What Makes a Keyword "Low Competition"?

Before we dive in, let's define what we're actually looking for. A low competition keyword typically has:

• Low keyword difficulty (KD) — Usually under 30, though this varies by tool
• Weak top-ranking pages — Low domain authority, thin content, or poor optimization
• Reasonable search volume — At least 100-500 monthly searches
• Commercial or informational intent — People actually want what you're offering

The sweet spot is a keyword with decent volume that bigger sites haven't bothered to target properly.

Step 1: Start With Long-Tail Variations

The easiest way to find low competition keywords is to go longer and more specific. Instead of "running shoes," think:

Each word you add typically drops the competition while making the intent clearer. Someone searching for the long version knows exactly what they want—and they're closer to buying.

Step 2: Analyze the Actual SERP

Keyword difficulty scores are just estimates. The real test is looking at who's actually ranking.

Search for your target keyword and ask:

• Are the top results from massive sites (Amazon, Wikipedia, Forbes)?
• Or are there smaller blogs and niche sites ranking?
• Is the content actually good, or just old and established?
• Do the ranking pages target this exact keyword, or rank incidentally?

If you see forums, Reddit threads, or thin content ranking on page one, that's your signal. You can beat them with better content.

Step 3: Use the "Allintitle" Trick

Here's a quick hack that still works: search allintitle: your keyword in Google.

This shows how many pages have that exact keyword in their title. If there are fewer than 100-200 results, competition is probably low. If there are millions, move on.

This isn't perfect science, but it's a fast way to gut-check opportunities.

Step 4: Find Questions People Are Asking

Question-based keywords are goldmines for low competition content. People searching questions are early in their journey and often underserved.

Look at:

• Google's "People Also Ask" — Free and directly from Google
• Reddit and Quora — See what questions have engagement but no good answers
• AnswerThePublic — Visual map of questions around any topic

These questions often have lower competition because they're more specific than single keywords.

Step 5: Spy on Smaller Competitors

Don't look at what Nike is ranking for. Look at what sites similar to yours are ranking for.

Find a competitor in your space that's slightly ahead of you—maybe 2-3x your traffic. Then analyze what keywords are actually driving their traffic. Many of those will be achievable for you too.

Most keyword research tools let you plug in a competitor's domain and see their ranking keywords filtered by difficulty. Focus on the ones under KD 30 with traffic.

Putting It All Together

The process looks like this:

This is exactly the workflow we built into RankRebel's keyword tool—filtering for low competition opportunities is one click instead of juggling multiple tabs. But whether you use our tool or spreadsheets, the strategy is the same.

The Bottom Line

Finding low competition keywords isn't about luck or having expensive tools. It's about being strategic:

• Go longer and more specific
• Actually look at who's ranking, not just difficulty scores
• Target questions people are asking
• Spy on competitors your size, not industry giants

The big sites will always dominate the obvious keywords. Your advantage is going where they won't bother to look.