Finding what people are searching for is a crucial part of any content strategy, SEO campaign, or marketing effort. With the right tools, you can uncover valuable insights into search trends, popular keywords, and user behavior. Fortunately, there are numerous free tools available that can help you gather detailed reports on what people are searching for. Here are 28 of the best free tools you can use to enhance your search research.
1. Google Trends
Google Trends allows you to explore the popularity of search terms over time. You can filter by region, category, and time period to see the search volume for specific keywords. It’s a great tool for identifying trending topics and understanding the seasonality of searches.
- Key Features: Explore rising search queries, compare multiple search terms, and see trends over time.
- Best For: Discovering trending topics and keywords.
2. Answer the Public
Answer the Public is a keyword research tool that generates content ideas based on the questions people ask in search engines. It visualizes the data in an easy-to-understand format, breaking down search queries by categories like questions, prepositions, and comparisons.
- Key Features: Visualized search queries, keyword suggestions based on questions, and comparisons.
- Best For: Discovering common questions people ask in your niche.
3. Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is a free tool by Neil Patel that offers keyword research, competitor analysis, and content ideas. It provides insights into search volume, SEO difficulty, paid difficulty, and CPC for keywords, making it a comprehensive resource for keyword discovery.
- Key Features: Keyword suggestions, competition analysis, and SEO metrics.
- Best For: Finding high-potential keywords with low competition.
4. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is a classic tool for discovering keywords and estimating their search volume. It’s part of Google Ads, but you don’t need to run ads to use it. You can get keyword ideas, search volume estimates, and competition levels.
- Key Features: Keyword ideas, search volume, competition level.
- Best For: Keyword research and campaign planning.
5. Keyword Surfer
Keyword Surfer is a Chrome extension that provides search volume data directly within Google’s search results. It displays the search volume, cost-per-click (CPC), and keyword suggestions in a sidebar while you search.
- Key Features: Real-time search volume, keyword suggestions, CPC data.
- Best For: Keyword research while browsing the web.
6. Soovle
Soovle is a tool that aggregates keyword suggestions from multiple search engines, including Google, Bing, YouTube, and Amazon. It provides a comprehensive view of what people are searching for across various platforms.
- Key Features: Keyword suggestions from multiple platforms, search engine comparison.
- Best For: Getting a broad view of search trends across different search engines.
7. Google Search Console
Google Search Console helps you monitor your website’s performance in Google Search. It provides detailed reports on which search queries bring users to your site, as well as impressions, clicks, and click-through rates (CTR).
- Key Features: Search queries, impressions, clicks, CTR data.
- Best For: Understanding how your site performs in search results.
8. Quora
Quora is a question-and-answer platform where users post questions about a wide range of topics. By browsing questions related to your niche, you can identify the types of questions people are asking and use them as keyword ideas.
- Key Features: User-generated questions, content ideas, and trends.
- Best For: Finding content ideas based on real user questions.
9. Moz Keyword Explorer
Moz’s Keyword Explorer offers a limited free version that provides keyword suggestions, search volume estimates, and competition metrics. It’s a useful tool for finding keywords that have strong potential for ranking.
- Key Features: Keyword suggestions, search volume, difficulty scores.
- Best For: Keyword research and SEO planning.
10. Google Autocomplete
Google Autocomplete is a simple yet powerful tool for discovering long-tail keywords. When you start typing a search query in Google’s search bar, it suggests popular search queries based on what people are searching for.
- Key Features: Auto-suggested search queries based on real user behavior.
- Best For: Finding long-tail keywords and common search queries.
11. BuzzSumo
BuzzSumo is primarily a content research tool, but it also offers keyword research features. You can find the most shared content related to specific topics, as well as keyword insights that can help inform your content strategy.
- Key Features: Content discovery, keyword insights, social sharing data.
- Best For: Discovering trending content and keyword opportunities.
12. SEMrush (Free Version)
SEMrush is a powerful SEO tool that offers a free version with limited features. It allows you to discover keyword ideas, analyze competitors, and explore organic search trends.
- Key Features: Keyword research, competitor analysis, SEO audit.
- Best For: In-depth keyword and competitor analysis.
13. Keyword Tool.io
Keyword Tool.io offers keyword suggestions from Google, YouTube, Bing, and Amazon. It’s a great tool for finding long-tail keywords and identifying search trends.
- Key Features: Keyword suggestions from multiple search engines, long-tail keyword focus.
- Best For: Long-tail keyword discovery.
14. Google Trends YouTube
In addition to the regular Google Trends, Google offers a dedicated tool for YouTube search trends. It provides insights into what people are searching for on YouTube, making it perfect for video marketers and content creators.
- Key Features: YouTube search trends, trending videos, keyword insights.
