11 Ways to Find New Keywords for Your Site

Dana Nicole

Jul 10, 202413 min read
Contributors: Cecilia Meis and Simon Fogg
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A big challenge you’ll face as a website owner is finding new keywords beyond the ones you’re ranking for currently. Ranking for new keywords can boost traffic and get more eyes on your content, products, or services.

But how do you find new keywords? 

Below, we share 11 strategies to help you find new keywords for your site. And explain how they benefit your rankings and business.

Why Is It Important to Find New Keywords

Ranking for new keywords benefits your business because it allows you to:

  • Diversify your traffic sources so your organic traffic continues even as competitors earn rankings or your keyword positions fluctuate
  • Drive qualified traffic to your website by better targeting users on the buyer journey,or the path users take before they become a customer. For example, answering common questions they ask before making a purchase decision. 
  • Improve paid search campaigns with more relevant keywords to bid on, or find lower cost-per-click keywords for your pay–per-click (PPC) ads
  • Indirectly increase your marketing share by ranking for the various search queries people use to find products and services like yours 
  • Rank for more keywords or outrank your competitors as you write content on the new topics you discover through keyword research

11 Smart Ways to Find New Keywords for Your Site

The strategies below use a variety of keyword research tools to help you identify new organic keyword opportunities. 

As you find different keywords, jot them down in a spreadsheet. Or add them to your Semrush keyword lists for easy reference and tracking. 

1. Keyword Magic Tool

Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool helps you analyze your search market by identifying thousands of keywords related to your niche. 

You can filter out keywords you already rank for. So you can focus on new opportunities. And the AI integrations identify which keywords present the best ranking opportunities for your site.

To start, enter a seed keyword (i.e., a broad keyword relevant to your niche). Then, add your homepage URL and target location. Then, click “Search.”

"Keyword Magic Tool" start with "puppy training" entered as the search term, a domain entered, and "Search" clicked.

This shows you thousands of relevant keywords.

Keyword Magic Tool report for the term "puppy training".

Use the “Exclude keywords” filter to exclude keywords you already rank for and click “Apply.”

The "Exclude keywords" dropdown opened, three search terms entered, and "Apply" clicked.

The remaining keyword list can inspire ideas for new content like blog posts or product pages for your offerings. 

When you find new keywords you want to target, add them to a list. Click the box to the left of a term (you can select multiple keywords at once). Then click “+ Add to keyword list.”

Three keywords selected, "Add to keyword list" selected, and "Create new empty list" clicked.

Select an existing list. Or click “Create new empty list” at the bottom of the window to create a new one. 

Regularly update keyword lists for all of the topics relevant to your industry. To always have new keyword opportunities for your SEO strategy. 

2. Google Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is a free tool that can help you find new keywords for your paid search campaigns.

To access Google Keyword Planner, log in to your Google Ads account. Then click “Discover new keywords.”

Google Keyword Planner home with "Discover new keywords" clicked.

If you already have keywords in mind, use the “Start with keywords” tab. Enter seed keywords related to your business and your website URL. Click “Get results.”

"Discover new keywords" settings with a seed keyword and domain entered plus "Get results" clicked.

This shows you related keyword variations you can add to your campaigns. Pay attention to the “Avg. monthly searches,” “Competition,” and “Top of page bid” columns. 

"Keyword ideas" on Google Keyword Planner with "Avg. monthly searches", “Competition,” and “Top of page bid” columns highlighted.

These metrics show how difficult it is to rank at the top of the paid search results. And how much you might expect to pay each time a user clicks on your ad. 

Tailor the list by clicking on “Refine keywords” in the top right corner.

"Refine keywords" on the top right corner of "Keyword Ideas" clicked.

Use filters to refine your list. For example, if you don’t want to bid on keywords that include “biscuits,” unselect the box to the left of the term. 

"Refine keywords" window highlighted with "biscuits" under Food unselected.

If you don’t have any keywords in mind, click the “Start with a website,” tab. Enter your website URL. Or, if you’re only running ads for a specific product or service, enter the page URL into the text bar. Click “Get results.”

"Start with a website" window on Google Keyword Planner with a domain entered and "Get results" clicked.

The tool will suggest keywords related to your products, services, or website content. Add them to your campaigns to reach new audiences.

3. Keyword Strategy Builder

Discover thousands of new keywords with the Keyword Strategy Builder. This tool groups relevant keywords based on thematic relevance. And shows you how to build a content strategy to rank for them. 

It also maps out the ideal way to structure your website content to build topical authority in your niche. And maximize the total organic keywords your website ranks for. 

