# Finding niches, Method 2: the Ahrefs/SEMrush filter method (/docs/niche-research/finding-niches-ahrefs-filters)

---
type: Document
title: "Finding niches, Method 2: the Ahrefs/SEMrush filter method"
description: Finding a low-competition niche directly inside a keyword-research tool, using volume, DR, and word-count filters.
status: stable
order: 5
generated: { by: human:ahmedraza, at: 2026-09-15T18:33:56Z }
ksor:
  audience: [public]
  owner: human:ahmedraza
  approval: { by: human:ahmedraza, at: 2026-09-15T18:33:56Z }
sources:
  - id: iskills-course-notes
    title: iSkills — course notes
    resource: "iSkills SEO course notes, compiled 2025"
trust_tier: unverified
build_id: sha256:25bcd9248ab7b7333e626a24b636e9eef514e339025ed762d0fe7ddd9b6486b8
source_commit: c890fca6aaa00f103ea9325ee0db7161c40e38ae
ksor_version: 0.0.60
---

## Steps

1. Go to ahrefs.com (or SEMrush).
2. Open **Keyword Explorer** (Ahrefs) or **Keyword Magic Tool** (SEMrush).
3. Select a blank search in your chosen country.
4. Apply filters — SEMrush needs more manual effort here than Ahrefs:
   - Lowest DR: 20, in the top 10 or top 5 results.
   - Word count: 2 words maximum in the keyword.
   - "Include" filter: add words matching your interest.

A later pass on the same method added a second filter set:

- Volume ≥ 20000
- KD 10
- DR 5
- Words: minimum 2
- If EMDs (Exact Match Domains) appear in the results, allow at most 2, and
  none of them should have an RD (Referring Domain count) above 60
- APK not required
- Category: Tool/Info
- Word count = 2
- Use an "include" term such as *generate*, *calculate*, or *click* — any word
  a user would search alongside your niche.

## A revision pass on the same filters

Revisiting this method later added a few more filter details worth
combining with the ones above, still inside Ahrefs Keyword Explorer with a
country selected:[^iskills-course-notes]

- **Intent** — filter to informational intent.
- **Volume** — around 30,000.
- **KD** — up to 25.
- **SERP Features** — open the "All" rule and deselect whichever features
  make a keyword less worth targeting for your case, e.g. exclude keywords
  where Google already shows an AI Overview, or where video results
  dominate the page.
- An **"include"** term, same as before, matching your niche.

## Combination ideas

Blend a fixed prefix/suffix with your niche keyword to surface untapped
combinations:

- `{FAB}` — balance-check content covering every bank in a target city
- `{BANK}` — salary-check content covering every bank in a target city
- `{Company}` — tracker content covering every company in a target city
- **Manuals** — deep-diving into a niche's manuals can surface "diamond"
  sub-niches nobody else has covered

## Seed keyword targets (a worked example)

- Search volume: minimum 15,000/month (Keyword Everywhere)
- Moz KD < 25
- SERP analysis: at least 3 sites with DA < 20
- Main competitor's Ahrefs DR < 20
- Organic traffic: more traffic generally means more revenue

Country matters here: a seed keyword volume of 10,000 in the USA (a Tier 1
country) is not directly comparable to 100,000 in Pakistan — Tier 1 traffic is
worth more per visit.[^iskills-course-notes]

[^iskills-course-notes]: iSkills SEO course notes, compiled 2025.