TL;DR Summary:
Unlock Low-Competition Keywords: Target terms ignored by most sites using Semrush KD% under easy levels and PKD% tailored to your domain for realistic ranking chances.Mine Competitors First: Use Organic Rankings and Keyword Gap tools to filter high-volume easy keywords your rivals rank for but you miss, then save to lists.Expand and Cluster Smartly: Generate more ideas with Keyword Magic Tool focusing on questions, group into content topics via Keyword Strategy Builder to avoid duplicates and boost efficiency.How can I find low competition keywords that will actually help my website rank higher?
Finding keywords your site can rank for doesn’t have to feel impossible. New websites and domains with low authority need a smarter approach than competing against established sites for popular terms.
The answer lies in targeting low-competition keywords. These are search terms that fewer websites compete for, giving you a realistic chance to appear in search results without spending money on ads.
What Makes Keywords Low-Competition in Semrush
Low-competition keywords are terms that most sites ignore, making them perfect opportunities for your content strategy. When you create content around these keywords, you increase your chances of showing up in both regular search results and AI Overviews.
Semrush shows keyword difficulty through its KD% metric. This number runs from 0 to 100, with lower numbers meaning less competition. You’ll find this metric in tools like the Keyword Magic Tool.
But Semrush offers something better: Personal Keyword Difficulty (PKD%). Unlike standard KD%, this metric calculates how hard it would be for your specific website to rank.
A keyword might show 60% difficulty overall. If your PKD% comes back at 35%, that term is actually within reach for your domain. To see PKD%, enter your domain into the AI-powered field in Keyword Magic Tool or Keyword Overview.
How to Find Low Competition Keywords with Semrush: Step-by-Step Process
This three-step process will help you build a list of keywords you can actually rank for.
Step 1: Mine Your Competitors’ Keywords
Start with proven winners. Your competitors’ current rankings show you keywords with real search demand.
Open Semrush’s Organic Rankings tool. Enter a competitor’s domain and click “Search.”
Click the “Positions” tab. You’ll see every keyword that competitor ranks for in Google’s top 100 results, plus KD% and search volume for each term.
Apply these two filters to focus on your best opportunities:
- Set “Volume” to minimum 100
- Set “KD%” to “Easy”
You can add another filter for specific topics. Type “green tea” to see only keywords related to that subject.
Save relevant keywords by checking the boxes and clicking “Add to keyword list.”
The Keyword Gap tool lets you analyze multiple competitors at once. Enter your domain plus up to four competitor domains.
Apply the “Easy” KD% filter again. Click “Missing” to see low-competition keywords all your competitors rank for but you don’t. These gaps represent your clearest opportunities.
Select the terms you want and click “+ Add to keyword list.”
Step 2: Expand Your Research with Keyword Magic Tool
Use the Keyword Magic Tool to find opportunities your competitors missed.
Enter a broad term related to your business. Add your domain and click “Search.”
You’ll get a large list of related keywords. Set “PKD%” to your preferred difficulty range to see only terms you can feasibly rank for.
Apply the “Questions” filter to find terms phrased as questions: “what is,” “how to,” “best way to.” These work well for informational content and often trigger AI Overviews.
Use the checkboxes and “Send keywords” button to add promising terms to your list. Select the circle next to “Keyword Strategy Builder” to include these terms.
Step 3: Group Related Keywords Together
Grouping related terms lets you target multiple keywords within a single page instead of creating separate content for each variation.
The Keyword Strategy Builder saves your keyword lists and offers a “Cluster this list” option. One click groups your terms automatically.
In one example, clustering turned 207 keywords into a plan for 28 specific pages. Each row in the clustered table represents one content topic.
Click the arrow next to any topic to see the specific keywords behind it.
This approach prevents duplicate content issues where two of your pages compete against each other for the same keyword. Clustering gives each topic a dedicated home.
Step 4: Plan Your Content Production Workflow
Once you’ve identified your keyword clusters in Semrush, the next challenge is turning those topics into published articles. Many teams get stuck between research and execution because they lack a streamlined content creation process.
WriterZen bridges this gap by taking your Semrush keyword clusters and generating detailed content briefs for each topic. The platform analyzes the top 20 search results, Reddit discussions, and related searches to create comprehensive outlines that help your content rank.
The tool also handles team coordination when multiple writers are involved. You can assign topics, track progress, and maintain consistency across your content production without juggling separate platforms for planning, writing, and project management.
WriterZen automates the keyword clustering process using its Golden Ratio algorithm, which identifies high-ranking potential groups without the manual spreadsheet work that typically consumes hours each week.
Critical Factors Beyond Keyword Difficulty
KD% and search volume matter, but two other elements determine whether a keyword is worth your time.
Search Intent Alignment
Search intent is why someone types a specific term into Google. Your page needs to match what searchers expect to find.
Four main types exist:
- Informational: Searchers want information (how to, what is)
- Navigational: Searchers want a specific website or page
- Commercial: Searchers are researching before buying
- Transactional: Searchers are ready to take action
“MyFitnessPal login” might have low difficulty, but anyone searching that term wants to access a specific app. They’re not looking for your competing nutrition service.
“Easy meal prep for weight loss” with low competition could be perfect for an informational blog post that competes with existing guides.
Matching content to search intent separates rankings that reach the right readers from those that don’t.
Cost Per Click Signals
Cost per click (CPC) shows how much advertisers pay for clicks on their ads targeting a search term. High CPC often signals that a term drives conversions because advertisers bid more for profitable keywords.
You can see CPC data alongside KD% and volume in any Semrush keyword research report.
Why Timing Matters for Low-Competition Keywords
Low-competition keywords don’t stay that way forever. The sooner you identify and target these terms, the more time you have to establish rankings before competition increases.
Use this workflow to build your initial list, then return to it whenever you plan content for new topics.
Competition for valuable keywords grows as more sites discover them. Getting there first with quality content gives you a significant advantage that becomes harder to replicate over time.
After you’ve built your keyword list using how to find low competition keywords with Semrush, the real work begins with content creation and optimization. WriterZen transforms your keyword research into actionable content briefs and manages your entire production workflow from planning through publication. The platform eliminates the productivity drain of switching between multiple tools while ensuring your content targets the right search intent for maximum ranking potential.
