Best Keyword Research Tools for Bloggers
Keyword research is one of the most important processes for bloggers. Consistently identifying high-value keywords is the best way to ensure that you're producing the right content, and optimizing each article for SEO.
There are many ways to successfully approach keyword research, but almost all involve the use of a software tool. We've listed our favorite keyword research tools for bloggers below, along with details on pricing, and the pros & cons of each solution.
Table of Contents
- What Keyword Research Features Matter Most to Bloggers?
- How Do I Find the Best Keywords For My Blog?
- How Much Do Keyword Research Tools Cost?
- The Best Keyword Research Tools for Bloggers
What Keyword Research Features Matter Most to Bloggers?
Bloggers need a more specific set of keyword research features than other types of online marketers. These features help bloggers identify high-value keywords in their specific niche, and increase the efficiency of the blogging process. Here are the top features to look for in your keyword research tool:
- Large Keyword Databases: Every SEO tool has its own keyword database that it uses to power its application. The larger the keyword database, the better the application will perform in niches. Ahrefs and SEMrush have the largest keyword databases.
- The Ability to Save Keyword Lists: Efficiency helps bloggers produce a high volume of content. Some solutions allow you to save your keyword research lists for future use.
- Content Explorers: Some solutions below include a content explorer that helps you find high-performing web pages for any given keyword.
- SEO Writing Assistants: SEMrush includes an SEO writing assistant that audits the readability of your content in real time, and suggests target keywords.
- The Ability to See Other Sites Best Pages: Ahrefs allows you to see the best performing pages for any website in terms of traffic and backlinks.
How Do I Find the Best Keywords For My Blog?
Finding the best keywords for your blog is critical for finding the best content ideas, and ensuring that each piece of content is SEO optimized. There's no single method for finding keywords – here's three of our favorite methods:
- Exploring Related Keywords: You can use tools like SEMrush's Keyword Magic Tool to quickly identify hundreds of keywords related to any individual keyword. This is an efficient way to understand the keyword landscape around a topic and find the best keywords to target.
- Competitor Research: Ahrefs, SEMrush and SpyFu allow you to compare your blog to other blogs to identify the keywords that work best for other blogs, but not yours. This is an efficient way to identify dozens of promising keywords that you can target with new content.
- Identify the Best Keywords for Existing Content: You can enter any webpage into a tool like Ahrefs or SEMrush to see the organic keywords it ranks for. This is a good way to identify the best keywords to target if you know the topic you plan to write about.
How Much Do Keyword Research Tools Cost?
Keyword research tools cost between $40 to $100 per month. More expensive solutions typically come with a broader set of features, for example keyword rank tracking, SEO audits and competitor research.
There are also free keyword research tools that we recommend using in parallel with subscription software. While useful, these solutions are less user-friendly and lack many of the features found in for-purchase solutions that allow you to efficiently uncover high volumes of keywords. The most popular free keyword research tools are Google Keyword Planner, Google Search Console, and Ubersuggest.
The Best Keyword Research Tools for Bloggers
The best keyword research tools for bloggers are listed below. These solutions are built for writers covering niche topics with a high volume of content.
SEMrush
SEMrush is our top overall SEO solution. It's one of three all-in-one SEO software tools in this list that you can use for much more than keyword research – Ahrefs and Serpstat are the other two.
SEMrush is the best solution for keyword research – its Keyword Magic Tool is intuitive and powerful, it has the largest keyword database, and its reports include rich data on each keyword. In addition, it includes nice-to-have features such as the ability to save keyword lists, an SEO writing assistant, and an advanced competitor research tool.
If you have the budget, we recommend SEMrush. If you're just getting started, you might be interested to learn about SEMrush's free plan.
Semrush
Best Overall SEO SoftwareSemrush is the best all-in-one search software tool for keyword research, competitive analysis, position tracking, and more. It will save you hours finding new high-volume keywords to target in paid and organic search, give you visibility into your competitors' online marketing tactics, and help you monitor your website's SEO performance.
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SpyFu
SpyFu is a popular competitive research solution. Its platform is strongest for competitive research and keyword research. SpyFu does not offer some tools found in all-in-one solutions – for example website SEO audits, backlink profile analysis, and keyword rank tracking.
Bloggers who do not need these extra features can save $60+ per month with SpyFu. If you need a solution specifically for competitive research and keyword research, SpyFu is a fantastic choice.
SpyFu is a keyword research and competitive intelligence tool that is used by digital marketers to improve their performance in online search. More specifically, SpyFu can be used to identify the most profitable search terms in your competitors' paid and organic search campaigns.
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Ahrefs
Ahrefs is SEMrush's top competitor. It is a fantastic all-in-one SEO platform that excels in backlink profile analysis and content research. However, it's not quite as strong in keyword research compared to SEMrush.
If you have the budget and are a content marketer that is responsible for backlink outreach, then Ahrefs is highly recommended. You can test its keyword research tool for one week for $7.
Ahrefs
Best for Backlink AnalysisAhrefs is a powerful all-in-one SEO search software tool that can be used for backlink analysis, keyword research, competitive research, SEO audits and more. It is the best solution for content marketers that are focused on generating backlinks.
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Serpstat
Serpstat is another all-in-one SEO solution. It offers most of the same tools as Ahrefs and SEMrush. However, the tools in Serpstat tend to be less powerful. Starting at $69 per month, Serpstat is offered at a discount compared to Ahrefs and SEMrush.
If you prefer an all-in-one SEO solution and are on a budget, Serpstat is a good choice.
Serpstat is an all-in-one search tool used by over 250,000 marketers to improve their performance in online search. With features like keyword research, backlink analysis, rank tracking, and site auditing, you can optimize your search efforts and maximize your website's traffic and visibility. If price and an ability to track a high volume of keywords is paramount, then Serpstat is an excellent option.
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KWFinder
KWFinder is a basic, but effective keyword research tool offered by Mangools. It is not an all-in-one SEO solution – its tools are primarily built for keyword research. While KWFinder is an easy-to-use keyword research tool for beginners, it does lack advanced keyword research features like a keyword gap analysis tool.
If you're just getting started and only need a solution for keyword research, KWFinder is worth looking into.
KWFinder is an intuitive keyword research tool developed by Mangools that is a great for conducting basic & slightly advanced keyword research. It's a popular alternative to other options on the market, such as Moz and Long Tail Pro, due to its focus on simplicity and its ability to identify long tail keywords that are easy to rank for. KWFinder is a good option at the lower pricing tiers.
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Long Tail Pro
Long Tail Pro is another solution focused specifically on keyword research. Of the tools on this list, it's most similar to KWFinder. It includes the core keyword research features found in other solutions, and basic competitor research & keyword rank tracking tools.
Long Tail Pro is also the cheapest tool in the list. If a basic keyword research tool meets your needs, then Long Tail Pro is worth exploring.
Long Tail Pro is a keyword research tool designed to help website owners find low-competition keywords to support their SEO strategy. Using Long Tail Pro, you can enter seed keywords (up to five at once) and get back hundreds of different suggestions and keyword variations. The software also allows you to analyze a list of keywords manually, and even assess your competitors' domains to uncover new keywords in your niche.
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