Summary: You don’t need an expensive subscription to find great keywords in 2025. The winning play is a stack of free tools—Google’s own data, suggest‑based explorers, and light SERP analysis—combined in a tight weekly workflow. This guide shows the best free options, what each is good for, and a copy‑ready process you can run in under an hour.
What “good” keyword research looks like in 2025
- Intent‑first: match content type to the SERP (guides, checklists, templates, calculators, comparisons).
- Entity coverage: don’t chase single phrases—cover the entity, questions, and related tasks.
- Evidence‑rich: add numbers, screenshots, tables and internal links that prove expertise (E‑E‑A‑T).
- Answer‑engine friendly: lead with quotable definitions and FAQ blocks so AI assistants can cite you.
Free tools you actually need
| Tool | Best for | Why it’s useful | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Keyword Planner (free with Ads acct) | Seed volumes & planning | Closest to first‑party volume; exports grouped ideas | Ranges; brand mixing; needs filtering |
| Google Trends | Seasonality & breakouts | Sees rising topics and regional interest | No absolute volume; interpret comparatively |
| Google Search Console | Real queries you already earn | Gaps near page 2; easy wins with on‑page tweaks | Only your site’s data |
| Bing Keyword Planner | Alternative volume & ideas | Different audience; helpful for B2B & desktop‑heavy niches | Requires Microsoft Ads login |
| People Also Ask scrapes / viewers | Questions & subtopics | Builds FAQ/outlines that answer engines love | Manual or limited free credits on viewers |
| AnswerThePublic / AlsoAsked (freemium) | Suggest clusters | Great for outline seeds (who/what/why/how) | Daily caps; export limits |
| Ahrefs Free Tools (Webmaster Tools / SERP checker) | Top pages, links, SERP preview | Spot competitors’ best pages and difficulty patterns | Quota caps; partial metrics |
| Semrush Free | Competitive snapshots | Quick peek at overlapping keywords | Daily query limits |
A one‑hour weekly workflow (copy this)
- 10 min — Start with your own data (GSC): filter last 28 days → sort by impressions → find queries with average position 8–20 and CTR < SERP average. These are page‑two opportunities. Note related queries per URL.
- 15 min — Expand with Keyword Planner: paste 3–5 seeds (entities, problems, solutions). Export. Clean brand terms. Keep intent buckets: define, compare, how‑to, template.
- 10 min — Trends sanity check: look for rising topics and stable seasonality. Prioritize “up‑and‑to‑the‑right” and evergreen.
- 10 min — People Also Ask + suggest: capture 6–10 questions to become your H2/H3 and FAQ block.
- 10 min — Competitor top pages (free Ahrefs/Semrush): identify 2–3 pages to benchmark structure and depth—not to copy, but to beat on usefulness.
- 5 min — Prioritize: pick 1 pillar (2–3k words) + 2 supporting (1.5–2k) for the next sprint.
How to map intent to content type
- Define/Explain: glossary entry with diagrams + internal links.
- Compare/Versus: side‑by‑side tables, pros/cons, “when to choose A vs B”.
- How‑to/Checklist: step‑by‑step with screenshots, pitfalls, time estimates.
- Template/Calculator: downloadable file or embedded sheet.
Build outlines in 5 minutes using your questions
Turn PAA/suggest questions into sections:
H1: [Topic]: [Concise value promise]
H2: What is [Topic]?
H2: Why [Topic] matters in 2025 (data/risks)
H2: How to do [Task] step-by-step
H3: Step 1 — Prereqs
H3: Step 2 — Configure
H3: Step 3 — Validate
H2: Tools & alternatives
H2: Common mistakes & fixes
H2: FAQ
Example: Free keyword research for a PPC blog
Seed entities: “facebook ads budget”, “reels ads”, “pmax audience signals”, “broad match 2025”. Use Keyword Planner to get ideas like “facebook ads daily budget”, “reels ad dimensions”, “pmax audience examples”, “broad match vs exact 2025”. Add PAA questions such as “how much should I spend on facebook ads per day?” and “are reels ads worth it?”. Your outline almost writes itself.
On‑page checklist (fast wins)
- Answer‑first intro (2 sentences) + table/definition when helpful.
- H2/H3 from your question list; one idea per heading.
- Evidence blocks: numbers, screenshots, mini‑case (no plagiarism—summarize and attribute).
- Internal links in the top 30% of the article to relevant posts:
Facebook Ads vs TikTok Ads,
Affiliate Marketing with Paid Ads,
GA4 + Tag Manager Conversion Setup,
Best Tools for Online Ads. - FAQ block (3–6 Qs). Clear, quotable answers.
- Byline, datePublished, dateModified visible (E‑E‑A‑T).
Lightweight measurement plan (free)
- GSC: track impressions/clicks by page; watch queries added after publish.
- GA4: scroll depth, engaged sessions, outbound clicks to your templates/tools.
- Annotation habit: log publish dates and title changes in a simple sheet.
FAQ (copy‑ready)
Do I need paid SEO tools? Not to start. Free tools cover 80% of the job if you combine them well. Paid tools save time at scale.
What about search volumes? Treat them as directional. Triangulate with Trends and your GSC after publishing.
How many keywords per article? Think in topics. Cover the entity and related questions thoroughly.
How fast can I rank? New sites usually need 4–12 weeks for traction. Publish consistently and interlink.
Quick templates
Prioritization (paste into a sheet)
| Topic | Intent | Why now | Asset type | Difficulty (gut) | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AR try‑on ads | How‑to | Rising trend | Guide + screenshots | Medium | Collect PAA questions |
| Broad match 2025 | Compare/Explain | Policy changes | Definition + checklist | Medium | Outline from PAA |
Conclusion
The best “free tool” in 2025 is a disciplined process. Use Google’s own data to find opportunity, suggest engines to shape the outline, and quick SERP checks to match intent. Publish, measure, and improve. Do this weekly and you’ll outrank sites that just collect tools without a workflow.