All successful SEO campaigns are based on accurate and comprehensive data. And that process starts with the right keyword research tools.
Of course, you can get away with manually collecting keyword data yourself. While you’ll save on the cost of a premium tool, manual keyword research will cost you
A good SEO keyword research tool takes a lot of the guesswork out of it. Here are seven well-known and time-tested SEO tools to help you dominate your market.
1. Google Keyword Planner
Screenshot from Google Keyword Planner, January 2023
Google Keyword Planner is a classic favorite.
It is free, but since the information comes directly from the search engine, it is reliable and trustworthy. It’s also flexible, allowing you to:
The tool is easy to access and available as a web application and API, and costs nothing; all you need is a Google Ads account.
There are also a few things you need to know when using this tool.
First, these are estimates based on historical data. This means that if trends change, it won’t necessarily be reflected here.
Google Keyword Planner also can’t tell you much about the SERP itself, such as what features you can use and how a feature converts.
Since it’s part of Google Ads, PPC experience can help you learn more. You can find trends at a broad demographic level or at a granular level such as a city, region, or metropolitan area.
Google Keyword Planner also tends to combine data from similar keywords. So, if you want to know if [keyword near me] is better than [keywords near me], you need another tool.
Finally, the tool uses broad definitions of words like “competition” that don’t tell you who’s ranking for that term, how much they’re investing to maintain that ranking, or how likely you are to knock them off their coveted rankings. 10 leaderboards.
Regardless, it’s a great tool if you just want to get a quick look or fresh ideas, if you want to use the API and build your own tools, or if you just prefer to do other tasks yourself.
2. Keyword.io
Cost: Free, $29/month and $49/month.
If Google Keyword Planner isn’t enough, but you’re on a tight budget, Keyword.io might be the alternative you need. It also has various functions.
Keyword.io uses autocomplete APIs to pull key data for multiple sites and search engines, including Google, Amazon, eBay, Bing, Wikipedia, Alibaba, YouTube, Yandex, Fiverr, and Fotolia. It is perfect for niche customers and for specific needs.
It also has a question/intent generator, an interactive topic explorer, and a topic review tool.
In its user interface (UI), you’ll find an easy-to-use filter system and a chart that includes the competition, search volume, CPC and a few other details for your chosen keywords.
However, it has some limitations.
You can run up to 20,000 keywords per seed, with a limit of 100 queries per day (five minutes) or 1,000 queries per day (10 minutes) for its paid plans.
Access to its API, related keywords tool, Google advertising data, and other features are also limited to paid accounts.
3. Semrush
Cost: $119.95 to $449.95 per month.
Semrush offers six keyword tools and four sets of competitive analysis tools in its digital marketing suite, with a database of more than 21 billion keywords.
You can see a complete overview of the keywords you’re watching, including paid and organic search volume, intent, competition, CPC, historical data, SERP analysis and more.
Get related keywords and questions, as well as tons of guidance, ideas, and recommendations from Semrush Magic, Position Tracking, and Organic Traffic Insights.
However, the Keyword Planner is where a lot of the magic happens.
The organic competitor tab allows you to easily identify content and keyword gaps. Expand them and develop clusters that help you drive traffic and conversions.
You can also look at long-tail keyword data and other data to see what Page 1 has about competition, difficulty, and opportunity at a broad or hyperlocal level.
A complete set of tools is a huge benefit. Teams can collaborate, share knowledge and plan.
Seamless integration allows you to integrate your data, meaning teams can easily collaborate, share insights and strategize.
And when you’re done, it can track everything you need for a successful digital marketing strategy.
Some of the tools they offer include:
Semrush’s best features for keyword research are its historical information and PPC metrics.
You can drill down into campaigns and keywords to unlock the secrets of the SERPs and provide agencies or in-house teams with invaluable insights they wouldn’t normally have access to.
4. Moz Keyword Explorer
Screenshot from Moz, January 2023
Cost: Free 10 requests per month. $99 to $599 per month.
