How to Find Low-Hanging Fruit Keywords for Your SEO Strategy

When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), you don’t need a thousand-dollar tool to start ranking; you just need a strategy.

This is where low-hanging fruit keywords come in.

These are search terms that are relatively easy to rank for, yet still pack a punch when it comes to driving traffic and conversions. If you’re tired of playing second fiddle to big-budget competitors, learning how to find low-hanging fruit keywords could be a game-changer for getting eyes on your website.

What Makes a Keyword “Low-Hanging Fruit”?

Low-hanging fruit keywords are the unsung heroes of SEO: easy(ish) to grab, deliciously rewarding, and often completely overlooked. Here’s what to look for:

• Low competition: You shouldn’t have to wrestle with the internet’s heavyweights to rank.
• Decent search volume: Not a million searches a month, but enough to make it worth your while.
• Clear intent: Ideally, the keyword leads users toward an action—buying, signing up, or at least sticking around.
• Competitor gaps: Your rivals aren’t doing a great job answering the query, or better yet, they’re ignoring it altogether.

Think of these keywords as ripe fruit dangling within arm’s reach. You just have to look up.

How to Find Low-Hanging Fruit Keywords from a Website (Yes, Even Your Competitor’s)

Here’s a little secret: you don’t have to reinvent the SEO wheel. Sometimes the fastest way to find easy wins is to peek over your neighbor’s fence.

Tools like Ahrefs and Semrush can show you what keywords a website already ranks for, including your competitors. All you have to do is:

1. Plug in the competitor’s URL.
2. Filter for keywords with low SEO difficulty or keyword difficulty scores under 30.
3. Sift through for relevant, attainable keywords they rank for poorly—or not at all.

Don’t want to spend money on tools at first? No problem. Google can help—if you know the right tricks.

Use these simple search operators to peek into what your competitors are up to:

• site:competitor.com [topic] — See all indexed pages on a competitor’s site related to a specific topic. It’s a quick way to spot content gaps you can leverage.
• intitle:"your keyword" — Find pages with your exact keyword in the title. Titles are SEO gold, so this helps you scout what topics others are prioritizing.
• inurl:keyword — Check for pages with specific keywords in their URLs. It’s an easy indicator of optimized content and can show you what topics competitors think are important enough to spotlight.
• related:competitor.com — Find other websites similar to your competitor’s. Great for expanding your research and finding even more potential keywords and content ideas.

How to Choose Low-Hanging Fruit Keywords That Actually Convert

It’s not enough to find easy keywords—you want ones that matter. Here’s how to choose low-hanging fruit keywords for SEO that pull their weight:

• Match search intent: Are people looking to buy, learn, or browse? Focus on commercial and transactional keywords if your goal is conversions. Informational keywords work great for top-of-funnel traffic too—just know what you’re aiming for.
• Go long-tail: Specific, multi-word phrases tend to have less competition and signal higher intent. Someone searching “best hiking boots for ankle support” is way closer to buying than someone searching “boots.”
• Analyze real opportunities: If your site’s brand-new, skip the 10,000+ search volume terms and go for the ones in the 100–500 range. Several small wins compound into serious SEO momentum over time.
• Check keyword difficulty (but don’t obsess): Use a tool like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Ubersuggest to check keyword difficulty scores. Aim for a balance—low enough to rank, but not so obscure that no one’s searching for it.
• Prioritize revenue-driving topics: It’s tempting to chase after whatever's easy to rank for, but if the keyword doesn't tie back to your product, service, or expertise, it's not going to convert. Stay aligned with your business goals.
• Scope out the current competition: Before committing to a keyword, Google it. If the top results are weak (thin content, outdated posts, poorly optimized pages), you’ve found a prime opportunity to outrank them with a better piece.
• Favor evergreen over trendy (when possible): Trending topics can spike your traffic temporarily, but evergreen keywords build steady traffic over time. Ideally, mix a few hot topics with keywords that will stay relevant for years.
• Think like your customer: Get out of "marketer mode" and step into your ideal customer's mindset. What exactly would they type into Google if they were ready to buy, solve a problem, or learn something? Mirror that language.
• Cluster around topics: One low-hanging keyword is good. Building a small cluster (related articles/pages) around it? Even better. Topic clusters strengthen your site’s authority and make it easier to rank across a whole subject area.

Choosing the right keywords is like choosing the right battles: go where you can win and make it count.

Other Places to Find Trending Low-Hanging Fruit Keywords

If you want to dig even deeper, look beyond traditional SEO tools. Some of the best trending keywords are hiding in plain sight:

• Google Autocomplete: Start typing your topic and see what suggestions pop up. These are based on real, trending user queries.
• People Also Ask: Those dropdown questions in Google search are excellent for finding easy-to-rank, long-tail content ideas.
• Reddit and Quora: See what real people are asking (in their own words). Content based on these real-world questions often ranks faster because it speaks directly to audience intent.
• Amazon and YouTube search bars: Especially if you’re in ecommerce or content creation, these platforms surface highly searched, niche-specific topics.

Bottom line: You don’t need a fancy subscription to tap into what your audience already wants. While a dedicated SEO tool like Semrush can make your research process a lot easier, it isn’t strictly necessary.

Go After the Low-Hanging Fruit No One’s Picking

Finding low-hanging fruit keywords isn’t about gaming the system or cutting corners—it’s about building a smarter, more sustainable SEO strategy from the ground up.

Instead of chasing hyper-competitive, high-volume keywords that require deep pockets and months of effort, you’re identifying meaningful, attainable opportunities. These keywords might not make headlines, but they do bring in qualified traffic, convert faster, and help you build momentum.

Best of all, these early wins will help you stay motivated for the long term. Given that one of the biggest pitfalls of an SEO strategy is giving up too early, this is hugely beneficial.

Need help uncovering those overlooked opportunities—and turning them into real results? Terra is here to help you find the gaps, build the roadmap, and grow your traffic with intention.

Check out our SEO services!