Ranking on Google without backlinks might sound impossible.
In fact, nearly 96% of all content gets no search traffic because it targets keywords with no demand, lacks backlinks, or misses user intent.
But, if you use smart keyword research, you can be in the other 3.45%.
When you choose search terms that align with search intent and real demand, you can rank even with minimal backlinks. This guide breaks down how to find and prioritize those opportunities.
Whether you’re building your first SEO strategy or refreshing an old one, this checklist walks you through every step, from finding search terms that match intent to building topical authority and tracking performance.
In this blog, we’ll cover:
- What keyword research really means and why it matters
- A complete step-by-step checklist to find low-competition, high-intent keywords
- How to analyze metrics like search volume, keyword difficulty, and click potential
- The best tools for research, tracking, and content optimization
- Proven ways to rank with zero to two backlinks using smart on-page SEO
P.S.Struggling to get traffic despite publishing quality content? Most websites fail because they target the wrong keywords. Bluethings helps you uncover real ranking opportunities using data-driven keyword research and smart content mapping.
Get in touch now to see how our SEO experts can help your site rank faster, even without a heavy backlink profile.
TL;DR
- Keyword research helps you find topics with real search demand and match content to search intent
- Ranking with zero to two backlinks is possible when you target low-competition, high-intent keywords
- Start by defining goals and identifying the user’s stage in the buyer journey
- Build a seed list using autocomplete, forums, internal data and competitor content
- Prioritize keywords with low difficulty scores, steady volume and strong click potential
- Review SERP features to understand formats that already win for each query
- Validate topical relevance by placing every keyword inside a cluster
- Analyze competitors to find missing angles, weak structure or outdated information
- Map one primary keyword per page and support it with secondary, related terms
- Optimize titles and meta descriptions to maximize click-through rate
- Track performance with Search Console and refresh content every few months
- Strengthen rankings by improving internal linking, user experience and structured data
- Smart keyword research and intent alignment can outperform backlink-heavy competitors
What Is Keyword Research?
Keyword research is the process of finding the search terms people actually type into search engines like Google. It helps you understand what your audience wants, how they phrase their questions, and which topics have enough search demand to drive organic traffic.
In simple terms, keyword research connects your content strategy to your audience’s intent. Every search has a reason behind it, known as search intent, and matching that intent is the foundation of successful SEO.
Here’s how intent usually breaks down:
- Informational keywords: Used when people want answers or guides (for example, how to do keyword research)
- Transactional keywords: Show buying intent (like buy a new camera online)
- Commercial keywords: Indicate comparison or investigation (best keyword research tool for small business)
- Navigational keywords: Help users find a specific brand or page (Google Keyword Planner login)
When you identify the right mix of these keyword types, your content becomes more visible in search results. It also improves your SEO strategy by aligning your blog posts, product pages, and landing pages with real user searches.
The more precisely you match intent, the less you’ll depend on backlinks. Search engines reward relevance, so focusing on high-quality content and intent alignment can help your piece of content outperform competitors, even those with stronger backlink profiles.
Benefits of Keyword Research
Keyword research helps you understand what your audience truly searches for and how you can meet that demand. It’s the foundation of every strong SEO strategy, especially when you want to rank without relying on dozens of backlinks.
Some of the major benefits of keyword research are:
- Identify realistic ranking opportunities: When you check keyword volume and keyword difficulty, you avoid chasing search terms that no one is using. Data shows that in 2024, ~60% of searches ended without a click. Therefore, picking keywords with click-worthy SERPs (vs. answer-boxes only) helps you win actual traffic.
- Improve content targeting and intent alignment: You’ll know exactly what users type into the search engine and what they expect to find. This alignment makes your content more useful and easier for search engines to match with relevant search results.
- Reduce dependency on backlinks: When your content satisfies search intent and covers the topic deeply, you can rank higher even with a weak backlink profile. Relevance and completeness now outweigh pure link volume.
- Improve CTR and dwell time: Optimized titles and meta descriptions encourage more clicks, while engaging, high-quality content keeps readers longer. Research shows that pages in Google’s top 10 results average around 3 minutes and 10 seconds of dwell time, a strong signal of user satisfaction.
- Build a long-term content roadmap: Keyword clustering helps you organize ideas into topic groups. Over time, these clusters create topical authority, giving search engines more reasons to trust your site and rank your future content faster.
Keyword Research Checklist: Rank with 0-2 Backlinks
You don’t need a huge backlink profile to rank. What you really need is a clear keyword process that helps you find low-competition, high-intent opportunities.
