In the competitive field of search engine optimization (SEO), identifying high search volume low competition keywords is important. These keywords are frequently searched by users but are not heavily targeted by other websites, making them easier to rank for.
By focusing on these terms, businesses can attract targeted traffic with less effort, leading to higher rankings. To fully maximize their potential, it’s essential to understand how to benefit from low competition keywords and apply the right strategies.
Implementing strategies to discover these valuable keywords can provide a significant advantage in driving organic traffic.
What are High Search Volume & Low Competition Keywords?
High search volume and low competition keywords are search terms that many people look for on Google or other search engines, but not many websites are trying to rank for them.
This means that if you create content using high search volume low competition keywords, your website has a better chance of appearing on the first page of search results without much effort. Using appropriate heading structures including H1 vs H2 ensures search engines properly index your content, further boosting keyword relevance.
They are easier to rank for and can bring more traffic to your website without facing too much competition. These keywords are valuable because they help websites, especially small businesses or new sites, attract visitors without competing against big, well established brands.
Why Are High Search Volume & Low Competition Keywords Important?
Ranking higher on search engines becomes easier when targeting keywords with high search volume and low competition. With fewer websites competing for these terms, achieving a first page position on Google requires less effort.
By targeting specific, high search volume and less competitive keywords, you can gradually improve your website’s visibility and trustworthiness. This means more people can find your content, leading to increased website traffic.
Target Better Audience
Imagine you own a fitness coaching business and want to rank for relevant keywords:
| Keyword | Search Volume | Competition Level |
| Weight loss tips | High | Very Competitive (Hard to Rank) |
| Easy weight loss tips for busy moms | Moderate | Low Competition (Easier to Rank) |
However, if you target a more specific keyword like “easy weight loss tips for busy moms”, fewer websites will be competing for it. Even though fewer people search for this exact phrase, those who do are more likely to be your ideal clients.
What are the Examples of Low Competition Keywords?
Different types of low competition keywords can help you reach the right audience without competing in a highly saturated SEO space.
Next you need to find high volume keywords within low competition search terms to maximize traffic with minimal competition.
| Type of Low Competition Keyword | Description | Example |
| Long Tail Keywords | Longer phrases that are more specific and less competitive. | “best organic coffee beans for cold brew” |
| Geo Specific Keywords | Keywords that include a specific location to target a local audience. | “best pizza restaurant in New York” |
| Niche Specific Keywords | Keywords focused on a particular industry or specialized topic. | “affordable yoga mats for beginners” |
| Question Based Keywords | Search queries framed as questions, often starting with ‘how’, ‘what’, ‘why’, etc. | “how to clean leather shoes at home” |
| Product Specific Keywords | Keywords targeting a specific product or brand variation. | “Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra case with kickstand” |
Bonus Tip: Use the free Keyword Overview Tool to check if these long-tail keyword examples have a good mix of volume and low competition before planning content.
How to Find High Search Volume Low Competition Keywords?
Identifying keywords with high search volume and low competition requires leveraging AI powered SEO tools. Analyzing competitor keywords and uncovering content gaps can help find valuable ranking opportunities.
Explore Keywords Using KIVA
An AI SEO keyword research agent is essential for discovering high search volume low competition keywords. Using KIVA, an AI SEO agent, helps improve search engine visibility, streamlines the keyword discovery process, and identifies untapped ranking opportunities.
Imagine you are managing an online yoga store and want to rank for a keyword that attracts the right audience without heavy competition. Instead of targeting broad terms like “yoga mat” (which is highly competitive), use KIVA to uncover better keyword opportunities.
Input Broad Terms (Build an Initial List)
First you enter seed yeyword “yoga mat” into KIVA’s keyword research tool.
Our initial keyword, “yoga mat,” has a KD of 40, which is decent, but we can aim for an even lower difficulty.
Analyze Search Volume & Competition (Filter for Difficulty & Sort by Volume)
After entering your seed keyword, KIVA will generate a list of related keywords.
To refine our search, we’ll use the filter function. Simply click on the “KD” dropdown above the keyword list to sort and find keywords with lower competition. Then, select keywords that have good search volume and low KD for the best ranking opportunities.
You can track keyword trends with KIVA to see if search volume is increasing, decreasing, or staying stable. This helps in selecting keywords with rising interest for long term SEO success.
Try and explore high search volume low competition keywords yourself!
I identified 3 excellent keyword opportunities that can help a yoga related website attract more organic traffic with less SEO effort. Let’s break them down.
Yoga Mat Environmentally Friendly (KD: 0, V: 880)
This keyword is a goldmine for eco conscious consumers searching for sustainable yoga products. With zero keyword difficulty (KD: 0) and 880 searches per month, it’s an easy term to rank for.