Start by entering seed keywords into the text box. Select your target location. Then click “Create list.”

Keyword Strategy Builder tool start with three seed keywords entered and "Create list" clicked.

The tool will display your keyword strategy in two views: “Topical Overview” and “Page Details.”

"Topics and pages" report with "Topical Overview" and "Page Details" headings highlighted.

Both views organize the keywords into two primary page types: 

  • Pillar Pages: Pages that explore the topic in a general way
  • Subpages: Pages that explore the topic in more specific ways

Creating those pages and adding the keywords listed with each can help you increase topical authority. And your organic visibility.

In “Topical Overview,” use the magnifying glass in the top right corner to zoom in on a topic area. Click on a blue topic to see what keywords are grouped with the term. Then click “View details.”

Topical Overview with a topic clicked showing keywords grouped with the term.

The tool will jump to the “Page Details” view. There you’ll see the pillar page as the first item in the list. All of the related subpages will be listed beneath it.

Click on the arrow to the left of any pillar page or subpage to expand the rows. You’ll see all of the keywords related to that pillar page or subpage. 

A list of related keywords appearing below a pillar page with a "Content references for page" section on the right.

If you find a pillar page or subpage you want to create, check the box to the left of the page. Then click “Send keywords.” Select “Other keyword list,” then click “Apply.”

Keywords selected, "Send keywords" dropdown opened, "Other keyword list" selected, and "Apply" clicked.

In the dropdown menu, select the list you want to send the new keywords to. Then click “Send keywords” to reference them later.

"Send to keyword list" pop-up showing input boxes for "From", "To", along with "Send keywords" clicked.

This tool is ideal for those who want to automate the process of grouping keywords. Or free up time for content creation. 

4. Keywords with Impressions in Google Search Console

You could rank for keywords you haven’t written content for yet. Find these keywords in Google Search Console (GSC).

Google Search Console is a free tool. It’s useful for tracking your site’s performance in search results and monitoring your technical SEO

"Performance on Search results" report in Google Search Console

GSC also lists the queries (keywords) you rank for. To help you spot opportunities. 

"Queries" table in Google Search Console

To find different keywords in GSC, go to “Search results” under the “Performance” tab. (Some accounts may not see “Search results.” In this case, click “Performance.”)

“Search results” selected under the “Performance” tab

Next, toggle on “Average position.”

“Average position” metric showing "13.4" highlighted

Scroll down until you see all the keywords (queries) you rank for. 

"Top queries" section in Google Search Console

Now, scroll through the list to identify terms you already rank for but haven’t created content for yet.

While under the “Performance” tab, view the queries for certain pages by going to “+ New” and selecting “Page…

“Page…” selected under the “+ New” drop-down menu

Enter the URL you want to view queries for, select “Exact URL” in the dropdown, and click “Apply.”

“Exact URL” selected from the drop-down and "Apply" button highlighted

Review the queries you rank for with specific pages.

So you can see new keywords you can potentially target in blog posts, articles, and website copy.

For example, let’s say you own a yoga studio and have a blog post titled “Best Yoga Poses for Back Pain.”

While going through GSC, you notice your “back pain” blog post also ranks for the query “best yoga poses for back strength.” (This might be because you mentioned back strength within the existing article.)

Both keywords have different search intents—the reason people search for the query. So, it makes sense to write new content for the keyword about “back strength.”

5. Keyword Gaps

Keyword gaps occur when a competition ranks for keywords that you don’t. 

The Semrush Keyword Gap tool can help. 

To start, enter your domain and up to three competitors and click “Compare.” 

If you don’t know which competitors to use, the Keyword Gap tool will suggest websites in the competitor field (as long as you’re logged in with an account).

"www.nationalgeographic.com" and "history.com" entered into the Keyword Gap tool search bar

Scroll down to the “All keyword details for” section and click “Untapped.” This shows you which keywords at least one of your competitors rank for, but you don’t.

"Untapped" keywords table in Keyword Gap tool

Review the keywords and look for opportunities relevant to your business.

Pay attention to the “KD%” (keyword difficulty) column. This indicates, from 0 to 100, how difficult it is to organically rank on the first page of search results for a particular keyword. 

6. Identify Lost Keywords

Lost keywords can clue you in to new content ideas. Or where your content needs improvement.

A website might lose keywords for one of several reasons. Like mismatched search intent. 

Say you wrote an article for the keyword “best kayaks.” This article also ranked for the keyword “best inflatable kayaks” because you mentioned an inflatable kayak within the piece. However, you lost this keyword because the entire piece wasn’t about inflatable kayaks (and that’s what searchers want).

