You can do solid keyword research without paid tools by combining four free sources: Google Search Console (what you already show up for), Google’s autocomplete and “People also ask” (what people type and ask), Google Keyword Planner (rough volume ranges) and Google Trends (seasonality). Collect ideas in a sheet, group them by intent and score them by business value. Paid tools add speed and competitor data, not the basics.
Key takeaways
- Search Console is the best free keyword source if your site already has some traffic.
- Keyword Planner gives volume ranges, which are enough to prioritise.
- Group keywords by intent before choosing which page targets them.
- Score each group on business value, not volume alone.
This free workflow sits alongside our full keyword research and search intent guide.
The free toolkit
| Source | Use it for | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Search Console Performance report | Queries you already get impressions for | Needs an existing site with some visibility |
| Google autocomplete and “People also ask” | Real phrasing and follow-up questions | No volume data |
| Google Keyword Planner | Volume ranges and new ideas | Ranges, not exact numbers, without active spend |
| Google Trends | Seasonality and rising topics | Relative interest, not volume |
| Forums, Reddit, Quora, your sales team | Questions buyers really ask | Manual work |
The 6-step free workflow
Collect, group, score
One sheet, one row per keyword group, one target page per group.
- Seed list: write 10 to 20 words your buyers use for your services and problems.
- Search Console: export queries from the last 3 months. Look for queries with impressions but few clicks; those are quick wins.
- Autocomplete and People also ask: type each seed into Google, note the suggestions and the questions that appear.
- Volume ranges: paste your list into Keyword Planner to get ranges and more ideas.
- Group by intent: merge keywords that a single page could answer. Our post on the 4 types of search intent explains how.
- Score and assign: give each group a business-value score and pick the page that will target it.
Which pages need a refresh first?
Use our Content Refresh Prioritizer to rank existing pages by opportunity before writing new ones.
A simple scoring sheet
| Score | Business value | Volume range | Can we win? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Leads to a paid service or product | Highest range in your list | Results are weak or generic |
| 2 | Supports a buying decision | Middle range | Mixed results |
| 1 | Awareness only | Low range | Big brands dominate |
Add the three scores. Start with groups at 7 to 9, and note that a high business-value score can justify a low-volume keyword.
Example (illustrative)
A Mysuru yoga retreat found in Search Console that “yoga teacher training in mysore fees” had impressions but almost no clicks, because no page answered fees directly. A fees-and-batches page targeting that group became its top enquiry page within weeks, with no paid tool used.
When paid tools are worth it
Paid tools help when you need competitor keyword data, large-scale research across many markets or faster workflows for an agency. For a single business site, the free workflow above covers most needs.
The Bargaon view
Free tools tell you what people search and what you already show up for; that is most of keyword research. Spend the money you save on better pages. Our keyword research guide goes deeper, and our SEO, AEO and GEO service can run this workflow with you.
Want your keyword sheet built for you?
Share your site and services; we will send back a scored keyword group list. See our SEO, AEO and GEO service.
FAQs
Can I do keyword research for free?
Yes. Search Console, Google autocomplete, People also ask, Keyword Planner and Google Trends together cover the basics for most business sites.
Is Google Keyword Planner free?
Yes, with a Google Ads account. Without active spend it shows volume ranges rather than exact numbers, which is still enough to prioritise.
What is the best free keyword source?
For a site that already gets some traffic, Search Console, because it shows real queries you already appear for.
Sources
- Google Search Console Help: Performance report (checked 11 Nov 2026)
- Google Ads: Keyword Planner (checked 11 Nov 2026)
- Google Trends
Last updated: 11 November 2026. How we researched: Google’s free tools and documentation plus Bargaon’s scoring method described above.
Digital Marketing & SEO Specialist
Himanshu Patni has spent more than nine years in search and growth marketing, watching discovery move from ten blue links to AI answers. His work brings SEO, AEO and GEO together with paid media and measurement as one system. At Bargaon, he writes about where search is heading and what businesses should do before the shift becomes obvious.