Here’s a step-by-step checklist from our SEO experts at Bluethings, built to help you grow your traffic with a smarter, data-backed SEO strategy.
1. Define Your Goal and Search Intent
Before diving into keyword lists, get clear on what you want to achieve. Every SEO strategy starts with a goal, whether it’s driving blog traffic, generating leads, or ranking a product page. When you know your goal, you can choose target keywords that directly support it.
Start by defining your audience and content type. Are you writing a blog post, building a landing page, or creating a product guide? Each requires a slightly different keyword focus. According to research, 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results. So aligning your keyword goals early helps you capture attention where it matters most.
Next, match your keyword to the buyer stage:
- Awareness stage: Users are searching for general information (what is keyword research)
- Consideration stage: They’re comparing solutions (best keyword research tool for small businesses)
- Decision stage: They’re ready to act (hire an SEO agency near me)
Finally, confirm search intent through SERP analysis. Type your keyword into Google and see what kind of pages rank, blogs, videos, or product pages.
For example, if you search “best SEO tools,” you’ll notice comparison articles and list-style blogs dominate the top results. That tells you Google treats it as commercial intent. When your content format matches that intent, your chances of ranking rise dramatically.
2. Build a Keyword Seed List
Once you’ve defined your goals and intent, it’s time to build your keyword seed list, the foundation of all keyword research. These are the broad, core phrases your audience uses when searching for information, products, or solutions in your niche.
Start simple. Write down 5–10 base terms that describe what you do. If you run a content marketing agency, your seed keywords could be content strategy, SEO services, or blog traffic tips. From there, you’ll expand into more specific, long-tail keywords later.
Use Google Autocomplete to see what people are actively typing into the search engine. Type a phrase like “keyword research” and note the suggestions that appear; that’s real-time search demand.
Data shows that over 70% of all Google searches are long-tail queries, so these suggestions often reveal hidden ranking opportunities.
You can also pull keyword ideas from:
- Forums like Reddit or Quora: See what questions your audience is asking in real conversations.
- Competitor blogs: Identify topics they rank for but you haven’t covered yet.
- Tools like AnswerThePublic and KeywordTool.io: Get visual keyword clusters and question-based ideas.
The goal here is to gather diverse, relevant ideas instead of chasing high numbers. A well-rounded seed list helps you find content gaps, understand user intent patterns, and plan a keyword map that strengthens your overall SEO strategy.
Insider’s tip: We always check internal data first. Things like site search terms, sales calls, and customer support tickets often reveal keyword ideas your audience already cares about.
3. Analyze Keyword Metrics
Now that you’ve got a solid seed list, it’s time to see which keywords are actually worth your effort. Metrics tell you how hard it will be to rank and what kind of traffic you can realistically expect.
Start by checking keyword difficulty (KD). For new or low-authority sites, look for terms with a KD score below 25 in tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or the Keyword Magic Tool. These usually indicate opportunities where you can compete without a strong backlink profile.
Next, balance search volume and click potential. A keyword might get thousands of monthly searches, but if most clicks go to featured snippets or ads, it may not bring you much organic traffic.
Check CTR potential in your chosen keyword research tool. It helps you focus on terms that actually drive visitors instead of empty impressions.
Finally, look at SERP volatility. How often do the top results change? Stable SERPs are harder to break into, while volatile ones show frequent reshuffling, which means new content can rise faster.
Analyzing these factors gives you a clear picture of ranking opportunities and helps you prioritize where to invest your content creation efforts. Over time, tracking these numbers through Google Search Console and your favorite rank tracking tool will show which metrics consistently lead to better rankings.
Insider tip: Our SEO team also uses Google Trends alongside keyword tools to spot rising terms early. Catching trends before competitors often leads to easier wins with lower keyword difficulty.
4. Find Low-Competition Keywords
After understanding keyword metrics, it’s time to find terms you can actually rank for. The key is spotting low-competition keywords that have steady traffic and clear search intent.
Start with filters in your keyword research tool. Look for keywords with a keyword difficulty (KD) below 30, consistent search volume, and commercial or informational intent.
According to AIOSEO, 34.71% of Google search queries contain four or more words. This means many ranking opportunities exist in long-tail, low-competition phrases.
Next, study the low-authority sites already ranking on page one. If a site with a low domain rating can reach the top 10, that keyword is fair game. Check how they structure their content, titles, and internal linking, then create something more complete and up-to-date.
Low-competition keywords may not bring massive search volume right away, but they build consistent traffic and topical authority over time. Once your pages start ranking, Google will naturally begin trusting your domain for more competitive terms.
