Find Low Competition Keywords and Rank Faster

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A low competition keyword is a specific search term that has fewer websites fighting to rank for it. This makes it worlds easier for new or smaller websites to actually show up on the first page of Google, driving targeted traffic without needing a massive budget or years of established authority.

What Low Competition Keywords Actually Mean

Imagine you’re opening a small coffee shop. Trying to compete with Starbucks for the keyword "coffee" is like setting up your shop right next to their busiest location—you’d be completely drowned out.

But what if you targeted "organic single-origin espresso in downtown Austin"? Suddenly, the competition shrinks. You’re no longer fighting a global giant; you’re appealing to a very specific, highly interested local audience. This is the entire game plan behind using a low competition keyword.

These keywords are the hidden gems of SEO. They're specific phrases people are actively searching for, but they aren't saturated with content from major corporations. For a growing website, this strategy isn't just helpful—it's essential. It allows you to sidestep the digital Goliaths and start winning traffic battles you can actually manage.

The Anatomy of a Low Competition Keyword

So, what makes a keyword a "hidden gem" instead of just another crowded battleground? It usually comes down to a few key ingredients that signal less digital noise and a much clearer path to ranking.

A low competition keyword is typically defined by:

Lower Search Volume: Instead of tens of thousands of searches per month, it might have a few hundred. But this traffic is often more targeted and ready to convert.

High Specificity: These are often longer phrases, known as long-tail keywords, that address a very particular need or question.

Lower Keyword Difficulty (KD) Scores: SEO tools measure competition with metrics like KD. A lower score (typically under 30) is a strong sign that it will be easier to rank on the first page.

Less Authoritative Top Results: When you search for the term, the current top-ranking pages might be from smaller blogs, forums, or websites with lower Domain Authority. This signals a massive opportunity for you to outperform them.

This infographic helps visualize the process of finding these "hidden gems"—the quieter, more accessible opportunities in the bustling world of search.

The image illustrates that the goal isn't to find the most popular spot, but the most accessible one where your ideal customers are already looking. To help drive this point home, here's a quick side-by-side comparison.

High Competition vs Low Competition Keywords At a Glance

Attribute	High Competition Keyword (e.g., 'coffee beans')	Low Competition Keyword (e.g., 'single origin coffee beans in Austin')
Search Volume	Very High (10,000s+)	Lower (10s to 1,000s)
Keyword Difficulty	High (70+)	Low (Under 30)
User Intent	Broad, often informational	Highly specific, often transactional
Competition	Dominated by major brands	Smaller blogs, forums, local sites
Conversion Rate	Generally lower	Generally higher
Time to Rank	Months or years	Weeks or months

This table shows the clear trade-off: you sacrifice raw volume for specificity, relevance, and a much, much easier path to page one.

Why This Strategy Works

Focusing on these terms is a game-changer, especially for smaller businesses or new websites. Because these keywords are less crowded, they are simply easier to rank for. You don't need a mountain of backlinks or a decade of authority to get noticed.

Think of it as a stepping stone. Each low competition keyword you rank for builds your website's credibility with Google. This accumulated authority makes it easier to eventually target more competitive, higher-volume keywords in the future.

Ultimately, this approach isn't about avoiding a challenge; it's about choosing your battles wisely. It’s a strategic decision to build momentum, gain that crucial initial traction, and establish a real foothold in your niche before you decide to take on the industry giants.

A Practical Workflow to Find Winning Keywords

Finding a great low-competition keyword isn’t about luck—it’s about having a repeatable, strategic process. This workflow will walk you through everything from the initial brainstorm to confidently picking keywords that give you a real shot at ranking, even if your website is brand new.

Think of this as your treasure map for digging up digital gold.

The whole process kicks off not with some fancy tool, but with simple brainstorming. Open up a spreadsheet and start listing every possible search term you can think of related to your niche. What problems are your customers trying to solve? What questions are they constantly asking? Don't hold back or filter yourself at this stage; just get all the ideas down on paper.