Best Inexpensive Yoga Mat (KD: 10, V: 880)
Many yoga enthusiasts look for affordability when purchasing a mat. This keyword, with a low competition score of 10 and 880 searches per month, is perfect for targeting budget conscious shoppers.
Best Yoga Mat for Travel (KD: 1, V: 1,000)
With a keyword difficulty of just 1 and a search volume of 1,000, this is an ideal keyword for travel focused yoga content. Many yogis seek lightweight, foldable, or compact mats for travel, making this keyword highly targeted.
Whether you’re a yoga blog, eCommerce store, or affiliate marketer, targeting these keywords can help increase organic traffic and conversions while avoiding stiff competition.
Did you Know❓ 66% of marketers report reduced time spent on keyword research with AI tools.
Explore Your Competitors’ Keywords
One of the best ways to find high traffic, low competition keywords is by analyzing what your competitors are already ranking for. By using tools like Ahrefs, you can uncover the exact keywords driving traffic to their website.
Understanding your competitors’ keyword strategy allows you to target untapped opportunities and rank higher with less effort.
Open Ahrefs’ Site Explorer
Go to Ahrefs Site Explorer and enter your competitor’s domain (website URL) in the search bar. Click “Search” to analyze their website.
Once the report loads, navigate to the “Organic Keywords” tab under the Organic Search section. This will show you all the keywords your competitor ranks for in Google’s top 100 search results.
To find low competition keywords, use the Keyword Difficulty (KD) filter. Set the KD score to a low range (e.g., 0 to 10) and apply the filter. This will display keywords that are easier to rank for.
Look at the search volume column to find keywords with a decent number of monthly searches. Also, check the Traffic column to see how much organic traffic each keyword brings to your competitor’s site.
The goal is to find keywords that have high search volume but low KD for the best ranking opportunities.
While analyzing the Search Volume and Keyword Difficulty (KD) column, I discovered a valuable keyword: “thick mats” with 700 monthly searches and a KD of 0.
This means it has decent search volume but almost no competition, making it an excellent opportunity for ranking easily. By targeting this keyword in content and product pages, you can attract organic traffic with minimal SEO effort.
💡Tip
Leverage Seasonal Trends: Some industries have seasonal keyword demand (e.g., “best winter yoga mats”), while others remain stable. Identify timely keywords for better ranking opportunities.
Find Gaps in Your Content
A content gap refers to keywords that your competitors rank for, but your website does not.
Ahrefs’ Content Gap tool helps you identify these missing opportunities, so you can create content that attracts traffic and ranks higher. Here’s how you can find content gaps using Ahrefs:
Go to Ahrefs and open the “Competitive Analysis” tool.
Enter your website’s domain (URL) in the search bar, then add competitor URLs below to analyze the content gap and discover missing keyword opportunities.
Use the Keyword Difficulty (KD) filter to find easy to rank keywords with good search volume. Keywords with low KD and high volume are ideal for quick wins in SEO.
I discovered these valuable keywords through the Content Gap analysis:
- Pink yoga mat: 1.3K search volume, KD: 0
- Outdoor yoga mat: 1.0K search volume, KD: 0
Both keywords have high search volume with zero competition, making them excellent opportunities for ranking quickly and driving organic traffic. By creating targeted content around these keywords, it’s possible to outrank competitors and attract nichespecific searchers.
After using all these methods, KIVA, Ahrefs’ Content Gap, and competitor analysis. You now have a list of high search volume low competition keywords.
These keywords give you a strategic advantage, making it easier to rank on Google and drive organic traffic with minimal effort. Now, it’s time to optimize your content and start seeing results!
Did you Know❓AI powered keyword suggestions can boost website traffic by an average of 37%.
How to Benefit Low Competition Keywords?
Finding high search volume low competition keywords is just the first step. To get real results, you need a strategy that helps you build authority in your niche and connect related keywords in a smart way.
Simply picking a few easy keywords won’t be enough, you need to structure your content properly to make the most of them.
Understand Search Intent
When choosing low competition keywords, it’s important to know why people are searching for them. Not all searches mean the same thing. Some users want information, some are looking to compare options, and others are ready to buy.
For example, if someone searches for “best yoga mat for hot yoga,” they are likely looking for a recommendation rather than a store listing. If they search “buy pink yoga mat online,” they are ready to make a purchase.
Search intent can be divided into four types:
- Navigational: The user is looking for a specific website (e.g., Liforme yoga mat website).
- Informational: They want to learn something (e.g., What is the best yoga mat for beginners?).