5. Check SERP Features and Competitor Gaps
Once you’ve shortlisted your keywords, analyze what Google already shows for them. The search results page reveals which formats and features dominate, and where you can stand out.
Check for SERP features like featured snippets, People Also Ask, or video results.
According to research, featured snippets appear in about 12.3% of search queries, with nearly all on Google’s first page. Adding concise summaries or bullet lists can help your content qualify for those top spots.
Then, review the types of pages ranking, whether they’re blog posts, videos, or tools. Align your format with what performs best for that keyword to improve relevance and visibility.
Finally, look for competitor gaps using tools such as Ahrefs, LowFruits, or the Keyword Gap tool. Identify missing angles, outdated data, or weak titles that you can improve. Filling these gaps gives you a stronger chance to move above them in search results.
6. Validate Keyword With Topical Relevance
Before locking in a keyword, make sure it actually fits your site’s theme. Google rewards websites that show topical authority, meaning their content connects naturally within a cluster.
Link your new piece to supporting articles using clear internal linking. It signals to Google that your pages reinforce one another. Tools like Surfer SEO or Frase can also check semantic relevance and show related terms to include.
Keeping every article aligned within your content cluster makes your overall SEO strategy stronger and builds long-term authority in your niche.
Here’s an example of a simple topic cluster for an e-commerce store selling eco-friendly home products:
7. Evaluate Content Gaps
Once you know what your keyword target is, double-check that no one else has already covered it well. Or that you don’t just replicate what your competitors do. You want to fill real gaps.
Start by analyzing the top 3 search results for your keyword. Check what subtopics they include, note their structure, readability, and whether they satisfy the search intent.
Then, ask yourself: Is there anything missing? Maybe the readability is poor, the content lacks visuals, or the article ignores key questions in the People Also Ask box.
Add unique value, whether it's fresh data, better visuals, or a stronger example, to make your piece stand out.
When you close those gaps, your content becomes the resource for that topic. That increases your chances of ranking and attracting traffic.
Need help finding and filling content gaps? If you’re publishing regularly but still not seeing traffic growth, your content might be missing the right structure or keywords.
Bluethings can help. Our SEO experts identify keyword opportunities, fix weak spots in existing content, and build strategies that actually rank.
8. Map Keywords to Content
Now, it’s time to match keywords to content pieces so each page has a clear purpose. You want one primary keyword per page to avoid confusion for both users and search engines. We recommend using one primary keyword plus 2-5 supporting keywords to perform better.
After selecting your primary keyword, weave in secondary and LSI terms naturally throughout your headings and body. These help reinforce context and cover related search terms without keyword stuffing.
For example, if your primary keyword is “healthy smoothie recipes,” your secondary keywords might include “breakfast smoothies,” “fruit smoothie without sugar,” or “easy blender drinks.”
You could use them in subheadings like “Quick breakfast smoothies to start your day” or in sentences such as “These fruit smoothies without sugar are perfect for a light, refreshing drink.” This way, your content stays natural while covering multiple related search terms.
Then plan your internal linking and content hierarchy:
- Make sure each page links to appropriate supporting articles or product pages
- Structure content so users and search engines can clearly see which are pillar pages and which are supporting pages
- Use descriptive anchor text that reflects your target keywords and keeps everything theme-aligned
When every piece of content fits into your cluster with defined keywords and links, you strengthen your overall SEO strategy, support organic search visibility, and reduce keyword cannibalization.
9. Optimize for Click Potential
When your page shows up in the search results, you only get one shot to turn a glance into a click. That’s why your title tags and meta descriptions need to excite, invite, and stand out.
A study analyzing 4 million Google results found that pages with title tags between 40-60 characters achieved about a 33% higher click-through rate (CTR) than titles outside that length.
Here’s how you can optimize for clicks:
- Craft a title tag that starts strong with your target keyword, then adds an emotional hook or benefit. Example: “Healthy Smoothie Recipes for a Busy Morning (10 Minutes or Less)”.
- Write a meta description that gives a clear value promise, uses emotional power words, and ends with a call to action: e.g., “Discover quick, nutritious blends that fuel your day, try these easy breakfast smoothies today!”.
- Use parentheses, numbers, or brackets in the title or description to increase attention. Research confirms that well-crafted title tags can result in 20-30% CTR improvement.
Every time you refine your snippet, you’re improving your chance to attract clicks instead of just impressions. This improves your traffic and signals to search engines that your content addresses genuine user intent.
10. Track and Refine
Once your content is live, your work isn’t done. You need to monitor how it performs and refine it for better results. Use Google Search Console to check impressions, clicks, average position, and CTR.
If you spot pages with declining traffic or that have stagnated in rankings, it’s time for an update.