Once you have a decent list, then you can bring in the tools to flesh it out. Tools like Semrush's Keyword Magic Tool are perfect for this, helping you expand your initial ideas by suggesting related phrases and interesting variations. This is often where you'll stumble upon those hidden low-competition gems.

Evaluating Keyword Metrics Wisely

With a long list of potential keywords, the next step is to start analyzing the numbers without getting bogged down. The two most important metrics you’ll want to focus on are Search Volume and Keyword Difficulty (KD).

Search Volume is a rough estimate of how many times a month people are searching for that specific term. It’s tempting to chase the big numbers, but for a low-competition strategy, a keyword with just 50-500 searches per month can be incredibly valuable if the search intent is a perfect match for what you offer.

Keyword Difficulty (KD) is a score, usually on a scale of 0-100, that estimates how hard it will be to crack the first page of Google. If your site is new or still growing, targeting keywords with a KD score under 30 is a smart move. This is your primary gauge for how competitive the landscape is.

For a deeper dive into this process, you can see how we apply it in our own detailed keyword research example.

Here’s a quick look at how a tool like Semrush presents this data, allowing you to filter for those low-difficulty opportunities.

This screenshot shows exactly how you can apply filters to instantly find keywords with "Very easy" difficulty. It turns a massive, overwhelming list into a manageable set of high-potential targets. This step is all about separating the crowded battlegrounds from the wide-open fields.

Analyzing the SERP Manually

Metrics like KD are a fantastic starting point, but they don't paint the full picture. The single most important step in finding a true low-competition keyword is manual SERP (Search Engine Results Page) analysis. This means you actually Google the term and see who’s showing up on page one.

You're looking for signs of weakness in the top results. These clues tell you that you have a realistic shot at outranking the current content.

Here’s what to keep an eye out for:

Low Domain Authority (DA) Sites: Are there websites with a low DA (think under 40) already ranking? That's a great sign that Google is willing to rank newer or less authoritative sites for this term.

Forum and Community Posts: Are you seeing results from Reddit, Quora, or small niche forums? This usually means there’s a lack of high-quality, dedicated content out there, leaving a gap you can easily fill.

Outdated or Thin Content: Take a look at the top articles. Are they short, poorly written, or published years ago? If you can create something more thorough and up-to-date, you’ve got a massive advantage.

A low KD score gets a keyword on your shortlist. Weak SERP results are what move it to the top of your content plan. This manual check is the difference between guessing and knowing you can win.

By combining tool-based data with your own human analysis, you create a powerful system. This approach ensures you're not just chasing low numbers but are targeting keywords where you can genuinely provide the best answer—and earn that coveted first-page spot.

Understanding Your Industry's Keyword Landscape

Not every keyword battlefield is created equal. Imagine trying to set up a hot dog stand in Times Square versus opening one at a local community park. The competition is worlds apart, right? That same idea applies directly to SEO. Your industry plays a massive role in defining what a "low competition keyword" even looks like.

For some businesses, finding these golden opportunities is pretty straightforward. For others, it’s like searching for a needle in a haystack—a haystack full of bigger, sharper needles. Knowing where you stand is the first step toward building an SEO strategy that actually works.

Without this context, you could waste months chasing keywords that are practically untouchable for a new or growing website. Understanding your industry’s landscape helps you set realistic goals and focus your energy where it'll make a real impact.

High-Competition vs. Low-Competition Niches

Let's be honest: some industries are just plain brutal to break into. Fields like finance, SaaS, and digital marketing are completely saturated. They're packed with well-funded companies and established authorities who have been pumping out top-tier content for years, backed by massive backlink profiles that are tough to challenge.

On the flip side, other industries offer a much more open playing field:

Local Services: Think plumbers, electricians, or landscapers. Here, the competition is usually confined to a specific city or region, which immediately shrinks the number of rivals you have to worry about.

