Almost every SEO article promises "10 niches with low competition!" without showing the data behind the claim. Seotrends does the opposite: filter for "Very Easy DR (under 15)" and you instantly see every niche where sites with essentially no backlink authority are ranking on Google. That's the operational definition of low competition. No theories.
What "low competition" actually means
Low competition = the top 10 SERP for a keyword is dominated by sites with weak link authority. If a site with DR=8 ranks #3 for a high-value keyword, the niche is reachable for any reasonably-built site. KD scores are guesses; DR of ranking sites is observation.
Where low-competition niches cluster
Patterns we see in the data: (1) Non-English markets across most verticals, (2) Hyper-local services (plumbing, dentists, lawyers by city), (3) Adult/gambling sub-niches with regulatory friction, (4) Boring B2B niches Forbes wouldn't bother with, (5) Newly-emerged topics where authority sites haven't built coverage yet.
How to filter for them
In Seotrends: DR filter = Very Easy (0-15), Country = pick yours, sort by traffic value descending. The list is the answer. Drill into individual domains to see their content strategy.
Risk: are low-DR winners doing something dodgy?
Sometimes — PBNs, parasite hosting, expired domain rebuilds. The metrics give hints (DA much higher than TF can indicate manipulation). Most of the time, they're just well-targeted niches with good content. You decide what to copy.
Action plan
Pick 3 low-competition niches from the filtered list. Open one site in each, study content + keyword strategy. Build the one that fits your skills. $0.99 to start exploring.