Are you tired of spending hours researching keywords and having your articles perform poorly? I have wasted many hours researching and writing what I think are great articles, only to have no one see them.
When it comes to SEO, finding the right keywords is essential. One way to find keywords likely to lead to traffic and conversion rates is to focus on low-hanging fruit keywords.
Low-hanging fruit keywords are keywords that are less competitive and easier to rank for than other keywords. This is because they’re more specific and have lower search volume—despite which they’re still very valuable, especially if you’re targeting a niche audience.
In this article, I’ll help you discover how to find low-hanging fruit keywords easily.
We’ll explore the art of keyword research, learn how to spot those low-competition, high-reward phrases, and master the tools and strategies to help you grow your organic traffic.
A Brief Overview: What Are Low-Hanging Fruit Keywords?
What Are Low-Hanging Fruit Keywords?
Low-hanging fruit keywords are search terms in the realm of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) that are relatively easy to target and have the potential to yield quick and significant results.
These keywords typically fall into two categories:
Low Competition: These keywords don’t face intense competition from other websites. They’re often overlooked by competitors, making it easier for your content to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Decent Search Volume: Low-hanging fruit keywords may not be the highest searched terms, but they still have a respectable monthly search volume. This means there’s a sufficient audience actively searching for these keywords.
How to Find Low-Hanging Fruit Keywords: 5 Quick Steps
So, how exactly do you pluck ripe low-hanging keywords from the SEO tree? The following are five simple steps guaranteed to elevate your keyword research game and help you find low-hanging keywords.
If you are starting your SEO career, check out this guide.
1. Search for Keywords on the Second Page
One of the easiest ways to find low-hanging fruit keywords is to look at the keywords you are already ranking for on the second page of Google. To do this, you can use Google Search Console or a keyword research tool like Semrush.
Once you have a list of keywords, you can start to analyze them. Look for keywords with decent search volume but not too much competition.
You should also consider the search intent for each keyword. Ensure that the search phrase is relevant to your website and likely to lead to the type of traffic you want.
2. Use SEO Tools
There are a number of SEO tools that can help you to find low-hanging fruit keywords. Some of the most popular tools include Google Keyword Planner, LowFruits, Semrush, and Ahref.
For starters, Google Keyword Planner provides access to Google’s vast database of search queries, trends, and competition. It helps you generate keyword ideas based on your product, service, website, or category.
This feature is invaluable when you’re looking for low-hanging fruit keywords that are relevant to your niche.
Meanwhile, Semrush offers a comprehensive keyword research platform that can help you spot those golden keywords efficiently, as you can filter for keywords with moderate search volume and lower competition levels.
Finally, Ahrefs enables you to analyze your competitors’ websites and identify the keywords they’re ranking for. This information can help you uncover potential low-hanging fruit keywords that your competitors may have overlooked.
My personal favorite way to use SEO tools like these is to find low-competition, long-tail keywords. Sometimes, I have a great idea, but the primary keyword is too broad, leading to far too much competition.
By using the high-competition keywords, I might find a related long-tail keyword that might be easier to rank for.
If you’re struggling to find low-hanging fruit keywords, consider using tools like these or Seodity, as discussed in our detailed review.
3. Analyze Competitor Content
Another way to implement low-hanging fruit SEO is to analyze your competitors’ content.
Look at the primary keywords that they’re ranking for and see if there are any gaps in their content that you can fill. You can also look for opportunities to create more in-depth and detailed content than your competitors.
When you’re analyzing your competitors’ content, pay attention to the following:
- What keywords are they ranking for?
- What topics are they covering?
- What is the quality of their content?
- Are there any gaps in their content that you can fill?
4. Optimize Your Page Elements
It’s not just about finding the right target keywords; it’s also about using them effectively.
Ensure that every element of your web pages, from titles and headings to meta descriptions and image alt tags, and even your security is optimized for your chosen keywords and, by association, search engine crawlers.
When search engines like Google crawl your site, they should find a clear roadmap of what your content is all about.
5. Consider Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are specific and face less competition compared to short-tail keywords. This makes them a great target for low-hanging fruit keywords.
They can also be a perfect fit for creating relevant content that attracts a highly targeted audience and boosts your organic search traffic.
As I mentioned above, these are great to find with a keyword research tool. It may only take you a couple of seconds on Ahrefs. Simply type in the shorter, higher-competition keyword and scroll down.
Check out this article on the Keyword Golden Ratio for more information.
Bonus Tips to Ensure a Foolproof Low-Hanging Fruit Strategy.
Here are some additional tips for finding low-hanging fruit keywords:
- Use a variety of sources to find keywords. Don’t just rely on one keyword research tool.
- Be creative. Think outside the box and come up with unique keyword variations.
- Consider your target audience. What keywords are they likely to search for?
How to Plan the Ideal Low-Hanging Fruit Strategy
Creating an effective low-hanging fruit keyword strategy is crucial for improving your website’s search engine visibility.
You can start putting one together after you’ve identified low-competition, high-search-volume keywords with decent search volume and long-tail keywords that align with your content and audience.
1. Regular Monitoring and Refinement
To monitor how well your low-hanging fruit keyword strategy is doing, regularly check its performance.
You can use tools such as Google Analytics to keep track of any shifts in your organic traffic and keyword rankings.
Based on the insights and feedback you gather, make necessary adjustments to your strategy.
