Semrush Keyword Explorer Guide: How I Find Hidden Ranking Gold 🪙

So you’ve probably heard the hype around Semrush. Everyone’s shouting, “It’s the GOAT of keyword research!” But let’s be real — if you’re anything like me, you log in, click around, and feel instantly overwhelmed.

Table of Contents

Been there.

But once I actually figured out how to use Semrush Keyword Explorer, it stopped being this overpriced dashboard of charts… and started becoming my idea machine. This post is the raw, no-fluff guide I wish I had when I started.

Let’s break it all down like I’m sitting next to you at your screen.

What Is Semrush Keyword Explorer (and Why It’s Worth Your Time)?

Okay. Semrush Keyword Explorer is a fancy tool to help you find:

What people are searching on Google 👀
How many are searching it 📊
How tough it is to rank 🔐
And whether it’s even worth writing about 💡

Now, yes — Semrush ain’t free (I know you’re into the free stuff too — respect). But you can still get a limited number of free searches every day if you’ve got a basic account. And honestly, that’s all you need if you’re just trying to find one solid topic per day.

Step 1: Type In A Broad Keyword

This is where most people get it wrong. They type in “keto diet” or “SEO tools” and then stare at the huge list thinking… “uhh?”

Instead, treat that search bar like Google autocomplete.
💡 Start with a broad term like:

“freelance writing”
“low carb recipes”
“email marketing”
“hiking boots”

You’re just dropping an anchor — don’t worry about being specific yet.

Step 2: Filter Like A Pro (This Part’s KEY)

The real gold is hiding behind Semrush’s filters.

Here’s exactly how I set mine 👇

KD (Keyword Difficulty): Set this between 0–29% — this gets you easy targets
Search Volume: I usually aim for 100–1,000 per month
Word Count: Set it to 3+ words to get long-tail phrases
Include Keywords: If you’re niching down, use words like “for beginners,” “best,” “how to”
Exclude Keywords: I throw out things like “Reddit,” “YouTube,” or “near me” (I’m writing blog posts, not ranking on maps)

Once you hit apply — boom. You’ve just sliced through thousands of junk results.

Step 3: Sort by KD (Not Search Volume)

Trust me, everyone chases high volume… and then wonders why they’re stuck on page 3.

✨ Low competition wins early traffic.
Always.

So I sort by Keyword Difficulty (KD) from lowest to highest. Then I go fishing for:

Keywords with low KD + decent volume
Keywords with informational intent (aka blog-friendly)
Keywords that spark 3–4 blog ideas in my head instantly

If one keyword gives me multiple angles? It’s going on my list.

Step 4: Check the SERP (Is It Even Blog-Worthy?)

Now, here’s where most folks get lazy.
You must click the keyword and check what’s ranking.

Look for:

🧾 Are the top results blog posts? Good.
🏪 Are they ecommerce or landing pages? Bad.
🧠 Are the titles weak or outdated? Opportunity.
⚔️ Are huge brands ranking? Not ideal, but not impossible if your content’s sharper.

I legit open each URL in a new tab and take mental notes:

Can I write something better?
Can I format it in a more helpful way?
Can I hit a sub-topic no one’s covering?

This part takes 5 minutes, but saves weeks of wasted effort.

Step 5: Save Keywords to a List (Name It Something Dumb)

Semrush lets you make lists — use them.

I save all my chosen ones into something ridiculous like:

“easy rankers”
“sleepers to attack”
“may content bank lol”

Organize it however you want. The point is: keep them in one place. And once a week, revisit it to batch plan your content.

Bonus: Check the “Questions” Tab for Instant Blog Titles 🧠

This tab is criminally underrated.

Switch over to the “Questions” tab in Keyword Explorer, and bam — actual blog headlines written for you.

Some I’ve pulled directly:

“how to start a blog with no money”
“best protein for weight loss female”
“is affiliate marketing still worth it”

These are real questions people are asking — all you have to do is answer better than what’s out there.

Real Results: How I Got My First Traffic Using This Tool 💥

So here’s a mini case study. I found the keyword:
“blogging ideas for introverts”

KD: 21
Volume: 320/mo
Top result was outdated and boring af

I wrote a casual post — real tips, personal tone, no fluff.
3 weeks later?
It hit page 1. 60+ clicks a month from one article.

Not viral. Not sexy. But that’s how you win the game early.
Small wins stack fast.

What I’d Do If I Was Starting From Scratch Today

If I had zero audience and was broke:

Sign up for the free Semrush account
Pick 3 seed topics I actually care about
Run them through Keyword Explorer using the filters above
Write 1 blog post per week around low-KD keywords
Answer questions. Be real. Don’t chase perfection.

That’s it.

SEO is a long game, but if you pick the right keywords?
You shortcut months of waiting.

TL;DR (Because I Love You)

Semrush Keyword Explorer is crazy powerful — but only if you filter right 🧠
Don’t chase volume. Chase low competition.
Use the Questions tab. Check the SERP. Save smart.
Build momentum with “easy” wins — the traffic adds up.

That’s it. No gurus. No BS. Just the workflow that works.

If you’ve been messing with keyword tools and getting nowhere, give this a spin. It’s how I went from 0 traffic → consistent search clicks that pay me every month.