How to Find Low Difficulty Keywords: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ranking content shouldn’t feel like a guessing game. If you’ve spent hours inside keyword tools only to end up chasing broad terms, fighting entrenched domains, and watching “great” content stall on page two, you’re not alone. Keyword Difficulty (KD) varies by tool, volume can be misleading, and without a clear method it’s easy to invest in topics that won’t move the needle.

The fix is a repeatable way to find low difficulty keywords that actually fit your audience’s intent and have enough demand to justify content. That means starting with your business goals, expanding smart from seed ideas using Google’s own SERP clues and community questions, pressure-testing opportunities with competitor and SERP analysis, and filtering with explicit thresholds—before you write a single word. Tools help, but the workflow does the heavy lifting.

This step-by-step guide gives you that workflow. You’ll get practical thresholds for KD, volume, and clicks; intent and SERP feature checks; a quick audit to gauge real difficulty; a simple prioritization model; clustering and internal linking guidance; local modifiers; trend and seasonality checks; GSC mining for near-wins; and briefs that align with Google’s helpful content guidelines—plus how to track, iterate, and optionally automate. Let’s start by anchoring your research in your goals and audience.

Step 1. Define your goals, audience, and topical boundaries

Before you touch a tool, align on why you’re doing this and for whom. The fastest way to learn how to find low difficulty keywords is to anchor research to business outcomes, a specific audience, and a clear topical lane. This focus prevents chasing irrelevant terms and ensures every keyword can become genuinely helpful content.

Business goal: What result do you want? (e.g., demos, trials, email signups)
Primary audience: Who’s searching? Role, pain points, buying stage.
Solutions you offer: Map products/services to the problems they solve.
Geo and market scope: Countries, regions, or cities to target or exclude.
Success metrics: Define target KPI (e.g., organic sign-ups/post, revenue/post).
Constraints: Content formats, compliance, or YMYL sensitivity.
Topical boundaries: Must-cover pillars, subtopics, and off-limits areas.
Proof assets (E-E-A-T): Case studies, data, experts, or stories you can cite.

With this brief in hand, you’ll brainstorm seeds that fit your audience and stay inside a topic lane where you can win with low difficulty keywords.

Step 2. Brainstorm seed keywords and entities from your business and buyers

Your fastest path to learn how to find low difficulty keywords is to start with sharp seeds grounded in what you sell and how buyers talk. Think “entities” (products, services, problems, audiences, locations, brands) plus simple modifiers. Strong seeds keep you in a winnable lane and help tools surface long‑tail, low-competition variants you can actually rank for.

Your offers and use cases: Core products/services, features, and outcomes (e.g., “eco-friendly cleaner,” “kitchen decor”).
Buyer pains and symptoms: problem → symptom → solution phrases customers say.
Jobs-to-be-done and triggers: Events like “move,” “launch,” “upgrade,” “repair.”
Audience qualifiers: Beginner, freelance, enterprise, for kids, for seniors.
Intent formats: How to, checklist, template, best, vs, cost, near me.
Brand and category: Your brand terms, common category names, and notable competitors.
Geo and verticals: City/region, industry niches, regulations, and standards.

Capture seeds in two columns—entities and modifiers—then mix-and-match to form your first query set. Next, we’ll expand these with free SERP data.

Google’s own SERP surfaces are a goldmine for expanding seed ideas into long‑tail, low‑competition candidates—no paid tools required. If you’re learning how to find low difficulty keywords, start here: Autocomplete reveals real query phrasing, People also ask (PAA) exposes clustered questions, and Related searches uncovers modifiers users actually try. Capture wording verbatim and tag intent so you can evaluate and cluster later.

Use Autocomplete: Type your seed and pause. Then add a space plus a letter or modifier (e.g., “for,” “near me,” “best”). Log long‑tails like “eco friendly cleaner for wood floors.”
Open up PAA: Click 3–5 PAA questions to trigger more. Save exact questions; note implied intent (how‑to, vs, best).
Scan Related searches: At the bottom, collect variants and modifiers (budget, beginner, checklist, [city]).
Mix seeds + modifiers: Combine your entities with the modifiers you see repeating to produce new queries.
Note SERP features: Mark if results show videos, featured snippets, or local packs; this guides format and effort.
Track consistently: Use a sheet with Query | Intent | Source (AC/PAA/Related) | Notes on SERP features.

