Before I answer the question, what is the best keyword research tool for free, let’s talk about what is the purpose of a keyword tool and should it to help your online business.
I want to approach this process from the person searching for something online. And then talk about how a good keyword research tool can give you a huge edge in having your website post found when people are searching for information that is on your website.
Someone needs information right away for a product they want to purchase. Or to solve a problem they are grappling with.
Like most of us they go to Google or maybe Bing or Yahoo search engines and enter their question. Everyone does this differently.
Some may start of by entering just one word. Other may use a series of words.
Yet others may enter a complete grammatically correct question. And a few individuals may write in a phrase that is a partial sentence.
What approach do you use?
Google analyzes the entry and picks out the posts in the opinion of their algorithm most closely answers your question. You end up with a long list of posts spread over on one or several website pages.
Now ask yourself. What factors do you normally use to open up and review specific articles? We do this instinctively and never think about this.
The circumstances are different now. You are the author of articles that you want people to find when they do their searching. Hence, it is important to know more about this process in order to make it work in your favor.
Here are some of the reasons for picking one or more article:
- You clicked the first one on the list.
- You liked what the title of an article said.
- You read the brief text following the title before clicking.
- You randomly picked an article and read it to see if it was of help.
- You opened and scanned several articles to see which one’s most closely answered your query.
Do you do any of this, or something else? Have you ever thought how magical this is?
Heavens forbid, can Google read our minds? There is more truth to this than meets the eye.
Google, Bing and Yahoo search engines have collected decades of search data from their users and statistically analyzed them to the n’th degree.
When Google first started out, the results were not as good as they are today.
I know, as I was around then using the Internet. The name Google didn’t inspire confidence. Just think about that. It’s amazing how Google was able to do so well with that nonsensical name.
Over the years Google got better. Look where they are now. They dominate internet search. And they make $Bilions every month from the ads they sell.
This leads me to the search results once more. Have you noticed that some of those posts have the word “ad” in front? That means the owners of those websites paid Google to have their post placed on the first page.
Posts with no ads got onto the first page for one or more of the following reasons:
- Effective use of Keywords
- Intelligent use of Search Engine Optimization
- Long form quality content
- The website has earned the reputation on Google of being an authority site on their selected niche
There is something more at stake here. What happens if your article doesn’t land on the 1st page?
First Page Significance
How often do you skip the first page and dig deeper into the remaining pages? Rarely, I would think. If you did, most likely you will not go deeper than the second or third page. But most often I would bet you’d be happy with articles you found on that first page and not look further.
Although there are several factors at play in landing on Page One, this article is going to focus on how to figure out the best keyword possible, using the best keyword research tool available.
The Key Is In The Keyword!
It all starts with the title the authors use for their articles. All, or part of that title will be in the keyword. You can tell which one’s they are by looking at the URL at the part after the forward slash (/) at the end.
The high ranking keyword is placed in the URL However, the author can add s few extra words to create a two part keyword, to catch the attention of the person doing the search.
There is a good reason for doing this. Often, when you enter the whole title into the Keyword research tool, it doesn’t rank as high as using only the first part of the title.
I am going to share some secrets how effective keywords are composed. The most efficient way is to use keyword tools. There are several around. However, the one I am going to share with you is in my humble opinion is the best available.
And you can get it for FREE!
What Catches Your Attention In Newspapers And Magazines?
When you read through a newspaper or magazine, why do you pick certain articles above others to read first?
Is it the content? Or is it the title or headline of the article? Catchy or intriguing headlines are what gets my attention first.
How is all of this related to keywords? Ding Ding, These are all keywords in print. What works in print, also works for content on your website.
Think of your website as your living magazine or newspaper. I use the word living because you are always updating it by adding new content. You do not discard your website like a newspaper or magazine.
Hence, you have an advantage because in one place you create a history of everything you write about.
The more content you add, Google gets to see that you are a serious player and worthy of rewarding you in the search engine results. The more articles you post, the better the chances are to be ranked high consistently.