- Commercial: They are researching before buying (e.g., Best affordable yoga mats under $50).
- Transactional: They are ready to make a purchase (e.g., Buy eco friendly yoga mat online).
By matching your content to the right search intent, you attract the right audience and improve your chances of ranking higher.
KIVA provides a dedicated section under “Search Intent” to help identify the primary focus behind a user’s query.
For example, when analyzing the keyword “yoga mats” in the U.S., KIVA suggests different types of user intent, ranging from purchase intent and product research to comparisons, maintenance, and even environmental concerns.
By leveraging this insight, you can create content that directly addresses user need.
Build Authority in Your Niche
Google ranks websites higher when they show expertise in a topic. Instead of trying to rank for broad, high competition keywords, focus on specific, low competition ones that fit your niche.
For example, if you run a website selling yoga mats, instead of targeting “best yoga mats” (which is too broad and competitive), you could focus on “best yoga mat for outdoor use” or “non slip yoga mats for sweaty hands.”
By consistently creating high quality content around these specific topics, Google will recognize your site as an authority in yoga mats. Over time, this will also help you rank for broader and more competitive keywords in the future.
Use Keyword Clusters and Internal Links
Instead of targeting keywords one by one, it’s better to create keyword clusters, groups of related keywords linked to a main topic. This improves your SEO and helps search engines understand your site better.
At the center of a cluster is a pillar page that targets a broad, high value keyword. Then, supporting pages target low competition keywords related to the main topic, with internal links connecting them all.
For example, if your main topic is “best yoga mats,” your keyword cluster might include:
- “Best yoga mat for travel” (Low KD, High Volume)
- “Thick yoga mats for joint support” (Low KD, High Volume)
- “Outdoor yoga mat for grass and sand” (Low KD, High Volume)
By linking these pages together, you boost your rankings and help search engines understand the depth of your content.
Using high search volume low competition keywords strategically can help you rank faster and attract more traffic. But to see real success, you need to match search intent, build authority, and structure your content using keyword clusters.
💡Tip
Participate in industry specific forums, social media groups, and online communities. Observe the language and questions posed by members to uncover potential low competition keywords.
These platforms often highlight emerging topics and specific queries that haven’t yet saturated the broader market.
Leverage Google Trends to monitor rising topics and keywords within your industry. By analyzing search trends over time, you can identify subjects gaining popularity.
How Geo Specific Keywords Improve Your SEO Efforts?
Geo specific keywords (also known as local keywords) are search terms that include a specific location (e.g., city, neighborhood, or region). These keywords are crucial for local SEO, helping businesses target users searching for products or services within a specific geographical area.
For example, local SEO for restaurants can help eateries rank for searches like ‘best Italian restaurant in Chicago,’ driving local foot traffic and bookings.
Implementing geo specific keywords can significantly improve your SEO strategy in the following ways:
1. Higher Ranking in Local Search Results
Google prioritizes businesses with local intent when users search with location based terms. Instead of competing for a highly competitive keyword like “best yoga mat”, using geo specific terms helps rank higher for local searches.
Example:
- Broad Keyword (High Competition): Best yoga mat
- Geo Specific Keyword (Lower Competition, Higher Relevance): Best eco friendly yoga mat in Los Angeles
A user searching for “best eco friendly yoga mat in Los Angeles” will likely see results for local stores, yoga studios, and online retailers with local fulfillment
2. Better Visibility on Google Maps & Local Listings
Optimizing for geo specific keywords helps Google My Business (GMB) listings rank higher in local map results.
A well optimized Google Business Profile with keywords like “Affordable yoga mats near Central Park, NYC” increases the chances of appearing in the Local Pack (top 3 map results), driving more foot traffic and online inquiries.
3. Lower Competition & Easier Ranking
Generic keywords like “yoga mat” are highly competitive, making it difficult for small businesses to rank. However, adding geo specific terms significantly reduces competition, making it easier to reach targeted audiences.
Low Competition, Geo Specific Alternative: Best non slip yoga mat in Miami
4. Improved Mobile & Voice Search Performance
With the rise of mobile search and voice assistants, more people use location specific phrases like “Hey Google, where can I buy a cork yoga mat in San Diego?”.
Optimizing content for geo specific keywords increases the chances of appearing in voice search results and mobile queries, capturing more on the go customers.
5. Enhanced Social Media & Community Engagement
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Yelp also prioritize geo specific searches. If a business optimizes its social profiles and posts with local keywords, it improves local discoverability and engagement.
