How to Find Easy-to-Rank, Low-Competition Blog Topics
Finding blog topics that are both easy to rank for and have low competition can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. However, with the right strategies and tools, such blog topics can significantly boost your blog's visibility in search engine results.
Low-competition blog topics are subjects or keywords with few competing websites in search engine results pages (SERPs). Targeting these topics helps content creators and marketers increase organic traffic and build authority in their niche.
Benefits of focusing on low-competition topics include:
- Faster rankings
- Better visibility
- Higher conversion potential
This guide will show you how to identify and use these opportunities to enhance your content creation efforts. By implementing these strategies, you'll be able to create content that not only ranks well but also meets the specific needs of your target audience.
Understanding Low-Competition Keywords
Low-competition keywords have three main characteristics:
Long-Tail Keywords
Longer, specific phrases with lower search volume but higher conversion potential. Example: "gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe for kids" vs. "cookie recipe."
Niche-Specific Terms
Keywords for a specific subset of your audience, reflecting specialized interests or needs. For instance, "vegan protein powder for athletes" targets a specific group within the broader health and fitness market.
Lower Search Volume
Fewer monthly searches, but often leading to more targeted traffic and higher conversion rates. These keywords might have 10-100 searches per month rather than thousands.
Ahrefs (2023) reports that 95% of all search queries in the U.S. get fewer than 10 searches per month. This shows the potential of targeting long-tail keywords.
Advantages of Targeting Low-Competition Topics
Easier Ranking
Less competition means better chances of reaching the top of SERPs.
Targeted Traffic
Users searching for specific, long-tail keywords are often closer to making a decision or purchase.
Authority Building
Creating content for niche topics establishes expertise in specific areas.
Neil Patel notes, "When we talk about low-hanging fruit, whether you are ranking already or not, a good method is, spotting low-competition keywords with reasonable search volumes, using local SEO, niche optimization, or targeting long-tail keywords. With this in mind, you can see great results, like more relevant traffic and better conversions."
Top 3 Strategies for Finding Low-Competition Blog Topics
1. Use Google Search Features
Google's search features help uncover low-competition topics:
- Autocomplete suggestions: Type your main topic into Google's search bar and note the autocomplete suggestions. These often represent long-tail, low-competition keywords users are searching for. For example, typing "how to start a" might suggest "how to start a podcast" or "how to start a dropshipping business."
- "People Also Ask" boxes: Look for this section after performing a search. Semrush Sensor data (August 2024) shows these boxes appear in 51.85% of all searches, making them a valuable resource for content ideas. These questions often represent low-competition, long-tail keywords.
- Related searches: Check the bottom of the search results page for related searches, which can provide additional low-competition topic ideas. These suggestions can help you expand your content to cover related areas of interest.
2. Google Keyword Planner
This free tool helps discover low-competition keywords. It has data on over 5 billion keywords (Google Ads, 2023). To use it:
- Sign in to your Google Ads account and open Keyword Planner.
- Enter your main topic or seed keyword.
- Review keyword ideas, focusing on average monthly searches and competition level.
- Find keywords with low to medium competition and manageable search volumes.
Remember, a keyword with lower search volume but high relevance to your niche can be more valuable than a high-volume keyword with less specific intent. For instance, "best coffee shops in [your city]" might have lower volume but higher conversion potential than simply "coffee shops."
3. The Alphabet Soup Technique
This method uses Google's autocomplete feature to find long-tail, low-competition keywords:
- Type your main keyword followed by each letter of the alphabet (e.g., "content marketing a", "content marketing b", etc.).
- Note the autocomplete suggestions for each letter.
- Repeat with prepositions (e.g., "content marketing for", "content marketing with").
This technique can reveal many long-tail keyword ideas you might not have considered. It's particularly useful for uncovering question-based keywords, which often have lower competition.
Assess Competition Level
To determine if a keyword has low competition:
Evaluate Search Volume
Look for keywords with moderate to low monthly searches. SEO Tribunal reports that 50% of search queries are four words or longer, showing a preference for specific searches.
Analyze Keyword Difficulty
Use keyword research tools that provide difficulty scores. Lower scores generally indicate easier ranking potential. A score below 30 on a 100-point scale is often considered low competition.
Conduct a Quick SERP Analysis
Search for potential keywords and analyze top-ranking pages.
Check:
- Domain authority of ranking sites
- Content quality and relevance
- Number of backlinks to ranking pages
This assessment helps identify keywords with low competition that fit your content strategy and audience needs. Look for opportunities where the top-ranking pages have lower domain authority or fewer backlinks, as these might be easier to outrank.
Tips for Creating Content for Low-Competition Topics
To improve your chances of ranking for low-competition topics:
Address Search Intent
Provide complete answers to user queries. This makes your content valuable to users and search engines. For example, if the keyword is "how to clean a coffee maker," ensure your content covers all aspects of the cleaning process.
Offer Unique Insights
Include original data, expert opinions, or personal experiences to differentiate your content. This could involve conducting surveys, interviewing experts, or sharing case studies.
Dmitry Dragilev, founder of TopicRanker, emphasizes the importance of analyzing weaknesses in current search results: "In order to [make your content the most genuinely useful], you need to find real problems and weaknesses in the search results and capitalize on them."
Create Comprehensive Content
Backlinko (2023) found that the average Google first page result contains 1,447 words. Detailed, thorough content tends to perform well in search results. Aim to cover all aspects of the topic, leaving no questions unanswered.
Accommodate Different Reading Styles
A HubSpot survey showed 38% of website visitors switch between deep reading and skimming. Use clear headings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs to suit both reading styles. Consider including a table of contents for longer articles to help readers navigate.
Optimize for On-Page SEO
Include your target keyword in the title, meta description, headers, and throughout the content naturally. Use related keywords to enhance topical relevance.
Playing the Long Game
As Joshua Hardwick from Ahrefs points out, "Keyword competition is relative. Because no keyword difficulty score takes everything that affects competition into account, you should always manually review the top-ranking pages before creating content."
Effective low-competition keywords are often long-tail, niche-specific, and have lower search volumes. While they may not drive massive traffic individually, collectively they can significantly boost your organic reach and conversions.
Start implementing these approaches today to grow your blog's organic traffic through strategically targeted low-competition keywords. With consistent effort, you'll improve your SEO performance and establish authority in your niche. Remember, SEO is a long-term game, and patience combined with persistence will yield the best results.
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