With a database of over 500 million keywords, Moz Keyword Explorer can be a great option if you want to build a strategy rather than just get a quick look at some keyword data.
Moz has long been a leader in the SEO space.
By constantly updating and improving its Keyword Research tool and other core services, Moz stays on top of trends and is known for providing SEO professionals with the latest tools. And it has been doing so for over a decade.
Like Google’s Keyword Tool, Moz’s Keyword Planner provides information on term difficulty and monthly search volume. It also allows you to drill down geographically.
When you get started, you’ll find a keyword overview that includes monthly search volume, ranking difficulty, organic click opportunities, and an estimated priority level.
However, unlike Google’s Keyword Tool, Moz gives you data beyond the basics. Think of it like keyword research and SERP analysis.
Moz usually has fewer keyword suggestions. And like Google’s Keyword Planner, it provides estimates of a range of search data, not a specific number.
However, the database is updated frequently, so you can be sure that you are aware of the constant changes in consumer search habits and rankings.
Plus, it’s easy to use, so teams can quickly tackle marketing tasks like finding opportunities, tracking performance, identifying problem areas, and gathering page-level details.
Moz also offers a number of other tools to help you get your site on track and ahead of the competition, but we love this one for its keyword research and flexibility.
5. Ahrefs Keyword Explorer
If I had to describe Ahrefs in one word, it would be power.
Type a word into the search box and you’ll be presented with several panels that show you everything you want to know about that keyword.
Total search volume, clicks, weights, SERP features, and even a volume-weight breakdown. And while it may seem like a lot, all the information is well organized and clearly presented.
Ahrefs provides terms in a parent-child topic format, providing context to the terms so you can easily learn more about the terms, such as intent, while identifying overlap and making it easy to find and understand.
These topics are displayed when you search for a related term, including the term’s SERP ranking, SERP result type, first page ranking difficulty, and user-submitted SERP review. You can stay broad or narrow it down by city or language.
Ahrefs can be a bit expensive. It can be difficult for agencies to scale if they favor multiple user or client accounts, but it is still one of the best and most reliable keyword research tools on the market.
What I really like about Ahrefs is that it’s comprehensive. It has one of the largest databases of tools available (19.2 billion keywords, 10 search engines and 242 countries at the time of writing) and is updated regularly.
It makes international SEO strategies a breeze and includes data on everything from Google and Bing to YouTube and Amazon.
Additionally, they clearly explain their metrics and database. And that level of transparency means trust.
Other tools included in the kit include:
6. SERanking
Screenshot from SERanking, November 2022.
Cost: $23.52 to $239 per month, depending on rank control and payment frequency.
SERanking stands out as a keyword research tool in a comprehensive SEO toolkit. SERanking helps keep costs down while providing features that allow agencies to meet the unique needs of clients.
One of the first things you’ll notice when you log in is its intuitive user interface. But this tool is not just another pretty web tool.
SERanking’s US database contains 887 million keywords, 327 million US domains and 3 trillion indexed backlinks. And that’s not including its extensive European and Asian databases.
The overview page provides a comprehensive overview of data including search volume, CPC and difficulty score.
SERanking also offers lists of related and low-volume keywords if you need inspiration or suggestions, as well as long-tail keyword suggestions with information on SERP features, competition levels, search volume, and other details you need to know to identify new opportunities.
Of course, identifying keywords is only the beginning of the secret. How do you turn keywords into conversions? SERanking offers keyword tools to help you answer this question.
You can find out who your competitors are in the organic results and see who is buying search ads, as well as details like projected traffic levels and ad copy they are using.
This allows you to see what’s working, learn about users searching for those terms, and generate new ideas to test.
SERanking offers agency features such as white labeling, report builders, lead generator and other features that you will find helpful.
However, one of the features that agencies can find most helpful in keyword research is SERanking’s bulk keyword analysis, which allows you to run thousands of keywords and download full reports for all important terms.
Other SERanking Suite tools include:
SERanking is more affordable than some of the other tools out there, but it costs money.
