SEO: 12 free tools to find relevant keywords

If you are looking for long tail keywords,  Keyword Tool  is a reference in the matter.

This excellent alternative to Google Keyword Planner helps you find popular expressions on Google, YouTube, Bing, the Apple Store or even Amazon. You can therefore optimize your natural referencing on different platforms at the same time!

Its free version, however, does not allow you to see search volumes, only the titles of the most important keywords.

5. WordStream

WordStream offers a very useful, albeit limited, free keyword research tool (you will need to provide your email address to receive the full list of phrases).

If it allows you to search for keywords by country (including France), it also allows you to search by sector of activity: a welcome feature.

About twenty areas, ranging from ready-to-wear to real estate, including tourism are available, allowing you to specify your search even more.

6. Keyword Generator

Keyword Generator finds up to 150 keyword ideas for any seed keyword. You then obtain a list of keywords, but also of queries in which appear the estimated monthly search volumes for each keyword.

You can also use the generator to find keyword and query ideas for Bing, YouTube, and Amazon. Just change the search engine at the top of the page.

7. Answer the Audience

Find out what people are asking about… absolutely anything and everything! This is what the Answer the Public tool offers . The latter finds questions, prepositions, comparisons, alphabetically sorted search lists and related searches. All you have to do is choose the language and the country then type in the desired keyword.

The results are presented in a very visual form, like a mindmap.

For example, if you type the search “Chocolate” in French, for France, you find questions such as “why chocolate is bad for dogs” or “what is white chocolate”, comparisons such as “chocolate or cacao”, prepositions like “baking chocolate” and related searches like “hot chocolate”.

By clicking on one of the results obtained, you will directly access the results of the search in question on Google.

8. Keyword Surfer

Keyword Surfer is a free extension for Google Chrome. This tool shows estimated global and monthly search volumes for any query typed into Google. So it's the fastest way to get keyword insights, for every new search you do in Google, you'll find out search volumes, CPC, keyword suggestions, related terms and lots of other information.

Good news for you! The tool is of course 100% free.

9. SEMRush

SEMRush is one of the keyword analysis tools that offer free trials. It allows you to check your positions on specific expressions. You can perform a multilingual search to get ideas for keywords in the different countries where you market your products or services. This tool also has features that help you analyze the SEO strategy of competitors.

10. AHrefs

Ahrefs is one of the most recommended keyword analysis tools . It provides you with a wealth of interesting data that allows you to create, monitor and improve your SEO strategy. While Ahrefs is best known for backlink analysis, its features are wide-ranging and its performance for keyword analysis is highly regarded.

11. SEO Hero

Designed by the winner of the 2017 SEO Hero contest , Frenchman Walid Gabteni, this tool is SEO software to explore the topics that are talked about on the web. SEO Hero aims to allow you to explore the subject of your choice and to detail the lexical field corresponding to your request by drawing inspiration from the best referenced pages on your theme.

By doing your search by headings, you can quickly identify the keywords used, but also all their synonyms and all the expressions associated with your initial query. This gives you a broad base of inspiration to make your SEO even more relevant and effective.

12.Quora

With this last original tool, you can consult in a few clicks all the questions asked by the Internet users you want to attract to your site. The operation of Quora is simple, but very effective: Internet users can ask any question that runs through their minds and all you have to do is consult the topics that interest you. At a glance, you can analyze how the most popular questions are worded and select the main keywords related to your field.

And good news: a French version of the site has recently been put online. Be aware, however, that the English version remains the most visited. If you are quite comfortable with English (or with Google Trad), check it out to complete your research in French. By doing the same search, some keywords that you hadn't thought of may appear there.

Why should you include keywords in your content?

Keywords play an important role because they allow Internet users to identify content that corresponds to what they are looking for. Search engines evaluate the information published on websites in order to bring up the most interesting pages on the first page of results. The insertion of keywords therefore makes it possible to generate natural and qualified traffic to your site. Indeed, the Internet users you target will be able to easily find you thanks to the search results.

To be at the top of the SERP, it is therefore important to define the keywords and expressions on which you want to position your site.

Two types of keywords can be distinguished:

• Rare keywords – or long-tail keywords – which are little used by Internet users in the formulation of their request and will not always allow you to stand out on the results page (terms that are too technical, language not used often, etc.), unless you are in an extremely specific area.
• Generic keywords – or head keywords – which are probably already used by all your competitors. Spending too much time working on them will therefore not make you come out at the top of the SERP list.