Here’s how you can refine:
- Set a cadence: review pages every 3-6 months, especially if they’re key to your site.
- Add related long-tail keywords and newer terms your audience is searching for.
- Adjust internal linking and metadata for pages where impressions are high but CTR or clicks are low.
- Use insights from Google Search Console to identify queries that trigger your page but haven’t produced clicks, and refine content or snippet to match that intent.
Tracking and refining ensure your content stays relevant, competitive, and aligned with both audience needs and searcher intent.
Pro tip: Set up a “content decay” dashboard in Search Console to automatically flag pages that lost >30% traffic in 60 days. These are your top refresh candidates.
Get Your Quick Keyword Research Checklist
Ready to put everything into practice? Use this quick checklist to make sure every keyword you target is strategic, relevant, and backed by data. Tick off each step as you go.
How to Rank Without Backlinks
You don’t need a massive backlink profile to rank. What matters is how complete, connected, and user-focused your content is.
- Focus on content completeness: Cover every angle of your topic. Add definitions, examples, FAQs, and visuals so your post becomes the go-to resource. Research from Ahrefs shows that pages with strong topical depth often outrank others with more backlinks because they match search intent better.
- Strengthen internal linking: Connect your new content to older, high-performing pages using descriptive anchor text. This improves crawlability, spreads ranking power, and helps search engines understand your site’s structure.
- Optimize user experience and dwell time: Keep your layout clean and engaging. Short paragraphs, visuals, and clear headings make people stay longer, a signal that tells Google your content satisfies search intent.
- Add structured data (schema markup): Use FAQ, How-To, or Product schema to help Google display rich results. This improves visibility and CTR even without extra backlinks.
Read Next: How to Do Keyword Research for YouTube (with Free Tools)
Partner with Bluethings for Smart SEO That Works
Ranking with few or no backlinks requires planning, rather than relying on luck. When you understand search intent, choose realistic keywords, and create content that connects topically, you can build authority naturally over time. Smart keyword research gives your content direction, purpose, and consistency and helps every page work toward sustainable growth.
Key takeaways
- Define your SEO goals and match keywords to audience intent.
- Build a strong seed list using search tools, forums, and competitors.
- Target keywords with manageable difficulty and steady volume.
- Review SERP features to identify hidden ranking opportunities.
- Keep each keyword aligned with your content clusters
- Strengthen relevance through internal linking and secondary terms.
- Write compelling titles and meta descriptions to improve CTR.
- Track performance regularly and refresh content for long-term gains.
If you want to strengthen your SEO strategy and find keywords that actually rank, our team at Bluethings can help you out. We research, plan, and optimize every step of your content strategy for measurable growth.
Get in touch with us today to start ranking with purpose!
FAQs
What is the best keyword difficulty for new websites?
For new or low-authority websites, aim for keywords with a difficulty score below 25. These are easier to rank for and usually have less competition. Once your site gains authority, you can gradually target medium to higher-difficulty keywords.
Can I rank without backlinks?
Yes. You can rank by focusing on search intent, topical authority, and strong internal linking. Search engines increasingly prioritize content relevance and user satisfaction signals over pure backlink volume.
Which tools are best for finding low-competition keywords?
Tools like Ahrefs, LowFruits, Semrush, and Keyword Chef are great for spotting low-competition opportunities. Combine them with Google Autocomplete or AnswerThePublic to uncover long-tail keywords with real search demand.
How often should I update keyword research?
Review and update your keyword research every three to six months. Search trends, competitor pages, and SERP features change over time, so regular updates keep your content strategy aligned with what users are actually searching for.
How does Bluethings help businesses rank with few or no backlinks?
At Bluethings, we focus on smart keyword targeting, internal linking, and on-page optimization. Our SEO experts identify ranking opportunities where strong content and technical structure can outperform sites that rely heavily on backlinks.
Does Bluethings offer keyword research as a standalone service?
Yes. We provide keyword research as an independent service. Our team delivers actionable reports that include search volume, difficulty, intent type, and ranking potential. You can integrate our research into your existing content strategy or use it to build a new one.
What makes Bluethings’ keyword research different from typical SEO platforms?
Unlike automated tools, Bluethings combines data from multiple platforms with real human analysis. We assess intent, SERP layout, and competitor strength to ensure every keyword recommendation aligns with your audience and business goals.
Can Bluethings manage my full SEO strategy after keyword research?
Absolutely. Beyond keyword research, our team handles content planning, technical SEO, on-page optimization, and ongoing performance tracking. We build long-term strategies that drive measurable organic growth instead of just keyword rankings.
