3 Keyword Research Tools: Content Creation
Your blog posts will be more effective if you have a data-backed method of analyzing keywords surrounding your topic.
Keyword research tools help you gauge which topics are attracting your audience’s attention. It also shows which phrases your competitors are using in their content.
When you write relevant blogs, your search engine ranking will increase along with your engagement metrics.
Choosing the right keyword research tool is a crucial decision that depends on your needs as a blogger.
There are three keyword research tools that stand out among the rest:
1. Ahrefs
2. SEMrush
3. AnswerThePublic
Gain A Summary of Key Metrics With Ahrefs
Ahrefs is a paid research tool that provides robust competitor and keyword research.
Originally, Ahrefs focused on backlink analysis. The platform has broadened in scope to include keyword research, competitor analysis, and other SEO functions.
It differentiates itself from other tools by the large amount of data it analyzes. Each day, Ahrefs crawls five billion webpages. Their index size includes 16 trillion links.
Ahrefs displays this data in an easy-to-understand format focusing on key metrics.
For example, their keyword explorer feature displays the search volume per-keyword idea. The tool also shows how many clicks you’ll gain if you rank for a certain keyword.
The interface below displays the search volume and the number of clicks associated with the phrase “Leonardo DiCaprio age.”
Source: Backlinko
The screen shows that only 8% of searchers clicked on a result. This discrepancy is helpful because it indicates when the answer pops up in Google’s featured snippet.
The tool also provides a variety of other core reports related to SEO, including:
- Backlink research
- Content research
- Rank tracking
- Web monitoring
If you’re looking to monitor keywords in your blog’s niche, Ahrefs is a data-driven tool that’s worth the investment.
Ahrefs offers monthly or annual billing. The standard package, which gives access to all its features, is $179 per month. View other pricing options using the Ahrefs’ plans and pricing chart.
Perform In-Depth Research With SEMrush
SEMrush started as a keyword research tool. Today, its data provides a deep-dive into a variety of metrics.
While its features resemble Ahrefs, they provide more in-depth data including search volume trends and the number of results per keyword.
Source: Backlinko
Looking to the screen above, SEMrush offers the number of results for the phrase “what is SEO” in addition to trends in the search volume.
The tool offers a wide range of other SEO reports, including:
- Technical SEO audit
- Competitive intelligence
- Backlinks analytics
- Ideas for gaining more organic traffic
In addition to these metrics, SEMrush provides data about Google PPC. This feature reveals your visibility in paid search results compared with competitors.
The example below tracks the paid search positions of Coca Cola versus Pepsi.
Source: SEMrush
In addition to position tracking Coca Cola and Pepsi, a user could view examples of their live ads and analyze the banners they use.
SEMrush is a good choice for you if you need to perform in-depth keyword research. It’s also a viable option if you’re a blogger implementing a Google Ads campaign.
SEMrush’s standard option, which 64% of users choose, costs $199 per month. Customers can pay monthly or annually.
Read a Free Overview Using AnswerThePublic
If you’re just starting to enter the world of keyword research, AnswerThePublic is a great option.
It is a free, highly visual platform that provides lists associated with Google and Bing searches as you type keywords.
After you type in a phrase and hit enter, a variety of infographics appear. The visual separates phrases based on the categories and the type of inquiry.
There are five free reports any blogger can access:
- Questions
- Comparisons
- Related keywords
- Prepositions
- Alphabetical
The image below is pulled from the comparison category. It displays common inquiries users ask Google or Bing about plants.
The entire circle displays searches including the words: “and, vs, like, or, and versus”.
If you are the owner of a plant blog, it would be useful to see the common comparisons users ideate about plants.
When you find out what internet searchers are curious about, you can “AnswerThePublic” in your next post.
AnswerThePublic is a useful tool for an independent blogger looking to survey the digital landscape surrounding their topic of choice.
Moving beyond the free version, bloggers can pay $99 per month to access unlimited search and keyword comparisons among other features.
Explore Keyword Research Tools to Strengthen Content Efforts
Bloggers will benefit from leveraging keyword research tools.
Ahrefs, SEMrush, and AnswerThePublic all provide different ways to understand what your audience is searching for.
Enter the world of keyword research using the free version of AnswerThePublic. Then, try Ahrefs for a robust overview of key metrics. More seasoned bloggers can utilize SEMrush for an in-depth dive that includes PPC metrics.
Investing resources in understanding your readers’ online searches will boost your SEO and give you ideas for your next blog post!
When you invest in keyword research, you’re investing in the success of your blog.
