How I Find Low-Competition Keywords That Actually Convert

Edward Sturm

Abstract

Twelve minutes on keyword research treated as market research rather than as list-building. The opening claim is larger than the title suggests: this is the fastest way to learn what a market wants, the language it uses, and what there is to sell. Most of the episode is then spent on how to read a results page — four signals that a position is available, all visible before any tool is opened.

• Most niches are far less competitive than they look, and an hour or two of real research usually establishes it.
• The starting point is the sites that already rank, not a tool — each relevant term they hold opens a fresh set of terms.
• Bottom-of-funnel keywords convert sooner and are easier to rank for, which is the combination people assume cannot exist.
• Your own performance console lists terms you already rank for, describing actual demand rather than estimated demand.
• A company often describes its niche differently than searchers do, and keyword research is how you find the synonym.
• Four signals mark an available position: undertargeting, low site authority, low topical authority, low on-page relevance.

Everything below follows the episode in order, from the framing through the seeding methods, into the four signals read off a results page, and out to why the manual version beats the automated one. For anyone building a personal brand the transferable part is the reading: the competition publishes its own strategy in its titles and slugs, and most of them are not trying.

Chapter summaries

00:04 - Keyword research is the fastest way to learn what a market wants

Keyword research is the fastest way to learn what a market wants, its language, and what to sell; done well it makes you fluent in a niche fast.

"Love keyword research. For me, it's one of the most fun things."

— 00:04

It is the fastest way to learn what a market wants, the language it uses, and what there is to sell — which is a much larger claim than finding terms to target. The second half of the beat is the operational one: target a keyword with a page, then go deeper into what searchers actually want on it, so they do not bounce back to the results.

00:57 - Most niches are far less competitive than they first appear

Most niches are far less competitive than you would initially think; an hour or two of real keyword work can make dominating a niche look attainable.

"See that most niches are way less competitive than maybe like I."

— 00:57

Most niches are far less competitive than they look from the outside, and an hour or two of real research is usually enough to establish it. The claim is worth taking seriously because the alternative — assuming a field is saturated — is the single cheapest way to never start.

01:30 - The starting point is the sites that already know what they are doing

Start by looking at what competitors rank for — better framed as "sites that know what they're doing with keyword targeting".

"So the most important thing for me when I start doing keyword."

— 01:30

The starting point is not a tool but the sites that already rank, better described as the sites that know what they are doing. Reading the competition is the research, and everything downstream comes out of what they have already worked out.

01:52 - A keyword in both the page title and the slug is the tell

The tell that a site is deliberately doing SEO is the keyword sitting in both the page title and the URL slug.

"Terms. You see the sites that come up and what you specifically."

— 01:52

Where it is absent from both, nobody is trying — which is a piece of information about the opportunity rather than about the competitor.

02:09 - On-page targeting is the title, the slug, the H1 and the opening line

On-page targeting basics: put the keyword in the page title, the URL slug, the H1, and the beginning of the first sentence.

"Your keyword, put in the page title, put it in the URL."

— 02:09

These are the places a search engine reads to decide what a page is about. The meta description is optional, with the keyword at its start if it is used at all.

02:34 - Each relevant term on a ranking site opens a fresh set of terms

From a site that ranks, pick out the terms relevant to you; each relevant term opens a fresh set of keywords to explore.

"What these sites are ranking for. And then you start picking keywords."

— 02:34

The compounding is what makes the manual version worth the hour: one good competitor is not one list, it is an entry point into several.

02:47 - Bottom-of-funnel keywords convert sooner and rank easier

Prioritise keywords closer to the bottom of the funnel: searchers ready to convert, and easier to rank because they're usually undertargeted.

"You've been listening to the show for a while, that."

— 02:47

Bottom-of-funnel searchers already know what they want and need only the brand to supply it, and few competitors target those terms deliberately. They are a lot easier to rank for precisely because a lot of people are not actually going after them.

03:14 - A seed comes from naming the niche, the product and the service

Generate seeds by asking what your niche, product and service are, then put that generic keyword into a research tool and read the sites that come up.

"Start basically by thinking of a generic keyword in my niche."

