Use Keyword Planner - Google Ads Help (2023)

Tip: If you’re affected by market changes, we recommend planning weekly rather than monthly or quarterly until markets stabilise.

Keyword Planner’s forecasts are refreshed daily and based on the last 7–10 days, adjusted for seasonality. Your forecasts will take into account any impact of market changes during this time frame. We’ve updated our seasonal model to account for current market conditions.

Keyword Planner helps you research keywords for your search campaigns.

You can use this free tool to discover new keywords related to your business and see estimates of the searches that they receive and the cost to target them.

(Video) Google Keyword Planner Tutorial for 2022

Keyword Planner also provides another way to create search campaigns that’s centred around in-depth keyword research.

This article shows you how to use Keyword Planner to lay the groundwork for a successful campaign.

Benefits

  • Discover new keywords: Get suggestions for keywords related to your products, services or website.
  • See monthly searches: See estimates on the number of searches that a keyword gets each month.
  • Determine cost: See the average cost for your ad to show on searches for a keyword.
  • Organise keywords: See how your keywords fit into different categories related to your brand.
  • Create new campaigns: Use your keyword plan to create new campaigns centred on in-depth keyword research.

Bear in mind that while Keyword Planner can provide insights into keyword targeting, campaign performance depends on a variety of factors. For example, your bid, budget, product and customer behaviour in your industry can all influence the success of your campaigns.

Instructions

To access Keyword Planner:

  • Your account must be using Expert mode. You won’t be able to access Keyword Planner if your account is using Smart mode.
  • You must complete your account setup by entering your billing information and creating a campaign. If you’re not yet ready to spend money, you can choose to pause your campaigns.

1. Create a keyword plan

Once you open Keyword Planner, there are two ways to create your keyword plan:

  1. Search for new keywords by clicking Discover new keywords.
  2. Upload existing keywords by clicking Get search volume and forecasts.

Discover new keywords

A. Get ideas for new keywords

Enter words and/or websites related to your business to see keyword ideas. Learn more about Google Ads manager accounts

  1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
    • Note: If you’re logged into a manager account, you’ll need to choose a managed account to use to continue. Learn more about Google Ads manager accounts
  2. Click the tools iconUse Keyword Planner - Google Ads Help (1) , then under 'Planning', click Keyword Planner.
  3. Click Discover new keywords.
  4. There are two ways to discover new keyword ideas:
    • Start with keywords: Enter words related to your products or services. You can separate multiple phrases with a comma and space.
      • Enter your domain and Google will try to exclude keywords not related to what you offer.
    • Start with a website: Enter any website and Google will look for keywords related to the content on that site. Note: the contents of hyperlinks aren’t used to generate keyword ideas.
  5. Click Get results.

Tip: Specifying a keyword and a URL can result in a larger volume of keyword ideas, as compared to just URL.

(Video) Using the Google Ads Keyword Planner // 2020 Tutorial

After clicking 'Get results', you’ll see a list of keywords related to what you entered. These keywords haven’t been added to your plan. You can now edit your list with filters and categories to help you find those that make sense for your plan.

Note: Keywords with very low search volumes or keywords that are considered sensitive aren't discoverable or forecastable. In those instances, you’ll get an error message and prompt asking you to try new keywords or URLs.

Use Keyword Planner - Google Ads Help (2)

B. Edit your list of keyword ideas

You can now edit your list of keyword ideas using filters and categories. Learn more in-depth tips on editing your keyword list.

Filter

Narrow down your list of keywords based on criteria like competition, impression share and keyword text. For example, you may want to see keyword ideas where bids under £1 may be enough to reach the top of the page.

  1. Click Add filter.
  2. Select a filter and enter its values.
  3. Your list of ideas will now match the filter.

Refine by category

See groups of keywords based on their themes, brands or categories.