As you have understood, it is therefore important to find a good balance between the two types and to diversify your keywords as much as possible while remaining coherent and relevant. For this, the ideal is to find new keywords using the lexical field that includes your keywords: synonyms, verbs, adjectives, associated expressions, etc., dealing with the same subject. After all, that's also what Internet users do when they ask Google a question!

To find these keywords, when launching your site for example, there are several fairly simple ways to put in place:

• You can go look at what your direct competitors are doing (those with good SEO, of course)
• You can do in-depth monitoring by following news and developments in your industry: reading blog posts on the topics that interest you can be very informative and give you new ideas for keywords to use.
• You can go browsing on social networks and read what is said on the topics that interest you (by sorting through the information you find, of course)
• You can directly question your customers and prospects, or why not your network to find out the opinion of your target

There are many tools that allow you to know the volume of traffic by studying the number of clicks. You may consider running paid campaigns through SEA (Search Engine Advertising) ads to boost SEO for better results.

It is also recommended to use  search tools  that suggest the best  keywords . It is strongly recommended to choose the keywords used carefully, taking into account the profile of the Internet users you are targeting. You must therefore think about adapting your vocabulary to your ideal client. You will not address a professional in the same way as an individual and you will not use the same vocabulary or the same expressions when writing for a young adult as for a retiree. Our tip: think about synonyms and language level!

The origins of keywords

The birth of search engines

Wondering when the keywords appeared? To find out, you have to go back to the history of referencing. This began in 1945 with the birth of a worldwide data archiving system that allows data to be collected, extracted and added. If we compare this system to Google, there are a lot of similarities!

The 90s, the decade of keyword dominance

In the 90s, many search engines were born. It must be said that more and more people have access to the internet and that these tools enjoy excellent popularity. To offer Internet users results close to their queries, all search engines rely on the presence of keywords in the texts. These are therefore put in quantity in the published pages.

The 2000s, the rules of the game change in terms of SEO

The 2000s were marked by changes in referencing rules. These are largely due to the dominance of Google that is taking place. This search engine does not work like the others. In addition to the keywords, it takes into account the quality of the content.

To go further, Google even applies penalties. Pages that contain too many keywords no longer benefit from good SEO.

To seduce Google and the many internet users who use the leading search engine today, you have to offer quality content. Since then, trends have changed very little. Google always takes keywords and content quality into account, but is also interested in the customer experience.

The different types of keywords

We talk about keywords, but do you know that there are several types? Here are the different groups of keywords to include in your content to benefit from better visibility.

The rise of keywords has thrown SEO off balance. The pages and content highlighted by search engines were not automatically those that met the expectations of Internet users.

• Generic keywords . These keywords are the most logical. For example, if you deal with a subject on health insurance, your generic keywords are health insurance, mutual health insurance, health coverage… Generic keywords consist of less than 3 words. They have a very high search volume.
• Long tail keywords . These long tail keywords are longer, and therefore consist of more than 3 words. These are sometimes called niche keywords. They allow you to give details on the subject. Continuing with our health insurance example, long tail keywords could be: large family health insurance, disability health insurance, etc. The search volume is lower but the audience is better qualified.
• Semantic keywords . In addition to your generic and long-tail keywords, it is interesting to add semantic keywords, that is to say those that belong to the lexical field of the subject. Here, the semantic keywords could be contributions, fee overruns, remaining dependents, etc.
• Event keywords . These keywords are exploitable over a given period. It can be: retirement, birth of a third child, etc.
• The evergreen keywords . Essential and still under-exploited, evergreen keywords are those that are almost never obsolete. They must of course be used in evergreen content as well.
• Local keywords . They are aimed at those who wish to benefit from good local referencing. They consist of very specific keywords providing geographic information.

SEO and search engines: what impact on keywords in 2023?

To respond to the billions of queries made every day by Internet users around the world, search engines, led by Google, are constantly changing their algorithms to take into account as many new practices as possible. Since 2015, these algorithms have tended to become real artificial intelligences, capable of learning by themselves and changing according to the evolution of the behavior of Internet users.

In 2019, Google launched BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers), an algorithm capable of responding to voice-phrased questions more naturally than a query typed on a keyboard. Google is thus seeking to strengthen its ability to make the link between the formulation of the request and the intention of the Internet user. The keywords used are already starting to change.