How can you rank for this keyword again? 

Write new content specifically for the new keyword as a way to regain lost traffic. 

Better yet, identify keywords your competitors have lost. And write that content. 

To find your competitors’ lost keywords, use the Organic Research tool. 

Enter a competitor’s domain and click “Search.”

"www.nationalgeographic.com" entered into the Organic Research search bar

Scroll down to the “Top Position Changes in Organic” section, click the “Lost” tab, and click the blue “View all #keywords” button.

“Lost” tab selected under “Top Position Changes in Organic” section

This displays all the keywords your competitor recently lost, along with the URL ranking for each keyword.

"Lost Organic Positions" table in Organic Research with "Keyword" and "URL" columns highlighted

Review the lost keywords with the largest traffic changes. Target these keywords (as long as they are relevant) to increase your traffic.

"Lost Organic Positions" table in Organic Research with "Traffic Change" column highlighted

To determine which types of content to create for the lost keywords, look at the “Intent” column. Or the reason a user searched for that term.

"Lost Organic Positions" table in Organic Research with "Intent" column highlighted

The four keyword intents are:

  1. Informational: Searchers want information on a topic
  2. Navigational: Searchers want to find a specific page (like an about or pricing page)
  3. Commercial: Searchers want to investigate brands or services
  4. Transactional: Searchers want to complete an action (like making a purchase)

Keyword intent can help you determine which types of content to write. For example, you may want to write a blog post for an informational search or create a product page for a transactional search.

7. People Also Ask

People Also Ask is a feature in Google’s search results that displays related questions for search queries. It’s particularly useful for finding new long-tail keywords, which are highly specific search queries.

If the People Also Ask box is present, you can usually find it near the top of the search results. 

People Also Ask box highlighted on Google SERP for "sunglasses for driving" query

In this example, the original query “sunglasses for driving” yields keyword ideas like “why are polarized sunglasses good for driving?” and “are Ray Ban sunglasses good for driving?”

Reveal even more keyword ideas by clicking the drop-down to one of the questions. 

Where two more questions appear: “What is the difference between polarized and driving sunglasses?” and “Are anti reflective lenses good for driving?”

"People also ask" section in Google for “sunglasses for driving” query

Continue clicking until you find ones you haven’t answered in your content. 

To target those keywords, create new blog posts or articles on these topics.

8. Autocomplete 

Google’s autocomplete technology makes suggestions for related searches as you type. Using this can provide ideas for other relevant queries.

When we type “sunglasses for,” Google suggests an array of related queries. Such as “sunglasses for men” and “sunglasses for driving into the sun.”

Google autocomplete suggestions when typing “sunglasses for” into the search bar

The suggestions change as you add letters. 

Here’s the autocomplete if we add the letter “n” to the query:

Google autocomplete suggestions when typing “sunglasses for n” into the search bar

Type in words related to your niche and offerings to see related searches. Keep going until you find phrases you haven’t written content for yet.

Or type your brand name to see what queries people are searching about your business.

Google autocomplete suggestions when typing “semrush” into the search bar

Branded searches might spark ideas for new pages your site needs—like a page for free samples or to book a discovery call.

Related searches are queries related to the initial query within Google. Like People Also Ask and Google’s autocomplete, they can generate new keyword ideas.

Google includes related searches at the bottom of the search results. If we search for “sunglasses for driving” the related searches look like this:

"Related searches" section on Google SERP for “sunglasses for driving”

Related searches are clickable, which means if you click one of the related searches, you can scroll to the bottom for a list of new related searches. 

So, if we click “polarized sunglasses for driving” (from the example above), we get a brand new list of related searches:

Google's "related searches" section for “polarized sunglasses for driving”

Repeat this process to yield new, relevant keywords.

10. Forums

Searching through forums your audience frequents—like Reddit or Quora—can clue you in to questions they want answered. This research might lead to ideas for different keywords.

On Reddit, head to a relevant subreddit. Let’s say you have an interior decorating business. In this case, visit the interior decorating subreddit.

Use the filters under the “Create Post” text area to find the top results of all time:

Reddit's "Interior Decorating" subreddit page

This returns the most popular posts. Review to find popular topics your audience talks about that you can turn into high-quality content. 

You can also use the search function on a forum to search for questions that include who, what, when, where, why, and how. Like this:

Reddit results for "how" within the "interiordecorating" subreddit

As you search forums, you’ll not only find new keywords. You’ll learn more about your audience and which topics they care about most. 