These free signals expand your universe quickly and often surface easier, intent‑clear terms you can win with fast.

Communities surface the exact phrasing people use—gold for uncovering long‑tail, low‑competition topics. If you’re learning how to find low difficulty keywords, tap these feeds to capture questions, modifiers, and vocabulary you won’t see in tools yet. Prioritize queries with clear problems and intent, then validate volume and difficulty later. Always save the wording verbatim, tag the intent, and note whether results skew toward quick answers, tutorials, or product picks.

Reddit: Use filters like Hot/New in niche subs; harvest question titles and recurring modifiers. Try site:reddit.com "seed" (how|what|best).
Quora: Pull “Related Questions” chains around your seed; note variations of the same ask. Use site:quora.com "seed".
TikTok: Open the “Others Searched For” tab after a query; capture phrasing and angle (e.g., “for beginners,” “on a budget”).
YouTube: Use Autocomplete and top comments to find how‑to wording and pain points that indicate tutorial intent.
Track it: Log Query | Platform | Intent | Notes so you can evaluate KD and cluster later.

Step 5. Use keyword tools to generate and evaluate ideas (Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs KD, Semrush, KWFinder, Surfer)

You’ve got raw queries—now scale them. This is where you turn “good hunches” into a shortlist. Google Keyword Planner broadens your net with volumes and close variants. Semrush and Ahrefs add KD% so you can see competition at a glance. KWFinder is excellent for long‑tail terms with low SEO difficulty. Surfer groups topics into clusters and shows relative difficulty. Used together, these tools make how to find low difficulty keywords a repeatable process.

Expand at scale: Drop seeds into each tool; export related terms, questions, and modifiers.
Score difficulty and demand: Capture KD% and volume. Treat KD ≤ 30 as “low” (multiple sources cite this range); aim for 100–1,000 monthly searches for quick wins.
Note SERP signals: Record featured snippets, PAA, videos, and local packs—these shape content format and effort.
Tag intent: Mark informational, commercial, or transactional to keep content–query fit tight.
Cross‑verify: KD varies by tool; keep candidates that are consistently “easy” across two or more tools.

keep if (KD <= 30) AND (volume >= 100)

This gives you a clean, tool‑validated pool of low difficulty keywords to pressure‑test against competitors next.

Step 6. Steal what already works with competitor research and keyword gap analysis

One of the fastest ways to learn how to find low difficulty keywords is to reverse‑engineer what already drives traffic for similar sites. Competitor research and keyword gap analysis reveal proven topics, real phrasing, and SERPs you can realistically win—especially when you filter by KD% and positions your rivals hold without heavy authority.

Quick workflow

Start with 3–5 organic competitors (sites ranking for your seeds, not marketplaces). Then:

Pull rankings: Use tools like Semrush Organic Research to export competitors’ keywords in Google’s top 100. Filter for KD% on the low side and positions 4–20 (attainable terms with demand).
Run a Keyword Gap: Compare your domain vs. competitors; prioritize “Missing” and “Untapped” keywords with lower KD% and meaningful volume.
Spot easy wins: Favor long‑tails, question queries, and pages where weaker domains or thin articles rank—signals of low real-world difficulty.
Capture SERP intent/features: Note snippets, PAA, videos, and local packs so your content format aligns.
Apply a simple keep filter: keep if (competitor_position <= 20) AND (KD <= 30) AND (volume >= 100)

This turns competitor proof into a curated list of low competition keywords ready for final filtering.

Step 7. Filter for low difficulty and sufficient demand using clear thresholds

Here’s where you turn a big brainstorm into a focused, winnable plan. To master how to find low difficulty keywords that still move the needle, lock in explicit cutoffs and apply them consistently. Multiple sources consider KD below roughly 30 “low,” so use that as your baseline, pair it with a sensible volume floor, and keep only queries with clear, monetizable intent.

Difficulty (KD): Keep keywords with KD ≤ 30, ideally confirmed by 2 tools. This aligns with common guidance that sub‑30 is “low difficulty.”
Demand (volume): Default to ≥ 100 monthly searches. Make exceptions for local, product‑specific, or high‑value B2B terms when intent is strong.
Intent check (quick pass): Prefer informational or commercial research terms; skip pure navigational queries for other brands.
SERP click potential: Deprioritize queries dominated by answer boxes where users don’t click; favor snippets/PAA you can win.
Competitor attainability: Prioritize terms where competitors rank in positions 4–20 (attainable with solid content).

