How to Find Low Competition Keywords (Without Paying for Fancy Tools)

I spent my first six months building affiliate sites the stupid way. I'd pick a keyword, dump 2,000 words into a post, and watch it sit on page 47 of Google. Turns out I was competing against Amazon, WebMD, and sites with 10,000 backlinks. No wonder nothing ranked.

Then I figured out something simple: competition matters more than search volume. A keyword with 100 monthly searches and zero real competitors beats 10,000 searches with 500 sites fighting over it. That's when my first site actually started making money.

Here's what I do now to find low competition keywords that actually convert.

Start with Seed Keywords, Then Get Specific

I don't start by guessing broad keywords. I start with what I know works in my niche, then I get specific with long-tail variations.

If I'm writing about Uber driving, I don't target "how to make money." That's suicide. Instead, I target "how much can you make as an Uber driver in Denver," or "Uber driving taxes for part-time drivers." Real, specific questions from real people.

The pattern is this: broad keyword + location + specific angle + question format = lower competition. Google's algorithm has gotten smart enough to reward specificity, and searchers appreciate it too.

I keep a simple spreadsheet of 20-30 seed keywords in my niche, then I branch out from there. For each one, I ask: Who's actually searching for this? What do they want to do?

Use Google's Free Tools (They're Honest)

You don't need to drop $200 a month on SEO software. Google will tell you everything for free if you know where to look.

Google Suggest: Type your keyword into Google and watch the dropdown suggestions. Those are real searches people are making. Pick the ones that feel less obvious. "How to make money online" gets millions. "How to make money as an Uber driver over 60" is way more specific and probably has less competition.

Google Search Console: If you have any site live, GSC shows you exactly what people are searching for that lands on your pages. It's the closest thing to a cheat code. You'll see variations you never thought of.

Related Searches: Scroll to the bottom of any Google search result page. There are 8 "People also ask" questions and a "Related searches" section. These are low-hanging fruit. If nobody's ranking well for them, that's your opportunity.

Check the SERPs Yourself (Manual Beats Tools)

Here's the truth about low competition: you can see it with your own two eyes. You don't need a tool to tell you.

I type the keyword into Google and look at the first 10 results. I ask myself:

• Are these massive authority sites (Amazon, Forbes, Wikipedia)? If yes, skip it.
• Are most results from "content mills" pumping out 500 thin posts a week? If yes, there's opportunity here.
• Do the top results actually answer the query well, or are they mediocre? Mediocre = you can beat them.
• How many backlinks do the top 3 sites have? (Check with a free tool like Ubersuggest's free version.)

If the top 10 results are mostly 5-10 year old blog posts, thin affiliate roundups, or small publishers with minimal authority, that's a green light. Those are the keywords I target.

[INTERNAL LINK: why your first affiliate site probably failed]

The Question-Based Keyword Hack

People type questions into Google. Not just keywords — actual questions. "How much do I need to retire?" "Can I deduct Uber expenses?" "What's the best time to work for DoorDash?"

Question-based keywords have lower competition because most SEO people don't think to target them. They're chasing "retirement planning" and "gig economy," not the specific questions someone actually types at 11 PM on a Tuesday.

My best-performing post targets "how much do Uber drivers make in Columbus Ohio?" It's specific, question-based, and there's exactly one decent result ranking for it. I beat it and now that post makes $40-60 a month. Not life-changing, but it stacks.

I find these by going through Google Suggest, writing them down, and sorting by specificity. Bonus: these convert better because the search intent is crystal clear. Someone asking "how much do Uber drivers make in my city" is already thinking about the decision. They're not just browsing.

Don't Chase Volume. Chase Intent.

The biggest mistake I made early was obsessing over search volume. "This keyword gets 500 searches a month!" Cool. So do 200 other sites. Now you're fighting over scraps.

A keyword with 50 searches a month and zero real competitors is worth 10x more than 5,000 searches with 500 competitors. Math matters, but traffic that actually converts matters more.

My rule now: if I can rank in the top 3 within 3-4 months and the searcher intent is commercial (they want to buy, learn something actionable, or make a decision), I target it. Everything else is a distraction.

Finding low competition keywords is boring. It's not sexy. There's no $5,000 software promise, no secret formula. It's just: be specific, check Google yourself, look for gaps, and go after real questions from real people. Do that, and you'll beat 90% of people who just chase big numbers.

Watch the real numbers at jims.one — I'm not pretending this is easy.