You’ve spent hours writing a blog post. You’ve checked the grammar, added beautiful images, and hit “Publish” with a feeling of excitement. You wait for the visitors to come… but nothing happens. Days turn into weeks, and your analytics show zero traffic.
If this sounds familiar, don’t worry—you are not alone. This is the #1 struggle for almost every new blogger in the USA.
The harsh reality is that the internet is crowded. If you start a blog today and try to rank for a keyword like Best Credit Cards or Weight Loss Tips you are trying to fight giants like NerdWallet, Healthline, and The New York Times. These websites have millions of dollars and teams of SEO experts. Fighting them head-on is a losing battle.
But here is the good news: You There is a “backdoor” to getting traffic, and it’s called Low-Competition Keywords. By targeting specific phrases that the big giants are ignoring, you can sneak onto the first page of Google and start building an audience.don’t have to fight them.
In this guide, I’m going to show you exactly how to find these golden keywords without spending a single dime on expensive SEO tools.
Why Low-Competition Keywords Are the Secret Sauce
Before we jump into the tools, you need to understand the strategy. Think of Google as a massive shopping mall.
- High-Competition Keywords are like prime real estate right at the entrance. Everyone wants to be there, and the rent is astronomical.
- Low-Competition Keywords are the smaller boutique shops in the back corners. They get less foot traffic, but the people who go there are looking for something very specific.
The Power of the “Long-Tail
Low-competition keywords are usually “long-tail keywords.” These are longer phrases (usually 4+ words) that are very specific.
- Short Tail (High Competition): “Running Searcher
Searcher Intent: Vague. Are they buying? Just looking at pictures? Looking for a definition?
Ranking Difficulty: Impossible for a new blog.
- Long Tail (Low Competition): “Best running shoes for flat feet under $100”
Searcher Intent: Very high. This person has a problem (flat feet), a budget ($100), and is ready to buy.
Ranking Difficulty: Much easier.
When you target these low-competition phrases, you become a “big fish in a small pond.” You might only get 200 visitors a month from that article, but if you write 50 such articles, that’s 10,000 visitors a month—enough to apply for premium ad networks like Mediavine or Raptive.
Method 1: The “Google Auto-Suggest” Technique (The Common Sense Method)
This is my favorite method because it requires zero technical skills. You are literally using Google’s own data to see what people are thinking.
When you start typing in the Google search bar, Google tries to guess what you are looking for. These aren’t random guesses; they are based on real historical search data. Google suggests them because thousands of people in the USA have typed them before.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Go Incognito:Open your browser and switch to “Incognito Mode” (or Private Window). This is crucial. If you use your normal browser, Google will show results based on your past history. You want to see what the general public searches for.
- The “Alphabet Soup” Method: Type your main topic into the search bar, but do not hit Enter.
- Look for Questions: People use Google to solve problems. Use question modifiers like How, Why, Can, Where.
Type: Can dog training help with…
Google can suggest: Can dog training help with anxiety?
The “People Also Ask” Goldmine
Once you search for one of these terms, scroll down slightly. You will see a box called “People Also Ask.”
This is a treasure chest for bloggers. These are related questions that users frequently ask.
- How much does dog training cost?
- Is it too late to train a 5-year-old dog?
Strategy: If you can write a comprehensive article that answers the main keyword and covers 4-5 of these related questions, Google will see your content as highly valuable.
Method 2: Google Keyword Planner (The Data-Backed Method)
While Auto-Suggest gives you ideas, it doesn’t give you numbers. You don’t want to write an article that nobody searches for. For this, we use the Google Keyword Planner.
This tool is built for advertisers who pay Google, but smart bloggers use it for free.
How to Access It for Free (Tricky Part)
Google tries to force you to set up an ad campaign and enter your credit card info. Here is how to bypass that:
- Go to ads.google.com and click “Start Now.”
- Log in with your Google account.
- CRITICAL STEP: When it asks “What is your main advertising goal?”, look at the bottom of the screen for small text that says: “Switch to Expert Mode.” Click that.
- On the next screen, look for a small link that says: “Create an account without a campaign.”
- Confirm your business info (Select USA as the country).
- Congratulations! You are now in the dashboard without paying a cent.
Finding the Keywords:
- Click on “Tools & Settings” (wrench icon) in the top menu.
- Select “Keyword Planner” under the “Planning” column.
- Click on “Discover New Keywords.”
Analyzing the Data:
Enter a few broad terms related to your niche (e.g., “Vegan Recipes,” “Plant based diet”). Make sure the location is set to United States.
You will see a massive list of keywords. Here are the two columns you need to focus on:
1 Avg. Monthly Searches:
This tells you how many people search for this phrase every month.
- Beginner Goal: Look for keywords with 100 – 1,000 searches.
- Many new bloggers think 100 is too low. It isn’t. If you rank #1 for a “100 volume” keyword, you get highly targeted traffic. If you target a “10,000 volume” keyword, you will rank on page 50 and get zero traffic.
2 Competition:
Note: This column refers to advertising competition (how many people are paying for ads), not organic SEO difficulty. However, there is usually a correlation.
- Filter this column to show “Low” competition.
The Final Test: The “Eye Test
Tools are great, but they are just algorithms. Before you start writing, you must do a manual check.
Take the keyword you found (e.g., “Best coffee maker for camping under $50”). Put it into Google and look at the Page 1 results.
Do NOT write if you see:
- Amazon, Walmart, or eBay dominating the top 5 spots.
- Huge authority sites like The New York Times, Forbes, or WebMD.
- The exact keyword is in the title of every result.
DO write if you see:
- Forum discussions (Reddit, Quora). This means Google couldn’t find a good article, so it showed a forum. You can easily beat a forum.
- Low-quality sites or outdated blogs (posts from 2018 or earlier).
- Articles that don’t answer the question well.
Conclusion
Starting a blog in the USA is a journey of patience. It’s easy to get discouraged when you don’t see immediate results, but remember: Traffic is a math game, not a luck game.
By ignoring the popular, high-competition terms and focusing on the specific, helpful low-competition keywords, you are building a solid foundation. You are answering the questions that the big sites are too busy to answer.
Don’t overthink it.
- Open an Incognito window.
- Find a specific question people are asking.
- Check the volume in Keyword Planner.
- Write the best possible answer to that question.
That is how you win. Now, go find your first keyword!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is a good search volume for a new blog?
For a brand-new blog, don’t chase high numbers. A keyword with 100 to 1,000 monthly searches is perfect. It seems low, but these visitors are usually highly targeted and easier to rank for. It is better to rank #1 for a small keyword than #50 for a big one.
Q2: Do I need to pay for tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush?
Not when you are just starting. Paid tools are fantastic, but they can cost $100+ per month. As a beginner, Google Keyword Planner and Google Auto-Suggest are more than enough to find your first 50 blog post topics. Save your money for hosting or a good theme.
Q3: How many keywords should I use in one blog post?
Focus on one main keyword (your primary topic) and include 2-3 related keywords naturally. Do not “stuff” keywords (repeating them over and over). Google is smart enough to understand what your article is about without you forcing the words in every sentence.
Q4: How long does it take to rank on Google?
SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. For a new website, it typically takes 3 to 6 months to start seeing organic traffic. Be consistent, keep publishing quality content, and the results will come.