Use a simple filter to finalize your short list:

keep if (KD <= 30) AND (volume >= 100) AND (intent IN {informational, commercial})

This trims your candidates to true low competition opportunities with enough demand to justify content.

Step 8. Validate search intent and SERP features to ensure content–query fit

Even perfect KD and volume won’t save a page that misses intent. Before committing, open the query and read the SERP. Classify the dominant intent—informational, commercial (comparison/research), transactional, or navigational—based on the top results. Then note the SERP features (featured snippet, People Also Ask, video carousel, local pack, shopping results). This step is non‑negotiable when learning how to find low difficulty keywords that actually rank, because it dictates your angle, format, and depth.

Match the dominant format: Guides/how‑tos for informational, “best vs.” lists for commercial, product/PLPs for transactional, location pages for local.
Plan to win features: Structure a direct definition or steps for a snippet; answer PAA concisely.
Respect media bias: Video‑heavy SERPs call for embedded or companion video; image‑led SERPs need visuals.
Local signals present?: If a map pack shows, use geo pages and NAP consistency.
Confirm query modifiers: Mirror repeated phrasing like “for beginners,” “on a budget,” “near me.”

Use a simple rule: ship if (your content format = SERP’s dominant intent) AND (you can satisfy key SERP features); else reassign or reframe the keyword.

Step 9. Assess real difficulty by auditing the current top results

KD is a proxy; the page-one reality decides if you can win. A quick manual audit shows whether “low difficulty” is truly low. Open an incognito window, search the keyword, and study the first screen or two. When you’re learning how to find low difficulty keywords that actually rank, this 10‑minute check prevents chasing unwinnable SERPs.

Page types and intent: Do top results match your planned format (guide, list, comparison, local page)? If not, reframe or skip.
Publisher strength: Are niche blogs and forums ranking—or only industry giants? More small sites = easier.
Content quality: Thin, outdated, or off‑topic pages signal opportunity. Note missing visuals, poor headings, or weak intros.
Freshness: Check dates. If old posts rank in a fast‑moving topic, a fresh, thorough piece can leapfrog.
SERP features: Who owns the snippet/PAA/video? Can you structure to win them?
User experience: Slow, ad‑heavy, or hard‑to‑scan pages make replaceable targets.

Quick score (0–5): add 1 point each for strong brands dominating, locked snippet, video‑heavy SERP (and you won’t make video), flawless top content, or transactional bias that mismatches your page. Ship only at 0–2; rework at 3; skip at 4–5.

Step 10. Score and prioritize keywords by business value, clicks, and effort

You’ve got a trimmed list—now decide what ships first. The fastest way to turn research into results is to score each candidate on business value, click potential, and effort, then sort by a weighted priority. If you’re learning how to find low difficulty keywords that actually move metrics, favor topics closest to revenue with real click-through potential and a low lift to win.

Business value (1–5): How directly can this query drive your goal (lead, signup, sale)? Consider funnel stage, product fit, and internal link leverage to money pages.
Click potential (1–5): Volume adjusted by SERP clickability. Downscore if the page is dominated by instant answers; upscore if there’s a snippet/PAA you can win.
Effort (1–5): Real difficulty from Step 9: KD range, strength of ranking domains, freshness gap, and required assets (video, calculator, images).

Use a simple model:

priority = (2 * business_value + click_potential) - effort

Clustering turns a scattered keyword list into a buildable plan. Group queries by meaning and intent, then map them to a pillar page and a handful of supporting pages. Internal links between them signal topical authority, prevent cannibalization, and help one strong asset rank for multiple variations. If you’re learning how to find low difficulty keywords, stack those easier long‑tails as supports that funnel equity into a broader pillar—and onward to money pages.

