How to do keyword research: a step-by-step method with free tools
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · Moz Reviews · Updated October 5, 2026
Disclosure: this site reviews Moz and earns a commission if you sign up for it through our links. Every step below works with free tools; the last section covers where a paid tool helps.
What keyword research is for
Keyword research finds the searches your customers make and picks the ones your site can realistically rank for. The output is a short list: for each page you plan to write or improve, one main keyword, the variations that share its intent, and a reason to believe you can compete.
Keyword research in six steps
1. Start from what you already rank for
Open Google Search Console, go to Performance, and sort queries by impressions. Queries with many impressions and an average position between 8 and 20 are the fastest wins: Google already connects your site to them. Note which page ranks for each.
2. List the problems your customers search for
Write down 10 to 20 seed topics in your customers' words: the problems they have, the products they compare, the questions your sales or support team hears. Seeds are short (“keyword research”, “cancel subscription”); the long versions come next.
3. Expand each seed with Google itself
Type each seed into Google and record the autocomplete suggestions, the People also ask questions, and the related searches at the bottom of the page. Each is a phrase real people search. Google Trends shows whether interest in a topic is rising or seasonal.
4. Estimate search volume
Google Keyword Planner, free with a Google Ads account, shows monthly volume. Without an active ad campaign it shows ranges (such as 1K to 10K) rather than exact numbers, which is enough to separate big topics from small ones.
5. Check who ranks now
Search each candidate keyword and look at page one. If it is all large brands and in-depth guides, a new site will struggle. Forums, thin pages, and small sites in the top results mean there is room. This manual check is what difficulty scores in paid tools estimate for you.
6. Match intent and group into pages
Look at what kind of page ranks: guides, product pages, comparisons, or tools. Your page should be the same kind. Then group keywords that the same page can answer, and pick one main keyword per page. Two keywords whose results pages look different need two pages.
Where a keyword tool saves time
The manual method works for a few dozen keywords. It slows down when you need exact volumes, difficulty scores for hundreds of terms, or the keywords a competitor ranks for. That is what paid tools sell. Moz Pro's Keyword Explorer draws on 1.25 billion+ keywords, per Moz, groups suggestions by search intent, and scores difficulty and priority. Reviewers on G2 and Capterra describe it as easy to start with; some power users find the database smaller than Semrush or Ahrefs.
You can try Keyword Explorer on a free Moz account before paying. For the trade-offs between tools, see Moz vs Semrush and Moz vs Ahrefs.
Keyword research FAQ
Can I do keyword research for free?+
Yes. Google Search Console shows the queries you already appear for, Google's autocomplete and People also ask boxes show what people search, and Google Keyword Planner gives volume ranges with a free Google Ads account. Free tools are slower and give less precise volume and difficulty figures.
How many keywords should a page target?+
One main keyword plus the close variations and questions that share its search intent. If two keywords need different pages to answer them, they are two targets.
What is keyword difficulty?+
An estimate of how hard it is to reach page one for a keyword, usually based on the authority of the pages that rank now. Each tool calculates it differently, so compare difficulty within one tool rather than across tools.
Is Moz good for keyword research?+
Reviewers on G2 and Capterra rate Moz's Keyword Explorer as easy to use, especially for people new to SEO. Some power users find its keyword database smaller than Semrush's or Ahrefs'. A free Moz account allows limited Keyword Explorer use, so you can test it first.