Specialized Hobbies: Keywords related to niche interests like "vintage fountain pen restoration" or "aquascaping for nano tanks" aren't exactly on the radar of large corporations.

Emerging Industries: New tech and trends often have a grace period where keyword competition is low before the market gets crowded.

This isn't just a gut feeling; the data tells a clear story. A detailed analysis by Semrush found that the Local Services industry offers approximately 93 easy keyword opportunities for every one difficult keyword. In stark contrast, highly competitive fields like Finance and SaaS have nearly a 1:1 ratio of easy-to-hard keywords. You can dig into more of their findings on keyword competition across various industries on semrush.com.

Setting Realistic SEO Goals

This data isn't meant to discourage you if you're in a tough industry. It just means you need to be smarter and more patient with your approach. If you're in the SaaS space, your definition of a "low competition keyword" might be a term with a Keyword Difficulty of 35. Meanwhile, a local bakery might find dozens of amazing opportunities with a KD under 10.

The goal is to calibrate your expectations to match your reality. This prevents discouragement and helps you celebrate the small, strategic wins that are essential for long-term growth in a competitive field.

By analyzing where your competitors are ranking—and more importantly, where they aren't—you can start to find the cracks in their armor. This is where a keyword gap analysis becomes your secret weapon, helping you pinpoint the terms your rivals are completely missing. Our guide on how to perform a keyword gap analysis can show you exactly how to uncover these openings.

Ultimately, knowing your industry's landscape allows you to choose your battles wisely. It guides you toward the quiet, accessible entry points where you can build authority, gain traction, and steadily grow your presence.

Using AI to Uncover Hidden Keyword Opportunities

Let’s be honest, traditional keyword research can feel like panning for gold. You spend hours sifting through mountains of data, hoping to find just a few valuable nuggets.

Artificial intelligence completely changes the game. Instead of just sorting massive lists, AI acts more like a seasoned research assistant, spotting patterns and uncovering search queries that are nearly impossible to find on your own.

This isn't about replacing your strategy; it's about giving it a serious upgrade. AI tools can chew through thousands of search results, forum discussions, and competitor articles in minutes, picking up on the subtle language your real-life audience uses every day. This process naturally uncovers low-competition keywords that are directly tied to what people actually want.

Think of AI as a magnifying glass for your research. It helps you see the smaller, often-ignored queries that signal someone is getting close to making a decision or hunting for a very specific solution.

Discovering Question-Based Keywords with AI

One of the best ways to use AI for keyword research is to let it find question-based keywords. These are the "how," "what," "why," and "where" queries that people type directly into Google. By nature, they’re almost always long-tail and reveal a crystal-clear need for information.

An AI tool can scan places like Reddit, Quora, and niche industry forums to pull together a list of the most common questions people are asking. This goes way beyond what you’d find in a simple "People Also Ask" box.

For instance, an AI might dig up gems like:

"How to choose sustainable coffee beans for an espresso machine?"

"What's the best grind size for a french press with a dark roast?"

"Why are my pour-over coffee grounds clogging the paper filter?"

Every one of those questions is a ready-made content idea built around a keyword with very little competition. Creating a blog post or guide that directly answers these specific problems is one of the fastest routes to ranking and building real authority.

Generating Entire Topic Clusters

Going beyond single keywords, AI is fantastic at building out entire topic clusters. This is a powerful SEO strategy where you create a main "pillar" page on a broad topic and then support it with "cluster" articles that dive deep into related subtopics. AI can literally map out this whole structure for you.

You can feed an AI tool a single seed keyword, like "homebrewing beer," and watch it generate a complete content plan. It will identify the main pillar topic and then spin out a dozen cluster article ideas that target low-competition, long-tail variations.

AI doesn't just hand you a list of keywords; it gives you a strategic blueprint for your content. It connects the dots between different user questions, helping you build topical authority way faster than you could with manual research alone.