Group by intent + SERP similarity: If results show the same intent and overlapping pages, use one page.
Assign page type: Pillar = broader, higher volume; Support = low KD questions/modifiers that feed the pillar.
Select targets per page: cluster = {primary + 3–7 secondaries}. Primary in title/H1/URL; secondaries in H2/FAQ.
Plan internal links: Support → Pillar with descriptive, partial‑match anchors; cross‑link siblings; add links to relevant product/service pages.
Prevent cannibalization: Audit existing URLs, consolidate duplicates, and 301 redirect overlaps.
Document the map: Page | Primary | Secondaries | Links in | Links out | Target SERP features.

This cluster map drives your briefs and on‑page structure; next, layer geo, product, and service modifiers to unlock easy local wins.

Step 12. Add geo, product, and service modifiers to uncover easy local wins

If you’re learning how to find low difficulty keywords, shrinking the battlefield is a cheat code. Adding location and service/product qualifiers narrows the SERP to fewer, more relevant competitors—geo-specific terms are typically less competitive than broad ones. Use location targeting in tools (e.g., choose a city/region in a keyword overview) to see local demand, and open the SERP to confirm a map pack or local-heavy results before committing.

Geo modifiers: Use patterns like service + city, service + neighborhood, service + near me, zip code, or landmarks.
Service urgency: Layer intent qualifiers such as emergency, 24/7, same day, open now, or weekend.
Product specifics: Pair specs with place, e.g., compact treadmill for apartments [city].
Price/compliance angles: Add cost, permit, insurance, or requirements to capture commercial intent.
Location pages: Create one page per service area; mirror query phrasing, add NAP details, and link back to your pillar.

For local, accept lower volume when intent is strong and the SERP shows local features you can realistically win.

Step 13. Check trend and seasonality to avoid chasing decaying topics

A keyword can look perfect on paper and still underperform if interest is falling or limited to a short season. When you’re learning how to find low difficulty keywords that keep paying off, sanity‑check demand over time so you don’t invest in topics already fading, or miss timing on seasonal spikes.

Use Google Trends: Check 12–36 months for your target country; prefer steady or rising interest over long declines.
Spot seasonality: Identify recurring peaks (e.g., holiday terms). Plan to publish well before the surge so you can rank in time.
Compare variants: Stack similar queries; favor the one with steadier demand and clearer intent.
Check related queries: Rising/breakout terms hint at emerging, lower‑competition angles you can cover early.
Localize interest: Ensure demand exists in your target regions, not just globally.

keep if (trend_stable_or_up) OR (seasonal AND timing_aligned); else deprioritize

This quick pass helps you prioritize low difficulty keywords with durable demand and ship seasonal plays at the right moment.

Step 14. Mine Google Search Console for near-wins and zero-volume opportunities

Your best source of truth is your own data. In Google Search Console (GSC) you see the exact queries your pages already earn impressions for—including “zero‑volume” terms most tools miss. Use it to surface near‑wins (rankings just off page one) and ultra‑specific long‑tails you can capture fast. This closes the loop on how to find low difficulty keywords: real queries, proven impressions, clear intent, and pages that need modest upgrades to break through.

Set context: Performance → Search results; date = last 3–6 months; Search type = Web; add Country.
Find near‑wins: Queries tab → sort by Position; shortlist terms in positions 8–20 with solid impressions.
Boost clicks fast: Sort by CTR (asc) on those queries; rewrite titles/meta to mirror phrasing and search intent.
Harvest zero‑volume: Sort by low impressions (1–50) with positions 10–40; cluster exact wording into FAQs or new support posts; interlink.
Export and merge: Add these to your sheet; optionally backfill KD/volume later—prioritize what GSC already proves works.

Step 15. Turn priority keywords into briefs that satisfy Google’s helpful content guidelines

Research only pays off when it becomes people-first content. Turn each priority term into a tight brief that captures intent, E‑E‑A‑T signals, and the exact structure to win snippets, PAA, and clicks. This is the bridge between learning how to find low difficulty keywords and publishing pages that rank and convert.

Build a one-page brief

Anchor the writer and editor on purpose, audience, proof, and structure before a single word is drafted.

