When someone finds your brand on the web, chances are they used keywords (or phrases) on a search engine like Google.
How do you tap into the keywords that people are searching for? The answer is keyword research, one of the more important SEO strategies to help you drive traffic to your website.
Keyword research is the process of understanding the phrases, intent, and language that your target customers use when searching for a solution for their needs, which is hopefully your products, services, and content. Armed with this knowledge, you can cater your content to subjects and specific words that people are searching for.
“Focus on searcher intent,” suggests Simon Ensor, Managing Director at Yellowball. “This should underpin all of your activities — research, creation, and distribution. What is the searcher really trying to achieve and how is your content helping them reach this goal?”
Keyword Research Tools
There are many tools available when it comes to keyword research, and the task of selecting the right one may seem daunting. This is where First Page is happy to step in.
The following are among some of the top-rated keyword research tools for SEO.
1. SEMrush
SEMrush is a complete SEO tool suite that carries out keyword research and helps you improve your SEO rankings. Using the “Keyword Overview” tool, you can type in a keyword and get a full picture of everything you need to know. From the “Organic Research” tab, you can see relevant keywords, as well as where you rank against your competitors. Many top marketers rate SEMrush as the #1 keyword research tool, and this is a great option for FinTech or SaaS companies that regularly monitor new technology and industry keywords.
Price: There are few different pricing plans to choose from with this SEO tool, ranging from $119.95/month to $449.95/month. They also offer a seven-day free trial.
2. AnswerThePublic
AnswerThePublic provides you with keywords in a nice visual format (great for presentations, by the way) and you can also download the data. If you’re just getting started with your first SEO service, this is a great tool to try because you don’t need to create an account to use it. Simply type in your keyword and see what comes up.
Price: Their free version is great for intermittent use, but if you’re performing keyword searches regularly, you may want to consider the pro plan at $99/month. They also offer an annual plan for $79/month or an enterprise plan for $399/month.
3. SpyFu
Designed to help you learn from your competitors, SpyFu provides access to their most profitable keywords and ads. This tool is also great for companies in the FinTech and SaaS space that require competitive monitoring with big dollars at stake. You can try SpyFu for free just by typing in the URL of the site you want to check, and you’ll see the results right away. There’s also the option to create a free account and log in to the service. The tool collects past data so that you can see how your website (or those of your competitors) has fallen or risen in rankings based on specific keywords.
Price: Pricing starts at just $33/month and goes up to $299/month.
4. KWFinder
KWFinder was designed by Mangools, a developer known for delivering keyword research across many categories. The KWFinder platform makes it easy to discover terms with low SEO difficulty. The tool also provides a unique and easy-to-use interface with precise statistics for keyword competition.
Price: Pricing starts with a basic plan at just $30/month. They also offer a premium plan for $40/month and an agency plan for $80/month.
5. Ahrefs Keyword Explorer
Many marketers will say that Ahrefs Keyword Explorer is one of the best keyword research tools available for content creators. The platform offers a broad keyword report and uses clickstream data to provide unique click metrics. Ahrefs is known for its library of keyword suggestions, being supported in over 171 countries and supplying an extensive SERP (search engine results page) overview.
Price: Ahrefs offers four pricing plans designed for freelancers, online marketers, and mid- to large-sized organizations ranging from $99/month to $999/month.
6. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is the most popular keyword tool on the planet. Although it may not provide as much functionality or deep insights as other tools, it’s known for being one of the more accurate sources of keyword data on the market. Where better to get keyword data from Google searchers than Google itself? Data comes directly from Google and integrates with AdSense monetization.
Price: The tool is free, but you’ll need to create a Google Ads account, which requires providing your credit card information.
7. Long Tail Pro
Long-tail keywords are becoming much more popular for SEO and content, and this last tool generates long-tail keywords for niche sites. Long Tail Pro provides powerful, detailed keyword metrics and makes finding keywords easy. The SEO service also provides recommendations on ways to attract organic traffic that converts. They also allow 2,500+ SERP lookups every 24 hours.
Price: There’s a seven-day free trial of the premium version. Subscriptions start as low as $25/month and go up to $98/month.
Want to Add More Value to Your SEO Strategy?
We hope you enjoy this list of great keyword research tools! Pick what works for you and you’ll see how they add value to your SEO strategy.
These tools will provide you with better ROI on your money, but have you considered the benefits an agency can offer? Get a free SEO/content analysis from First Page Strategy and our audit will tell you what to change and why. With our help, you’ll be better able to keep up with your competition and bring new visitors to your site, all at a fraction of the cost of an in-house marketing team.