This approach makes sure every piece of content you create works together, sending a strong signal to search engines that you're a comprehensive, go-to resource on the subject.

Refining User Intent and Finding Long-Tail Variations

Getting the user intent right is everything in SEO. AI can analyze the language used in the top-ranking content for a keyword to figure out if people are looking for information, ready to buy something, or comparing options. For businesses that want to really nail this, working with specialized AI SEO services can offer a huge advantage by putting these advanced insights to work.

AI is also unmatched when it comes to generating creative long-tail variations of a core keyword. Because it understands context and semantics, it can suggest phrases you’d probably never come up with on your own.

This makes your keyword research faster, smarter, and far more complete. For a closer look at the mechanics, our guide on how to use AI for SEO breaks down actionable workflows and prompts. By bringing AI into your process, you stop just finding keywords and start strategically uncovering the actual conversations your audience is having online.

Building a Content Plan That Actually Ranks

Finding a list of promising keywords is a great start, but it’s only half the battle. A list of terms doesn't get you traffic; a strategic content plan does. Now it’s time to turn that research into results.

This is where you transform those low-competition keywords into a powerful content strategy that builds authority and steadily climbs the search rankings. Without a plan, you’re just creating random articles that don’t support each other, leaving you with a disjointed blog that never gains real traction.

A structured approach ensures every article you publish works together, sending strong signals to Google that you're an expert on your topic. The most effective way to do this is with the topic cluster model.

Understanding the Topic Cluster Model

Imagine you’re building a spiderweb. A strong web isn't just a collection of random threads; it has a solid center with spokes radiating outward, all interconnected. The topic cluster model works the same way for your website's content.

This model organizes your content into interconnected groups, each focused on a broad subject. It breaks down into two key parts:

Pillar Page: This is a long, comprehensive piece of content that covers a broad topic in depth (e.g., "A Beginner's Guide to Home Coffee Brewing"). It targets a higher-level, more competitive keyword.

Cluster Content: These are shorter, more specific articles that target the low-competition keywords you found (e.g., "best grind size for french press," "how to clean a drip coffee maker"). Each of these cluster articles links back to the central pillar page.

This structure does something powerful. It shows search engines that you have deep expertise on a subject, not just surface-level knowledge. When Google sees all your specific articles linking back to your main guide, it recognizes your pillar page as an authoritative resource, which helps it—and all your related articles—rank higher.

From Keywords to a Cohesive Strategy

To build your own topic cluster, start by grouping your list of low competition keywords into related themes. Look for patterns and subtopics that naturally fit together under a broader umbrella. For example, keywords like "best drip coffee machine," "pour-over vs. drip," and "how to descale a coffee maker" all fall under the theme of "Drip Coffee."

Once you have your themes, you can map out your plan:

Choose Your Pillar Topic: Select the broad theme that will serve as the foundation of your cluster.

Assign Cluster Keywords: Dedicate each of your low competition keywords to a specific blog post that will dive deep into that narrow subject.

Plan Your Internal Links: Intentionally plan to link from each cluster article back to the main pillar page. This internal linking is what ties the entire strategy together.

By organizing your content this way, you create a logical site structure that's easy for both users and search engines to navigate. It transforms your keyword list into an actionable roadmap for content creation. For a more detailed look at structuring your content, check out our guide on creating a comprehensive website content planning template.

Creating a Simple Content Brief

Before you write a single word, creating a content brief for each article ensures every piece is optimized for success. A brief acts as a blueprint for your writer (even if that writer is you), aligning the content with your SEO goals.

Your brief doesn’t need to be complicated. It should simply outline the core elements needed to create a high-ranking piece of content. Once your content attracts traffic by ranking for these keywords, it's crucial to guide visitors effectively. Discover how to choose the best marketing funnel builder tools to convert that traffic into valuable leads. By following a clear plan, you ensure your SEO efforts translate into real business growth.