Purpose & audience: State the reader’s job-to-be-done and outcome; specify novice vs. expert.
Search intent & format: Declare dominant intent (informational/commercial) and page type (how‑to, list, comparison).
Angle & originality: List unique data, examples, or experience you’ll add (avoid rehashing; provide original value).
E‑E‑A‑T signals: Assign author with relevant experience, cite sources, include proof (screens, photos, mini case study).
On-page targets: Title, H1, URL slug, Meta using natural phrasing of the query.
Outline mapped to SERP: H2s mirror top results and PAA; include a concise definition or step block for the snippet.
Feature blocks:
- Snippet: 40–60 word answer/steps.
- FAQ: 3–5 PAA-aligned Q&As (2–3 sentences each).
- Visuals: required images/video if SERP is media-heavy.
Internal linking: List pillar/support pages to link to (anchors), plus relevant product/service pages.
Helpful content checks:
- People-first “Why” is clear.
- Substantial coverage vs. thin content.
- No factual errors; dates and facts verified.
- Page experience: scannable headings, short paragraphs, alt text.

Use this mini-spec on every target; it keeps intent tight, adds trust, and gives you the best chance to win low difficulty keywords fast.

Step 16. Track rankings and iterate—refresh, consolidate, and expand as you grow

Finding how to find low difficulty keywords is only half the game; the win comes from tight feedback loops. Use Google Search Console plus a rank tracker to monitor positions, impressions, and CTR for your priority clusters. Set weekly checks for movement and monthly working sessions to update pages. Feed what you learn back into your research so you keep compounding quick wins on low-competition keywords.

Weekly triage: Review drops and gains for each primary keyword; verify intent shifts and SERP features.
Monthly refresh: Update stats, add missing PAA answers, improve intros, and tighten titles/meta to mirror query phrasing.
Consolidate cannibals: Merge overlapping posts; keep the strongest URL and 301 the rest to concentrate equity.
Expand clusters: Spin out new supports from GSC queries and community phrasing; interlink to pillars and money pages.
Feature wins: Structure concise definitions/steps to target snippets; add video or images if the SERP favors media.
Linking tune-up: Add internal links from fresh supports; replace weak anchors with descriptive partial matches.

Decision rules you can paste into your SOPs: refresh if (avg_position BETWEEN 4 AND 15) OR (CTR < site_avg AND impressions > 100) consolidate if (2+ URLs share >50% queries OR rank for the same primary) expand if (top 3 AND uncovered PAA exist) prune if (position > 50 AND clicks = 0 AND no links in 180 days)

Step 17. Optional: automate research, planning, and publishing to scale faster

Once your workflow is proven, automation lets you compound wins without adding headcount. If you’ve nailed how to find low difficulty keywords and ship content that matches intent, systematize discovery, planning, creation, and tracking so you publish daily and react fast to SERP shifts.

Automate discovery: Pull GSC queries and tool exports on a schedule; auto-flag KD ≤ 30 and volume ≥ 100 for review.
Auto-plan content: Convert shortlisted terms into briefs and cluster maps; queue them to your CMS as drafts.
Auto-create and publish: Use a platform like RankYak to generate SEO-optimized articles, map internal links, and publish to WordPress, Webflow, Shopify, or custom CMS.
Wire up workflows: With Zapier/Make, push new briefs to your PM tool, notify Slack, and attach required assets.
Auto-track and refresh: Monitor rankings and CTR; trigger refresh tasks when rules from Step 16 fire (e.g., position 4–15, low CTR, rising PAA).

Next steps

You now have a battle-tested workflow for how to find low difficulty keywords and turn them into rankings: align goals, expand seeds with Google’s own clues and community language, validate with KD and volume, match intent, audit real difficulty, prioritize by business value, cluster and interlink, localize, sanity‑check trends, mine GSC, brief for helpful content, then iterate and automate. Don’t let it sit in a doc—ship your first win this week.

Day 1: Clarify goals, audience, topical lane; brainstorm seeds (entities + modifiers).
Days 2–3: Expand via Autocomplete, PAA, Related, Reddit/Quora/TikTok/YouTube; log exact wording.
Day 4: Run tools for KD/volume; pull competitor rankings and a keyword gap; shortlist with clear thresholds.
Day 5: Validate intent and SERP features; quick audit of page one; score BV/Clicks/Effort; pick 3 targets.
Day 6: Cluster and map internal links; write briefs that satisfy helpful content guidelines.
Day 7: Publish the first page, set tracking in GSC, and schedule the next refresh.

Want the shortcut? Automate research, briefs, publishing, and internal links—automate this workflow with RankYak and start shipping a new SEO‑optimized article every day without adding headcount.