— 03:14

A seed comes from naming what your niche, product and service actually are and putting that generic term into a research tool. It is unglamorous and it is where the process starts when there is no competitor to read yet.

03:37 - A voice description to an assistant produces seeds when none come

When seeds won't come, describe your service and your ideal searcher to an AI assistant by voice and ask it for the problems and products they'd search.

"And that happens sometimes. Sometimes I get writer's block like anybody."

— 03:37

When seeds will not come — writer's block being as real here as anywhere — describing your service and your ideal searcher aloud to an assistant produces them. The method is offered without ceremony: it is a way of talking yourself into the first term.

04:24 - Sites rank accidentally for terms they never targeted

Sites often target some terms correctly yet rank accidentally for many relevant terms they aren't targeting at all — an opening for you.

"Go into those. And again, I will try to find sites that."

— 04:24

Their untargeted-but-ranking terms are demand nobody is deliberately claiming, so a targeted page can simply take them. He loves finding a results page that is just not targeted at all.

04:48 - The performance console lists terms the site already ranks for

Another starting point is your own search-performance console: read the terms you already rank for, pick the bottom-of-funnel or lucrative ones, and decide to add them to existing content or make new content.

"Inspired. Another place to start, easy place to start: Search Console."

— 04:48

Your own performance console lists the terms the site already ranks for, which is the cheapest starting point available and the one most often skipped. The data is already yours and it describes actual demand rather than estimated demand.

05:10 - A competitor claiming a niche often does not know how to rank for it

Competitors trying to create and claim a niche often don't know SEO; make the page for their niche and outrank them for the term they invented.

"Place to look — this one is pretty diabolical. I actually love this."

— 05:10

A competitor trying to create and claim a niche often does not know how to rank for it. Making the page for their niche is described as diabolical and it is straightforwardly effective: the category work has been done by somebody who cannot capture it.

05:45 - Searchers describe a niche differently than the company selling it

A competitor may describe their niche differently than searchers do; keyword research finds the synonym everyone actually searches, and you make the page for it.

"Also, they might not even realise it, that there is actually a."

— 05:45

A company may describe its niche differently than searchers do, and they may not realise it. Keyword research finds the synonym — which is the whole job in one line, and the reason the research cannot be delegated to the company's own vocabulary.

06:18 - A keyword absent from the titles and slugs marks an undertargeted page

In a results page, look for the keyword being absent from page titles and URL slugs — undertargeting means it will be easy to rank there.

"Look for in a SERP when I am actually doing keyword research."

— 06:18

In a results page, look for the keyword absent from page titles and URL slugs. Undertargeting is visible from the listing itself, before any tool is opened, and it is the first of four signals worked through in order.

06:37 - One low-authority result in the listing signals a way in

Look for low site authority relative to yours; even one low-authority result in the page signals you can rank there.

"To see low domain authorities relative to my site's domain authority."

— 06:37

The second signal is low site authority relative to yours. Even one low-authority result in the listing signals a way in, because the position it holds is not defended by anything you cannot match.

07:06 - Lower-volume bottom-of-funnel terms build the authority for the rest

Don't chase the highest-volume keywords first; build the site on relevant, lower-volume bottom-of-funnel terms, then go after competitive terms once authority is built.

"I like to see undertargeted or low domain authorities."

— 07:06

Do not chase the highest-volume keywords first. Build the site on relevant, lower-volume bottom-of-funnel terms, and let the authority earned there carry the larger ones later. The order is the strategy, not a compromise.

07:37 - A thorough page beats a thin one targeting the same term

Where sites target a keyword but the pages are thin, make a more thorough page that satisfies intent better and outrank them.

"I look at in the search engine results pages is."

— 07:37

Thin pages are a target rather than a warning: the term has already been judged worth chasing by somebody who then failed to satisfy the intent behind it. It is the one situation where writing more is the correct answer, and it is specific rather than general.

08:07 - A longer page on a subject is more relevant than a shorter one

A longer, deeper page on a subject is more relevant than a shorter one, and search engines reward relevance.

"Authority to mine. Basically, a longer, deeper page on the subject matter."