  1. Look for the 'Refine keywords' side panel on the 'Keyword ideas' page.
  2. Open the categories beneath it to see characteristics related to your keyword ideas.
  3. Untick the box next to each category to remove these keywords from your list.
    • For example, if your keywords are related to running shoes, you may see a category for shoe color. To only see keywords for 'red running shoes,' you’d uncheck the box for all other colours.

C. Add keywords to your plan and see a performance forecast

After you've made a list of keywords, there are two ways to incorporate them into your campaigns:

  • Add them to your 'Saved keywords' to organise them later and see forecasts of their performance.
  • Add them to ad groups within existing campaigns.

Follow these steps to add keywords to your plan and forecast their performance:

  1. Tick the box next to each keyword that you’d like to add to your plan. Adding keywords to 'Saved keywords' enables you to save them to your plan and organise them later.
    • If you’d like to manually organise keywords into a specific ad group, click the Campaign/Ad group from the drop-down and choose the ad group in the picker.
  2. Specify the match type by clicking the Broad match drop-down and selecting a match type.
  3. Click Add keywords to create a new plan, or click Add keywords to add the keywords to an existing plan.

Get search volume and forecasts

  1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
    • Note: If you’re logged into a manager account, you’ll need to choose a managed account to use in order to continue. Learn more about Google Ads manager accounts
  2. Click the tools icon Use Keyword Planner - Google Ads Help (3), then under 'Planning', click Keyword Planner.
  3. Click Get search volume and forecasts.
  4. Enter or paste a list of keywords into the search box or upload a list of keywords from a CSV file following the instructions below:
    1. Click Upload a file.
    2. Click Select a file from your computer. Review the templates provided for uploading keywords.
      1. Upload a list of keywords: Your file should have just one column with the header titled 'Keyword'.
      2. Upload an entire keyword plan: Download the template to include optional data like campaign, location and ad group. along with your keyword.
    3. Click Submit.
  5. Click Get started.
(Video) How To Use Keyword Planner | Free Keyword Research Tool by Google Ads

2. Understand your keyword forecast

Your plan forecast shows you how many conversions, clicks or impressions you’re likely to get for your keywords based on your spend. Learn more about Keyword Planner forecasts

Understand your forecast

Your forecast is available on the 'Forecasts' page of your plan. It includes keywords that you uploaded through 'Get search volumes and forecasts' or those that you added from the 'Keyword ideas' page.

What’s included in your forecast

  • Forecast of optimal performance for all keywords based on your spend.
    • Change the metric that you’re forecasting by clicking 'Conversions' or 'Clicks'. This is available to you when you enable conversion tracking in your account. Otherwise, click 'Add conversion metrics' to review the options.
    • Change the average daily budget by clicking the amount.
    • Change your bid strategy by clicking the 'Maximise clicks' drop-down.
    • Click the drop-down arrow to see a chart of your estimated performance to get based on your spend.
  • Estimates for each individual keyword based on the 'Maximise clicks' bid strategy.
    • Edit the amount in the 'Average daily budget' to see how these estimates change.
  • Ad groups that your keywords will be added to in a new campaign if you implement your plan.
  • Date range for your forecast.
    • Click on the date range at the top of the page to change the timeframe for your forecast.

Additional options

  • Add new keywords by clicking the plus button and entering new keywords. You can also return to the 'Keyword ideas' page and add keywords from there.
  • Download forecast by clicking the download button.
  • Share plan with others by clicking the Share button and enabling share access.

3. Organise keywords into ad groups (English only)

Organise keywords

Enter words or websites related to your business to see keyword ideas.

  1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
    • Note: If you’re logged into a manager account, you’ll need to choose a managed account to use to continue. Learn more about Google Ads manager accounts
  2. Click the tools icon Use Keyword Planner - Google Ads Help (4), then under 'Planning', click Keyword Planner.
  3. Click Organise keywords into ad groups.
  4. There are three ways to organise keywords:
    • Start with keywords: Enter words related to your products or services. You can separate multiple phrases with a comma and space.
      • Enter your domain and Google will try to exclude keywords not related to what you offer.
    • Start with a website: Enter any website and Google will look for keywords related to the content on that site.
    • Upload or paste: Upload a file or enter keywords. Keyword Planner will try to organise keywords into your campaigns, or you can manually organise them yourself.
  5. Click Auto-organise keywords.

