How to Find Keywords Used in a Website
Understanding the keywords a website ranks for is crucial for competitive SEO analysis. Whether you're auditing your own site or spying on competitors, uncovering these keywords can reveal gaps and opportunities in your strategy. Here’s how to find them.
1. Use Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) provides a free way to see which keywords your site ranks for. Navigate to the Performance report to view queries, impressions, and clicks. This data is invaluable for refining your content strategy.
2. Leverage SEMrush or Ahrefs
Paid tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs offer in-depth competitor keyword analysis. Simply enter a domain, and these tools will display organic keywords, search volume, and ranking positions. While not free, they provide unmatched insights.
3. Try Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is a budget-friendly alternative to premium tools. It reveals keywords a site ranks for, along with difficulty scores and traffic estimates. Great for small businesses or beginners.
4. Analyze Competitor Content Manually
Review competitor pages and identify repeated phrases, headings, and meta tags. Tools like SEO Minion can highlight keywords directly in your browser.
5. Check Backlink Anchor Text
Backlinks often contain target keywords. Use Ahrefs or Moz to analyze a site’s backlink profile and identify keyword-rich anchor texts.
6. Use Google’s "Related Searches"
Search for a competitor’s primary keyword and scroll to the bottom of Google’s results. The "Related searches" section reveals additional keywords they may be targeting.
7. Explore Keyword Gap Tools
SEMrush and Ahrefs offer "Keyword Gap" analysis, showing overlapping and unique keywords between competitors. This helps identify untapped opportunities.
Final Thoughts
Finding keywords used in a website is a mix of free and paid tools, manual analysis, and strategic research. By leveraging these methods, you can refine your SEO strategy and outperform competitors.