases my target audience was searching for. They also enabled me to optimize my content, both on-page and off-page. My website started ranking higher on search engines, and I started getting more traffic and conversions.
In my quest for the best keyword research tool, I have tried and tested many tools. I finally realized that some tools work best for specific kinds of content. Below I will discuss the best keyword research tools for small businesses, freelancers, solopreneurs, E-commerce, YouTube, local SEO, and large enterprises. But first, let's understand what keyword research is and why it's important.
What's Keyword Research?
Keyword research is the process of finding words and phrases that people enter in search engines when looking for products, services, or general information. Keyword research helps you discover what your target audience is searching for so you can create relevant content that will rank well in search engines.
Best Keyword Research Tool for Small Businesses: Google Keyword Planner
If you run a small business and are on a tight budget, then Google Keyword Planner is an excellent tool for keyword research. Although it's a free tool, it will provide data on search volume, competition, and suggested bid estimates for each keyword.
It will also give you valuable insights into related keywords and help identify long-tail keywords necessary for small businesses to compete with more established companies.
To use Google Keyword Planner, you must have a Google Ads account. Login into your Adwords account, and go to Tools and Analysis – > Keyword Planner.
Pros
- It's free to use
- It will provide you with valuable insights into related keywords
- It'll help identify long-tail keywords
- It's integrated with Google Ads
Cons
- Limited data for non-Google Ads users.
- Some features are only available for paying Google Ads customers.
Best Keyword Research Tool for Freelancers: SEMrush
SEMrush is a powerful keyword research tool ideal for freelancers who need to manage multiple clients' SEO needs. With SEMrush, you can conduct keyword research, track your rankings, and analyze your competitors' keywords. This tool offers a range of features, such as backlink analysis, site audit, and content optimization tools, making it an all-in-one solution for SEO freelancers.
SEMrush is free to use for up to 10 queries a day. But you can upgrade to a paid plan to access unlimited searches and advanced SEO features.
Pros
- It has comprehensive keyword research features— you can find long tail and question-based keywords and any keyword's organic and PPC value.
- It has advanced competitor analysis tools
- It's an all-in-one SEO solution
- It has a highly accurate database of over 22 billion keywords, much larger than its competitors.
Cons
- Some features can be overwhelming for small-scale projects and beginners.
Also check out:
11 Semrush Alternatives That Got Your Back
SpyFu And SEMrush: Who’s the Real Sheriff in Your SEO Town?
Best Keyword Research Tool for Content Marketers: Ahrefs
Ahrefs is one of the most popular keyword research tools available in the market, and it's an excellent option for content marketers. With Ahrefs, you can find new keyword ideas, analyze your competitors' keywords, and track your keyword rankings.
One of the standout features of Ahrefs is Keywords Explorer, which gives information such as search volume and keyword difficulty scores. This data helps you identify the difficulty level of ranking for a particular keyword. It also lets you see your current keyword rankings and your ranking history.
Ahrefs Keyword Explorer will also estimate keyword search volume for platforms like Youtube, Amazon, and Bing. This can be extremely helpful when planning your content strategy and deciding which keywords to target.
Pros
- It has a comprehensive keyword database
- Advanced keyword analysis features
- User-friendly interface
- Regularly updated keyword data
Cons
- Relatively expensive compared to other tools
- Limited features on the basic plan
Also check out: Top 9 Ahrefs Alternatives Giving The Behemoth A Run For Its Money
Best Keyword Research Tool for E-commerce: Keyword Tool
Keyword Tool is a keyword research tool specifically designed for e-commerce businesses. With Keyword Tool, you can find long-tail keywords relevant to your products and services and optimize your product listings for better search engine rankings.
Keyword Tool also supports multiple platforms, including Amazon, eBay, and Etsy, making it a great option for businesses selling on these platforms.
Pros
- Comprehensive keyword research features for e-commerce businesses
- Ability to find long-tail keywords for product listings
- Supports multiple platforms
Cons
- Limited functionality for general SEO research
- Data can be less accurate for low-volume keywords
Best Keyword Research Tool for Large Enterprises: Moz Pro
Moz Pro is a powerful SEO tool suite ideal for large enterprises with complex SEO needs. With Moz Pro, you can conduct keyword research, track your keyword rankings, analyze your competitors' keywords, and get actionable insights to improve your website's SEO performance.
Moz also offers advanced features, such as site crawl and page optimization tools, making it an all-in-one solution for large-scale SEO projects.
Pros
- Comprehensive keyword research features
- Advanced SEO analytics and insights
- All-in-one SEO solution
- Customizable reporting
Cons
- Expensive compared to other tools
- Limited features on the basic plan
Best Keyword Research Tool for Local SEO: BrightLocal
BrightLocal is a local SEO tool that can help with keyword research for businesses targeting specific locations. With BrightLocal, you can find location-specific keywords and track your local search engine rankings.
The tool also offers local citation tracking and audit features, making it a comprehensive solution for local SEO.
Pros
- Comprehensive local SEO features
- Ability to find location-specific keywords
- Local citation tracking and audit features
- Affordable pricing plans
Cons
- Limited functionality for general SEO research
- Data can be less accurate for low-volume keywords
Best Keyword Research Tool for Youtube; VidIQ
VidIQ is a keyword research tool that will enable you to get the best keywords for improving your YouTube content searchability.
When searching for a keyword, the extension will also show the search volume, keyword stats, overall keyword score, competition, related queries, and the tags from top-ranking videos.
The tool offers a free version, or you can subscribe to their paid plan.
Pros
- Keyword research- VidIQ will help you find the most relevant and popular keywords for your YouTube videos. It will also suggest keywords and help optimize titles, descriptions, and tags.
- Competitor analysis - it will give you insights into competitors' video performance, including their top-performing videos, engagement rates, and keywords. This information can help you improve your video content and increase engagement.
- Real-time analytics - it provides real-time analytics for video performance, including views, engagement, and audience retention. This information will help you track video performance and make adjustments accordingly.
- Tag recommendations - VidIQ offers tag recommendations for videos based on the most popular tags used by competitors. This will help you to improve video discoverability on YouTube.
- Channel audit - can perform a channel audit and provide insights on areas of improvement, such as video metadata, video titles, and engagement.
Cons
- Limited free plan- offers a limited free plan with some restricted features.
- Chrome extension only -it's available as a Chrome extension only, so you must use the Chrome browser to access its features.
Best Overall Keyword Research Tool: SEMrush
While all of the keyword research tools mentioned above have unique strengths, SEMrush is the best overall keyword research tool that can fit the needs of all user categories. SEMrush has comprehensive keyword research features, advanced competitor analysis tools, and all-in-one SEO. However, SEMrush's advanced features are only accessible via the paid version.
Wrap Up
Now that you know the best tools to use, you no longer have to spend hours creating content that doesn’t get read. Hop onto your preferred keyword tool and start creating content that your target audience will relate to.
If you have trouble getting started with keyword research and content writing, Zoey Writers can step in.
We’re a team of talented content writers that can help you do everything from keyword research, to writing, to publishing.
Contact us today to learn more about our content writing services.
Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi. Thank you Olesksandr!
