Unlocking Hidden Opportunities: How to Identify Low Hanging Fruit Keywords for Your SEO Strategy

Introduction: Why “Low Hanging Fruit” Keywords Matter

Are you struggling to find easy SEO wins—keywords you can rank for without battling industry giants? Targeting low hanging fruit keywords can deliver fast, tangible gains in search visibility and traffic, even for small or new sites. This step-by-step guide will show you how to spot, validate, and prioritize these opportunities using proven workflows. By the end, you’ll have a shortlist of high-potential keywords ready for action, plus all the expert tactics and templates you need to repeat the process.

Want to skip ahead? Download a free universal keyword research template (Excel/Google Sheets)

Preparation: What You Need Before You Start

Preparation Checklist:

• Google Search Console access (site verified)
• A keyword research tool (one or more):
  • Ahrefs (paid)
  • SEMrush (paid)
  • Google Keyword Planner (free)
  • Ubersuggest (freemium)
• Spreadsheet for tracking candidates (use this template)
• Basic understanding of:
  • Search volume
  • Keyword Difficulty (KD)/Competition
  • Search intent (informational, transactional, navigational)

Estimated Setup Time: 10 minutes for tools and templates; 30–60 minutes for initial research cycle

Before continuing:

Pro Tip: If you don’t have Ahrefs or SEMrush, download your Google Search Console data and use Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest. Free tools are viable—just validate results manually using the SERPs!

Step-by-Step: How to Find and Validate Low Hanging Fruit Keywords

Step 1: Define “Low Hanging Fruit” Criteria

Understand what makes a keyword an easy win:

• Keyword Difficulty (KD): Aim for KD < 20–30 (varies by tool)
• Search Volume: At least 100–500 monthly searches (adjust based on your niche and site age)
• Relevancy: Clearly aligned with your business and target audience
• SERP Competition: Top results are not all dominated by high-authority or brand sites; presence of forums, outdated content, or low-domain-authority pages is a good sign

Why these numbers? Research from Ahrefs and SEOptimer suggests these thresholds balance attainability and real search traffic.

Step 2: Uncover Current “Almost There” Rankings With Google Search Console (GSC)

1. Open GSC. Go to Performance > Search Results.
2. Filter by positions 10–30 (pages 2–3 of Google)—these keywords are within reach.
3. Sort by Impressions (descending) and select queries with high impressions, low clicks.
4. Export your list for analysis.

Summary: These are prime candidates—your content is already relevant, just needs a boost!

Step 3: Research New Keyword Ideas With Tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush, Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest)

(A) Using Ahrefs/SEMrush:

1. Enter your seed topic in “Keywords Explorer” or “Keyword Magic Tool”.
2. Set filters:
   • KD < 20–30
   • Volume >100
3. Apply include/exclude filters for business-relevant phrases.
4. Use Content Gap:
   • In Ahrefs/SEMrush, enter competitors. Find keywords they rank for, but you don’t.
5. Export results to your spreadsheet.

(B) Using Free Tools (Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest):

1. Start with a broad keyword.
2. Add filters: Low/medium competition (Keyword Planner) or low SD (Ubersuggest).
3. Sort by volume and scan for specific, intent-matching phrases.
4. Manually check KD in Ubersuggest (if available) or use a browser extension like MozBar for quick DA metrics.

Benchmark: This section’s workflow usually takes 10–20 minutes/tool.

Step 4: Manually Audit the SERPs for Each Candidate

1. In Incognito Mode, Google each candidate keyword.
2. Check the top 10 results:
   • Are there forums, old blog posts, or low DA sites ranking?
   • Is the content thin, outdated, or misaligned with intent?
   • Do most top sites have lower backlink profiles?
3. Record observations (use columns in your template: “SERP Weakness”, “Intent Match”, “Top Competitor DA”).

Warning: Never skip this manual check! Tool scores aren’t always accurate; weak real-world SERPs are golden opportunities.

Step 5: Score, Prioritize, and Organize

1. Assign a simple score (1–5) to each:
   • KD, search volume, intent match, business value, and SERP weak points.
2. Sum or weight your scores (see template)
3. Shortlist the top 20–30, mark 5–10 for immediate focus.
4. Download or copy this matrix (template link).

Pro Tip: For ongoing success, revisit and update this list monthly. SEO is dynamic—opportunities shift as markets and competitors change.

Step 6: Implement & Track

• Update or produce new content targeting your prioritized keywords. Integrate them naturally.
• Monitor changes in GSC or your SEO platform. Look for ranking or click improvements within 4–8 weeks.

Advanced Tips & Common Pitfalls

Expert Tips:

• Use Google Operators (e.g., intitle:"keyword", inurl:"keyword") to find weak spots and non-optimized competitors.
• Supplement KD with click-through potential (some keywords get low clicks even if top-ranked).
• For local, B2B or ecommerce: adapt thresholds lower if markets are small; focus on hyper-relevant queries.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Ignoring intent: Even "easy" keywords fail if the on-page content doesn’t fully answer searcher needs.
• Blindly trusting tool KD: Always double-check with a manual SERP audit.
• Over-prioritizing high volume: Low competition, lower volume keywords can drive more qualified traffic.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

Q: What if I don’t find any low competition keywords?

• Expand into long-tail, local, or question-based variants (e.g., "how to...").
• Widen your seed topics or try a competitor gap analysis.
• Manually spot weaknesses in the SERP overlooked by KD tools.

Q: How often should I repeat this process?

• Monthly or after significant site/content updates for best results.

Q: Why don’t all “easy” keywords show clicks?

• Sometimes search intent is ambiguous, or featured snippets/action boxes absorb clicks. Prioritize keywords with clear user intent.

More FAQs and detailed troubleshooting: SEOptimer Guide

Resources & Downloadables

• Universal Keyword Research Template (Excel/Sheets)
• Google Keyword Planner
• Ubersuggest
• Ahrefs KD Benchmark & Guide
• SEMrush Content Gap How-To
• Rank Math’s SERP/Content Checklist

Summary: What’s Next?

You’ve learned a repeatable, results-driven workflow for surfacing and validating low hanging fruit keywords. By consistently applying these steps—and keeping your checklist and scorecard up to date—you’ll outpace competitors locked in high-difficulty battles. Keep optimizing, monitoring results, and adjusting your targets as the SEO landscape shifts.

Ready to boost your organic traffic? Start your keyword research now and claim those easy SEO wins!

For more advanced workflows, see guides on content optimization and advanced SERP feature targeting.