Your website is more closely related to a book than a magazine. Where each post is akin to a chapter.
The Connection With Search Queries
When people write in a phrase in the search engines looking for something, they often write something long and very specific. Have you analyzed the titles of the articles that show up on Google? Occasionally some may reflect exactly what phrase you wrote. This will all depend on how you constructed your phrase. Was it a complete sentence? Was it even good English?
Google is smart enough to look for answers to your question and provides you with a smorgasbord of items it thinks will best serve you.
That is what I meant earlier when I half jokingly said that Google can read your mind. Because we are not often specific enough in our questions, yet we somehow get answers to what was in our mind!
Like magic!
What Articles Do You End Up Choosing?
Probably, the one’s that grab your attention, Much like the headlines in a newspaper or magazine. Better yet. you may conclude that the article that lands on the first position, is the one you will open first.
What technique do you use for the title of your website article? Is it something that first comes to mind? Do you test it by entering it into Google to see what similar articles come up? Especially on that all important Page 1?
I’d like to know if you don’t mind sharing in the comments’ area below.
Or do you use a tool to help increase the odds of your article being ranked on the first page. And even in that #1 slot?
Metrics For Keywords
Selecting the best keyword is an art and a science. I’d like to go over the science part now. Specific metrics are used to define the qualities of a keyword. Such as:
- Avg: The average number of searches that exact keyword receives each month
- Traffic: If your article appears on the first page, this is the number of visits your website will receive each month
- QSR (Quoted Search Results) : The number of competing websites ranked in Google for this exact keyword
- KQI (Keyword Quality Indicator): Green is Great; Yellow is OK; Res is Poor
- SEO: From 1 to 100. The higher the number, the higher the probability that you will rank on the 1st page
- Domains: Will let you know if the Keyword Domain Name is available in .com, .net, .org
I’d like to take each of these in order and explain their significance and what number a beginner should aim for.
Avg – Ideally this number should be greater than 100. However, for a beginner, 50 or even less will be fine.
Traffic – Again, ideally this should be above 100. But for a beginner, 50 or less is OK.
QSR: Having a low number here is best for a beginner. It is hard for a newbie to compete with websites that have been around for a while and have developed authority. Less than 50 is considered reasonable. But the lower the better.
KQI: Your keyword should always be Green. If it is not, look for something else
SEO: I would aim for at least 85. Above 90 would be a good target. The higher the better.
Domains: This is important only if you want to use your keyword as a domain name.
The numbers I feel are reasonable are: Avg. = 50 or more, Traffic = 50 or more; QSR = 50 or less; KQI = Green; SEO = 90 or more
Keyword For This Article
The Keyword I used for this article is the exact title. Let me repeat it here:
What Is The Best Keyword Research Tool For FREE?
Here are the results I was willing to accept: Avg. 32; Traffic 6; QSR 15; KQI Green; Domain .com, .net and .org
It should be obvious that I sacrificed lower keyword searches and website traffic for lower competition.
My website has less than 100 posts in it. I will need to have at least 100 posts for Google to consider it an authority site in my chosen niche. Namely, Make Money Online (MMO). This happens to be one of the most competitive niches but also one of the most lucrative
Introduction To Jaaxy
It is time for me to introduce you to Jaaxy, the best keyword tool available at any price. The reason why it is so good is it provides you with many ingenious ways to find keywords that rank. And it offers many other functions to create a top-notch website and posts.
As a Premium member of Wealthy Affiliate, I have free access to a Lite version of Jaaxy.
I will be using the Jaaxy Dashboard to review its features and benefits. If you are a non-member you can get Jaaxy as a starter member for free. I will provide that link at the end.
Jaaxy Dashboard
When you enter a keyword phrase into the window at the top you get a results page as shown below. I decided to use the keyword for this article as a test case:
You can see I tested three related keywords. I could have used any of these for this article. But I chose the last one for the reasons I had mentioned before. It has less competition.