- Best For: Discovering video-related search trends.
15. Google Related Searches
At the bottom of Google’s search results page, you’ll find related searches that provide additional keyword ideas. This is a quick way to identify variations of a keyword and expand your content strategy.
- Key Features: Related search suggestions.
- Best For: Expanding keyword lists with related terms.
16. Keyworddit
Keyworddit pulls keyword suggestions from Reddit. It’s a unique tool because it sources keyword ideas from real conversations happening on Reddit, which can be particularly useful for niche topics.
- Key Features: Keyword suggestions from Reddit, topic-based keywords.
- Best For: Finding niche keywords and trends.
17. Exploding Topics
Exploding Topics identifies emerging trends before they become mainstream. The platform uses data from millions of web pages to find topics that are starting to gain traction, helping you stay ahead of the curve.
- Key Features: Trend discovery, data-driven insights, early trend detection.
- Best For: Discovering emerging trends early.
18. Google Keyword Tool (Part of Google Ads)
Google’s Keyword Tool (available through Google Ads) provides search volume, competition level, and cost-per-click data for keywords. It’s ideal for understanding which keywords are most valuable for your paid advertising campaigns.
- Key Features: Search volume, CPC data, keyword competition.
- Best For: Paid search campaigns and keyword research.
19. Google’s People Also Ask
The “People Also Ask” box that appears in Google search results provides related questions that users are searching for. This feature is useful for discovering additional content ideas and keyword variations.
- Key Features: Related questions and keyword suggestions.
- Best For: Content ideation and keyword expansion.
20. Google Alerts
Google Alerts is a free tool that lets you track mentions of specific keywords across the web. You can set up alerts for topics related to your business or industry to keep track of emerging trends and popular keywords.
- Key Features: Track keyword mentions, stay updated on trends.
- Best For: Monitoring keyword trends and industry news.
21. SpyFu (Free Version)
SpyFu’s free version provides valuable data on keyword competition, search volume, and competitor keywords. You can see which keywords your competitors are ranking for and use that information to improve your SEO strategy.
- Key Features: Competitor analysis, keyword research, SEO insights.
- Best For: Competitive keyword research.
22. Long Tail Pro (Free Trial)
Long Tail Pro offers a free trial that lets you discover long-tail keywords with low competition. It’s a great tool for targeting niche markets and finding less competitive keywords.
- Key Features: Long-tail keyword research, competition analysis.
- Best For: Long-tail keyword discovery.
23. Screaming Frog (Free Version)
Screaming Frog’s free version is primarily an SEO crawler, but it also provides keyword data from your website. It can help you find underperforming pages and suggest keyword improvements.
- Key Features: Site crawling, keyword data, SEO audit.
- Best For: On-site SEO optimization and keyword analysis.
24. Google’s Keyword Suggestions (Search Bar)
When you type a keyword into Google’s search bar, it automatically suggests related terms based on what other users are searching for. These suggestions can be valuable for finding long-tail keywords.
- Key Features: Real-time keyword suggestions.
- Best For: Quick keyword discovery.
25. Ahrens’ Keyword Research Tool
This free tool offers keyword suggestions and search volume data, providing an alternative to more established keyword research tools. It’s useful for identifying keyword opportunities and niche topics.
- Key Features: Keyword suggestions, search volume estimates.
- Best For: General keyword research.
26. SEOBook’s Keyword Suggestion Tool
SEOBook’s Keyword Suggestion Tool offers keyword ideas and search volume data, helping you identify high-potential keywords. It’s simple and easy to use, making it a great starting point for keyword research.
- Key Features: Keyword suggestions, search volume, competition data.
- Best For: Simple keyword research.
27. Ahrefs (Free Tools)
Ahrefs offers a few free tools, such as their Keyword Generator and Site Explorer, which can help you identify keywords, check backlinks, and analyze SEO data. Although the full suite requires a subscription, the free tools are still valuable.
- Key Features: Keyword generation, site exploration, SEO analysis.
- Best For: Keyword research and SEO analysis.
28. Serpstat (Free Version)
Serpstat’s free version allows you to access keyword suggestions, search volume, and SEO analysis. It’s an all-in-one SEO platform with tools for keyword research, site audit, and backlink analysis.
- Key Features: Keyword suggestions, search volume, SEO analysis.
- Best For: Comprehensive keyword research and SEO tools.
By utilizing these free tools, you can gain valuable insights into what people are searching for, which will help you optimize your content strategy, improve SEO, and identify trends early. Whether you’re a marketer, content creator, or business owner, these tools can assist in making data-driven decisions for your online presence.
SEO tools, Keyword research, Free keyword tools, Search trends, SEO optimization, Content strategy, Keyword suggestions, Search volume analysis, Competitor analysis, Long-tail keywords
