Keyword Research Criterion and Free Tools available
Keyword Research Criterion
Keyword research is the underlying basis of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and content strategy. The main standards or yardsticks used to evaluate and choose the right keywords include:
1. Search Volume
Definition:
The number of times a keyword is searched for in a month.A higher number means more people are looking for that topic.
Why it matters: Higher the volume more the potential traffic. Otherwise your content won’t get seen.
Example:
“Yoga mat” – 60,000 monthly searches
“Best yoga mat for bad knees” – 1,000 monthly searches
Even though the second one is smaller, it may be more targeted.
2. Keyword Difficulty (KD) / SEO Difficulty
Definition: A measure of how hard it is to rank on the first page for a keyword.
Why it matters: High-difficulty keywords are harder to rank for, especially for new sites. If your website is new or small, you should go for less competitive keywords that you have a better chance of ranking for.
Example:
“Yoga mat” – Very competitive
“Affordable eco-friendly yoga mat for beginners” – Less competitive
3. Relevance
Definition:
How closely a keyword matches your content, product, or service.
Why it matters: Relevance increases the likelihood of conversions.
4. Search Intent (What does the searcher want?)
What it means:
It’s about understanding the reason behind the search. What is the person really looking
Why it's important:
Google shows results based on what it thinks the user wants. You need to create content that matches that purpose.
Types:
Informational (e.g., “how to bake a cake”) They want to learn something.
Navigational (e.g., “Facebook login”) They want a specific site.
Transactional (e.g., “buy laptop online”).They want to buy something.
Comparitive or Commercial investigation (e.g., “best laptops 2025”)
Why it matters: Aligning content with user intent boosts engagement and conversions.
5. CPC (Cost Per Click)
Definition: The amount advertisers pay for each click in Google Ads.
Why it matters: High CPC often indicates high commercial value or competitiveness.
Example:
“Yoga mat” – CPC: $2.50
“Buy eco-friendly yoga mat” – CPC: $5.00 → More valuable for sales
6. Trends Over Time(Is the keyword growing or declining)
Definition: Seasonality or whether interest in a keyword is rising or falling.
Why it matters: Helps plan content around high-interest periods.
What it means:
Trends show if a keyword is becoming more popular, less popular, or stays the same over time.
Why it's important:
You want to target keywords that are either steady or increasing — not dying out.
Tools to check:
Google Trends
Example:
“Zoom workouts” → Trend exploded during COVID-19, then declined
“AI fitness coach” → May be trending upwards now
7. Competition (in Ads or Organic)
Definition: How many other websites are targeting the same keyword.
Why it matters: Low competition keywords are often easier to rank for.
Final Tip:
Use this simple test before choosing a keyword:
Do people search for it? (Search volume)
Can I compete for it? (Difficulty)
Is it related to my offer? (Relevance)
Will it bring the right visitors? (Search intent)
Will it help my business? (Conversion)
Free Keyword Research Tools
Here are some free tools you can use for keyword research:
Tool Features Website
Google Keyword Planner
Search volume, CPC, competition data (mainly for Google Ads)ads.google.com
Ubersuggest (Free Tier)Volume, SEO difficulty, content ideasneilpatel.com/ubersuggest
Answer the PublicFinds questions, prepositions, comparisons answerthepublic.com
Google Trends
Shows interest over time by regiontrends.google.comKeyword Surfer (Chrome Extension)View search volume directly in Googlechrome web storeAlsoAskedShows "People Also Ask" questions in tree formatalsoasked.comMoz Keyword Explorer (Limited Free Searches)Difficulty score, SERP analysismoz.com
WordStream Free KeywordTool
Keyword ideas by niche or URLwordstream.comSEO PowerSuite / Rank Tracker (Free Version)Desktop tool with in-depth keyword analysisseopowersuite.com
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