The Jaaxy Tool can be used for several functions. One of them is to check on your site rank for any post in your website. There is a blue tab at the bottom right that will take you to the Jaaxy website where more keywords are presented.
When using Jaaxy on the Wealthy Affiliate Platform, it is seamlessly connected to the Jaaxy website where you are often directed to continue your keyword research.
Site Rank Check On Jaaxy
I recently wrote a review on an MLM Company called USANA Health Sciences. the keyword I ended up using was derived using the Jaaxy research tool.
My Keyword got placed in the #1 slot on Google, Bing and Yahoo. Jaaxy has a function where you can check your Site Rank. Go to the Dashboard above and it will be the 2nd function shown.
Check out my results below using Jaaxy. Excerpts from the actual search engines are displayed on the right side of the window below.
To prove that this really happens on the search engines, I entered the keyword into Google Search, and it popped up on Page 1 in the #1 position as shown below.
My website is called Affiliate Marketing For Leaders. I recommend you check it out later using the link on the left.
How cool is that?
My Keyword Lists
Next on the Dashboard is My Keyword Lists. You can use this feature to save all the keyword research results under categories you can create yourself. I am not going to show how this is done as it is self-explanatory.
Whenever I am searching for Keywords this is the first place that I visit just in case I saved a relevant keyword there. Often I find a Keyword I need that saves me the time to search again.
Search Analysis
Moving on, How would you like to see who your competition is for the keyword you have chosen? The next function Search Analysis is set up for you to do precisely that
I entered the keyword to this article to check out my completion, Results are shown below. Only the top 3 are visible.
Not only can I find out the keywords my competition used on this same subject, but I can also check out their articles to compare their work to mine, as this analysis page displays their URL when you click their keyword.
By conducting smart research like you have at your fingertips the opportunity to leapfrog the competition.
Alphabet Soup
Trying to figure out the best keyword by just entering keywords into the Jaaxy window works rather well. What if you were having difficulties and wanted help?
The next function down the Jaazy Dashboard is called Alphabet Soup. When you click that you get directed to the Jaaxy website where you can enter words or phrases into the window provided.
After you click Find Keyword, a long list of possible keyword contenders based form the letters A to Z appear below.
Brainstorm HQ
Jaaxy has this neat function called Brainstorm HQ. When you click this, the window you get is shown below. You can use this to brainstorm niche articles you could write about when you run out of ideas.
As you can see below the possibilities are endless. When you find what you want to write about, in one place here you are able to find appropriate keywords that you can use.
The possibilities are endless.
Affiliate Programs
If you are a member of affiliate networks like ClickBank, Digital River, CJ Affiliates and Link Share, you can use this function to find affiliate programs right for you.
Since Wealthy Affiliate has a new Affiliate Programs feature on its platform that goes way beyond this one on Jaaxy, I am not going to go into this function further.
Niche Keyword List
This feature is exclusive to Premium Members of Wealthy Affiliate. This tool keeps track of niche keywords you have been searching for and adds new suggestions to use in new posts.
This is not available on the Jaaxy Platform so I will not go into further details here.
Jaaxy Training
I recommend you look at the menu bar above Search Analysis, Alphabet Soup or Brainstorm HQ windows. We have addressed most of these in this article. You will notice two more items, Search History and Jaaxy Help.
Jaaxy keeps a record of all your keyword searches. These can be retrieved by clicking the Search History menu at the top.
You have access to a video training on Jaaxy by Kyle, one of the founders of Jaaxy and Wealthy Affiliate. He goes into more detail in this 22 minute video.
How To Learn More And Get Jaaxy For Free
Click the screenshot below to get to the live site where you can use the menus at the top to learn much more about the Jaaxy Platform: You can join by filling out the form shown. Once you are in, I will be happy to help you along. Not only with Jaaxy, but also to learn more about the Wealthy Affiliate Online Business Building Platform.
