The holy grail of SEO: keywords with high search volume but low competition. These golden opportunities exist, and knowing how to find them can dramatically accelerate your organic growth.
Key Takeaways
- Long-tail keywords often have lower competition than head terms
- Question-based keywords frequently have high volume, low difficulty
- New trends and emerging topics offer first-mover advantage
- Keyword difficulty under 40 with 500+ volume is ideal
Understanding Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty (KD) measures how hard it is to rank on the first page of Google for a specific keyword. Most SEO tools score this from 0-100:
0-30
Easy - New sites can rank
31-60
Medium - Requires quality content
61-100
Hard - Needs authority & links
7 Strategies to Find Low-Competition Keywords
1. Target Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases. They typically have lower search volume individually but collectively drive significant traffic with much lower competition.
Example:
- ❌ "running shoes" - KD: 85, Volume: 450K
- ✅ "best running shoes for flat feet women" - KD: 25, Volume: 8K
2. Use Question Keywords
Questions people ask often have lower competition because they're more specific. These also have high AIO potential.
Find questions using:
- • Google's "People Also Ask" boxes
- • AnswerThePublic.com
- • AlsoAsked.com
- • Reddit and Quora discussions
3. Explore Emerging Trends
New trends have low competition because content hasn't been created yet. Be the first to cover emerging topics.
Trend discovery tools:
- • Google Trends - Explore rising searches
- • Exploding Topics - Find trends before they peak
- • Twitter/X Trending - Real-time trends
- • Industry newsletters and podcasts
4. Add Modifiers to Seed Keywords
Take competitive keywords and add modifiers to find less competitive variations.
Modifier types:
Year modifiers:
"best CRM 2026"
Location modifiers:
"SEO agency London"
Comparison modifiers:
"Notion vs Asana"
Intent modifiers:
"how to use Slack"
5. Analyze Competitor Weak Spots
Find keywords where competitors rank on page 2-3. These are opportunities where existing content isn't fully satisfying user intent.
Use keyword gap analysis to find keywords where competitors rank positions 11-30. Create better content to outrank them.
6. Target Niche-Specific Terms
Industry jargon and technical terms often have lower competition because they target a specific audience.
Example: "SERP volatility" vs "Google ranking changes" - the technical term has lower competition but attracts qualified traffic.
7. Use Google Autocomplete
Google's autocomplete suggestions are based on real searches. Many of these suggestions have lower competition.
How to extract autocomplete keywords:
- Type your seed keyword in Google
- Add letters a-z after the keyword
- Note all autocomplete suggestions
- Check difficulty scores for each
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good keyword difficulty score?
For new websites, aim for keywords with difficulty under 30. Established sites with some authority can target keywords up to 50. Anything above 60 typically requires significant backlinks and domain authority.
How much search volume is enough?
It depends on your niche. For B2B, 100-500 monthly searches can be valuable. For B2C, aim for 1,000+. Remember: 10 low-competition keywords with 500 volume each equals 5,000 potential monthly visitors.
Are low-competition keywords worth targeting?
Absolutely. Low-competition keywords are easier to rank for, build domain authority, and collectively can drive significant traffic. They're especially valuable for new websites building initial traction.
How long until I rank for low-competition keywords?
With quality content and proper on-page SEO, you can rank for low-competition keywords (KD under 30) within 2-4 weeks. Medium competition keywords may take 2-3 months.