How to Find Profitable Keywords with Low Competition (7-Steps That Work)

Most businesses chase the wrong keywords and wonder why their SEO isn’t working. But smart marketers focus on low-competition keywords that newer websites can actually rank for.

But here’s the catch – not all low-competition keywords are worth your time. Some get traffic that never converts. Others are too obscure to matter. The problem is obvious when you think about it. Big brands like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Neil Patel’s empire have been dominating those high-volume keywords for years. They’ve got massive budgets, armies of content creators, and domain authority you can’t match overnight.

So why fight that battle?

You can get a well-optimized page to the first page of Google with significantly less effort when you target the right terms. Find keywords with decent search volume but minimal competition. They drive consistent, targeted traffic without requiring you to outspend Fortune 500 companies.

This guide shows you exactly how.

Key Takeaways

Finding profitable keywords that balance decent search volume with low competition to achieve faster SEO wins and higher conversion rates.

• Target long-tail and question-based keywords with 100+ monthly searches and keyword difficulty under 30 for easier ranking opportunities 
• Prioritize commercial intent over high volume. Keywords with high CPC values indicate profit potential even with modest search volumes 
• Use geo-specific and niche modifiers to reduce competition while attracting highly qualified leads ready to convert 

What Low-Competition Keywords Actually Are

Low-competition keywords aren’t just “easier” keywords. They’re search terms that most websites ignore or don’t know how to target properly. I’ve been doing keyword research since 2015, and I’ve learned that low-competition keywords have a few things in common.

These keywords usually:

• Get fewer monthly searches than broad terms (but the traffic actually converts)
• Target specific problems rather than general topics
• Include details that big brands can’t be bothered with
• Need minimal backlinks to rank

When there aren’t many authoritative domains fighting for these terms, you can rank much faster. I’ve seen new websites hit page one in weeks, not months.

When to choose low competition keywords over high-traffic keywords

Low-competition keywords work best when you need:

• Fast results – Low-competition keywords are ideal when you need quick wins, especially for new websites or tight budgets.
• Proof of SEO success – Instead of waiting 12 months for a competitive term, you can see results in 6–8 weeks.
• Higher conversions – These keywords often match exactly what someone is searching for, leading to high quality leads and conversions. 

For example, instead of targeting “bicycles,” you might go after “best commuter bike under $200“. The first term gets 12,000 searches but has a keyword difficulty of 82. The second gets maybe 40 searches monthly but has a difficulty of just 2.

The strategy isn’t complicated. 

Find keywords with decent search volume but minimal competition. These terms drive consistent, targeted traffic without requiring you to outspend Fortune 500 companies.

Why Low Competition Alone Isn’t Enough to be Profitable?

Here’s something most SEO guides won’t tell you:

Low competition means nothing if the keyword doesn’t make you money.

Many seemingly attractive keywords fall into these problematic categories:

• Informational queries dominated by Wikipedia and no-click SERP features
• Generic terms already claimed by authoritative websites
• Competitor brand terms that send traffic elsewhere
• Keywords with zero commercial intent

I’ve seen businesses rank #1 for dozens of “easy” keywords and still struggle to pay their bills. They get tons of traffic that bounces right off their site without buying anything.

Personally, I was not spared from the blunder either. When I built my first site in 2015, I targeted long tail keywords. However, I didn’t question if they’re profitable. So, I ended up with traffic that I struggle to convert. 

How To Spot Low Competition Keywords That Actually Pay

Finding these goldmine terms separates businesses that succeed with SEO from those that just get meaningless vanity metrics. So, pay attention to keywords that share these characteristics. 

• Strong alignment with user search intent ( commercial or transactional rather than purely informational )
• Direct connection to how you make money (sales, signups, bookings)
• Medium search volume but high buyer intent
• They match specific problems your business solves
• They capture seasonal opportunities before competitors notice

5 Types of Low Competitiveness Keywords That Maximize Returns 

Not all low-competition keywords are created equal. Some types work better for different goals. The real opportunity lies in keywords that have both manageable competition AND profit potential. 

1. Long-tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are phrases with three or more words that are highly specific about user intent.

• Example (Broad): “running shoes”
• Example (Specific): “best running shoes for beginners with flat feet”

Why They Work:
Because they target very specific search intent, long-tail keywords tend to face lower competition and deliver higher conversion rates. They’re especially useful for newer websites that want to rank quickly without competing against big brands.

2. Geo-specific Keywords

Geo-specific keywords include a location, such as a city, neighborhood, or region.

• Example (Broad): “best law firm”
• Example (Specific): “best law firm in Brooklyn, NY”

Why They Work:
By narrowing your audience to a specific location, you significantly reduce competition while attracting highly targeted traffic. These keywords are ideal for local businesses or companies with multiple physical locations and are easier to rank for in local search results.

