| name | keyword-research |
| description | Strategic content planning without expensive tools. 6 Circles Method to find what to write about and prioritize it. |
| triggers | keyword research, content topics, what to write about, free seo tools, topic ideation, content planning without tools, 6 circles method |
| allowed-tools | Read, Write, Edit, Grep, Glob, WebSearch, WebFetch, mcp__perplexity-ask__perplexity_ask, AskUserQuestion |
Keyword Research Without Expensive Tools
Find content topics and prioritize them using free tools and systematic frameworks.
Required Input
Ask the user for:
- Niche/Industry - What space are you in?
- Target Audience - Who are you writing for?
- Business Goal - Traffic, leads, sales, authority?
- Existing Content - Do you have a site/blog already?
The 6 Circles Method
Generate 13 content ideas from a single seed keyword using nested topic clusters.
Structure
┌─────────────────────┐
│ PRIMARY KEYWORD │ ← 1 pillar topic
│ (Largest Circle) │
└─────────────────────┘
│
┌─────────────────┼─────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐
│ Sub-topic │ │ Sub-topic │ │ Sub-topic │ ← 3 supporting themes
│ A │ │ B │ │ C │
└───────────┘ └───────────┘ └───────────┘
│ │ │
┌─────┼─────┐ ┌─────┼─────┐ ┌─────┼─────┐
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] ← 9 content pieces
Process
- Identify Primary Keyword - High-traffic, high-intent topic in your niche
- Brainstorm 3 Sub-topics - Related themes that support the primary
- Generate 3 Pieces per Sub-topic - Specific articles addressing aspects of each
Content Types for Supporting Pieces
| Type |
Example |
| How-to Guide |
"How to [achieve outcome] with [method]" |
| Comparison |
"[Option A] vs [Option B]: Which is better for [use case]" |
| List Post |
"[Number] [adjective] ways to [achieve result]" |
| Case Study |
"How [persona] achieved [result] using [approach]" |
| Trend Analysis |
"[Topic] trends in [year]: What's changing" |
| Expert Roundup |
"[Number] experts share their [topic] strategies" |
| Beginner Guide |
"[Topic] for beginners: Everything you need to know" |
| Tool Review |
"Best [category] tools for [audience/use case]" |
| Problem-Solution |
"Why [problem happens] and how to fix it" |
Free Tool Arsenal
Demand Research
| Tool |
Use For |
How to Access |
| Google Keyword Planner |
Volume ranges, competition |
ads.google.com (free account, no spend) |
| Google Trends |
Seasonality, rising topics |
trends.google.com |
| Ahrefs Free Generator |
150 suggestions with difficulty |
ahrefs.com/keyword-generator |
| Ubersuggest |
3 searches/day with metrics |
neilpatel.com/ubersuggest |
Intent Discovery
| Tool |
Use For |
How to Access |
| Google Autocomplete |
Real-time user queries |
Type in Google search bar |
| People Also Ask |
Question-based content |
Scroll down in Google SERP |
| Answer the Public |
Visual question maps |
answerthepublic.com (limited free) |
| AlsoAsked |
PAA clustering |
alsoasked.com (limited free) |
Community Mining
| Source |
What to Extract |
| Reddit |
Pain points, questions, terminology |
| Quora |
Question patterns, answer gaps |
| Industry Forums |
Niche-specific problems |
| YouTube Comments |
Objections, confusion points |
| Amazon Reviews |
Customer language, unmet needs |
Research Protocol
Step 1: Seed Generation (50-100 keywords)
## Seed Keywords for [Niche]
### From Google Autocomplete
- [keyword] + a-z variations
- "how to [keyword]"
- "best [keyword] for"
- "[keyword] vs"
### From People Also Ask
- [question 1]
- [question 2]
- [question 3]
### From Reddit r/[subreddit]
- Top posts this month: [themes]
- Common questions: [list]
- Pain points mentioned: [list]
### From Answer the Public
- Questions: [list]
- Prepositions: [list]
- Comparisons: [list]
Step 2: Competition Assessment (Manual SERP Analysis)
For each target keyword, analyze top 10 results:
| Signal |
What to Look For |
Opportunity If... |
| Content Depth |
Word count, comprehensiveness |
Top results are thin (<1000 words) |
| Freshness |
Publication date, last update |
Top results are 2+ years old |
| Format Match |
Does format match intent? |
Results don't match searcher need |
| Authority Gap |
Domain strength of rankers |
Small sites ranking (not all big brands) |
| Content Gaps |
Missing subtopics, unanswered questions |
PAA questions not covered |
Step 3: Prioritization Matrix
Score each keyword 1-10:
| Keyword |
Demand |
Competition |
Intent Fit |
Opportunity |
| [keyword] |
[1-10] |
[1-10, lower=easier] |
[1-10] |
Demand - Competition |
Prioritize: Opportunity score >3, Intent fit >6
Sweet Spot Targets
| Site Stage |
Monthly Search Volume |
Competition Level |
| New site (0-6 months) |
100-500 |
Low |
| Growing site (6-18 months) |
500-2,000 |
Low-Medium |
| Established site (18+ months) |
1,000-10,000 |
Medium |
Output Format
# Keyword Research: [Niche/Topic]
## 6 Circles Content Plan
### Primary Keyword: [keyword]
- Monthly searches: [range]
- Competition: [low/medium/high]
- Intent: [informational/commercial/transactional]
### Sub-topic A: [theme]
1. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
2. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
3. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
### Sub-topic B: [theme]
4. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
5. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
6. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
### Sub-topic C: [theme]
7. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
8. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
9. [Article idea] - [target keyword] - [volume]
## Prioritized Content Queue
| Priority | Topic | Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Opportunity |
|----------|-------|---------|--------|------------|-------------|
| 1 | [topic] | [keyword] | [vol] | [1-10] | [score] |
| 2 | [topic] | [keyword] | [vol] | [1-10] | [score] |
| 3 | [topic] | [keyword] | [vol] | [1-10] | [score] |
## Quick Wins (Low Competition, Decent Volume)
- [keyword 1] - [rationale]
- [keyword 2] - [rationale]
- [keyword 3] - [rationale]
## Content Gaps Found
- [gap 1] - competitors missing [what]
- [gap 2] - outdated content on [topic]
- [gap 3] - no good [format] exists for [query]
## Reddit/Community Insights
- Top pain point: [description]
- Common question: [question]
- Terminology used: [terms]
## Next Steps
1. [ ] Create pillar content for [primary keyword]
2. [ ] Write [specific article] targeting [quick win keyword]
3. [ ] Research [sub-topic] deeper for more ideas
Reddit Mining Protocol
Search Queries
site:reddit.com "[niche]" + "how do I"
site:reddit.com "[niche]" + "help"
site:reddit.com "[niche]" + "struggling with"
site:reddit.com "[niche]" + "recommend"
site:reddit.com "[niche]" + "vs"
What to Extract
- Questions asked repeatedly → Content opportunities
- Complaints about existing solutions → Angle differentiation
- Terminology and slang → Keyword variations
- Recommended resources → Competitor analysis
- Upvote patterns → Topic demand signals
Integration with Other Skills
| After This Skill |
Use For |
content-planner |
Detailed outlines for prioritized topics |
bofu-keywords |
Bottom-of-funnel conversion keywords |
content-calendar |
Scheduling the content queue |
content-writer |
Writing the actual content |
What This Skill Does NOT Do
- Provide exact search volume (use Keyword Planner for ranges)
- Guarantee rankings
- Replace comprehensive SEO audits
- Analyze existing site performance (use Google Search Console)