Search a Website for Keywords: 5 Expert Methods

Last Updated on April 21, 2025

When I first started analyzing competitor websites for keyword opportunities, I realized how scattered most tutorials were. Some told me to “use Ctrl+F.” Others pushed me toward expensive tools without providing any real context.

So I decided to create something better.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through proven methods to search keywords on any website, whether your competitor’s or your own. You won’t just get the how, you’ll understand the why behind each method. And I’m not stopping at the basics, I’ll go beyond with browser tools, search operators, SEO platforms, and even Chrome extensions that simplify the process.

Whether you’re an SEO beginner or a growth-focused marketer, this post gives you more actionable value than any other article.

By the end, you’ll be able to:

• Instantly surface keywords from any site (free or paid options)
• Reverse-engineer a competitor’s SEO strategy
• Spot content gaps and ranking opportunities for your blog

Let’s jump in.

Why You Might Want to Search Keywords on a Website

Before I show you the methods, let me explain why this process matters. I’ve utilized these keyword search techniques in various SEO scenarios, and they’ve consistently helped me uncover new growth opportunities.

Here’s why searching keywords on a website is a game-changer:

Analyze Your Competitor’s Strategy

I often search keywords on competing websites to understand what topics they prioritize and how they structure their content. This gives me insights into:

• Their top-performing blog posts
• Keywords they’re targeting heavily
• Gaps in their content I can capitalize on

It’s like peeking into their playbook.

Discover Ranking Keywords That Work

You can’t rank without understanding what’s already working in your niche. I use keyword discovery to find:

• Long-tail keywords competitors are ranking for (but not optimizing)
• High-traffic keywords, they’re dominating
• Low-competition keywords they’ve missed

This sets the stage for smarter content creation.

Audit Your Content for Optimization

Even on my websites, I regularly search for keyword usage to make sure:

• My target keywords are naturally placed.
• I’m not overstuffing or underusing important phrases.
• Pages are aligned with search intent.

It’s a great way to catch issues before they hurt rankings.

Step-by-step SEO strategy for clinic websites

Uncover Entry Points for Backlinks or Guest Posts

Sometimes, I search a site’s keywords to find relevant content topics for outreach. For example, if a blog ranks for “technical SEO audit,” I know it’s likely open to topics in that niche, which makes pitching easier.

Method 1: Use Google Search Operators (Free & Powerful)

I still find myself using this method almost daily. It’s fast, completely free, and gives you surprisingly accurate keyword insights, especially if you’re trying to find specific terms across any public-facing pages of a website.

What Are Search Operators?

Search operators are special commands you can add to Google searches to filter and refine results. Combined smartly, they help you surface content that includes your target keyword.

Here’s how I use them.

Helpful Search Operators I Use to Find Keywords on Websites

Operator	What It Does	Example
site:	Limits results to one website	site:example.com
" "	Searches for an exact phrase	"technical SEO"
intitle:	Finds pages with the keyword in URL	intitle:"site audit"
inurl:	Finds pages with the keyword in the URL	inurl:seo-checklist
OR	Combines multiple terms	"SEO audit" OR "technical audit"

How I Apply This in Real Use:

I want to check if a competitor is targeting “on-page SEO.” I’d use:

vbnetCopyEditsite:competitor.com "on-page SEO"

Want to check if it’s in their title tags?

vbnetCopyEditsite:competitor.com intitle:"on-page SEO"

Looking for blog posts on SEO audits or checklists?

makefileCopyEditsite:competitor.com inurl:seo-audit OR inurl:checklist

Pro Tip:

I often save these queries in a Notion template for quick access. You can even automate this using SEO browser extensions (which I’ll cover in the Bonus section later).

Method 2: Use Browser Tools (Inspect + Find Text)

I go straight to the browser when I don’t want to overcomplicate with SEO tools. It’s fast, and I can instantly check keyword usage right on the page. This method works great for surface-level keyword analysis and content optimization audits, especially when manually reviewing a site.

Step 1: Use Find (Ctrl+F / Cmd+F)

The simplest method — I hit Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F on Mac) and type in the keyword I’m checking for.

For example, when reviewing a blog about “internal linking,” I search that exact phrase and quickly see:

• How many times does it appear?
• Whether it’s used in headings, meta tags, or body text.
• Whether it’s stuffed unnaturally or well-distributed.