3. Question-based Keywords

Question-based keywords are framed as questions, often starting with “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” or “how.”

• Example (General): “email marketing software”
• Example (Question-based): “How to choose the right email marketing tool”

Why They Work:
These keywords align perfectly with natural language and voice search, often leading to lower competition. They can also trigger AI-powered search features in Google or Bing. Best of all, they capture users in the research phase, giving you the opportunity to nurture them toward conversion.

4. Transactional Keywords

Transactional keywords signal strong purchase intent and often include words like “buy,” “deal,” or “price.”

• Example (Non-transactional): “smartwatch features”
• Example (Transactional): “apple watch series 9 deals”

Why They Work:
These bottom-of-funnel keywords have the highest conversion potential. They can be surprisingly less competitive when paired with niche or product-specific terms. Because they target users ready to buy, they directly impact revenue.

5. Branded Keywords

Branded keywords contain a specific brand name—either your own or a competitor’s.

• Example (Your brand): “Ahrefs pricing”
• Example (Competitor): “Semrush alternatives”

Why They Work:
Branded keywords typically have lower competition than generic product terms, especially for niche or emerging brands. They capture high-intent, brand-aware users and are excellent for competitor targeting and comparison content, helping build your own brand authority.

Examples of low competition that convert in various industries. 

With these keywords, you target people who are ready to take action, not just gather information.

How To Actually Find These Money-Making Keywords (My 7-Step Process)

Most people approach keyword research like they’re throwing darts blindfolded. They pick random terms, hope for the best, and wonder why nothing works. If you’re marketing for a small business, you need a smarter SEO strategy. One that doesn’t wipe out your budget before you start converitng.

Here’s my systematic approach to finding keywords that actually generate revenue. I’ve used this process to rank my affiliate marketing websites and generate commissions for years. 

1. Start with a seed keyword 

Seed keywords are your foundation – simple terms that describe what you sell, write about, or the problem you’re solving. They are usually short phrases.  For example, ‘digital marketing’ can be a seed keyword for a marketing agency. So are email marketing, Facebook advertising, and LinkedIn lead generation. 

But how do you identify seed keywords?

If your website is already ranking, you can check your Google Search Console for ideas. For example, below are the keywords that one of my affiliate sites ranks for. 

If your website is new, you probably don’t have enough data on Google Search Console. In that case, you can use ChatGPT to brainstorm.  Just type the following prompt, and you’ll get a list of seed keywords.

“Generate seed keywords for [topic]”

2. Expand the keyword

Seed keywords are generic, and have low intent. So, you need to expand your keyword into a list of low-competitive, profitable ones. Again, you can brainstorm manually. Or, better still, let Ahrefs do the heavy lifting here.

Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer shows difficulty scores and traffic potential, which saves you hours of research. If I search for ‘dust mites’, I’ll get metrics indicating it is a high-volume, high-difficulty, and low-converting keyword. 

However, I can expand the seed keyword to see all the phrases that relate to ‘dust mites’’.

When you do this, you’ll get tons of results. Don’t get overwhelmed by the thousands of suggestions though. Remember, you’re looking for patterns and opportunities, not trying to target everything. And that brings us to the next step.

3. Apply filters for keyword difficulty and volume

Here’s where most people mess up. They see a keyword with 73,000 monthly searches and get excited, ignoring that it has a difficulty score of 71.

Based on my experience, keywords with a difficult SEO score can take an extremely long time to rank. And that’s assuming you have the resources to do so. 

Well, I don’t. And that means being practical with my approach, such as finding keywords that are more realistic.

Again, I turn to Ahrefs Keyword Explorer, where you can use smart filtering to narrow down the search. Here’s how.

1. Click KD and set the upper limit to 30.
2. Set the Volume’s lower limit to 100.
3. Apply the filter.

That’s how you get a list of low difficulty keywords with medium search volume.  Typically, they have under 1,000 monthly searches but enough to drive meaningful traffic.

4. Analyze search intent

This step separates making money from investing in an SEO campaign that bears no returns. And it starts with understanding why someone searches for a keyword.

Check Google’s results for your target keyword. Study the top 10 results in the search engine result page (SERP). Are they product comparisons, how-to guides, or informational articles? 

Look at the language. Terms that start with “how,” “what,” or “best” signal different intents. Someone searching for “best dust mite vacuum” will more likely buy the product. Meanwhile, someone searching “what are dust mites” just wants information.

If you’re using Ahrefs, you can apply the filter to display keywords with only commercial and transactional intents. 

Not all keywords are relevant to your business or websites, though. So, look for terms that directly connect to what you’re selling.