It’s not as robust as some of its competitors and doesn’t get as granular in the same way, but it still provides the features and data you need to create a successful SEO strategy.
And with its flexible pricing, this tool is worth considering.
7. BrightEdge Data Cube
If you’re looking for an AI-powered digital marketing toolkit that includes a quality research tool, BrightEdge might be the right choice for you.
Unlike other tools that focus on providing data and ways to analyze it, BrightEdge does much of the time-consuming analysis for you.
Among search, content, social, local and mobile solutions, you’ll find Data Cube, an AI-powered content and keyword tool that uses natural language processing to find related topics and keywords.
You’ll also be exposed to DataMind, an artificial intelligence that helps you spot search trends, changes in consumer behavior, and key competitor moves you need to know about.
Together, the two make keyword research, topic creation, content strategy creation, and SEO plans fast and easy.
Once you’ve entered a topic or general keyword, the tool will provide you with relevant keywords, search volume, competition levels, keyword value, universal list, and word count for the phrase.
Filter the results by a custom set of criteria to narrow down the list and get the information you need.
Once you have a list, select the ones you want to keep and download them or use them with other BrightEdge tools to create complete strategies and gain more insights.
This may include analyzing competitor analysis, SERP features, intent, or other tasks.
For agencies offering local SEO, BrightEdge also offers HyperLocal to help you find and track keywords and keyword performance at a local level.
Once you’re done, try the opportunity forecasting and tracking tools to track your progress and provide your customers with the information they care about.
Perhaps Agency’s coolest feature is its Storybuilder, a reporting tool that lets you create rich client reports that provide targeted insights to clients and the data they’re most interested in.
If this sounds like the right tool for you, the company offers demos, but there are a few things you should consider.
First, it’s only updated once a month. And while the company keeps its pricing close, this suite of digital marketing tools is a significant investment. This might not be the best choice if keyword research is all you need.
Second, while the tools are very sophisticated and refined, there is a learning curve to get started.
You’ll also find that features like keyword tracking have limitations and can be time-consuming to set up, and some customizations require technical support.
Finally, BrightEdge’s keyword research tool doesn’t let you get too far into the weeds and doesn’t include PPC traffic.
Plus, agencies and major brands are finding that it’s easy to scale, has a beautifully designed user interface, and makes you look great to clients.
The Best Agency SEO Keyword Research Tools
This list contains just seven of the many tools available today to help you do your keyword research expertly.
But no matter how many tools we share with you, or which ones, it’s important to understand that none of them are flawless.
Each tool has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, so choosing a platform depends largely on the types of clients you typically work with and personal preference.
In reality, you’ll likely find that you prefer to work between a few tools to achieve everything you want.
Google Keyword Planner and Keyword.io are the best options if you want to quickly view data or export data to work with elsewhere. You may even want to use this data with the other tools mentioned in this chapter.
Ahrefs, Moz, Semrush and BrightEdge are much more robust and better suited for agency SEO tasks.
While they aren’t free (although they do offer free plans or trials, except for BrightEdge), they really allow you to dig deeper into the search space, resulting in more traffic, more conversions, and stronger SEO strategies. These benefits require more time and often come with a learning curve.
The most important keyword research tool you have access to is you.
Keyword research is more than just choosing the keywords with the highest search volume or the phrase with the lowest cost per click (CPC).
Your expertise, experience, knowledge and insights turn data into digital marketing you can be proud of.
Featured image: Paulo Bobita / Search Engine Journal
Google Keyword Planner is a simple keyword tool that offers some basic features. Despite its lack of functionality, it is still one of the most accurate sources of keyword data on the market.
Where can I find SEO keywords for beginners?
How to conduct keyword research
- Make a list of broad topics related to your topic. …
- Expand each topic with a list of phrases you think your customers will use. …
- Search for related search terms. …
- Analyze the strength of your keywords. …
- Determine where you stand in your industry. …
- Confirm the search purpose.
What are the most searched keywords in 2022?