— 08:07

Going deeper into the subject matter raises relevance, which the engine favours. A longer, deeper page on the subject is more relevant than a shorter one — the length is a consequence of the depth rather than the aim.

08:21 - A page ranking on an unrelated site marks a topical gap

Look for low topical authority: a page ranking on a site not really related to the keyword can be beaten by a related site.

"Low topical authority. Is the site that this page is ranking on."

— 08:21

A related site is a better topical match, so it can displace an unrelated one ranking on borrowed strength. The question asked of every result is whether the ranking site is actually related to the keyword — if it is not and yours is, the term is winnable.

08:35 - A page that targets a term without being relevant loses the click back

Look for low on-page relevance: a page that targets the keyword but isn't really relevant likely has higher pogo-sticking and can be beaten by better intent-satisfaction.

"The page is targeting the keyword, but that page isn't really relevant."

— 08:35

The fourth is low on-page relevance — a page that targets the keyword without actually being relevant, which produces the click back to the results that the whole method is trying to avoid on your own pages.

09:45 - Working the results pages by hand beats automating the research

Fully automating keyword research is a missed opportunity; manually working the results pages yields creative, relevant terms and a real sense of what people want.

"Crazy to me. I have so many people who come on this."

— 09:45

Fully automating keyword research is named as a missed opportunity, and the manual version is what produces the signals above. A documented method is teachable — hand the framework to a motivated junior and it survives the handover, which is the difference between a skill and a habit.

Personal Branding Lessons

Research treated as reading rather than as querying. Most of what follows is done by looking at a results page carefully enough.

Spend an hour on real keyword research before believing a niche is hard

Most niches are far less competitive than they look from outside, and an hour or two of genuine research is usually enough to establish it. The claim matters because the alternative — assuming a field is saturated — is the cheapest way to never start. Assume nothing about difficulty until you have read the actual listings for the actual terms. 00:57

Start from the sites that already rank rather than from a tool

The first move is not a keyword tool but the sites that come up — better described as the sites that know what they are doing. They have already worked out what is worth targeting, and every relevant term one of them holds opens a fresh set of terms. One good competitor is not one list; it is an entry point into several. 01:30

Read the title and slug to see whether anyone is actually targeting

The tell that a site is deliberately optimising is the keyword sitting in both the page title and the URL slug. Where it is absent from both, nobody is trying — and that is information about your opportunity rather than about their competence. The same four positions are where your own targeting goes: title, slug, H1, opening line. 01:52

Take the bottom-of-funnel terms first

Searchers near the bottom are ready to convert, and those terms are also easier to rank for. Both halves matter, and the second is the one that surprises people: the commercially valuable terms are frequently the less contested ones, because volume attracts attention and intent does not. 02:47

Mine your own performance console for terms you already rank for

The cheapest starting point is the list of terms your site already appears for, and it is the one most often skipped. It costs nothing, it is already yours, and it describes actual demand rather than a tool's estimate of it. Sites also rank accidentally for relevant terms nobody targeted — and nobody is defending those. 04:48

Find the word searchers use rather than the one the company uses

A business may describe its niche differently than its buyers do, and may not realise it. Keyword research is how you find the synonym, and that is the whole job in one line. It is also why the research cannot be delegated to the company's own vocabulary — the gap between the two is the thing you are looking for. 05:45

Build on lower-volume terms before chasing the big ones

Do not start with the highest-volume keywords. Build on relevant, lower-volume, bottom-of-funnel terms, and let the authority earned there carry the larger ones later. The ordering is the strategy rather than a compromise: the big terms are not unreachable, they are simply later. 07:06

Beat a thin page with a thorough one rather than with more pages

Where a site targets a keyword but the page is thin, the answer is one properly thorough page that satisfies the intent — not several more attempts at the same term. A deeper page on a subject is more relevant than a shorter one, and the relevance is rewarded. The distinction from padding is coverage: more of the question answered, not more words. 07:37

Questions

Each answer ends at the moment in the recording where it is given.

How do I find keywords that are actually easy to rank for?

