Finding Keywords Without Paid Tools
Free sources already say almost everything someone starting out needs. Where they are and how to read them.
Paid tools are convenient and they aren't essential to begin. What someone with twenty pages to fix actually needs can be found in free sources, often closer to reality than estimated volumes.
The most useful sources
- The search engine's autocomplete suggestions as you type: these are real searches.
- Related questions shown in the results, which reveal the doubts around the search.
- The enquiries you receive by message or phone: these are the customer's words, not the industry's.
- The terms used in competitors' reviews, where people describe the problem in their own way.
What to look for, before volume
Intent. Someone searching "how much does it cost" wants a price, "how does it work" wants understanding, "best" is comparing. A page answering the wrong intent won't rank even with the best copy.
The advantage of longer searches
Four- and five-word phrases have less competition and far clearer intent. Someone starting out gets further by answering twenty precise searches well than by chasing one generic term held for years.
When tools genuinely help
When you must choose between dozens of directions and need an order of magnitude for volume. Before that point, time spent in front of a tool is time taken from writing the pages.
The right words are already in the enquiries you receive. The problem isn't finding them: it's noticing they differ from the ones you use.
Sources and Further Reading
Official documentation and guidelines cited or useful for going deeper.