Keyword Research in Google Ads’ Keyword Planner
💡Tip - Conversion Tracking First
Before even thinking of running any Google Ads, always (always!) have conversion tracking first. Without tracking, you're running campaigns blind, and have no idea what works and what does not.
Repeat after me: “If I run ads without measuring, I’m throwing money out the window. (Repeat 5-10 times until it’s drilled into your subconscious mind). Now we can proceed.
Full Video
2 minute real-life demo
👆See how I did a 2-minute keyword research for this blog post and this YouTube video. It really can be this quick. You should always spend the extra few minutes and know exactly what to write about, which headings to use etc.
Keyword Research
Step 1: Use Google Ads Keyword Planner
Head over to Google Ads Keyword Planner. This free tool helps you identify potential keywords and analyze their performance metrics like search volume, competition, and trends. Set the appropriate language and location for your business.
Note! You may first see ranges of keywords instead of accurate numbers. This is annoying. I think it gets more accurate once you run a few paid ads. So here you may spend money to make money.
Step 2: Throw in 10 ideas for Keywords
Provide Google Ads with a list of “seed” keywords.
💡Idea: Intent in Keywords – Problem-Based vs. Solution-Based
Think of stuff people search for. Instead of “car mechanic michigan” should you target "Why does my car make a grinding noise?".
Or "Rash on arm not going away" instead of “skin doctor”. This depends a lot on what your business does but is an important concept.
Moving on…
Keywords should reflect your offerings but don't have to be final. For example, terms like "wedding suits" or "tailored suits" can help Google generate tons of long-tail keywords.
Step 3: Download and Organize Keyword Data
Export your keyword list into a Google Sheet for further analysis. Clean up the data by removing unnecessary columns and rows. Use formatting tools, such as filters and tables, to organize and analyze the data effectively.
Step 4: Filter Keywords by Relevance
Focus on keywords with sufficient search volume. Remove 0 or. Avoid targeting overly broad or irrelevant keywords.
Step 5: Identify and Add Negative Keywords
Negative keywords are important. For example, if you don’t offer rentals, add terms like “rent” or “rented” to your negative keyword list. You don’t wanna pay Google $3 for someone clicking on “car rental” if you only sell cars.
Step 6: Segment Keywords for Campaigns
Group keywords based on themes or user intent. For instance:
Geographic Intent: Keywords containing "near me".
You could have ad “Best baby ultrasound in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.”Event-Specific: Keywords like "wedding suits"
Material-Specific: Keywords such as "linen suits"
💡The more specific you are in you keyword—ad—landing-page —combo, the more Google will like your ads → the higher Quality Score you get → the cheaper and higher up your ads will be → the more $ you make.
Step 7: Check Competition
Sort keywords by competition levels (high, medium, low). You can use conditional formatting for nice visuals, and use table groups.
Targeting low-competition keywords with enough search volume can be an a nice strategy, particularly for niche offerings.
Step 8: Create Niche Campaigns
Always try and go for for focused campaigns for niche keywords. Riches are in the niches!
For example, if "beach wedding suits" has significant volume but low competition, create tailored ads and landing pages emphasizing this specific offering.
Extra points - Organic Content as a Long-Term Strategy
Maybe do a nice blog post on it to rank organically without paying Google, to be ranked when AI takes over the world and no one Google’s anything anymore… but in the meantime you can use the blog post as your ad landing page.
Organic content nicely complements your paid ads, and redues your reliance on paid traffic over time.