Pro tip: Focus on keywords that demonstrate clear purchase intent over purely informational queries, even if the volume looks smaller on paper.

5. Evaluate profit potential

Not all keywords pay the bills. Check the Cost Per Click (CPC) data in your keyword tool. High CPC means advertisers pay more because these keywords are more likely to convert.

For example, if someone bids $9 per click on “email marketing software for nonprofits,” it’s usually because that keyword has a proven history of attracting sales.

So, look for terms with significant CPC values. These often indicate that advertisers are willing to pay more because the keyword drives valuable results.

As you can see, “air purifier for dust mites” has a $1.10 bid, which makes it a good candidate for a profitable, easy-to-rank keyword. 

6. Analyze your competitors

You don’t have to find all the keywords from scratch. Instead, study your competitors. See what keywords they rank for using tools like Ahrefs. Simply navigate to Site Explorer and enter your competitor’s domain. Then, look at the keywords they’re ranking for.

For example, below is what a competitor in the dust mite space ranks for. 

You might think that you’re copying your competitor’s keyword strategy. But you’re not. Think about it this way: you’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. You’re finding wheels that already work.

7. Validate with real-world research

Tools lie sometimes. People don’t.

Check forums like Reddit and Quora where your audience hangs out. See how people naturally discuss your topic. Use Google operators like “site:reddit.com ‘[keyword]‘” to find relevant discussions quickly.

This final validation step prevents you from wasting time on keywords that look good on paper but don’t work in reality.

Advanced Strategies for Finding Low Competition Keywords That Convert

The basics will get you started, but these advanced techniques separate successful keyword hunters from those still struggling to get traction.

Question keywords can be profitable

When someone asks questions, they’re not just browsing. They have a specific problem and want actionable answers. And the more urgent they want a fix, the more likely they’ll pay for a solution. This is a well-tested approach in pain point SEO.

For example, the phrase ‘how to recover deleted files from a hard drive” usually indicates informational intent. However, if someone is working against a deadline to recover the lost files, they probably are ready to buy a solution. That’s the reason why brands bid on such keywords. 

Question keywords go beyond generating leads. These interrogative phrases (who, what, when, where, why, how) work exceptionally well for content marketing because they directly address specific concerns, building trust and authority.

Additionally, they align with how AI search platforms like ChatGPT and AI Mode are turning questions into conversations, and ultimately, conversions. 

Seasonal keywords offer temporary goldmines

Most competitors ignore seasonal opportunities because they require planning ahead.

That’s your advantage.

According to Neil Patel, publishing content 1-2 months before peak demand to allow time for ranking. For example, if you’re targeting “tax preparation software,” start publishing in December, not March, when everyone else scrambles for attention.

The competition disappears once the season ends, but your content stays ranked for next year.

Combine related keywords

The most powerful strategy combines multiple related low-competition terms. For example, “coffee table decor” gets 11,000 monthly searches with only 5% keyword difficulty. That’s the perfect balance of demand and opportunity.

Final Thoughts

The businesses that win at SEO are the ones that consistently apply the methods I share. They understand that rankings don’t matter if they don’t drive revenue. They focus on keywords that actually convert visitors into customers.

That’s the difference between SEO that looks good on reports and SEO that pays the bills. Moreover, focusing on high-intent queries increases the chances of being cited on AI search platforms.  

Start with one profitable keyword. Rank for it. Then find ten more just like it. That’s how you build sustainable visibility in AI and search engines that actually grow your business.

FAQs

What are low-competition keywords and why are they important? 

Low-competition keywords are search terms with relatively few websites targeting them. They’re important because they offer easier ranking opportunities, especially for newer or smaller websites, allowing you to gain visibility in search results more quickly and with less effort.

How can I find profitable low-competition keywords?

Start with seed keyword research, use tools like Ahrefs, apply filters for keyword difficulty and volume, analyze search intent, evaluate profit potential, and validate your findings through SERP analysis and community forums.

What types of low-competition keywords should I focus on? 

Focus on long-tail keywords, geo-specific keywords, niche-specific keywords, question-based keywords, and product-specific keywords. These types often have lower competition while still attracting targeted, high-intent traffic.

How do I balance search volume with competition when choosing keywords? 

Look for keywords with medium search volume (typically less than 1,000 monthly searches) and low keyword difficulty (between 0-30). This balance offers a sweet spot of decent traffic potential with realistic ranking opportunities.

What are some common mistakes to avoid in keyword research? 

Avoid chasing only high search volume keywords, ignoring search intent, over-optimizing content without focusing on quality, and relying solely on keyword tools without conducting real SERP checks. These mistakes can lead to wasted efforts and poor results.