If you’ve ever wondered how to do keyword research without paying $99+ per month for a premium SEO tool, this guide is for you. Most tutorials online push you toward paid subscriptions or obsess over search volume as if it were the only metric that mattered. It isn’t.
In this beginner-friendly walkthrough, we’ll show you how to find, evaluate, and prioritize keywords using only free tools, and more importantly, how to decide which keywords are actually worth your time based on search intent and realistic ranking difficulty.
What Is Keyword Research (and Why It Matters in 2026)
Keyword research is the process of identifying the exact words and phrases your target audience types into search engines, then choosing which of those queries your website should try to rank for.
With AI overviews now taking up more space in Google’s results, ranking for the wrong keyword is worse than ever. You need queries that:
- Have real search demand
- Match content you can actually create better than what’s out there
- Align with the intent of the searcher (informational, commercial, transactional or navigational)
- Aren’t dominated by huge domains you can’t outrank
The 5-Step Framework to Do Keyword Research for Free
Here’s the exact process we recommend at adhurl.com. It uses three free tools: Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, and Google Search Console.
Step 1: Brainstorm Your Seed Keywords
Seed keywords are the starting point. They are 1 to 3 word phrases that describe your business, product or topic.
Ask yourself:
- What do I actually sell or write about?
- What problems do my customers try to solve?
- What would a customer type into Google before they know my brand exists?
Write down 10 to 20 seeds in a spreadsheet. Don’t overthink it. If you sell running shoes, your seeds might be: running shoes, trail running, marathon training, best sneakers, jogging gear.
Step 2: Expand Your List with Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is free with any Google Ads account (you don’t have to run ads to use it).
- Go to ads.google.com and create a free account
- Click Tools > Planning > Keyword Planner
- Choose Discover new keywords
- Paste your seed keywords (up to 10 at once)
- Set the location and language for your target market
You’ll get hundreds of related keyword ideas along with average monthly searches and competition data. Export the list as a CSV.
Pro tip: The volume ranges shown to non-advertisers are broad (like 1K to 10K). That’s fine for beginners, you’re looking for patterns, not exact numbers.
Step 3: Enrich Data with Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest offers a limited number of free searches per day, which is enough for a beginner. It fills in the gaps that Keyword Planner leaves.
For each of your top 15 to 20 candidate keywords, plug them into Ubersuggest and note:
- SEO Difficulty (SD): a score from 0 to 100
- Search intent: Ubersuggest now labels queries as Informational, Commercial, Transactional or Navigational
- Related long-tail variations in the Keyword Ideas tab
Long-tail keywords (4+ words) are gold for beginners. They have lower volume but also much lower competition and higher conversion rates.
Step 4: Analyze Search Intent by Looking at the SERP
This is the step most beginners skip, and it’s the most important one.
Before targeting a keyword, actually Google it. Look at the top 10 results and ask:
- Are they blog posts, product pages, videos, or tools?
- Are they informational guides or transactional pages?
- Can I realistically create something better, more updated, or more useful?
If you sell running shoes and the top 10 results for “best running shoes” are all giant publications like Runner’s World and Wirecutter, that’s a red flag. Look for keywords where smaller sites, forums, or outdated content rank in the top 10.
Step 5: Mine Your Own Data with Google Search Console
If your site already has some traffic, Google Search Console is a goldmine of free keyword data.
- Log into search.google.com/search-console
- Go to Performance > Search Results
- Filter by queries where your average position is between 8 and 20
These are keywords you’re almost ranking for. Improving that content is 10x easier than starting from zero. Update the page, add depth, improve internal links, and you can often jump into the top 5.
How to Prioritize Your Keywords: The Decision Matrix
Volume alone tells you almost nothing. Use this simple matrix to decide what to target first:
| Keyword Type | Volume | Difficulty | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-tail, clear intent | Low (100-500) | Low (0-20) | Target first |
| Mid-tail, commercial | Medium (500-5K) | Medium (20-40) | Target after some authority |
| Head term, generic | High (10K+) | High (60+) | Skip for now |
| Branded (yours) | Any | Low | Always cover |
Understanding the 4 Types of Search Intent
Google rewards pages that match intent. Here’s how to spot each type:
- Informational: “how to do keyword research”, “what is SEO” – user wants to learn
- Navigational: “ubersuggest login”, “adhurl blog” – user wants a specific site
- Commercial: “best keyword research tool”, “ahrefs vs semrush” – user is comparing before buying
- Transactional: “buy running shoes online”, “keyword tool free trial” – user is ready to act
If you target a commercial keyword with a pure blog post, or a transactional keyword with a listicle, you’ll struggle to rank no matter how well you write.
Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
- Chasing high-volume keywords too early. A new site targeting “insurance” is not going to rank. Start small.
- Ignoring intent. Volume without intent match equals zero conversions.
- Not checking the SERP. The search results page tells you exactly what Google wants to show.
- Targeting one keyword per page. Instead, target a topic cluster of related terms.
- Forgetting Search Console. Your existing data is the most valuable free resource you have.
Putting It All Together: A 30-Minute Weekly Workflow
- Minutes 0-5: Review Search Console for near-miss keywords (positions 8-20)
- Minutes 5-15: Run 2-3 new seed keywords through Google Keyword Planner
- Minutes 15-25: Enrich top candidates with Ubersuggest data and check SERPs manually
- Minutes 25-30: Add winning keywords to your content calendar with intent labeled
Do this every week and within a few months you’ll have a data-driven content pipeline that actually ranks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is keyword research still relevant with AI search and ChatGPT?
Yes, more than ever. AI overviews and LLMs pull answers from top-ranking pages. If your content ranks for the right query, it gets cited by AI. Keyword research now determines both traditional and AI visibility.
How many keywords should one blog post target?
One primary keyword plus 5 to 15 semantically related secondary keywords. Don’t create a separate page for every close variation, Google treats them as the same topic.
Can I do keyword research without any tools at all?
Partially yes. Google’s own autocomplete, People Also Ask, and Related Searches at the bottom of the SERP give you real user queries for free. But you won’t have volume or difficulty data.
How long does it take to rank for a keyword?
For low-difficulty long-tail keywords on a new site, 3 to 6 months is realistic. Competitive terms can take 12 to 24 months. Prioritize quick wins first to build momentum.
What’s the difference between Google Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest?
Keyword Planner is built for advertisers and gives you Google’s official volume data (in ranges for free users). Ubersuggest adds SEO difficulty scores, content ideas, and competitor analysis. Use both together.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to do keyword research isn’t about mastering fancy tools. It’s about developing the habit of thinking like your customer, checking what Google is already rewarding, and being honest about what you can realistically outrank.
Start with the five steps above, use the free tools, and prioritize based on intent and difficulty rather than raw volume. The results will follow.