Using AI to Find Easy-to-Rank Opportunities (Low Competition Gems)

Part of 🔍 Keyword Research & Strategy with AI (Articles 6–9) in Launch and scale an SEO business using AI tools

Part of the “SEO for Real People” Beginner Course — where we make bots do the boring bits

So. You’re staring at a blank Google Doc, wondering how in the world your brand-new blog is supposed to compete with websites that have been around since the dinosaurs. Okay, not dinosaurs, but definitely since the Obama era.

And you’re probably thinking:
“How the heck do I find keywords I can actually rank for without selling a kidney or learning Python?”

Great news: You can.
Even better news: AI can help.
Best news: I’ve already fallen into all the SEO potholes so you don’t have to.

Let’s talk low-competition keyword gems — aka the stuff nobody’s targeting yet, but your audience is definitely searching for.

💡 First Things First: What Do We Even Mean By “Easy-to-Rank”?

Let’s clear the air.

When we say “easy-to-rank,” we’re not saying “post it and rank tomorrow.” That’s fantasy land. We’re talking:

• Low competition (few big dogs writing about it)
• Decent search volume (more than just your mom Googling it)
• Clear intent (you know why someone’s searching for it)
• Realistic for a newer site (you don’t need 500 backlinks and a prayer)

And here’s the real kicker:
Some of these opportunities are so low-hanging they’re basically on the ground — but only if you know how to look.

🤖 Why AI Is a Game-Changer for Finding These Gems

Imagine keyword research as digging through sand to find buried treasure. AI? It’s the giant magnetic detector that goes ping! every time there’s gold nearby. Except, instead of dragging it around the beach, you just type a question.

Seriously. Tools like ChatGPT, LowFruits, Frase, and Ubersuggest are like that one nerdy friend who somehow knows everything, and doesn’t mind being asked 50 questions in a row.

Let’s break it down — step by semi-chaotic step.

🧭 Step 1: Start With a Niche You Actually Care About

Hot take: Don’t pick your niche based on what’s trending on Reddit. Pick something that you could talk about with annoying enthusiasm at brunch.

Why? Because the stuff you care about is the stuff you understand. And understanding = insight = unique content = trust.

Okay, soapbox moment over.

Once you’ve got your niche, drop it into ChatGPT with a prompt like:

“Give me 30 long-tail keywords in the [niche] space that a beginner website could realistically rank for.”

Not joking — I once did this for “indoor gardening for small apartments” and got gold like:

• “best herbs to grow on windowsill”
• “small apartment hydroponics kit”
• “LED grow lights that don’t look ugly” (yes, people care about aesthetics)

🕵️‍♀️ Step 2: Let AI Help You Spy (Politely) on the Competition

Now we get sneaky.

Pick one of your keywords and ask AI:

“What websites are currently ranking for ‘how to grow basil indoors’?”

Then — and this is important — go look. Actually read the pages. If it’s a giant brand like HGTV or The Spruce, that might be a tough hill to climb. But if it’s a scrappy blog from 2018 with bad formatting and stock images of sad basil? That’s your chance.

You can also plug the keyword into Ubersuggest or LowFruits to see the domain authority of the top-ranking sites. Look for ones under DA 30 — that’s your sweet spot if you’re just starting.

📌 Step 3: Check the SERP Vibes (aka: Google It Like a Human)

Here’s something no one tells you:
Google search results have vibes. Seriously.

Some searches return listicles. Others give you forums. Some are clogged with ecommerce pages. You need to see what Google thinks people want when they type that phrase in.

Let’s say you’re eyeing “how to fix overwatered succulents.”

Search it. What do you see?

• Blog posts? → Good sign.
• Quora threads? → Easy win.
• YouTube videos? → Make a blog post + embed videos.
• 10 big brands dominating? → Maybe skip.

Your job isn’t just to write — it’s to fit in, then stand out.

🎯 Step 4: Refine It with AI (Turn Ideas Into Strategy)

Okay, so now you’ve got a list of maybe 10-15 keywords that might be juicy. Time to validate.

Ask ChatGPT something like:

“Rank these 15 keywords by estimated competition and provide suggestions for easier alternatives if any are too competitive.”

Or…

“Group these keywords into low, medium, and high competition tiers. Then suggest content formats for each.”

This turns your scattered ideas into a roadmap. No more guesswork. You’ve got direction. Structure. The SEO gods are smiling.

🍒 Step 5: Look for the Weird, Underrated Stuff

Want the real juicy stuff?

Dig where others aren’t.

Try:

• Reddit threads (look at what questions people actually ask)
• YouTube comments (gold mine of unmet needs)
• AnswerThePublic (yes, it’s still relevant and weirdly dramatic)
• Google’s “People Also Ask” box — infinite loop of curiosity

Then ask AI:

“Generate low-competition blog topics based on Reddit questions about [topic].”

That, my friend, is where you find the real easy-to-rank opportunities. Not the ones everyone’s fighting for. The ones no one’s noticed yet.

🚧 Things I Messed Up So You Don’t Have To

1. Chasing volume over intent
   I once spent two weeks writing a 3,000-word piece on “best workout supplements” — got 5 clicks. Why? Competition was wild. And I didn’t even lift. 😅
2. Ignoring search intent
   If someone searches “best travel shoes for women,” don’t hit them with a philosophical think piece. Give them a damn list.
3. Not checking if the keyword deserves a full post
   Some keywords belong in a section, not their own post. Ask AI:

“Is [keyword] worth a full blog post or just a paragraph in a broader article?”

💬 Final Thoughts (a.k.a. A Little SEO Therapy)

Look, I get it. This SEO thing? It’s overwhelming. It feels like everyone else knows some secret handshake you missed out on.

But here’s the truth:
You’re not late.
You’re not behind.
You’re just starting. And you’ve got tools now — wildly powerful ones — that didn’t exist a few years ago.

You don’t need to outwrite the giants.
You just need to outsmart ‘em — one tiny, low-competition gem at a time.

And guess what? Your readers don’t want perfect. They want real. So if your first post is a little clunky, a little rambling, a little you — that’s good. That’s human.

Let AI do the heavy lifting.
Let you do the connecting.
And somewhere in between? That’s where the SEO magic happens.

Next Lesson: Creating Human-First Content That Still Ranks Like a Beast (With AI Help, Of Course)

Want me to turn this into a worksheet or keyword audit checklist? Or maybe give examples for your niche? Just holler.

Still cheering for you,
~ Your friendly neighborhood SEO nerd who once ranked for “can cats eat watermelon”
🐱🍉💻