In the crowded world of affiliate marketing, it can be difficult to know what keyword to target. With thousands of bloggers and content creators targeting the same popular keywords, ranking on Google can seem impossible, especially if you’re just starting out. But what if I told you there’s a smarter way to get noticed? Introducing low competition keywords.
Also known as “low-hanging fruit”, these keywords have low search volume but far less competition, meaning you have a higher chance of ranking quickly, driving consistent traffic, and making sales. In fact, studies have shown that over 70% of search queries are long-tail keywords, many of which fall into the low competition category. That’s a lot of untapped opportunity waiting for affiliates like you!
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to find low competition keywords for affiliate marketing, why they matter for SEO, and how you can leverage them to build a sustainable content strategy that works.
Understanding Low Competition Keywords for Affiliate Marketing
Low competition keywords are specific search terms that have relatively few websites trying to rank for them. They’re usually longer, more descriptive, and more niche than head terms like “best headphones” or “SEO tools.” While they may not bring in thousands of visitors overnight, they attract more targeted traffic, which often leads to better conversion rates.
If you’re new to affiliate SEO, you might be wondering: Why not go for the most searched keywords? The answer is simple, those terms are dominated by authoritative sites with huge SEO budgets. As a beginner, your best shot at ranking and earning lies in targeting long tail keywords, buyer intent keywords, and zero volume keywords that your competitors are ignoring.
Low competition doesn’t mean low value. It means opportunity.
Topical Authority
You see, it’s not all about the keywords you target, but the topical authority that you build through writing about a certain topic. If I were to write 20 blog posts each targeting zero volume keywords surrounding the topic “car wraps”, I would still rank for semantic keywords surrounding this topic due to topical authority. Does that make sense?
Start with a Clear Niche and Audience
Before you begin your keyword research, it’s important to get clear on your niche and the problems your audience is trying to solve. Whether you’re in tech, beauty, fitness, or finance, understanding your audience’s search intent is key. Are they looking for reviews? Comparisons? How-to guides?
Once you choose a niche, stick to it! A very common problem affiliates have is spreading their content thin by writing about many different topics. Instead, choose one topic/niche, and go in deep on it.
Knowing this helps you uncover specific, intent driven keyword opportunities like:
- “best noise cancelling headphones under £100”
- “how to build muscle at home without equipment”
- “budget travel tips for digital nomads”
These phrases show a clear purpose behind the search, making them perfect for affiliate content targeting purchase ready traffic.
Use Free and Paid Keyword Tools to Your Advantage
There are plenty of SEO tools out there that make finding low competition keywords easier. While premium tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and KWFinder offer in depth metrics like keyword difficulty and traffic potential, you don’t need to spend a fortune to get started. Tools like Ubersuggest, Google Keyword Planner, and AnswerThePublic can also give valuable insights.
Look for keywords with:
- Low SEO difficulty (KD under 30 if using Ahrefs or SEMrush)
- Reasonable monthly search volume (even 10–100 can be valuable if it’s targeted)
- Commercial or transactional intent
- A low number of competing articles on Google’s first page
You can also use Google’s autocomplete and related searches to find real user queries. Just type a few words into the search bar and see what suggestions pop up.
Analyse the SERPs and Check for Weak Competition
Once you’ve found a few promising keywords, you need to dig deeper by analysing the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). You want to look for keywords where the top ranking pages are weak: maybe they’re outdated, not well optimised, or low authority sites. This is your chance to outdo them.
Check for signs of weak competition like:
- Forum posts (like Quora or Reddit) in the top results
- Low word count or thin content
- Few or no backlinks (their site will have low authority)
- Poor on-page optimisation (missing titles, no meta description, no internal linking)
If you spot these red flags, that’s a green light for you to target the keyword. Create a better, more comprehensive piece of content and you can jump into the top positions faster than you think.
Look for Affiliate Friendly Keyword Modifiers
Affiliate marketers should pay close attention to keyword modifiers that signal buyer intent. These include words like:
- Best
- Cheapest
- Top-rated
- Review
- Alternatives
- Comparison
- Worth it
- Under £50
- Free trial
- Discount code
Combining these modifiers with niche specific terms helps you uncover the low hanging fruit like:
- “best VPN for Netflix UK”
- “affordable standing desks for home office”
- “Bluehost vs Hostinger for beginners”
These are high converting, low competition gems that can bring in traffic and commissions if you build content around them strategically.
Don’t Sleep on Zero Volume Keywords
One of the most overlooked SEO strategies in affiliate marketing is targeting zero volume keywords. These are keywords that tools say get little to no searches, but in reality, they often do. Because they’re under the radar, they’re typically extremely low competition and perfect for building topical authority in your niche.
Examples include very specific product comparisons, feature based queries, or localised searches like:
- “Does Hostinger work in South Africa?”
- “How to use Jasper AI for Amazon affiliate marketing”
- “Cheapest eco-friendly yoga mats UK 2025”
These long-tail, zero volume phrases attract qualified visitors who are deep in the buying journey. Ranking for dozens of them can stack up to significant traffic and revenue over time.
Create Content That Matches Search Intent and Provides Real Value
Once you’ve found your low competition keywords, the next step is creating SEO content that answers the user’s question better than anyone else. Focus on clarity, readability, and depth. Use on-page SEO techniques like including your keyword in headings, adding internal links, optimising meta descriptions, and including schema mark-up.
Make sure your article delivers what the searcher is looking for. This builds trust, reduces bounce rate, and improves your chances of ranking higher in the SERPs.
*Remember: Google rewards helpful content that puts users first.*
Keep a Keyword Tracking System
Affiliate SEO is a long-term project. Once your content is published, use tools like Google Search Console or Wincher to track your rankings. Monitor how your low-competition keywords are performing and refine your strategy as you go.
If a keyword starts gaining traction, consider creating cluster content around it or linking to it from related posts. This will help increase the topical authority of your content, allowing you to rank higher for semantic keywords.
If something’s not ranking, revisit your content and optimise it further, adding in additional semantic keywords.
Conclusion
Finding low competition keywords for affiliate marketing can be frustrating at times, but if you stick with it long enough, it will pay off in the long run. Instead of fighting for scraps in a crowded space, you’ll be carving out your own niche with targeted content that actually ranks.
Focus on long-tail keywords, use keyword research tools, analyse SERPs, and aim for topics with clear user intent. Don’t be afraid of zero volume terms or buyer-intent modifiers. These keywords may be quiet on the surface, but they bring in the kind of traffic that converts.
