Keyword Research Without Expensive Tools
Find content topics and prioritize them using free tools and systematic frameworks.
Required Input
Ask the user for:
- Niche/Industry - What space are you in?
- Target Audience - Who are you writing for?
- Business Goal - Traffic, leads, sales, authority?
- Existing Content - Do you have a site/blog already?
The 6 Circles Method
Generate 13 content ideas from a single seed keyword using nested topic clusters.
Structure
┌─────────────────────┐
│ PRIMARY KEYWORD │ ← 1 pillar topic
│ (Largest Circle) │
└─────────────────────┘
│
┌─────────────────┼─────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐
│ Sub-topic │ │ Sub-topic │ │ Sub-topic │ ← 3 supporting themes
│ A │ │ B │ │ C │
└───────────┘ └───────────┘ └───────────┘
│ │ │
┌─────┼─────┐ ┌─────┼─────┐ ┌─────┼─────┐
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] ← 9 content pieces
Process
- Identify Primary Keyword - High-traffic, high-intent topic in your niche
- Brainstorm 3 Sub-topics - Related themes that support the primary
- Generate 3 Pieces per Sub-topic - Specific articles addressing aspects of each
Content Types for Supporting Pieces
| Type | Example | |------|---------| | How-to Guide | "How to [achieve outcome] with [method]" | | Comparison | "[Option A] vs [Option B]: Which is better for [use case]" | | List Post | "[Number] [adjective] ways to [achieve result]" | | Case Study | "How [persona] achieved [result] using [approach]" | | Trend Analysis | "[Topic] trends in [year]: What's changing" | | Expert Roundup | "[Number] experts share their [topic] strategies" | | Beginner Guide | "[Topic] for beginners: Everything you need to know" | | Tool Review | "Best [category] tools for [audience/use case]" | | Problem-Solution | "Why [problem happens] and how to fix it" |
Free Tool Arsenal
Demand Research
| Tool | Use For | How to Access | |------|---------|---------------| | Google Keyword Planner | Volume ranges, competition | ads.google.com (free account, no spend) | | Google Trends | Seasonality, rising topics | trends.google.com | | Ahrefs Free Generator | 150 suggestions with difficulty | ahrefs.com/keyword-generator | | Ubersuggest | 3 searches/day with metrics | neilpatel.com/ubersuggest |
Intent Discovery
| Tool | Use For | How to Access | |------|---------|---------------| | Google Autocomplete | Real-time user queries | Type in Google search bar | | People Also Ask | Question-based content | Scroll down in Google SERP | | Answer the Public | Visual question maps | answerthepublic.com (limited free) | | AlsoAsked | PAA clustering | alsoasked.com (limited free) |
Community Mining
| Source | What to Extract | |--------|-----------------| | Reddit | Pain points, questions, terminology | | Quora | Question patterns, answer gaps | | Industry Forums | Niche-specific problems | | YouTube Comments | Objections, confusion points | | Amazon Reviews | Customer language, unmet needs |
Research Protocol
Step 1: Seed Generation (50-100 keywords)
## Seed Keywords for [Niche]
### From Google Autocomplete
- [keyword] + a-z variations
- "how to [keyword]"
- "best [keyword] for"
- "[keyword] vs"
### From People Also Ask
- [question 1]
- [question 2]
- [question 3]
### From Reddit r/[subreddit]
- Top posts this month: [themes]
- Common questions: [list]
- Pain points mentioned: [list]
### From Answer the Public
- Questions: [list]
- Prepositions: [list]
- Comparisons: [list]
Step 2: Competition Assessment (Manual SERP Analysis)
For each target keyword, analyze top 10 results:
| Signal | What to Look For | Opportunity If... | |--------|------------------|-------------------| | Content Depth | Word count, comprehensiveness | Top results are thin (<1000 words) | | Freshness | Publication date, last update | Top results are 2+ years old | | Format Match | Does format match intent? | Results don't match searcher need | | Authority Gap | Domain strength of rankers | Small sites ranking (not all big brands) | | Content Gaps | Missing subtopics, unanswered questions | PAA questions not covered |
Step 3: Prioritization Matrix
Score each keyword 1-10:
| Keyword | Demand | Competition | Intent Fit | Opportunity | |---------|--------|-------------|------------|-------------| | [keyword] | [1-10] | [1-10, lower=easier] | [1-10] | Demand - Competition |
Prioritize: Opportunity score >3, Intent fit >6
Sweet Spot Targets
| Site Stage | Monthly Search Volume | Competition Level | |------------|----------------------|-------------------| | New site (0-6 months) | 100-500 | Low | | Growing site (6-18 months) | 500-2,000 | Low-Medium | | Established site (18+ months) | 1,000-10,000 | Medium |
Output Format
# Keyword Research: [Niche/Topic]
## 6 Circles Content Plan
### Primary Keyword: [keyword]
- Monthly searches: [range]
- Competition: [low/medium/high]
- Intent: [informational/commercial/transactional]
### Sub-topic A: [theme]
1. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
2. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
3. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
### Sub-topic B: [theme]
4. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
5. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
6. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
### Sub-topic C: [theme]
7. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
8. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
9. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
## Prioritized Content Queue
| Priority | Topic | Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Opportunity |
|----------|-------|---------|--------|------------|-------------|
| 1 | [topic] | [keyword] | [vol] | [1-10] | [score] |
| 2 | [topic] | [keyword] | [vol] | [1-10] | [score] |
| 3 | [topic] | [keyword] | [vol] | [1-10] | [score] |
## Quick Wins (Low Competition, Decent Volume)
- [keyword 1] - [rationale]
- [keyword 2] - [rationale]
- [keyword 3] - [rationale]
## Content Gaps Found
- [gap 1] - competitors missing [what]
- [gap 2] - outdated content on [topic]
- [gap 3] - no good [format] exists for [query]
## Reddit/Community Insights
- Top pain point: [description]
- Common question: [question]
- Terminology used: [terms]
## Next Steps
1. [ ] Create pillar content for [primary keyword]
2. [ ] Write [specific article] targeting [quick win keyword]
3. [ ] Research [sub-topic] deeper for more ideas
Reddit Mining Protocol
Search Queries
site:reddit.com "[niche]" + "how do I"
site:reddit.com "[niche]" + "help"
site:reddit.com "[niche]" + "struggling with"
site:reddit.com "[niche]" + "recommend"
site:reddit.com "[niche]" + "vs"
What to Extract
- Questions asked repeatedly → Content opportunities
- Complaints about existing solutions → Angle differentiation
- Terminology and slang → Keyword variations
- Recommended resources → Competitor analysis
- Upvote patterns → Topic demand signals
Integration with Other Skills
| After This Skill | Use For |
|------------------|---------|
| content-planner | Detailed outlines for prioritized topics |
| bofu-keywords | Bottom-of-funnel conversion keywords |
| content-calendar | Scheduling the content queue |
| content-writer | Writing the actual content |
What This Skill Does NOT Do
- Provide exact search volume (use Keyword Planner for ranges)
- Guarantee rankings
- Replace comprehensive SEO audits
- Analyze existing site performance (use Google Search Console)