SEO is the most important part of getting organic traffic to your blog. If you aren’t targeting the right keywords, you simply can’t get your post ranking on Page One of Google results.
There are so many keyword research tools that you might feel a bit overwhelmed. Don’t worry! I’m going to break down each of the main ones and show you how to use them effectively for your blog’s SEO strategy.
This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my full affiliate disclosure here.
The Best Free and Paid Keyword Research Tools
There are 2 different types of keyword research tools – browser extensions and websites. Some are free, some are paid. Some offer a free version with more features if you upgrade to a paid version.
Totally Free Keyword Search Tools
There are several keyword research tools that are completely free. Just keep in mind that with a free version of anything, you will still be limited in the amount of data you’ll be able to access. Still, these are a great tool for those just getting started with understanding how to research keywords.
Browser Extensions
Browser extensions are great because all you have to do is type a search term into Google and the keyword recommendations will display right there on the right side of the screen. Keep in mind, however, that these browser extensions only work on desktop and not on mobile devices.
- Keyword Surfer – this browser extension is 100% free but is very limited in the results recommendations. They do offer a 7-day trial (for $1) but the paid version is a bit on the expensive side for a newer blogger that isn’t quite making any money yet.
- Ubersuggest – this is a newer browser extension from Neil Patel that offers quite a bit of keyword ideas for research.
Low-Cost Keyword Research Tools
Free is great, but you often get what you paid for. If your goal is to truly grow your blog (especially if you hope to earn money with it), you must be willing to invest in tools to help you do that. Many of the free tools offer paid upgrades that are still affordable for a newer blogger.
- Keywords Everywhere – This browser extension was free but is now a paid tool. To be honest, this is one of the better ones on the lower pricing end. For only $10, you get 100,000 searches. I’ve had mine installed for the better part of a year and still have a lot of search credits left (and I use it daily).
- Keysearch – This is, by far, my favorite low-cost paid keyword research tool! This one enables you to easily find your competitors, track your own ranking keywords, and find guest posting opportunities for your niche. Use code KSDISC to get 20% off when you sign up (making it about $13/mo for the Starter Plan).
- Ubersuggest – This tool was created by Neil Patel and is really good. You can get about 5 searches daily for free, but you can sign up for the monthly plan which is only $29 and get unlimited search queries.
Keysearch vs Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is a great tool, however, there is often a disparity on some of the metrics it gives. Many times it tells me that certain posts are my top pages when Google Analytics tells me otherwise. There are often disparities in search volume for various keywords. Still, it is a great tool to use.
I do, however, prefer to use Keysearch for a few reasons.
- search volume and other metrics are more in line with Google Analytics
- has a competitor research feature
- find guest post opportunities in your niche
- track ranking keywords more easily
Implementing Solid SEO Matters!
If your goal is to truly grow your Christian blog, you must invest your time into learning and implementing SEO. Keep in mind that SEO isn’t just about picking “a keyword” but is about the entire post you write. It involves a variety of keywords as well as how you format the content using proper headings and internal/external links.
You can get a basic “crash course” in SEO by enrolling in my free course SEO Fundamentals for Christian Bloggers which gives you an overview of how SEO works so you can begin doing keyword research the right way.
