Imagine you’re at a market looking for apples. At one stand, a vendor shouts loudly: “Come get the tastiest apples here!” A crowd gathers, but not many people actually buy. Some don’t like the apples, others don’t want to pick them from a mixed pile. This is a metaphor for high-frequency keywords (HF): maximum attention, but not always a precise match with user intent.
In contrast, low-frequency keywords (LF) are like dozens of small stalls labeled “Aydared apples for pickling,” “Golden sweet apples for kids,” “Jonathan apples for baking.” These don’t scream about a universal offering, but everyone who came for apples finds exactly what they need. That’s how the low-frequency strategy works: each keyword brings little traffic individually, but together, they cover a vast spectrum of demand. Thanks to their precision, they attract an audience that’s ready to buy — and in total, they can generate more traffic than a few popular search terms.
That’s why long-tail keywords are a real goldmine for websites looking to drive actual sales rather than just clicks. Below, we’ll explain what low-, medium-, and high-frequency keywords are — and how to use them effectively.
In search engine optimization (SEO), one of the core methods is building a semantic core — a set of words, their morphological forms, and combinations that define the niche, products, or services offered by a specific website. These words are known as keywords.
To attract targeted traffic, it’s crucial not only to choose the right keywords but also to segment them correctly. This segmentation is based on frequency — the number of times people use a particular search term each month. Here’s how keywords are categorized:
It’s important to understand that the value of an LF keyword doesn’t lie in how often it’s searched. Even with low volume, such queries can bring in “warm” leads who may later become regular — or even wholesale — buyers.
Low-frequency traffic isn’t random — it’s made up of users who know exactly what they’re looking for. It can bring immense benefits to your website, including:
Unfortunately, many beginner SEOs overlook the power of LF keywords, focusing only on HF queries. But in high-competition niches, this strategy often underperforms. So what’s the solution? Simple: start by creating at least a dozen LF-optimized pages that address specific user pain points and goals. In our example, this might be pages like “Quick Recipe for Pickled Aydared Apples” or “Buy Aydared Apples Grade 1 in Kyiv.”
How do you find LF keywords?
In fact, there are plenty of tools that can help you quickly identify low-frequency search terms — from industry favorites like Serpstat, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and KeyCollector, to more basic tools like Google Suggest (yes, that’s the autocomplete dropdown in the Google search bar — just enter your base keyword, i.e., your HF keyword, and observe the less common phrases appearing near the bottom of the suggestions list).
You can also compile a list of LF queries manually — which can be very effective if you’re familiar with the niche. Just follow these simple steps:
Using low-frequency (LF) phrases requires a highly precise and attentive approach. This means that for each query, you’ll need to allocate at least a dedicated page — or even an entire article or content block.
For example, you could publish a blog post titled “Where to Buy Apples for Pickling Cheap,” including descriptions of suitable apple varieties, recipes (both quick and signature ones), and an SEO block with FAQs and links to relevant product pages, other articles, or site sections. And finally:
Before you begin optimization, make sure your query is actually low-frequency. Just type it into Google. If you don’t see any ads or find only a few matches, you’ve likely hit the bullseye. 🙂 You can also use tools mentioned earlier, like Serpstat. The key is to check the request frequency (RF): if it’s under 100, you’ve chosen the right term.
At the same time, LF optimization only works if the query appears in the right places:
Let’s look at an example of a title and snippet based on LF keywords relevant to our imaginary site:
This sample title follows several important guidelines:
As for snippets, here are some best practices:
Low-frequency keywords form a solid foundation for a long-term and effective SEO strategy. They are especially useful for new websites, sites with diverse product ranges, and any platforms that need to quickly attract targeted traffic and boost conversion rates. Use them on product category pages, combine them with medium-frequency queries, in product cards (with as much specificity as possible), and in FAQ blocks and blog articles, enriching the content with long-tail keywords, question-based phrases, and LSI terms. This will ensure the best possible result from your low-frequency keyword optimization.
LF keywords are long and precise search queries that are not in high demand, but they’re used by people who are ready to take action (e.g., make a purchase).
Usually, an LF query is 20–50 characters long (roughly 3–5 words). However, the better indicator of low-frequency is the search volume — typically under 100 searches per month.
Yes. Optimization using low-frequency keywords is one of the most effective (and budget-friendly) ways to boost the visibility of new websites. The key is to create many unique pages with regularly updated content and well-structured SEO.
Because LF queries often include geographic indicators (e.g., “buy Aydared apples Kyiv”), making them extremely relevant to local searches.
The optimal number ranges from 50 to 300 queries, depending on the niche.
First, check whether the keyword is present in the H1, title, and body text. Next, confirm that the page is indexed. If that doesn’t help, add internal links and wait — sometimes Google needs time to "think it through" (usually a couple of weeks).
The most popular tools for gathering long-tail keywords include Google Search Console, Ahrefs, Serpstat, and Screaming Frog. Choose the one that fits best with your broader SEO strategy.
Yes, and they even have a special name — micro-frequency keywords (mLFKs). These are unique, often generated from niche-specific experience. Their volume rarely exceeds 10 searches per month, and they typically start at five words, often with question-like structure. They’re especially valuable in the B2B sector (alongside regular LFKs).
| Parameter | LFK | mLFK (not found in tool databases) |
| Frequency | ~10–100 | ~1–10 |
| Competition | Low | Near zero |
| Query length | 3–5 words | 5+ words, often longer |
| Value | High (especially in B2B/niches) | Very high, when used at scale |
| Examples | “buy nike sneakers” | “where to buy nike pulse running shoes cheap” |
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