Finding keywords you can actually rank for is the hardest part of starting SEO. Big websites dominate the obvious terms. That is why low-competition keywords matter, especially for a new site. Google Keyword Planner is free, uses Google’s own data, and with the right filters can help you uncover realistic opportunities.
Many people open Keyword Planner once, see vague volume ranges, and give up. That usually comes from using it as a simple idea generator rather than a research workflow. This guide walks you through setting up an account, generating seed ideas, applying filters that reveal lower-competition terms, and judging which keywords are genuinely worth writing about.
What Google Keyword Planner Actually Is
Keyword Planner lives inside Google Ads. It was built for advertisers who want to bid on keywords, not for bloggers doing organic SEO. That origin explains both its strengths and its quirks. The data comes directly from Google searches, so the demand signals are real. At the same time, some of the metrics, such as competition, describe advertiser competition for paid ads, not how hard it will be to rank organically. Keeping that distinction in mind will save you from a lot of confusion later.
Free Access and Its Limits
Anyone can create a Google Ads account and use Keyword Planner for free, without running a campaign. Without ad spend, Google shows volume as broad ranges such as 100 to 1,000 instead of precise figures. That is not a deal breaker: relative demand and intent matter more than exact numbers.
Setting Up Your Account Step by Step
The setup takes about ten minutes the first time. Take it slowly, because Google will try to push you straight into creating an advert, and you can skip most of that.
Step 1: Create a Google Ads Account
- Go to the Google Ads homepage and sign in with your Google account.
- When asked about your advertising goal, look for the option to switch to Expert Mode or to create an account without a campaign.
- Confirm your country, time zone, and currency carefully, because the time zone and currency cannot be changed easily later.
- Once you reach the main dashboard, open the Tools menu and select Keyword Planner.
If you get stuck during setup, the official documentation explains each screen clearly. It is worth reading the Google Ads Keyword Planner help guide once, so you understand what each metric means before you start making decisions with it.
Step 2: Choose Discover New Keywords
Keyword Planner gives you two main options. Discover New Keywords is the one you want for research, because it generates ideas from seed words or a website URL. Get Search Volume and Forecasts is better when you already have a list and want to check it.
Step 3: Enter Good Seed Keywords
Your results are only as good as your seeds. Avoid starting with a single broad word like “shoes” or “marketing.” Instead, enter three to five specific phrases that describe what your audience is trying to do. For example, a small gardening site might start with “how to grow tomatoes in pots,” “best soil for raised beds,” and “when to plant onions.” You can also enter a competitor’s page URL and let Google suggest keywords based on that page, which is a useful shortcut when you are not sure where to begin.
Finding Low-Competition Keywords With Filters
After you enter your seeds, you will see a long list of keyword ideas, often hundreds of them. Do not work through them in the order Google presents them. Your job now is to filter and sort until the realistic opportunities rise to the top.
Set Location and Language Correctly
Check location and language at the top of the results. If your readers are in the United Kingdom, set that location. A keyword crowded in one country can be quieter in another, and volume is meaningless if it comes from the wrong place.
Use Search Volume as a Reality Filter
For a new site, very high-volume keywords are usually a warning sign, because established sites target them heavily. Focus first on lower and middle ranges. Do not dismiss a small range either: a few hundred searches a month can be valuable if the intent is specific, such as comparing products or finding a local service.
Read the Competition Column Correctly
The Competition column will show Low, Medium, or High. Remember, this describes how many advertisers bid on the keyword, not organic difficulty. A high advertiser competition score often signals strong commercial value, which can actually be good news. A low score does not guarantee easy rankings. Use this column as a hint about commercial intent, then do your own organic check by searching the keyword in Google and looking at who currently ranks. If the first page is full of forums, small blogs, and outdated pages, that is a far better sign than any score in the tool.
Look for Long-Tail Question Keywords
The most reliable opportunities are long-tail phrases, especially questions. Instead of “email marketing,” look for “how often should a small shop send marketing emails.” These have lower volume, but clear intent, and big sites often ignore them. Scan for ideas containing how, why, what, best, vs, and for beginners.
