Keyword research is an essential part of an effective SEO campaign, so it’s important that you have the right tools for the job. A good keyword research tool will give you everything you need to make strategic decisions about the content on your website, allowing you to rise up in the SERP rankings and attract that high-quality traffic.
Now, there are a ton of keyword research tools out there these days, but as with anything, some are arguably much better than others. Since you probably don’t have the time (not to mention the desire!) to research every single one, we’ve created a list of the top 3 keyword research tools every content marketer should be using – check it out below.
1. Moz Keyword Explorer
The Moz Keyword Explorer is an excellent option for those who want a user-friendly keyword research tool that doesn’t skimp on the most important metrics. Some of its standout features include the following:
- Organic click-through rate
- Search volume
- Priority
- Keyword difficulty
- Related keyword suggestions
The nice thing about this tool is that it can also be budget-friendly. Signing up for a free account will get you 10 free search queries a month. If that’s not enough, you can pay for a subscription to the entire Moz Pro SEO analytics platform (which also comes with a 30-day free trial).
2. SEMrush
If you’re looking for a keyword research tool that’ll provide you with a comprehensive data set, then perhaps you should be using SEMrush. You’ll get access to information such as:
- Global and regional search volume
- Keyword popularity and trends
- Phrase matches for long-tail keywords
- Keyword difficulty
- Domain comparisons with your competition
- CPC distribution
While you do have the option to sign up for a free account, you won’t have access to all of these features. If you want everything, then SEMrush currently offers 3 set pricing plans – Pro, Guru, and Business – and the least expensive option will still cost you over $100 USD per month. However, if none of their plans currently fit your needs, you may also choose to contact them about their custom plans.
3. RankIQ
Those who are looking for a keyword research tool that has been specifically designed for optimizing blog content may be interested in something like RankIQ. This tool isn’t going to give you a giant list of metrics like SEMrush, but it will give you the information you need to create posts that rank. For example, it’s features include:
- A targeted keyword library filtered by blog niche
- AI content briefs that help you create blog post outlines quickly and easily
- Ability to both new and old blog posts with Content Optimizer
- Top 30 SERP analysis that shows what titles Google likes the most
If you’re mostly going to be using a keyword research tool to optimize your blog content, then RankIQ may be a better fit than some of the more expensive, comprehensive tools on the market. They offer different pricing plans, currently starting around $49 USD a month.
What are you waiting for? Choose a keyword research tool and start optimizing your content today!