Unpacking Low Competition Keywords: Your Questions Answered

Jumping into a new SEO strategy always kicks up a few questions. Before you pour time and energy into something that feels like it goes against the grain—especially the whole "go big or go home" mantra—it's smart to get some clarity.

Let's tackle the most common questions and hang-ups people have about targeting low-competition keywords. Here are the straight-up, no-fluff answers you need to move forward, sidestep common mistakes, and really nail your keyword research.

Are Keywords with Low Search Volume Even Worth Targeting?

One hundred percent, yes. This is probably the biggest mental hurdle to get over, but it’s the most important. It’s the classic quality over quantity argument in action. A keyword with only 50 monthly searches might seem pointless, but if its user intent is razor-sharp and transactional, it can blow a vague term with 5,000 searches out of the water.

Think of it like this: someone searching for "best quiet espresso grinder for small apartment" is miles closer to buying than someone just typing "coffee." The first person has a specific problem and is actively hunting for a solution—a solution you can offer.

The trick is learning to spot these valuable, low-volume gems by looking for specific modifiers that signal strong intent:

Commercial Intent: Words like "reviews," "best," "for sale," or "comparison" are huge tells.

Niche Identifiers: Phrases that narrow the audience, like "for small businesses," "for beginners," or "with sensitive skin."

Geographic Qualifiers: Adding a location like "in Brooklyn" instantly makes a keyword hyper-targeted.

These ultra-specific keywords pull in traffic from users who are deep into their buying journey. They don't just want random info; they want an answer that helps them make a decision. That's precisely why this traffic, though smaller, almost always converts at a much higher rate.

Can a Single Article Rank for Multiple Keywords?

Absolutely. In fact, this is the cornerstone of modern, effective SEO. The old days of creating a separate page for every tiny keyword variation are long gone. Google's algorithm is now incredibly sophisticated at understanding context and the semantic relationship between words.

What this means for you is that a single, high-quality, comprehensive article can naturally rank for your main target keyword plus dozens of related long-tail variations. You don't achieve this by awkwardly "stuffing" keywords into your text.

For instance, an in-depth guide on "how to choose a beginner's running shoe" is also going to be a magnet for searches like "best running shoes for new runners," "what to look for in first running shoes," and "do I need special shoes to start running." You're not trying to game the system; you're just creating so much value that you maximize your ranking potential.

How Long Does It Take to Actually See Results?

While going after low-competition keywords is way faster than battling for a high-traffic term, it's not an overnight fix. Setting realistic expectations is the key to avoiding burnout and sticking with the plan.

A few things will influence how quickly you see movement:

Your Website's Authority: A site with a bit of history and credibility will rank faster than a domain that's fresh out of the box.

Content Quality: Genuinely helpful, well-written content will always climb faster than something mediocre. No shortcuts here.

The Specific SERP: Some "low-competition" keywords might still have one or two heavy hitters that you'll need to outmaneuver.

For a newer site, you can often see initial traction—like popping up on the first few pages of Google—within a few weeks to a couple of months. That initial momentum is gold. It starts building your site's authority and gives you the encouragement to keep pushing your long-term strategy forward.

So, Should I Just Ignore High-Competition Keywords Forever?

Not forever, but definitely for now. Think of low-competition keywords as your strategic entry point. They are the building blocks for your entire SEO foundation.

You use them to generate your first trickles of traffic, earn your first backlinks, and establish a baseline of credibility with both users and search engines. Every low-competition keyword you rank for is like laying another brick. The more you lay, the sturdier your website becomes.

Once that foundation is solid and your site has some real authority, you can absolutely start aiming for those more ambitious, high-competition keywords. They become your long-term goals. With established credibility and traffic, you'll finally have a fighting chance against the big players. This two-phase approach is the most sustainable path to real, long-term SEO success.

Ready to stop guessing and start ranking? Outrank uses AI to uncover hidden low-competition keywords and generate perfectly optimized content in minutes. Build your content plan and start climbing the SERPs faster at https://outrank.so.