How to generate keyword ideas with keyword research tools

Executive overview

Most keyword tools rely on Google's autocomplete or limited ad-platform data. Ahrefs Keywords Explorer uses clickstream data — browsing behaviour collected from millions of users — to build a 4.6 billion query database. Filter by keyword difficulty (KD = 0) to surface low-competition targets immediately.

The fastest path to rankable keyword ideas is a KD filter applied to a clickstream-powered tool, not Google's own planner.

Free tools: Answer the Public and Ubersuggest

• Answer the Public returns question-based queries using Google and Bing autocomplete (e.g. "Can cats eat dog food?").
• Ubersuggest also uses autocomplete but surfaces all keyword types, not just questions.
• Neither tool shows monthly search volume.

Google Keyword Planner

• Part of Google Ads; originally the go-to free keyword tool for SEOs.
• Now shows only volume ranges, not exact numbers — exact data requires an active ad campaign.
• Still useful for idea generation; groups suggestions into clusters automatically.

Ahrefs Keywords Explorer

• Runs on a 4.6 billion query database built primarily from clickstream data.
• Entering a seed keyword returns close to a million suggestions.
• Set KD filter to 0 to isolate queries rankable without backlinks.
• Low-KD results (e.g. "Can cats eat bread?") often correspond to pages earning hundreds of monthly visits with few or no backlinks.

How to use these tools

• Feed seed words and phrases related to your niche.
• Apply a KD filter to narrow the list to realistic targets.
• Check the top-ranking pages: total traffic potential and backlink count matter more than the individual keyword's volume.