In 2021, Google announced the arrival of a new algorithm, MUM (Multitask United Model) capable of responding extremely precisely to a user's request without the user having to think in depth about keywords. that he needs to use. The keywords used continue to evolve towards less precise formulations, using a wider lexical field. As you have understood, the requirements of SEO and the behavior of Internet users are constantly changing, it is essential for your natural referencing to remain vigilant and renew your keywords in order to stay in the race.

At the end of 2022, Google rolled out its Google Helpful update to all countries. This development aims in particular to penalize sites that offer too many so-called “zombie” pages. Pages created solely for SEO purposes, automatically, with no added value for the Internet user, now penalize the entire site. The objective is clear: to encourage the production of content for the user.

Keyword research: is it really essential?

Keyword research is a process that allows you to better choose the keywords and expressions that your potential customers are likely to use to search for your company, your products or your services.

While keyword research seems like a simple and very ordinary task, it shouldn't be overlooked. Indeed, you have to think about doing it periodically to follow the evolution of the needs of the consumers you are targeting over time. As we have already said, the vocabulary and therefore the keywords used by Internet users to query Google and its acolytes are no longer the same as 3, 2 or even 1 year ago. If you don't adapt to these changes, your site won't attract as many visitors.

You can use a  keyword research tool  to make it easier for you. It is essential to use the right keywords to target visitors who are likely to buy your products or who have searched for your services.

To be sure to find the right keywords for each web page, it is necessary to determine what the Internet users you are targeting want to know about your company, your products or your services. Take the time to get to know your target and study their way of thinking. You must present your products or services as solutions to the problems of your potential customers so that they will want to buy them.

Do not forget to highlight the strengths and characteristics that set you apart from the competition. Feel free to use a  keyword research tool  to find out which keywords and phrases your competitors are ranking for.

How to choose the right keywords?

If you want to generate more traffic on your website, you must work well on natural referencing. This task consists of optimizing your content with the right keywords so that your pages are ranked on the search results. Keywords are the basis of SEO: they are first used to find backlinks, then they also allow you to optimize your content for search engines.

When you use the right keywords, your pages are well referenced and you generate qualified traffic that will boost your sales.

To obtain concrete and satisfactory results, it is essential to identify the most suitable keywords. When an Internet user enters keywords in the search bar, he wants to find pages that correspond to his questions and the solutions he expects. For example, if you type in “website design,” you will find webmaster sites offering their services for this job. Depending on the search intent, results will appear based on the keywords entered.

1. Search intentions for choosing keywords

There are two very distinct types of research intentions: the intention to inquire (search for information) and the intention to buy . Depending on the types of content, services or products that you present online, it is necessary to choose the right keywords to meet the intention of the targeted Internet users. You can address Internet users who inquire to attract them to your products by presenting them as the solution they need to solve a problem.

To find the right keywords, you can use keyword analysis tools and then type them into Google to check their relevance.

2. Long tail keywords

The long tail is a more specific group of words that is significantly less competitive than the main keywords, but still drives 80% of the traffic. When these words are grouped together, they have a positive impact on your SEO, this will not be the case if they are placed separately in the content.

Thus, if you want to rank more effectively on Google, you must determine the long-tail keywords that correspond to your activity. To do this, you need to use the right keyword analysis tools .

3. Competitor Keyword Analysis

When using tools for keyword analysis , consider finding the keywords your competitors have used to optimize their content. This approach will allow you to know the expressions which allowed them to have the best place in the search results. Then you can determine the keywords on which your competitors have not yet positioned themselves to beat them.

You will be able to find terms that are used in your field of activity and that you may not have thought of. Analyzing competitors' keywords will also help you understand why they rank better than you on general keywords.

Set up an SEO content strategy

Finding the most relevant keywords is not an end in itself. It will then be necessary to design interesting subjects for Internet users and write them. Just as there are tools to help you find your keywords, there are tools to help you find inspiration and ideas for writing your blog posts and content.

If you are in need of relevant subjects to deal with to highlight your keywords while bringing real added value to your site, you can take a look at BuzzSumo, BloomBerry, Feedly, SEMrush, 1.FR or even twitter. Their operation is simple: reference the most popular and most frequently asked questions (by period, region, etc.).

Not only will you know these existential questions that keep your Internet users awake, but you will also discover how they are formulated. So all you have to do is respond with a good article by simply adapting the keywords!

However, even if they are essential for the good referencing of your site, the detection of keywords, the design of subjects and the writing of contents are difficult and time-consuming tasks. This is why Redacteur.com supports you in setting up your SEO content strategy and finds the most relevant keywords for you to position yourself on Google.