Judging Whether a Keyword Is Really Low Competition
Keyword Planner gives you candidates. It does not give you final answers. Before you commit hours to writing an article, run each promising keyword through a short manual review.
Check the Live Search Results
- Search the exact keyword in an incognito or private browser window.
- Look at the types of sites ranking: large brands, specialist publications, small blogs, forums, or videos.
- Check whether the top pages truly answer the query or only mention it in passing.
- Note weak spots, such as thin content, old publish dates, missing steps, or pages aimed at a different country or audience.
If you can honestly say, “I can make a clearer, more complete, more up-to-date page than most of these,” you have probably found a genuine opportunity. If the first page is packed with excellent guides from major authorities, park that keyword for later when your site is stronger.
Match Search Intent Before You Write
A “how to” searcher wants steps, not a pitch. A “best” searcher wants comparisons. If your article does not fit what the searcher wants, even weak competition will not help you rank.
Build Keyword Groups, Not Single Pages
Export your shortlist and group related phrases together. Five to ten close variations often belong in one strong article rather than five thin ones. Grouping prevents cannibalisation, where your own pages compete against each other. If you want broader background, you can browse more practical tech guides at Network Ustad for related tutorials.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Most beginners do not fail because they picked a bad tool. They fail because of a handful of repeated mistakes in how they interpret the data.
Mistaking Ad Competition for SEO Difficulty
This is the biggest mistake. A keyword marked Low competition in Keyword Planner can still have extremely difficult organic results dominated by huge websites. Always verify with a real Google search before you trust the label.
Chasing Volume and Ignoring Intent
A keyword with 20,000 monthly searches that brings the wrong visitors is worth less than a keyword with 200 searches that brings buyers, subscribers, or clients. Always ask who is searching, why they are searching now, and what action they might take after reading.
Trusting Broad Volume Ranges Too Literally
Ranges are estimates. Two keywords both shown as 1,000 to 10,000 could have very different real demand. Compare related terms side by side, and after publishing, use Search Console data to learn what actually happens.
Targeting One Keyword Per Article
Writing a separate thin page for every tiny variation wastes time and weakens your site. Group close variants, answer the main question thoroughly, and cover natural subtopics in subheadings. One strong page almost always outperforms five shallow ones.
Skipping the Manual SERP Check
Numbers alone mislead. The live results tell you what Google rewards: format, freshness, and authority level. Skipping that five-minute check is how people waste a weekend on an article with no realistic chance.
Conclusion
Google Keyword Planner is not a perfect SEO tool, and it was never designed to be one. Used properly, with correct location settings, sensible filters, a focus on long-tail questions, and a manual check of the live results, it becomes one of the best free ways to find keywords a small site can realistically win. Start with clear seeds, filter ruthlessly, group related terms into strong articles, and judge every candidate by intent and by what already ranks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google Keyword Planner really free to use?
Yes. You can create a Google Ads account and use Keyword Planner without running ads. Accounts without active ad spend usually see broad search volume ranges instead of exact numbers, but the keyword ideas, trends, and other data are still available and useful.
Does low competition in Keyword Planner mean easy SEO rankings?
No. That column measures advertiser competition for paid ads. A keyword can have low ad competition and still be very hard to rank for organically. Always search the keyword yourself and judge the strength and relevance of the pages that already rank.
Why does Keyword Planner show ranges instead of exact search volumes?
Google shows ranges to accounts that are not actively spending enough on ads. Exact figures are reserved for active advertisers. For most content planning, ranges are enough if you compare keywords relatively and focus on intent and competition.
How many keywords should I target in one article?
Target one main keyword and a small group of closely related variations that share the same intent. Cover them naturally in your headings and text rather than creating a separate page for each variation.
Can I use Keyword Planner for YouTube or local SEO?
You can use it for general demand signals, but it reflects Google web search behaviour. For YouTube, check YouTube autocomplete as well. For local SEO, set the location filter to your town or region and look for phrases that include local intent.
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