Research What People Want, Not What You Want to Write
Content research tools reveal demand. They show what's trending, what questions people ask, and what content performs. The gap between this data and your assumptions is usually large.
Ahrefs Content Explorer
Search billions of pages by topic, filter by traffic, backlinks, publish date. See what's actually getting organic traffic in your space, not just social shares. Essential for understanding content-market fit before you write.
Content Performance Research
Ahrefs Content Explorer
USE ITSearchable database of web content with traffic estimates. Find top-performing content by topic, see who's linking to it, identify content gaps. The traffic filter is key - skip vanity metrics, find what drives real visits.
BuzzSumo
SITUATIONALContent performance based on social shares and backlinks. Good for seeing what content gets amplified in your niche. But social shares ≠ organic traffic. Use for amplification research, not SEO content planning.
Trend Research
Google Trends
USE ITFree, straight from Google. Shows relative search interest over time. Essential for understanding seasonality, growing vs dying topics, and regional interest. Compare terms to see which variants people actually search.
Exploding Topics
USE ITIdentifies topics before they peak. Shows growth trajectories and predictions. Built by Brian Dean's team. Good for finding topics with growing demand before competition catches up. Free tier is useful, Pro adds more features.
Question & Topic Research
AlsoAsked
USE ITScrapes Google's "People Also Ask" boxes and shows the relationships between questions. Reveals the questions your audience actually asks, organized by topic clusters. Great for content structure and FAQ content.
Audience Research
SparkToro
USE ITAudience intelligence tool from Rand Fishkin. Shows what your audience reads, follows, watches. Understand where your audience spends time online. Essential for content distribution strategy, not just creation. Free tier is generous.
Topic Optimization
Topic (topic.com)
SITUATIONALTopic-based content optimization similar to Clearscope. Analyzes what topics top-ranking content covers. Less established than Clearscope but more affordable.
Content Research Done Right
The research workflow that works:
- Google Trends - Is this topic growing or dying?
- Content Explorer - What's actually getting organic traffic?
- AlsoAsked - What questions do people ask about this?
- SparkToro - Where does this audience hang out online?
- SERP analysis - What's Google showing for this topic?
Most people skip research and write what they want to write. Then they wonder why it doesn't rank or get traffic. Research first. Write second.