Search engine optimization (SEO) and keyword research tools are important for marketers. Not only do they make the job easier, but they also help you create more targeted, effective digital marketing strategies across multiple platforms. Here are our picks for the best keyword research tools for advertisers:
1. SEMRush
SEMRush is arguably the most widely used keyword research tools among digital marketing professionals. It’s easy to use, gives lots of data for each keyword, and allows users to generate dozens of different reports. With the keyword magic tool feature, you’ll be able to perform in-depth keyword research and gather keyword ideas for your next piece of content or Google Ads. Its only caveat is the price. Nonetheless, it will provide you with tons of features to measure your SEO performance successfully.
2. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is completely free and uses Google’s algorithms to generate results, making it one of the most reliable tools in the industry. This tool is great for helping you assess your marketing budget with calculated bid estimates.
3. Long Tail Pro
Long Tail Pro focuses specifically on generating long tail keywords and key phrases that are high-value and low-competition. It offers excellent data on keyword competition, search volume, and difficulty.
4. Moz Keyword Explorer
Moz is a widely popular SEO and web marketing resource and has been established for several years as a top keyword tool and browser extension. The tool has even earned the title of the “World’s Most Accurate Keyword Research Tool” – and rightly so.
5. Keyword Surfer
Keyword Surfer is a completely free browser extension that works really well for beginner marketers or those on a budget who can’t pay for a pricey subscription.
6. Ahrefs Keyword Explorer
Ahrefs is another longtime leader in the digital marketing community. The Ahrefs Keyword Explorer tool is great for obtaining really in-depth data about a particular keyword, including how difficult it is to rank for, parent topic, and content ideas based on keyword search volume.
Besides a keyword research tool, Ahrefs is an excellent tool to evaluate your backlink profile and your competition as well. By identifying your competition’s backlink strategy, you can imitate their strategy and increase your website’s authority.
7. Keywords Everywhere
Keywords Everywhere is a browser extension and paid keyword tool for both Firefox and Chrome that continuously tracks and displays relevant keyword data for the top 10 ranking websites, such as Amazon and eBay. There’s no subscription cost – just pay as you go for keyword credits.
8. KWFinder
KWFinder is one of the easiest-to-use SEO tools currently available on the market due to its user-friendly and intuitive interface. This tool features an “SEO Difficulty” score, which indicates how hard it will be for you to rank for a selected keyword. This comes in handy when you don’t want to spend tons of money on marketing initiatives for out-of-reach keywords.
9. Soovle
Soovle is a keyword research tool that aggregates relevant keywords from top search engines across the web, including Google, Bing, Yahoo, YouTube, and Amazon. Instead of looking for keywords on each of these platforms, you can find them all in one place with Soovle.
10. Keyword Snatcher
Keyword Snatcher doesn’t require an ongoing subscription and gives you a lot of keywords for each “seed” keyword that you use. We’re talking thousands here. Its most valuable feature is the ability to suggest niched keywords that your competitors won’t know about.
11. SE Ranking
SE Ranking allows you to monitor ranking changes for your target keywords. It will enable you to create a project with your website’s domain and add the keywords you want to keep track of while displaying the URLs targeting such keywords. It also includes a keyword research tool and website audit feature, allowing you to analyze your competition’s keyword profile. You’ll have access to these and many more features by paying a monthly subscription.
12. Surfer SEO
Surfer SEO offers a keyword research tool that allows you to find content ideas by displaying different keywords on a specific topic, including commercial-type keywords, questions, and informational intent keywords, by paying a monthly subscription. Also, it specializes in content marketing optimization by displaying keyword variations your competition is including across its content to ensure you include them. By optimizing your pieces of content, the content score will increase, resulting in valuable and rich material for users.