Free keyword research tools: Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends and more

SEO course › Part 2: Keyword research

The most useful free keyword research tools are Google Keyword Planner for search volume estimates, Google Trends for comparing interest over time, and AnswerThePublic for question ideas. Your own Google Search Console data and Bing Webmaster Tools add real queries for your site. Together they cover most of what a beginner needs.

This lesson shows what each free tool does well, where its limits are, and a simple workflow to combine them.

Why start with free keyword research tools?

Paid tools are powerful, but you do not need them to learn keyword research. Free tools show real demand, seasonality and the questions people ask.

They also teach you the basics before you spend money. If you have not already, read our introduction to SEO tools for the bigger picture.

How do you use Google Keyword Planner for free?

Google Keyword Planner is a tool inside Google Ads. It is free to use, but you need a Google Ads account. You do not have to run an ad to use it.

It was built for advertisers planning ad campaigns, not for SEO. Still, it gives useful data straight from Google.

What Keyword Planner shows

• Discover new keywords: enter seed words or a website and get related keyword ideas.
• Average monthly searches: advertisers who are not actively spending usually see ranges, such as “100–1K”, instead of exact numbers.
• Competition: how many advertisers bid on the keyword. This is about ads, not organic rankings.
• Top of page bid: an estimate of what advertisers pay per click, which hints at commercial value.

How to use it

1. Sign in to Google Ads and open Keyword Planner from the Tools menu.
2. Choose “Discover new keywords” and enter two or three seed keywords.
3. Set the location (for example, India or a specific city) and language.
4. Sort or filter the ideas and download the list.

Our lesson on keyword metrics explains how to read these columns.

What is Google Trends good for?

Google Trends shows how interest in a search term changes over time and across regions. It uses a relative scale from 0 to 100, where 100 is the highest point for your chosen time and place. It does not show actual search numbers.

Use it to:

• Compare terms: see whether more people search “kurti” or “kurta for women” in your state.
• Spot seasonality: see when “Ganesh idol” or “monsoon skin care” peaks each year.
• Find rising topics: the “Related queries” panel shows “Top” and “Rising” searches.
• Check regional interest: see which states or cities show the most interest.

For example, a Hyderabad bakery can check Trends to see when interest in “plum cake” climbs before Christmas, then publish its page early.

How does AnswerThePublic help with keyword ideas?

AnswerThePublic takes a seed keyword and shows the questions, prepositions and comparisons people search around it. For “saree”, you might see “how to drape a saree”, “saree for wedding guest” and “saree vs lehenga”.

These are great for blog posts, FAQs and understanding what worries your customers. The free version limits how many searches you can run, so plan your seed keywords before you start. Our lesson on question keywords shows how to use these ideas.

Which other free tools should you use?

Google Search Console

Google Search Console shows the actual queries that already bring your site impressions and clicks. This is real data about your own website, not an estimate. Look for queries with many impressions but low clicks; those pages may need better titles or content.

Bing Webmaster Tools

Bing Webmaster Tools includes a keyword research feature with data from Bing searches. It is a useful second opinion. See our Bing Webmaster Tools lesson.

Google Search itself

Autocomplete, People Also Ask and Related Searches are free sources of ideas straight from Google. Our lesson on keyword ideas from Google shows how to mine them.

How do the free tools compare?

A simple free keyword workflow

Here is how an online saree shop could combine these tools:

1. List seed keywords such as “silk saree”, “cotton saree” and “wedding saree”.
2. Expand them in Keyword Planner, set to India, and download the ideas.
3. Add question ideas from AnswerThePublic for blog topics.
4. Check the best ideas in Google Trends to see seasonality around weddings and festivals.
5. Review Search Console to find keywords your pages already appear for.
6. Put everything in one spreadsheet and shortlist the most relevant terms.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Reading Keyword Planner’s “Competition” column as SEO difficulty.
• Treating Google Trends scores as real search counts.
• Forgetting to set the right country or city, so the data does not match your market.
• Ignoring Search Console, which is often the most accurate data you have.

Key takeaways

• Free keyword research tools cover most beginner needs.
• Google Keyword Planner is free inside Google Ads but often shows volume ranges.
• Google Trends shows relative interest and seasonality, not search counts.
• AnswerThePublic is best for question-style ideas.
• Search Console shows real queries for your own site.

Frequently asked questions

Is Google Keyword Planner really free?

Yes. It is free inside a Google Ads account, and you do not need to run ads to use it. Accounts without active ad spend usually see search volume ranges rather than exact numbers.

Can I do keyword research with only free tools?

Yes. Many small businesses and bloggers do all their keyword research with free tools. Paid tools mainly add more data, competitor insight and time savings.

Which free tool should a beginner start with?

Start with Google Search Console if your site is live, because it shows your real queries. Then use Keyword Planner and Google Trends to find new ideas.

Previous lesson: Keyword metrics explained: search volume, keyword difficulty, CPC and trend

Next lesson: Paid keyword research tools: what Ahrefs and Semrush offer