Have you also written 50–60 posts on your blog but still aren’t getting traffic? The biggest reason for this is that you are writing articles without checking the search volume.
Simply put, it is crucial for any new blogger to know how many people are searching on Google for the topic they are writing about. This is what we call “Keyword Search Volume.”
what is keyword search volume? (What is Search Volume in SEO)
The number of times a specific word or phrase (keyword) is searched on Google within a month is called the ‘Monthly Search Volume’.
Example: Suppose you search for “phone overheating” in WordStream and the volume turns out to be 5,400; this means that 5,400 people are searching for this term on Google every month.
Key tools to check this: Igf you want to check the monthly search volume of any keyword, you can use these tools:
Google Keyword Planner: This is Google’s own free tool
Ubersuggest: It is extremely easy for beginners to use.
SEMrush / Ahrefs:These are professional and advanced-level tools.
Also Read – Blogger vs WordPress: Which is Best? 7 Amazing Differences Explained
Why Checking Search Volume is Important in Blogging
Search volume helps you choose the right topic; it lets you know which topics will generate traffic, thereby preventing you from wasting time.
High CPC Keywords: High CPC (Cost Per Click) keywords essentially refer to specific terms used by people on Google who have firmly made up their minds to make a purchase.
(As shown in the screenshot—keyword search volume tool—) for this very reason, advertisers pay Google a substantial amount to display their ads for those keywords.
Whenever you write content related to these keywords on your website, your Google AdSense earnings increase very rapidly.
Free Keyword Search Volume Tool:
WordStream Free Keyword Tool:
The WordStream Free Keyword Tool is a highly popular, free tool primarily used to find high-CPC keywords and determine their search volume. It is considered an excellent and user-friendly alternative to the Google Keyword Planner.
Key features of the WordStream tool
Accurate CPC and Competition Data: This tool shows you the estimated CPC (Cost Per Click) and competition level (Low, Medium, High) for any keyword for free.
Filter by industry and country: You can find precise keywords by selecting your website’s topic (e.g., Finance, Tech, Travel) and target country (e.g., India, USA).
Long-Tail Keywords: This provides a large list of longer, low-competition keywords associated with the main keyword.
(Long-tail keywords refer to longer phrases—such as “how to create YouTube thumbnails using ChatGPT” rather than just “ChatGPT”—that help an article rank more quickly.)
Extracting keywords from a website (Competitor Analysis): By entering the URL of a competitor’s website, you can see which keywords their site is targeting.
Free Download: You can also download the list of searched keywords as a CSV file for free.
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Google Keyword Planner
This is Google’s official, 100% free keyword research tool. While it’s part of Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords), it was primarily designed for advertisers, but it’s also considered a reliable tool for SEO and blogging professionals.
Precise CPC (Top of Page Bid): This tool shows you two types of CPC—Low Range (minimum bid) and High Range (maximum bid). This helps you understand the maximum potential earnings for a keyword.
Location and language filters: You can also view search volume based on a specific city (e.g., Delhi, Mumbai), country, or language (e.g., Hindi, English).
Free and unlimited use: Unlike paid tools, there is no daily search limit. You can use it for free as many times as you wish.
How to find keywords with high CPC and low competition?
When you search for a keyword in this tool, you should primarily focus on three columns:
Avg. Monthly Searches: This shows the search volume for a specific keyword.
Competition: Here, the labels “Low,” “Medium,” and “High” are displayed. Therefore, new bloggers should always choose keywords with “Low” competition; since the competition is lower, these keywords rank more quickly.
Top-of-page bid (high range): This represents the high CPC for that keyword. The higher this amount is for a given keyword, the more substantial your earnings from AdSense will be.
How to use this tool
First, go to the Google Keyword Planner website using your Google account in your Google or Chrome browser.
Click on “Go to Keyword Planner.” (If you do not have a Google Ads account, select “Switch to Expert Mode” to set up an account without creating a campaign.)
⚠️ Note: When creating a Google Ads account, Google might ask for payment details or a credit card, but you should skip this step. You do not need to pay a single rupee to use the Keyword Planner.
Now you will see two options, choose the option of “Discover new keywords”.
A complete list of keywords, along with their search volume, competition, and CPC, will appear before you.
Also Read – How to Start Blogging – 7 Powerful Steps to Build a Successful Blog
3. Google Auto-Suggest
Google Auto-Suggest (the Google search bar) is the world’s easiest, 100% free, and live tool for keyword research.
Whenever you start typing something in Google’s search box, Google automatically begins displaying a list of phrases below it. This is known as Auto-Suggest or Google Autocomplete.
This data is based entirely on what people are actually searching for on Google at the present time.
Why is this a boon for SEO and blogging?
Real-time and trending keywords: Tools like Google Keyword Planner show historical average data, whereas Google Auto-suggest shows you what people are searching for right now.
User Intent: Most of the keywords appearing here are in the form of questions (e.g., “how to do it,” “where to find it”). Writing articles based on these makes it much easier to rank on Google.
Long-Tail Keywords: This tool is best for finding long and specific keywords. Since competition for these keywords is very low, they have the highest chances of ranking well.
The right way to use it (Hacks)
You can use these three methods to extract the best keywords from the Google search bar:
Underscore (_) wildcard trick: If you place an underscore (_) before or in the middle of your main keyword and press the space bar, Google will automatically fill the blank space with the most popular terms.
Example: If you type “best smart watch under _”, Google will automatically suggest keywords like “under 2000” and “under 5000”.
A to Z Method: Try writing each letter of the English alphabet one by one after your keyword.
For example, try typing “SEO Tips a,” “SEO Tips b,” and “SEO Tips c.” You will discover new and unique keyword ideas with each letter.
“People Also Ask” and “Related Searches”: When you search for a keyword, Google displays “People Also Ask” in the middle of the page and “Related Searches” at the very bottom; these can directly serve as headings (H1, H2, H3) for your article.
Since Google Auto-suggest does not display search volume or CPC figures, the strategy should be as follows:
Generate a list of low-competition long-tail keywords using Google Auto-suggest, then check their CPC by entering them into Google Keyword Planner or WordStream.
Also Read – What is Google AdSense? – 6 Best and Powerful Methods
Conclusion
Friends, in the world of blogging, writing articles without knowing keyword search volume and competition is like shooting arrows in the dark. If you are frustrated by a lack of traffic even after writing 50–60 posts, start using WordStream and Google Keyword Planner today. Always begin with low-competition, long-tail keywords.
Which method of keyword research did you find the easiest? Do let us know by commenting below. If you run into any issues, feel free to ask your questions in the comments as well!