💡 I sometimes use variations like “internal links” or “site linking” to get more context.

Step 2: Open Developer Tools (Inspect Element)

This is where it gets a little more technical, but extremely useful.

Here’s how I use Inspect Element to dive deeper:

1. Right-click → Inspect (or press F12)
2. Navigate to the Elements tab
3. Hit Ctrl+F again inside the source code viewer
4. Type in your keyword — it will highlight every instance

This lets me check if the keyword appears in:

• Title tag (<title>)
• Meta description (<meta name="description">)
• Header tags (<h1>, <h2>, etc.)
• Image alt text
• Structured data (like FAQ schema)

Bonus: View Hidden Content or Lazy-Loaded Sections

Some sites load content dynamically. I use Inspect to see text not visible on the first load, but Google indexes it. This is helpful for SEO audits, indexing issues or reverse-engineering competitors using JS frameworks like React or Vue.

My Use Case

I often use this to spot weak keyword usage in underperforming blog posts. If a post isn’t ranking, this helps me confirm whether the target keyword is properly embedded across essential HTML tags.

Method 3: Use SEO Tools to Find Keywords a Website Ranks For

When I need a comprehensive view of the keywords a website ranks for, not just what’s written on the page, I turn to SEO tools. These platforms delve deeply into Google’s search results and reveal which queries drive organic traffic to any domain.

This is my go-to method for conducting competitive research, performing content gap analysis, and tracking keyword visibility.

Tools I Use (Paid + Free Options)

Tool	Free Plan?	Best For
Ahrefs	No	Yes (for your site)
Semrush	Limited	Organic keywords, competitors, traffic insights
Ubersuggest	Limited	Quick keyword overview for smaller sites
SpyFu	Yes	See shared keywords and historical rankings
Google Search Console	Yes (for your own site)	See actual search queries you rank for

How I Use These Tools – Example in Ahrefs

1. Enter the Domain Name

Example: competitor.com

2. Go to the “Organic Keywords” or “Top Pages” Report

This shows:

• All keywords the site ranks for
• Keyword position in Google
• Estimated monthly traffic
• URL ranking for each keyword

Read more: How to Manage SEO Projects – Step by Step Guide

3. Filter by Country or Position

I usually filter to:

• Positions 1–20 (to spot top keywords).
• Long-tail keywords with lower competition.
• I will specify the country or region depending on my SEO target.

What Makes This Powerful:

• I uncover keywords they didn’t optimize for, giving me easy wins.
• I find their money pages (top URLs by traffic).
• I identify content opportunities where I can improve my ranking with high-quality content.

Read more on: Will AI Kill SEO? Predictions in 2025

Method 4: Use Google Search Console (For Your Site Only)

When I want to know precisely what keywords my site ranks for, I don’t start with Ahrefs or Semrush. I go straight to Google Search Console (GSC). It’s free, accurate (directly from Google), and shows how real users find your pages.

Here’s how I use it.

Step-by-Step: How I Check My Keyword Data in GSC

1. Log in to Google Search Console.
2. Select your verified domain.
3. Go to Performance → Search Results.
4. Turn on filters: Date range, Country, or Search type (Web, Image, Video).

What I Look For in the “Queries” Tab

This section tells you:

• Keywords that triggered impressions.
• Clicks each keyword generated.
• Average CTR (Click-Through Rate).
• Your average position in Google.

I usually:

• Sort by impressions to find high-visibility but low-CTR terms (perfect for title tag optimization).
• Sort by position to target terms sitting in positions 8–20 (quick win opportunities).
• Look for branded vs non-branded terms to see what’s driving real SEO growth.

Bonus Move: Use the “Pages” Tab

I switch to the “Pages” tab to see which blog posts or URLs generate the most impressions and clicks. Then I cross-reference that with “Queries” to see what precisely those pages rank for.

This helps me:

• Spot content I should update.
• Identify pages with potential for improved click-through rates (CTR).
• Plan internal links and content clusters.

Method 5: Use Chrome Extensions to Search Keywords Instantly

Sometimes I want quick keyword data without having to open full-blown SEO tools. That’s when Chrome extensions come in super handy. These browser add-ons help me obtain real-time keyword statistics, usage density, meta tags, and SERP previews directly from my viewing page.

Here are the ones I use and recommend.