In the example above, you might notice there are a lot of questions about how to make spaces cozy. This tells you there may be a need for a high-quality guide on creating cozy living spaces.

Trending keywords are topics gaining momentum in your niche. 

Trending topics aren’t always evergreen—topics that stay relevant for a long period of time—but they can bring you bursts of traffic, leads, and sales.

To start, head to Google Trends, enter your product or niche, and click “Explore.”

"watches" entered into the Google Trends search bar

Change the time frame to the past 30 days. This pulls up recently trending topics.

Time frame set to "Past 30 days" in Google Trends

Scroll down to the “Related topics” and “Related queries” areas. 

“Related topics” and “Related queries” sections for "watches" in Google Trends

The percentages beside each topic and query show the growth compared to the previous period. 

If a topic or query has the word “Breakout” beside it (instead of a percentage), it means the topic or query grew more than 5,000% compared with the previous period.

The percentages beside each topic in the “Related topics” and “Related queries” sections highlighted

Click on each topic or query to find even more trending keywords. 

Repeat this process until you find new keywords.

How to Analyze and Prioritize New Keywords

After going through the above methods, you’ll likely have hundreds of new keyword ideas. 

Prioritize those that will bring the most traffic and conversions.

Keyword Overview analyzes up to 100 keywords at a time. Simply enter the new keywords you found during your research. Then enter your domain URL and country. Then click “Search.”

Keyword Overview with six keywords and a domain entered along with the "Search" button clicked.

Click on the "Bulk Analysis" tab and review the keywords in the table. To identify the best opportunities for your specific website, look at the PKD% (personal keyword difficulty) column.

Bulk Keyword Analysis report on Keyword overview with "PKD%" highlighted.

This column represents your website’s Personal Keyword Difficulty % for a keyword. Calculated using AI algorithms that assess your website’s topical authority and thematic relevance to the keyword. 

Low PKD% indicates that your website has a good chance of ranking. Because your existing website content is thematically relevant. And has already established expertise and credibility in the topic area.

After you create and publish new content, return to the Keyword Magic Tool to see how your PKD percentages change. 

As you build topical authority in your industry, keywords that were once too competitive may be reachable. Meaning more new keywords for your SEO strategy.

Also consider keyword volume (the average number of monthly searches for the keyword within the past 12 months).

Bulk Keyword Analysis report on Keyword overview with "Volume" highlighted.

Keywords with a high volume can bring more traffic but are often harder to rank for.

Lastly, review the keyword’s intent.

Bulk Keyword Analysis on Keyword overview with "Intent" highlighted.

Have a mix of keywords. So you can satisfy different stages of the marketing funnel.

How to Monitor Your Keyword Rankings

Monitor your keywords to see which pages rank highly and which need improvement.

To track keywords, create a project in the Position Tracking tool by clicking “+ Create project.”

“+ Create project” button highlighted under Position Tracking tool

Enter your domain and project name and click “Create project.”

"Create project" popup window in Position Tracking tool

Select a search engine, which device you want to track (desktop, mobile, or tablet), and select your target location and language. Click “Continue To Keywords.”

"Targeting" window in the Position Tracking tool settings

Next, add the keywords you want to track by importing them or inputting them into the text box. Click “Start Tracking.”

"Keywords" window in the Position Tracking tool settings

The report can take two days or more to collect data. 

Once the report is ready, view your keywords’ performance summary. This includes keywords that have moved in rankings, estimated traffic changes, and competitor alerts.

Keywords’ performance summary in Position Tracking tool

Click the “Overview” tab to see keywords with your ranking position compared with the previous period.

Position Tracking's "Overview" report

Click the “Pages” tab to break down your rankings by page. See your average position for each page and review its performance. 

“Pages” tab in the Position Tracking tool

Note which keywords you rank highly for. Your best-performing content. Then, look for keywords that aren’t ranking as high as you’d like. This could indicate weak content. 

For those pages, use the SEO Writing Assistant to review your content. And make the changes necessary to improve it.

You can also create a new Position Tracking project to track the same keywords for your competitors. 

To know when they’re outranking you. And when it’s time to rework your content to regain your position in the search results.

Improve Your Rankings with New Keywords 

There are plenty of keywords you aren’t ranking for but should be.

With Semrush tools, you can discover new keywords, write content for those keywords, and monitor your rankings all in one place.

Ready to see for yourself? Sign up for a free Semrush trial today.

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Dana holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Marketing and specializes in content writing, copywriting, and SEO strategy. She has over 10+ years of experience helping established organizations within their marketing departments and currently partners with B2B providers to develop content strategies and craft persuasive copy that delights and converts.
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