For a new website, trying to rank for “best laptop” is a recipe for disappointment. Ranking for “best laptop under NPR 50,000 for students in Nepal” is far more realistic. The trick isn’t finding high-volume keywords — it’s finding low-competition keywords you can actually rank for. Here’s a simple, free process you can use in 2026.
What makes a keyword “low competition”
A keyword is low-competition when:
- It’s specific and long-tail (3–5 words).
- The top 10 results include smaller blogs or forums, not only Wikipedia, Forbes, Amazon or giant media.
- It has clear search intent (the searcher wants a specific answer).
- You can answer it better than the current page-one results.
Free tools to find keyword ideas
| Tool | Best for | Free? |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Find queries you’re already getting impressions for | Yes |
| Google Trends | Spot rising topics in Nepal/globally | Yes |
| AnswerThePublic | Questions people ask (“how to…”, “what is…”) | Yes (limited) |
| Ahrefs Free Tools | Keyword ideas with rough difficulty | Yes |
| Ubersuggest | Keyword suggestions | Free tier |
Start with Search Console first — those are queries you can often improve quickly.
The 5-step process
Step 1 — List problems your audience has
Brainstorm 20–30 questions your target reader asks. For example: “how to register .com.np domain”, “how much does AdSense pay in Nepal”, etc.
Step 2 — Generate keyword ideas
Plug those questions into AnswerThePublic, Ubersuggest or Ahrefs Free Tools. Collect a list of long-tail variations.
Step 3 — Filter for intent and length
Keep keywords that are 3–5 words, solve a specific problem, and have a clear intent (informational or commercial with a narrow scope).
Step 4 — Judge competition by SERP (most important)
Google each keyword in an incognito window. Look at the top 10 results:
- Winnable: forums (Reddit, Quora), small blogs, listicles from smaller sites, or outdated pages.
- Hard: Wikipedia, big media, Amazon, official docs, massive authority sites dominating.
- Very easy: pages with thin content, outdated info, or poor UX — you can do better.
If the first page is full of small sites, it’s usually low-competition.
Step 5 — Pick 10–20 and publish
Pick the easiest, most helpful ones first. Don’t overthink difficulty scores — SERP reality beats any number for a new site.
A simple “winnability” checklist
- 3–5 words (long-tail)
- Clear search intent
- Top 10 includes at least 3 non-authority sites
- You can answer it more completely or more practically
- Relevant to your niche
- Solves a real problem
Tips for Nepali websites
- Target Nepali-language keywords where competition is often lower.
- Include “in Nepal” or location terms (e.g. “.com.np domain Nepal”).
- Answer with Nepali-specific details (prices in NPR, local banks, portals) — that alone makes you better than generic international pages.
Common mistakes
- Chasing high-volume keywords on day one.
- Trusting difficulty scores blindly without checking the actual SERP.
- Ignoring search intent (writing a product page for an informational query).
- Writing thin content that doesn’t actually answer better than page one.
The bottom line
For a new website, the fastest path is long-tail, low-competition keywords where the top results aren’t dominated by giants. Use free tools to generate ideas, but judge by the SERP itself. Pick keywords you can answer better than anyone on page one, publish solid content, and repeat.
Fact-checked September 2026. SEO evolves, but this process is stable. General information.