- Instagram Bio Optimization: “Premium cork yoga mats in Miami 🌱 Eco friendly & sustainable ♻️”
- Facebook Post: “Looking for the best non slip yoga mat in Seattle? Check out our top rated collection!”
Reverse Engineering Amazon & Etsy Listings for Long Tail Keywords
Most SEO professionals focus on Google search trends to find high volume, low competition keywords. However, platforms like Amazon and Etsy are search engines for buyers, meaning they reflect what people actively want to purchase.
By analyzing these platforms, you can discover long tail low competition keywords with strong buyer intent that have low competition on Google.
How Amazon & Etsy Help Identify Hidden Keywords
Here’s the summary:
- Sellers on these platforms optimize product titles and descriptions for search visibility.
- They naturally include long tail, niche specific phrases that have low competition on Google.
- These high converting keywords often don’t appear in mainstream SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush. [/emphasize]
Example: Finding Long Tail Keywords
| Platform | Generic Keyword | Long Tail, Low Competition Keyword |
| Best yoga mat | Non slip yoga mat for sweaty hands | |
| Amazon | Best yoga mat | Extra thick foldable travel yoga mat with carrying strap |
| Etsy | Yoga mat | Yoga mat for sand and grass |
These keywords reflect real buyer intent and can be leveraged for Google SEO before the competition catches on.
How to Validate Keywords for Google SEO
Once potential keyword opportunities are identified from Amazon or Etsy, validating their ranking potential on Google is a crucial next step.
If a phrase like “yoga mat for sand and grass” appears frequently on e commerce listings but has little to no SEO competition in Google search results, it becomes a prime candidate for content optimization.
These keywords often represent a first mover advantage, meaning websites that target them early can establish authority before the competition catches on.
Case Study: A Small E Commerce Brand Grew Organic Traffic by 75%
This case study explores how a handmade eco friendly products brand leveraged high search volume, low competition keywords to significantly increase organic traffic by 75% and boost sales.
The SEO Strategy
To gain a competitive edge, the team conducted in depth keyword research and identified a high search volume, low competition keyword:
- Target Keyword: “eco friendly reusable shopping bags”
- Search Volume: High
- Competition Level: Low
Instead of targeting broad, highly competitive keywords like “eco friendly bags”, they optimized their content around long tail, niche specific keywords that had less competition but strong user intent.
Implementation
- Optimizing Product Pages: They rewrote product descriptions, meta tags, and headers to naturally incorporate the target keyword.
- Creating SEO Friendly Blog Content: A blog post titled “Why Eco Friendly Reusable Shopping Bags Are the Future of Sustainable Living” was published to provide valuable information and rank for related searches.
- Improving Internal Linking: Relevant pages on the website were internally linked to strengthen keyword signals for search engines.
- Building Backlinks: They reached out to sustainability bloggers and influencers for collaborations, earning high quality backlinks.
The Results
Within three months, the brand saw remarkable growth:
- 75% increase in organic traffic to the website
- 40% growth in sales from organic search traffic
- Higher engagement on blog content, with increased dwell time and social shares
By strategically targeting a high search volume low competition keyword, the business was able to outrank competitors, attract highly relevant traffic, and increase conversions without investing heavily in paid ads.
How AI Has Transformed Keyword Research?
Keyword research has always been a crucial part of SEO, but finding high search volume, low competition keywords used to be a time consuming process. Marketers had to manually sift through keyword lists, analyze search trends, and estimate competition levels.
However, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), keyword research has become faster, more accurate, and highly efficient.
AI powered tools now automate analysis, predict trends, and uncover hidden keyword opportunities, making it easier to rank on search engines. Moreover, advancements in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) empower marketers to create AI-generated, keyword-optimized content quickly and effectively.
One powerful tool that offers a unique AI powered feature called Hidden Gems is KIVA, which helps users uncover underrated, highpotential keywords that are often overlooked.
By analyzing keyword trends from Google Search Console (GSC), Hidden Gems categorizes keywords into different groups such as Gamechangers, Reclaimers, Contenders, Explorers, and TrendSpotters.
These insights allow SEO professionals to capitalize on emerging opportunities before they become mainstream, ensuring a competitive edge in keyword strategy.
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FAQs
Should I completely avoid high competition keywords?
What is the difference between high volume and low volume keywords?
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Conclusion
Incorporating high search volume low competition keywords into your SEO strategy is a powerful way to enhance your website’s visibility and attract targeted traffic. By focusing on these specific terms, you can achieve higher rankings, leading to increased engagement.
Regularly researching and updating your keyword list ensures you stay ahead of market trends and maintain a competitive edge. This approach not only optimizes your content for search engines but also aligns it with the interests and needs of your target audience.