The most popular keyword in 2022 is Facebook, with an average of 213,000,000 searches per month in 2022. It is closely followed by YouTube, Amazon, weather and Walmart. The most popular keyword in 2022 is Facebook, with an average of 213,000,000 searches per month in 2022.
What is the most popular search on Google?
What is the most searched thing on Google 2023?
According to the latest data, the most searched thing on Google in 2023 will be âYouTubeâ.
What are the top 3 searches on Google?
The World’s 100 Most Searched Keywords Some of the most popular keywords that have driven the most traffic worldwide over the past year come as no surprise. âYoutube, âfacebookâ and âtëlke- took first place, followed by pornhub.
What is the most searched thing on YouTube 2022?
This means that with an index of 62, the search term “movie” receives 62% of the total search volume received by YouTube’s highest ranking keyword “song”.
What is trending on YouTube 2022?
Popular Videos #1 so long nerds. #2 Watch the uncensored moment Will Smith punches Chris Rock onstage and drops an F-bomb at the Oscars. #3 Hi, I’m Dream. #4 Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J.
What is the most googled thing in 2022?
According to Google, the most searched terms for 2022 were Wordle, 2022 mid-term elections, Queen Elizabeth and Betty White.
Which keyword research tool is the best for organic search results?
Ahrefs Keywords Explorer Ahrefs is one of the best keyword research tools available to content creators today. The platform provides the user with a comprehensive keyword report and relies on clickstream data to provide unique click metrics.
What tool do we use for organic keyword research? Ahrefs is the most widely used keyword research tool for SEO, and for good reason. It crawls and stores the largest third-party database of search queries, meaning you get the most extensive (and accurate) data for your research. You can see the organic keywords, backlinks and PPC campaigns of your competitors.
How much do SEO experts make?
An average of Rs 36,494 per month.
Is working in SEO a good career? ‘Yes. SEO is a good career opportunity as it is one of the most sought after career opportunities in the field of digital marketing. There are several organizations in the world that hire SEO professionals to create better content and thus generate more business leads.
Can you make good money in SEO?
So, how much can you earn with SEO? As of September 2021, most SEO experts can earn between $113,518 and $131,590. Salaries depend on many factors, including education, certifications, work experience and additional skills.
Is SEO in high demand?
High Demand for SEO Services Consequently, the services of SEO specialists are in high demand. In addition, a career as an SEO professional provides good job security. As long as businesses are online, they will always need your services to be seen.
Is SEO worth learning in 2022?
Yes, SEO is worth it – in 2022, in the future, in the past and always. As long as websites and search engines exist, SEO is necessary. SEO in 10 years will likely be very different from SEO today, but you always need to make sure your website is sending the right signals to search engines to be found.
Will SEO exist in 5 years?
SEO will be around for a long time as social media and search engines will more than likely merge. In fact, Facebook has already started doing so, averaging over 1.5 billion searches each day, while Twitter has joined in with Google.
Is SEO high paying?
On average, an SEO specialist earns $49,000 per year, with the median salary for SEO managers being significantly higher at around $63,000. At the top end are SEO Directors – who typically make between $70,000 and $120,000 – and SEO Team Leaders and Campaign Managers between $50,000 and $100,000.
Is SEO job stressful?
Any job can be stressful depending on the work required of your company. The same goes for SEO related jobs. However, it is not as stressful as IT or other programming jobs.
Is a career in marketing stressful?
Marketing manager is a stressful job because of all the different responsibilities and deadlines. Duties depend on the size of the company. Marketing managers need to know how to create programs and campaigns and report on market indicators. Teamwork, cooperation and excellent communication skills are required.
Is SEO a long term career?
So, yes, SEO can be a great career choice these days, especially if you are passionate about all things internet. Remember that you need to constantly learn and improve your skills, as search engines are constantly changing their algorithms.
Is doing SEO difficult?
SEO isn’t that hard to learn, but getting started can be confusing and overwhelming. Learning SEO means learning about a long list of individual digital marketing strategies, which can feel like adding new weapons to your arsenal as you learn to use them.