Audit the results page before you build anything. The easy ground shows two signals: the target term missing from the page titles and URL slugs of what currently ranks, meaning nobody is targeting it properly, and low site authority among the results, or even a single low-authority page holding a spot. Where undertargeting and low authority appear together, a relevant page walks in with little resistance. Either signal alone is an opening; both together make ranking close to certain. 06:18

What are bottom-of-funnel keywords, and why are they easier to rank for?

They are the terms a searcher types when they already know what they want and only need to find who supplies it — close to the point of purchase rather than idle browsing. They convert readily for that reason, and they are easier to win because few practitioners deliberately target them, so the competition is thin. The catch is that they carry naturally lower volume, since fewer people sit at the base of the funnel than at its mouth. 02:47

How can I tell whether a niche is too competitive to enter?

Spend an hour or two looking at the actual terms in the niche rather than judging it by the big names in it. The recurring finding is that most niches are far less contested than they look from outside — much of the demand is targeted badly or not at all once you examine it term by term. A space that seemed saturated often turns out thinly served, and it is worth testing a space before you commit to it rather than trusting the crowd. 00:57

How do I use a competitor's site to find keywords?

Treat a site that already ranks as free research rather than a threat: it has, in effect, run the demand study and published the answer in its own pages. Put a seed term in, find a site with the keyword sitting in both its page title and URL slug — the tell of deliberate optimisation — then read down everything it ranks for and pick out the terms relevant to you. Each relevant term opens onto more, and finding where rivals leave ground uncovered is its own discipline. 01:30

Where should I put my keyword on a page?

In the places you optimise for search: the page title, the URL slug, the H1, and the beginning of the first sentence. The meta description is optional, but if you use one, the keyword can go at its start. The presence of the term in both the title and the slug is also the tell that a site was optimised on purpose — most sites do not even do this much, which is what makes it a reliable sign. 02:09

Can I use an AI assistant to come up with keyword ideas?

Yes, as a fallback for generic starter terms when none come to mind. Describe the offer and the searcher out loud — what the product and service do, and the person who knows what they want but not the brand that supplies it — and ask for the problems and product ideas they might type in. An AI assistant is described as strong specifically at generic seed keywords. It is a way past writer's block, not the whole method; the judgement about which suggestions to pursue stays yours. 03:37

Should I go after high-volume keywords first?

No. The counsel is to build on relevant, lower-volume, ready-to-act terms first and earn the standing to contest competitive ones later, because authority has nothing to push against until a foundation is laid. Ranking for easier terms accrues the authority a site needs before it can hold a harder one. High volume is deferred, not ignored — you take on the competitive terms once the groundwork is done, and lower-volume terms are where a young presence validates demand. 07:06

How do I outrank a page that is already ranking?

Find where it is weak. If the pages targeting the term are thin, a fuller treatment of the same subject satisfies intent better and, at similar authority, is read as more relevant. If the ranking site is not really about the subject, a genuinely related site can displace it. And if a page targets the term but disappoints its searchers, it sends them bouncing back to the results, which a page that holds them can beat over time. 07:37

Is it worth automating my keyword research?

The argument here is against fully automating it. What a hands-off pass forfeits is the judgement the work exists to produce — the creative, direct sense of what people want that only surfaces when a human reads the results page and decides what is relevant. This is offered as a view of where the opportunity sits rather than a measured comparison, but the point is consistent: automation skips the exact step that turns keyword research into market understanding. 09:45

Sources

How I Find Low-Competition Keywords That Actually Convert

The sections above follow the episode's own order. Each timestamp is the point in the recording where the idea is discussed, so the post reads as a map of the conversation rather than a rearrangement of it.

Quotations come from the episode transcript with spoken filler ("okay", "right", "you know", "um", "actually", "kind of", "sort of") and false starts removed. No words are added: square brackets mark anything inserted for sense, and an ellipsis marks any cut. British spellings are restored, and speech-to-text errors were repaired against context only where the intended word is unambiguous. Where a line appears both in a cold-open teaser and in its place in the conversation, the timestamp cites the second — the point at which it is actually said.

Quotes are stamped with the moment they are said rather than with a speaker's name.