2. Adapt and Evolve
SEO is a dynamic field, and keyword trends can change. Stay flexible, be ready to adapt your strategy, and update your keyword list as needed to stay ahead in the game.
3. Promote Your Content
It’s not enough to publish or optimize content – you still need to promote it. This will help you get more website traffic and improve your chances of ranking higher in SERPs.
You can promote your content through social media, email marketing, and other online channels.
This can be quite overwhelming if you are just starting out, so make sure to check out our article on SEO for Beginners.
4. Utilize All Keywords Necessary
The focus should never be just low-hanging fruit keywords. For a successful SEO optimization strategy overall, you also need to pay attention to the following:
Local keywords: Those include a specific location. This can be a great way to target customers in your local area.
Seasonal keywords: Those are relevant to specific times of the year. This can be a great way to target customers during busy times of the year.
Long-tail keywords: Those are easier to rank for and can lead to more targeted traffic.
Why Are Low-Hanging Fruit Keywords Important for SEO?
Low-hanging fruit keywords play a crucial role in digital marketing and SEO strategies for several reasons. Let’s look at some of the benefits of optimizing low-hanging keywords.
1. Achieving Quick Wins
Low-hanging fruit keywords are relatively easy to target and rank for. They’re often less competitive than broader, high-volume keywords.
This means you can achieve quick wins by optimizing your content for these keywords, attracting organic traffic, and boosting your website’s visibility.
2. Building Authority
If you want your website to succeed, you need to build domain authority. This can be done in many different ways, such as through internal links, mentions by reputable sources, or creating content clusters. Low-hanging fruit keywords let you do just this.
Targeting and ranking for low-hanging fruit keywords allows you to establish authority and relevance with search engines.
When you consistently appear in search results for specific queries, it signals to search engines that your website provides valuable content and that you are knowledgeable in a field, leading to higher rankings for more competitive keywords in the long run.
3. Increased Organic Traffic
By optimizing for low-hanging fruit keywords, you can increase your website’s organic traffic.
These keywords may have lower search volumes individually, but when you target multiple low-hanging fruit keywords, the cumulative effect can be substantial, driving more visitors to your site.
4. Improved User Experience
Low-hanging fruit keywords often align with specific user intents and needs.
Creating content optimized for these keywords helps provide valuable information to your audience, enhancing their overall experience on your website and increasing the likelihood of conversions.
5. Content Focus
Targeting low-hanging fruit keywords encourages you to create focused, relevant, and valuable content. This benefits your SEO efforts and ensures that your content resonates with your target audience, leading to higher engagement and better user satisfaction.
Examples of How to Use Low-Hanging Fruit Keywords
Now that you fully understand low-hanging fruit keywords, from how to optimize them to their numerous benefits, let’s look at their practical applications.
Blog Posts
Create blog posts centered around low-hanging fruit keywords since they allow you to provide specific, helpful content that’s more likely to rank well.
For instance, if you’re a fitness blog, target less competitive keywords like “easy home workouts for beginners” with internal links to other articles rather than broad terms like “fitness tips.”
Product Descriptions
If you’re an e-commerce site, optimize product descriptions with relevant low-hanging fruit keywords.
For a fashion retailer, this might involve using keyword phrases like “affordable summer dresses” for a specific product page.
Local SEO
Businesses with physical locations can greatly benefit from local SEO as it helps attract local customers.
Use low-hanging fruit keywords that include your location, such as “best Italian restaurant in [Your City]” if you run an Italian restaurant.
FAQ Sections
Incorporating low-hanging fruit keywords into your FAQ sections is innovative and easy. Optimize your FAQ sections with SEO-friendly headlines to improve visibility and engagement.
Say you’re a tech company – answer questions like “How to troubleshoot common phone issues” if those keywords align with your offerings.
Wrap-Up
With the help of this detailed guide, you’ve learned how to find low-hanging fruit keywords successfully. These keywords are indispensable when building a strong SEO strategy.
I’ve found that spending a few hours looking up low-hanging keywords can make all the difference in your content strategy and overall success in building your online presence.
Remember the tips and easy steps when curating an optimization plan for your website, and you’ll be sure to drive traffic, increase organic SEO, and build authority in no time.
FAQ
How to Identify & Optimize for Low-Hanging Keyword Using GSC?
To identify and optimize for low-hanging keywords using Google Search Console (GSC), first, navigate to the “Performance” section. Then, filter the results to display queries that your site ranks for on the second page of search results.
Analyze these keywords for relevance and search volume, and optimize your content accordingly to improve rankings.
What is Low-hanging Fruit SEO?
Low-hanging fruit SEO refers to the practice of targeting keywords that are relatively easy to rank for due to lower competition and higher search volume. These keywords offer quick wins in terms of improved search rankings and increased organic traffic.
How do I find easy keywords?
You can find easy keywords by utilizing keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs. Start by entering seed keywords related to your niche, then filter for low-competition keywords.
Additionally, look for specific location-based keywords if applicable, and consider keywords that rank on the second page of Google search results with decent search volume.
How do you find low-hanging fruit keywords for free?
Finding low-hanging fruit keywords for free can be done easily using tools like many of the Google Products. Additionally, many great tools have free keyword research tools. Ahrefs’ free keyword generator is my personal favorite to find low-difficulty keywords.