For more Jaaxy Membership Options click this link. If you are already set up as a successful affiliate marketer and do not need the training at Wealthy Affiliate, I recommend you check out the Jaaxy Pro, or for power users, Jaaxy Enterprise to give you a huge edge against your competitors. Clicking this link will take you to a comparison chart where you can order whichever version you desire.
I hope you found this in depth review of this most incredible Keyword Research Tool called Jaaxy, valuable. The best way for me to show you how it works was to use real live examples. What better example than this article itself.
Although you can join Jaaxy and have a free version, you also have the option of a PRO and ENTERPRISE versions. The monthly subscription is $49 for the PRO and $99 for the ENTERPRISE.
May I suggest trying it out for free first and see how you like it before you decide to buy.
An Alternate and Perhaps Better Idea
If you want to earn all about building an income earning website, why not join us at Wealthy Affiliate? As a member you have free access to Jaaxy Lite that I am currently using. For the cost for Jaaxy Pro, you get Wealthy Affiliate Premium Membership as well as Jaaxy Lite.
I wrote an article on how Wealthy Affiliate helps anyone to build a powerful website that can earn you passive income in a way no other method can. Check out the following article to get the inside scoop:
The #1 Way To Make Money Online Using A Computer!
To be completely transparent, if you make a purchase, I will earn a small commission that helps me maintain this website. The cost is the same to you if you went directly to Jaaxy or Wealthy Affiliate to make your purchase.
Please leave my your comments’, opinions or suggestions in the comments’ section below.
I thank you sincerely for reading this article. I hope you found it informative and helpful in your quest to create an online business that will pay you for a lifetime.
Cheers.
Edwin Bernard
Hi Edwin! I really enjoyed reading your article about Keywords.
I can not picture my work without Jaaxy. It is a life before and after Jaaxy. With Jaaxy it is so easy to find the best keywords. Jaaxy is my best friend at work every day. I especially love the Alphabet Soup and Siterank. To be able to see how my competitors is doing.
The Jaaxy training is superb. After I started using Jaaxy my posts have ranked on first page several times and generated much more traffic to my website than I would have managed withouth Jaaxy.
I use the Pro version, but when would you say it is time to change to Enterprise?
Hello Hilde,
Great to hear from you. Glad that Jaaxy is working out well for you.
You should stick with the Pro version until you are earning enough monthly to pay for the Enterprise subscription. The only reason to get that would be more efficient. Make sure you are earning consistently each month way abve the $99 subscription fee.
I hope this helps.
Edwin
Hi.
An excellent read and a great article; I learnt a lot. In fact, I’ve bookmarked the page and I’ll be returning to it again.
You’ve provided a great insight into the arcane world of keywords. I’ve known about them for a while, but I’ve never really believed that they are important, because there appears to be an SEO industry which is solely motivated by selling people on the idea of SEO. In other words, I’ve always felt that it is a fake industry built on shaky foundations.
Since you took the time and trouble to give the topic some background, finally I can see where keyword-warriors are coming from. (I haven’t entirely given up my bias; however, I still feel that great content beats great keywords.)
Anyway, thanks for the article, I have found it very useful indeed.
Regards,
Tayo
Hello Tayo,
Thanks for your views on Keywords. I also agree that if a poor article with a keyword that meets the high standards of Jaaxy, it will not do well. Google knows better.
Conversely, a superb article with an OK Keyword, can still do very well for the same reasons. Google knows better.
All articles are filled with keywords we do not even realize and they also contribute to the ranking of the article.
The main purpose of a Keyword is to help someone looking for an answer to find your article if it provides that answer. The next step that is important, the Keyword should resonate with the person searching so that they will open YOUR article instead of others.
If you focus on giving value in your content and compose a keyword that closely matches the words a person searching for what your article provides, nothing else is necessary.
Jaaxy and other research tools are just that. Tools. To help us use our time more efficiently,
Great to hear from you.
