SEO Guide
7 min readHow to find keywords you can actually rank for
Most people chase high-volume keywords and never rank. The real opportunity is in finding keywords that are easier, more specific, and more achievable.
Why most keyword research fails
Here is what usually happens. Someone opens a keyword tool, types in their topic, sorts by search volume, and picks the biggest number they can find. Then they write a page, publish it, and wait.
Nothing happens. The page sits on page 5. Traffic stays at zero. They wonder if SEO is broken.
The problem is not SEO. The problem is picking keywords you have no realistic chance of ranking for. High-volume keywords are almost always dominated by established sites with years of authority and hundreds of backlinks. Competing head-on is like opening a coffee shop next to Starbucks on day one.
- Chasing volume without checking who already ranks
- Ignoring how competitive the search results actually are
- Picking broad terms instead of specific, answerable queries
The fix is simple: stop chasing volume and start looking for keywords where the competition is weak enough for you to win.
What makes a keyword "easy"
An easy keyword is not necessarily a low-volume keyword. It is a keyword where the existing search results are weak enough that a well-structured page can break in. Three things make a keyword easier to rank for:
Lower competition
The pages currently ranking are thin, outdated, or poorly optimized. Forums, old blog posts, and generic listicles in the top 10 are a strong signal.
Specific intent
The searcher wants something clear and answerable. "Best CRM for freelancers" is easier than "CRM" because the intent is narrow and the audience is defined.
Weaker domains in the SERP
If the first page has small blogs, niche sites, or low-authority pages instead of major publications, you have a real shot.
A keyword with 200 searches per month and weak competition will bring you more traffic than a keyword with 10,000 searches that you will never rank for.
How to find easy keywords step by step
This is the process that actually works. It is not complicated, but it requires you to look at the search results instead of just the numbers.
Start with a broad topic you know
Pick something your business actually covers. If you sell project management software, start with "project management" — not "productivity" or "business tools."
Find long-tail variations
Add specifics: "project management for remote teams," "simple project management for freelancers," "how to manage client projects." These are longer, more specific, and easier to rank for.
Check the search results manually
Google your keyword. Look at the first page. Are the top results from massive sites? Or are there forums, old posts, and weak pages? If the results look beatable, you have an opportunity.
Evaluate the competition
Look at the pages that rank. Are they well-structured? Do they answer the question fully? If you can write something meaningfully better, the keyword is worth pursuing.
Validate relevance to your brand
A keyword is only useful if it connects to something you sell or do. Ranking for an irrelevant keyword brings traffic that never converts.
For a deeper look at the full keyword research process, see our complete guide.
Example: spotting an easy keyword
Let's say you run a small email marketing tool. You want to rank for something related to email marketing, but “email marketing” itself has millions of competing pages.
Instead, you search for: “how to write a welcome email sequence for SaaS.”
5 Welcome Email Templates (2021)
What is a Welcome Email?
Forum: welcome email advice?
How to Write a Welcome Email Sequence for SaaS (With Examples)
The current results are outdated, too broad, or from low-authority domains. A well-structured, specific page targeting this exact query has a strong chance of ranking on page one — even without hundreds of backlinks.
This is what “easy” looks like in practice. Not zero competition, but weak enough competition that good content can win.
Common mistakes when picking keywords
- Chasing high volume only. A keyword with 50,000 monthly searches means nothing if you rank on page 8. Lower volume with less competition wins every time for newer sites.
- Ignoring search intent. If someone searches “best CRM software,” they want a comparison — not a product page. Match the format to what the searcher actually expects.
- Copying competitors blindly. Just because a competitor ranks for a keyword does not mean you should target it. They may have years of domain authority you cannot match right away.
- Picking keywords that are too broad. “Marketing” is not a keyword strategy. “Email marketing for ecommerce stores” is. The more specific you are, the easier it is to rank — and the more relevant the traffic.
- Not checking the actual SERP. Numbers alone do not tell you if a keyword is easy. You have to look at what currently ranks and decide if you can do better.
The biggest mistake is never publishing because you are still “researching.” Pick a realistic keyword, write the best page you can, publish it, and move on.
How RankSEO helps you find easy keywords
Doing this manually works, but it takes time — especially once you are looking at dozens of keyword variations. RankSEO speeds this up by pulling in real search data and surfacing the keywords where you actually have a chance.
- Shows keyword difficulty alongside volume so you can spot easy wins instantly
- Surfaces queries where you already have impressions but are not ranking well yet
- Suggests content ideas based on keywords that match your domain strength
- Connects keyword data to your content pipeline so nothing gets lost
It is not about generating a massive keyword list. It is about finding the 10–20 keywords where you can realistically rank and then helping you create content that targets them. For a complete overview of the process, see the full SEO guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with long-tail, specific phrases related to your niche rather than broad head terms. New sites lack domain authority, so you need keywords where the existing results are weak — forums, outdated posts, or thin content. Use Google autocomplete and “People Also Ask” to discover phrases real people search for, then manually check the SERP to confirm the competition is beatable.
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases — usually 3 or more words. They are easier to rank for because fewer sites target them directly, the search intent is clearer, and the competition in the SERP is typically weaker. While each long-tail keyword has lower volume, they convert better because the searcher knows exactly what they want.
Search the keyword in Google and look at the first page of results. Check who is ranking — if it is all major authority sites like Forbes, Wikipedia, or HubSpot, the keyword is likely too competitive. Look at the keyword difficulty score as a starting filter, but always verify by examining the actual SERP for weak content, outdated pages, and low-authority domains.
Focus on one primary keyword per page, then naturally include 3 to 5 closely related variations. These related terms should share the same search intent. Trying to target unrelated keywords on a single page dilutes your content and confuses Google about what the page is really about.
For genuinely low-competition keywords, you can see rankings within 2 to 8 weeks after publishing. However, even easy keywords require well-structured, comprehensive content that matches search intent. Pages on brand-new domains typically take longer — closer to 3 to 6 months — because Google needs time to discover and trust your site.
Yes. Google Search Console shows keywords you already get impressions for but are not ranking well — these are often easy wins. Google autocomplete and “People Also Ask” reveal real queries people type. AnswerThePublic and Google Keyword Planner (with a free Google Ads account) also provide keyword ideas. The most important free tool, though, is Google itself — searching your keyword and analyzing the results tells you more than any score.
There is no universal threshold, but keywords with 100 to 1,000 monthly searches often hit the sweet spot for newer sites — enough volume to bring meaningful traffic, but not so much that every major site is competing. Do not dismiss keywords under 100 searches per month either. If the intent is strong and the keyword is relevant to your business, even low-volume keywords can drive conversions.
Find keywords that actually bring traffic
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