Hi! We are the Adaptoo.nl team, and we will take you into the world of keyword research. Without good keywords you won't rank anywhere in SEO. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just coming along, finding the right keywords is crucial. Let's see how you can get that done for free!
Why you need free keyword research
Imagine opening a store, but no one knows what you sell. That is SEO without keyword research. You actually find out which words and phrases your target group uses when they shop online or search for information. This way you ensure that your website exactly matches what people are looking for.
But why free? Well, that has its advantages:
- Your wallet stays full: Especially when you're just starting out, every euro counts.
- Everyone can participate: Whether you have a big or small budget, you can get started.
- You get to know your customers: By seeing what they are looking for, you better understand what they want.
- Peeking at the neighbors: Many free tools show you where your competitors score.
A friend of mine once started a coffee shop. He thought everyone would search for “best coffee in town.” You know what people were really looking for? “Coffee bar with WiFi” and “late night café”. Without that keyword research he would have missed out on a lot of customers!
Research first, then optimize!
Imagine that you are going to renovate without measuring first. That's going to be a mess, right? The same goes for your website. Before you turn everything upside down, you need to know where you stand.
Why you should get started yourself first
Manual research has its charms:
- You understand it better: By thinking about keywords yourself, you really get a feel for your subject.
- You are more creative: Sometimes you think of things that a computer can't think of.
- You see the context: You know exactly what suits your company.
How do you handle that? Easy:
- Grab a pen and paper (or open a blank document) and write down everything related to your product or service.
- Think of other words for what you do.
- What would you look for if you needed your product?
- Also think about specific questions people might ask.
Always focus on search intent
Suppose someone searches for “apple pie”. Do they want a recipe? Do they want to buy one? Or are they looking for the history of apple pie? We call that search intent. There are four main types:
- Looking for information: “How do I make apple pie?”
- Wanting to go somewhere: “Bakery with apple pie nearby”
- To compare: “Best apple pie in the Netherlands”
- To buy: “Order fresh apple pie”
By understanding search intent, you ensure that you attract the right people to your site. It's like fishing with the right bait – you catch exactly what you want to catch.
Only now use the keyword tools
Okay, you've thought for yourself. Now it's time to flex some digital muscle. There are a lot of free tools that can help you with this.
Ubersuggest (limited free)
Ubersuggest is like a treasure chest full of keywords. You'll get a limited number of searches per day, but it's enough to get you started.
What can you do with it?
- Find new keywords
- See how often people search
- Check how difficult it is to score
- Get ideas for content
Top tip: Start with your most important keywords and be surprised by the suggestions!
Google Search Console: a free goldmine
Google Search Console is like a cheat sheet from Google itself. You see exactly where you already score and where opportunities lie.
This is how you use it:
- Go to 'Achievements'
- See which keywords are already generating traffic
- Look for words with a high CTR (Click Through Rate) but low ranking
- Improve your content for these words
Google Keyword Planner
This tool is actually for advertisers, but SEOs can also benefit from it.
Smart tricks:
- Use 'Discover new keywords'
- Filter by relevance and search volume
- Look at the competition
- Save the data for later
Other useful free tools
| Tool | For what? | When to use? |
|---|---|---|
| Google Trends | Spotting trends | If you want to know what's hot |
| Answer the Public | Find questions | For content ideas |
| KeywordTool.io | Long search terms | To find niche topics |
Advanced techniques for free keyword research
Do you want to go a step further? Then try this:
- Play with Google: Use quotes, AND, OR in your searches.
- Dive into forums: See how people really talk about your topic.
- Hunt for featured snippets: Search for questions that Google answers at the top.
From research to action
You now have a mountain of keywords. What now?
- Create a keyword map: Group related words.
- Optimize your pages: Use keywords in titles, descriptions and text.
- Plan your content: Create a calendar based on your keywords.
Compare it with cooking. Your keywords are your ingredients, your website is your dish. You want to dose everything properly for the perfect taste!
Case study: How free keyword research saved a food blog
Sarah started a food blog, but no one found her. She used free tools and discovered that people were searching for “easy weeknight meals” instead of “culinary delights.” She adjusted her content and boom! Her number of visitors doubled in no time.
Keyword research doesn't have to be expensive. With some creativity and the right free tools you can go a long way. Remember: it's not about the most searched words, but about the words that suit you and your audience.
Keep experimenting, analyzing and adapting. SEO is not a sprint, it's a marathon!
Additional resources
Do you want to learn even more? Then check out:
- The Moz guide for beginners
- Google's own SEO manual
- Ahrefs' YouTube channel
SEO never stops, so keep learning and growing!
And don't forget, we at Adaptoo.nl are always ready to help you. Do you have questions? Shoot them at us! Together we make your website irresistible to search engines and visitors.