Edwin
Thanks for your post on best keyword research tools. I just love it as I am following the same strategies while researching best suitable keywords for my niche site.
First I do search in search engines then I go to Jaaxy. Jaaxy is really cool and great for making your search easy and convenient.
I also recommend Jaaxy for those who are really new in Affiliate Marketing. The features of Jaaxy are great and unbeatable.
Thanks again.
Thanks for your supportive comments. Glad you are also using Jaaxy and recommend it to others.
All the best to you.
Edwin
I must say this is really a broad and educating article on the topic titled “what is the best keyword research tool for free”.
Keyword is a very important factor to consider in every website. This is exactly what my Brother needs, He’s currently working on his website I believe this article will really be of help to him.
I will forward this as soon as possible.
Thanks
Glad you found my article helpful. I appreciate you sharing my article with your Brother. I am sure he will find this will help him get better results with his online business.
Thanks for commenting.
Cheers.
Edwin
Hello there thanks for this review.
It was really helpful I must say. I have not really used Jaaxy as a keyword search tool but know that it is the best when it comes to affiliate marketing. It is really cool.
Most of the times I use Google and Yahoo as my search tool.
Is Jaaxy research tool completely free to use?
Thanks for your comments and questions.
You can get Jaaxy free through this link: https://www.jaaxy.com/join//a_aid/6260ad9a
When you click this you will be offered three options. A free starter subscription; a Pro version and an Enterprise version.
The free starter version gives you 30 free searches. However, after you use the 30 free searches, you can continue to use the other features for free.
There is another way to get unlimited use of Jaaxy. Members of Wealthy Affiliate who subscribe to the Premium membership at $49 a month have unlimited access to an amazing online training and business building platform where Jaaxy Lite is one of the benefits. The Lite version has everything that an affiliate marketer will need for their business.
Instead of subscribing to the $49 Jaaxy Pro, I would suggest subscribing to a Premium membership to Wealthy Affiliate for the same price.
I hope this answers your question.
Cheers.
Edwin
Hello there!
This is very cool and helpful for me. I must commend your efforts in putting this whole information together. I am sure it will help other bloggers like me to develop and improve their blogs with this keyword research tools you have shared.
Thank you very much for sharing this for me.
Glad you found this of help. I wish you much success in finding and using effective keywords.
Thanks for commenting.
Cheers.
Edwin
Without proper keyword research, a website or online business is almost as good as dead.
Improper keyword research mean low traffic, low income generated and low motivation, lol. I am saying low motivation because one may decide to quit the business.
Jaaxy has actually made the whole process simpler and much more effective. It is my favorite keywords research tool with amazing features enabling us to beat our competitors.
I am so glad you found my article stimulating. I agree that Jaaxy is an amazing keyword tool and glad you are using it.
Thanks for commenting.
Edwin
Hello there!
Sincerely speaking, its a miracle to have stumbled on your post. My blog has been suffering for some time now; few visitors, sometimes no activities, and all of that. But I think I now know where the problem is from.
I promise to give you feedback on how far this post has helped me.
Thank you very much!
It was delightful to hear my article has given you ideas to help your article rankings using keywords more effectively. I will much appreciate you letting me know how it all works out for you.
Thanks for commenting.
Cheers.
Edwin
Hey nice article you have there.
Thanks for sharing such a timely information. I have been contemplating on the type of keywords to use on my website that will attract more traffic. Having gone through this article and the huge benefit of Jaaxy, I am convinced that it will definitely help me a lot in choosing an appropriate key word for my website.
Thanks for this insight.
Great to hear my article was helpful. All the best to you in your online business.
Feel free to share this article with others.
Cheers.
Edwin
A thorough review of Jaaxy indeed. I must acknowledge the details and most importantly the key aspect of this keyword tool. It has made me a Jaaxy believer!
Hi Michael,
Glad that you found Jaaxy helpful. You can subscribe to this service using this link: Jaaxy
All the best to you.
Edwin