Top Chrome Extensions I Use

Extension	What It Does	Best For
SEO Minion	Highlights keyword density, meta tags, headings.	On-page keyword analysis.
Detailed SEO Extension	Shows title, description, H1-H6, schema.	Quick audits.
Keyword Surfer	Adds keyword volume + similar terms in SERPs.	Competitor keyword ideas.
Ahrefs SEO Toolbar	Shows domain metrics and keyword usage and finds backlinks.	Full site snapshot.
META SEO Inspector	Highlights keyword density, meta tags, and headings.	Technical SEO review.

How I Use These Extensions:

• Open any blog or landing page I want to analyze
• Click the extension icon
• Instantly check:
  • Where the keyword appears (headings, meta).
  • How many times has it been used?
  • If it’s missing in essential places.

This method works great for client sites or reverse-engineering a competitor’s content. I especially like using it for content refresh projects to spot quick improvements.

Pro Tip:

Combine Keyword Surfer with Google Search to see keyword volumes inline while browsing SERPs. It’s a time-saver when I’m building content calendars or hunting for untapped keyword opportunities.

How to Analyze a Competitor’s Keyword Strategy

Once I’ve found what keywords a competitor is ranking for, I don’t stop there. I want to understand why those keywords are important to them and how they utilize them throughout their site.

Here’s how I break it down:

Step-by-Step Breakdown:

1. Find Their Top Pages
   In tools like Ahrefs or Semrush, I look under “Top Pages” or “Best by links.” This tells me which blog posts or landing pages bring the most traffic.
2. Identify Keyword Clusters
   Are they targeting a single keyword per page or going after clusters? I check for related terms across similar pages, which tells me if they’re doing topical SEO well.
3. Study Internal Linking Patterns
   I click through to see how they internally link to important content. Often, their money pages are boosted with links from informational content.
4. Review Content Depth & Structure
   If I want to beat them, I look at their page’s details. Word count, subheadings, and visuals give me a benchmark for creating something better.

This method transforms surface-level keyword discovery into a genuine competitive content strategy.

Keyword Search Mistakes to Avoid

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, knowing how to search is only half the game — avoiding common traps is the other half.

Here are a few keyword research mistakes I see people make:

• Only using Ctrl+F or site: searches
  These methods are helpful but super limited. They don’t tell you anything about ranking or intent.
• Forgetting to check headings and meta tags
  A page might mention a keyword in the body but miss it in the H1, title tag, or meta description — that’s a red flag for weak optimization.
• Misjudging search intent
  Just because a page ranks for “SEO tools” doesn’t mean it’s about product reviews. I always Google the keyword to understand what users are expecting.
• Ignoring long-tail variations
  If I find “on-page SEO” as a core keyword, I also look for related terms such as “on-page SEO checklist” and “on-page SEO tips.” These are often easier to rank for.

Avoiding these mistakes keeps your research sharp — and your strategy stronger than your competition.

Read more: Auto Inventory Ads Keyword Tips for Dealerships

What to Do After Finding Keywords on a Website

So you’ve uncovered keywords from a competitor or your site… now what?

Here’s what I usually do next:

Action Plan:

1. Build Better Content
   I create a more in-depth, helpful version of whatever they’ve published, often by answering extra questions or adding visuals and real-world examples.
2. Use Keywords in Internal Links
   I revisit my existing blog posts and add internal links to the new page, targeting that keyword using exact-match or partial-match anchor text.
3. Group Keywords by Intent
   Not all keywords deserve their page. I group them into content hubs or clusters and interlink them for topical authority.
4. Monitor Results in GSC
   After publishing, I check Search Console → Performance → Queries to see how quickly the new page starts to pick up impressions for those terms.

That’s how I turn keyword research into actual SEO growth, not just insight, but impact.

Key Takeaways

After testing and using every method in this guide, here’s what I’ve learned — and what I want you to walk away with:

• Manual methods (like site: search or Ctrl+F) are still powerful for quick wins.
• Inspect Element helps surface hidden content, meta tags, and dynamic text that tools often miss.
• SEO tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Ubersuggest reveal what a website ranks for, which is essential for strategic planning.
• Google Search Console is unbeatable for auditing content and spotting quick optimization opportunities.
• Chrome extensions provide real-time keyword insights without requiring an additional tab.

Whether you’re doing competitor research or optimizing your blog, combining these methods gives you the edge.

FAQs

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Book your free SEO consultation and let’s turn insights into rankings.