Low-Competition Keyword Research: How to Snipe Rankings While Everyone Else Fights Over Everest

What Is Keyword Research? (And Why Most People Are Chasing Shadows)

Ever found a “low-difficulty” keyword, written an epic 2,000-word masterpiece, optimised it to the hilt, and then—crickets? Welcome to the club. You’re not alone. Here’s the classic heartbreak: you target a keyword with a difficulty score of 18 (apparently as easy as boiling an egg), rank #3, and out of 500 monthly searches, you get a whopping 8 clicks. Eight. Not even enough for a five-a-side footie squad.

The culprit? The keyword difficulty score is about as trustworthy as a weather forecast for next year’s bank holiday. Most SEO tools “measure” difficulty by counting backlinks to top sites. More backlinks = harder. Fewer = easier. Sounds scientific. It isn’t.

Picture this: your tool says “easy” (score 25), but the top 10 results are Forbes, a .gov site, and a few Goliath brands. You, on the other hand, have a blog and an optimistic grin. Good luck. Flip it—another keyword scores a “42” (medium), but it’s all Reddit threads and cobwebbed blogs from 2018. That’s your real shot.

Here’s what seasoned SEOs know: tools lie, SERPs don’t. The manual SERP analysis method takes five minutes and works ten times better than trusting the pretty numbers. Let’s get into the weeds.

Why Keyword Difficulty Scores Are About as Useful as a Chocolate Teapot

Let’s look at two real-world examples:

It’s not about what the tool says. It’s about who’s actually ranking. Backlink counts don’t tell you if the SERP is basically tumbleweed and dated blog content. That’s why manual SERP analysis is the pro’s secret weapon.

The Manual SERP Analysis Method (The 5-Minute Shortcut That Actually Works)

Step 1: Google Your Keyword (Shocking, I Know)

Type your keyword into Google. Open up the top 10 results (or, if you’re really keen, take a screenshot). But don’t just look at the order—look at who is there. Are these household names, or new kids on the block?

Step 2: Size Up the Competition (Are You Playing in the Premier League or the Local 5-a-side?)

Run through the top 10. Are they:

Quick rule of thumb: If half the top 10 are not mega-sites, you can compete—even as a new site.

Step 3: Check for Mouldy Bread (Content Freshness and Depth)

Are the top results stuck in 2019, or are they hot off the press? Old content = opportunity.

Step 4: The Forum/Reddit Test (The SEO Canary in the Coal Mine)

This is the best shortcut in the book: If you see Reddit threads, Quora answers, or any forum posts in the top 10, stop what you’re doing. That keyword is crying out for a decent piece of content.

Google only ranks forum content when it can’t find something better. You can be that something better. Replace the Reddit thread with a comprehensive guide, and you’ll stroll into the top 5.

Step 5: Double-Check Intent (Don’t Bring a Knife to a Gunfight)

What type of content is ranking?

Intent matters. Match what’s there—if Google’s showing blog posts, write a blog post. If it’s product pages, well…

Cheat Sheet: Intent Types

The Alphabet Soup Method (Fill Your Bowl with Hidden Keyword Gold)

Here’s a free trick: Type your root keyword into Google, then add "a," then "b," then "c," and see what autocomplete throws at you. It’s Google’s way of handing you real-world, long-tail keyword suggestions on a silver platter.

Why does this work? Because it’s based on what people actually search today, not what your favourite tool’s database remembered from last year. Most competitors ignore these because they look niche. That’s where the easy wins live.

Weak SERP Signals: The Green Lights for Easy Rankings

Here’s your quick-fire list. If you spot 3 or more, you’ve probably found a winner:

Validate With Data (Don’t Get Giddy Yet)

Manual SERP analysis is magic, but just before you start typing, check the numbers. Here’s where KeywordNumbers steps in:

Workflow:

No faffing with accounts or credit cards—KeywordNumbers is fast, free, and frictionless.

Real-World Example: Watch Me Walk the Walk

Let’s say the keyword is: "How to find keywords for content marketing"

The Ranking Tier System (Prioritise Like a Pro)

Here’s how to stack your keyword opportunities:

Your Pre-Writing Checklist: Don’t Hit Publish Blind

If you’ve got at least 6 YES? Crack on. Fewer? Park it, and find something juicier.

The Truth About Keyword Difficulty Scores (And Why They’re Like Sat Navs—Helpful, Not Infallible)

Difficulty scores are a decent guide. They tell you who’s got the backlinks and domain authority. But they don’t see if the content is stale, whether Reddit is propping up the SERP, or if everyone’s missed the real user intent. Manual SERP analysis tells you all that—so use the data as a confirmation, not a crutch.

The Nuts and Bolts: Three Key Metrics That Actually Matter

Let’s get practical. When weighing up a keyword, don’t just stare at its volume like it’s a winning lottery number. Focus on:

How many people actually search for it? Sure, 100,000/month is tempting—but it’s usually Everest. 1,000/month can be your secret shortcut.

How tough is it, really? A score of 10 is a walk in the park; 80 is a triathlon. But remember: SERP reality beats any score.

Why are people searching? Are they after answers, comparisons, or shopping? Match this, or you’ll rank and still get tumbleweed for conversions.

Worked Example: Remote Work Blogging (Or, Why You Don’t Want to Fight Indeed and FlexJobs)

Let’s say you want to blog about remote work:

Why Keyword Research Still Matters (Even in a World of AI)

Without keyword research, you’re basically playing darts blindfolded. Great content on topics nobody’s searching for, or chasing keywords so tough you’ll never sniff page one—either way, you’re wasting effort. Good keyword research:

The 5-Step Beginner Process (No Paid Tools Required)

Free Tools for Keyword Sourcing (No Wallet Required)

Rookie Mistakes (And How To Dodge Them)

Your Action Plan (So You Actually Do Something With This)

Bottom Line: Stop Guessing, Start Ranking

Keyword research isn’t rocket science. It’s more like picking the right queue at Tesco: a bit of know-how, a bit of patience, and the right signals get you there faster. Use free tools, do your manual checks, avoid the obvious mistakes, and you’ll find ranking opportunities hiding in plain sight.

Ready to double-check your next keyword? Try KeywordNumbers—no signup, no nonsense, just the data you need to write content people actually want.

Free tools to put this into practice

Reading is one thing — testing your own pages is what moves the needle. Here are the free KeywordNumbers tools that pair best with this guide:

Every one of our free SEO tools is genuinely free to use, with no sign-up required.

Try the Voice Search Keywords

Good news — there's now a free tool for exactly this. Give our Voice Search Keywords a go and put this guide straight into practice.