What you're looking for and where to find it

When you check a website's keywords, you're looking at the words and phrases the site owner is trying to rank for in search results. You can see some of this directly — by reading the page title, headings, and content. But the real keyword strategy lives in places you can't see without tools: the meta description, the page source code, and patterns across multiple pages.

The fastest way to start is to look at what's already visible on the page itself. Open any website, right-click anywhere on the page, and select "View Page Source" (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) or "View Source" (Safari). This shows you the raw HTML. Search for the word "keywords" using Ctrl+F or Cmd+F. You'll find a line that looks like this: <meta name="keywords" content="dog training, puppy classes, obedience school">. That's the keyword list the site owner entered — though search engines don't weight this tag heavily anymore, it still tells you what they're targeting.

The meta description tag, which appears just below the page title in search results, also reveals keyword focus. Look for <meta name="description" content="..."> in that same source view. This tag should contain the most important keywords naturally worked into a sentence that describes the page.

Key Takeaways

  • The page source code contains meta tags that show keyword targets — view it by right-clicking and selecting "View Page Source."
  • The page title, headings, and first paragraph usually contain the primary keywords a site is targeting.
  • Free tools like Ubersuggest, Ahrefs Free, and SEMrush show you what keywords a domain ranks for across all its pages.
  • Competitor sites in your industry often target similar keywords, so checking their pages reveals gaps in your own strategy.
  • Keyword density — how often a word appears relative to total words — matters less than relevance, but 1 to 3 percent is typical.

Reading the visible page for keyword clues

Before you open any tools, spend 30 seconds reading the page like a visitor would. The page title — the blue clickable text in search results — almost always contains the primary keyword. If you're on a page about "best running shoes for flat feet," that phrase is probably in the title.

The H1 heading (the largest heading on the page, usually near the top) is the second-strongest signal. It should match or closely relate to the page title. Subheadings (H2, H3) often target secondary keywords or related phrases. If you see "Running Shoes for Flat Feet" as the H1, then "Arch Support Features" as an H2, the site is targeting both the main keyword and a related modifier.

The first 100 words of the page body matter too. Search engines read the opening paragraph first, so keyword-focused sites pack their main terms there. If the keyword doesn't appear in the first paragraph, it's either not the page's real target, or the site owner didn't optimize it well.

Using free tools to see keyword rankings

Ubersuggest (ubersuggest.com) is free for basic checks. Enter any domain name, and it shows you the top keywords that domain ranks for, how much search traffic each keyword gets, and what position the site holds in results. You can see 25 keywords per search without paying. This tells you what's actually working for a site, not just what they claimed to target.

Ahrefs Free (ahrefs.com/site-explorer) works the same way. Enter a domain, click "Organic Keywords," and you see the keywords driving traffic to that site. Ahrefs limits you to 100 results per month on the free plan, but that's enough to spot patterns. Both tools update their data monthly, so the numbers shift slightly over time.

SEMrush (semrush.com) offers a free version that shows the top 10 keywords for any domain. It's less detailed than the paid version, but enough to understand a competitor's main targets. Google Search Console (search.google.com/search-console) is free if you own the site — it shows you exactly which keywords your own pages rank for and how often they appear in search results.

All three tools work the same way: paste in a domain, wait 10 seconds, and read the keyword list. The keywords at the top drive the most traffic. Keywords further down may rank high but get fewer searches, or rank lower but still send visitors.

Checking keyword density on a single page

Keyword density is the percentage of times a keyword appears in a page's total word count. If a page has 1,000 words and your target keyword appears 15 times, the density is 1.5 percent. Most well-optimized pages sit between 1 and 3 percent for their main keyword.

You can count manually by using Ctrl+F or Cmd+F to search for a keyword on the page, but that's slow. Copyscape (copyscape.com) has a free keyword density checker — paste in the page URL, and it shows you the density of every word on that page. Filter by word length to focus on meaningful terms (ignore "the," "and," "a"). This helps you see if a site is over-optimizing (stuffing keywords unnaturally) or under-optimizing (not using the keyword enough).

Remember that density is less important than it used to be. A page with 0.5 percent density but natural, relevant content ranks better than a page with 3 percent density that reads awkwardly. Search engines now focus on whether the content actually answers the searcher's question, not how many times a word appears.

Comparing keywords across competitor sites

If you're researching your industry, check 3 to 5 competitor sites using the same free tools. Run each domain through Ubersuggest or Ahrefs Free and write down their top 10 keywords. Look for patterns: keywords that appear on multiple competitor sites are high-value targets because they're proven to drive traffic in your niche.

Then look for gaps — keywords that competitors don't target but that relate to your business. If three competitors all target "dog training classes" but none target "dog training for anxious dogs," that gap might be an opportunity. You're not copying their strategy; you're learning what works in your market and finding underserved angles.

This process takes 15 to 20 minutes per competitor. Write your findings in a spreadsheet: one column for the keyword, one for which competitors target it, one for search volume (Ubersuggest and Ahrefs both show this), and one for your own notes about relevance to your site.

Understanding what keyword data actually tells you

Keyword research tools show you correlation, not causation. When Ubersuggest says a site ranks for "running shoes," it means the site appears in search results for that term — but it doesn't mean the keyword alone caused the ranking. The site's domain authority, backlinks, content quality, and user experience all matter too.

A site might rank for a keyword by accident, because the keyword appears naturally in high-quality content written for a different reason. Or a site might target a keyword heavily and still rank poorly because the content doesn't answer the searcher's question as well as competitors do.

Use keyword data as a starting point for questions, not as proof. If a competitor ranks for a keyword you don't, ask: Why does that keyword matter to their business? Is it relevant to mine? Could I write better content on that topic? The keyword list is a map of what's possible, not a may provide of what will work for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see keywords a website is targeting if I don't own it?

Yes. Free tools like Ubersuggest and Ahrefs show you keywords any public website ranks for. You can also view the page source code (right-click, "View Page Source") to see the meta keywords tag, though search engines don't rely on this tag anymore. The keywords you see are the ones the site actually ranks for, based on real search traffic data.

What's the difference between the keywords meta tag and actual keywords a site ranks for?

The keywords meta tag is what a site owner typed into their CMS — it's a claim about what they're targeting. The keywords a site actually ranks for come from search engines analyzing the page content and user behavior. These often don't match. A site might claim to target "affordable shoes" but actually rank for "cheap sneakers" because that's what the content naturally addresses.

Do I need to pay for keyword research tools?

No. Ubersuggest, Ahrefs Free, and SEMrush all offer free versions that show you the top keywords for any domain. The free versions have limits — usually 25 to 100 results per search or per month — but that's enough to understand a site's strategy. Paid versions offer more detailed data and unlimited searches, but you can learn a lot without spending money.

Why does a site rank for keywords it doesn't mention much?

Search engines look at context, synonyms, and related concepts, not just exact keyword matches. A page about "running shoes" might rank for "jogging footwear" or "athletic sneakers" because the content covers the same topic. Backlinks, domain authority, and user engagement also influence rankings, so a page can rank for keywords that barely appear in the text.

How often do keyword rankings change?

Keyword rankings can shift daily, but most tools update their data monthly. Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, and SEMrush refresh their databases on different schedules, so the same site might show different numbers on different tools. For your own site, Google Search Console updates data more frequently — usually within a few days. Don't obsess over small daily changes; focus on trends over weeks and months.