After clicking 'Auto-organise keywords', you’ll see a list of ad groups with keyword suggestions. We’ll try to match them with the most relevant ad groups in your highest performing campaigns. Once complete, you’ll be able to review them for accuracy and make edits of your own. You can also download your work for review. No changes will be made to your account until you’re ready to upload them.

Send us feedback

We want to hear about what's working for you inGoogle Ads and what could be improved. To share your thoughts, click the help icon Use Keyword Planner - Google Ads Help (5) in the upper right-hand side of your account, then click Leave feedback.

Related links

  • Refine your new keywords in Keyword Planner
  • About Keyword Planner forecasts
  • Best practices for finding new keywords

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(Video) Google Keyword Planner Tutorial 2022: How To Find Profitable Keywords (Free Tool)

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FAQs

How Google keyword Planner can help you build a new Search Network campaign by? ›

By using the Google Ads Keyword Tool, you can search for keyword and ad group ideas, see how a list of keywords might perform, and even combine keyword lists to create new ones. It can also help you choose competitive bids and budgets to use in your campaigns.

How accurate is Google Ads keyword planner? ›

The truth is Google's Keyword Planner was never that accurate anyway. Numbers were always rounded up to the nearest thousand and they're only estimates anyway – not precise figures, making the Keyword Planner good for discerning estimates and giving you some steer on your keyword strategy.

Do you need a Google Ads account in order to use the Google keyword planner? ›

Yes, Keyword Planner is a free tool. But there's a catch: In order to use the Google Keyword Planner, you NEED to have a Google Ads account. (Just follow the prompts, enter some information about you and your business, and you're in.

How do I use the Google keyword Planner actionable guide? ›

To open Google Keyword Planner, click Tools & Settings on the right top corner. And then from the drop-down menu, select Keyword Planner listed under Planning. You'll then see two options: Discover new keywords – This option gives you new keyword ideas that you can use to increase your website traffic.

What is the benefit of keyword planner? ›

Keyword Planner helps you research keywords for your Search campaigns. You can use this free tool to discover new keywords related to your business and see estimates of the searches they receive and the cost to target them.

How many keywords should I use for Google Ads? ›

10-20 Keywords per ad group will work for 50% of advertisers. You will hear this at our AdWords training days as well, because it's a great place to start! Newcomers to PPC often fill ad groups with +100 keywords, but this doesn't work very well.

What are the pros and cons of Google keyword Planner? ›

Pros: Enables you to swiftly export your data. Includes a multiply keywords tool and other unique features. Cons: Not good for low search volume keywords. Bottomline: Enables you to search for keyword and ad group ideas for your business's campaigns.

Is Google Ads better than SEO? ›

SEO strategies can take weeks or months to yield real results, while Google Ads can deliver near-instantaneous bursts of traffic. Google Ads as a marketing tool can be turned on and off at will, while SEO delivers consistent organic results over the long term.

What is the success rate of Google Ads? ›

Most of our survey participants report a 3.1-6% conversion rate for search ads. For display ads, the conversion rate is between 0 and 1%. The average conversion rate across all industries for search ads is 4.2%, while for display ads, it's 0.55%.

How do I use keyword planner without paying? ›

Google Keyword Planner is 100% free to use. You need not spend a penny on AdWords ads to gain access. You just need a Google account.

What is the difference between Google Trends and keyword planner? ›

While Google Keyword Planner shows absolute search volume data, Google Trends shows the relative popularity of a search query. Here's the explanation from Google Trends Help Center: Trends adjusts search data to make comparisons between terms easier.

How do I find the best keywords for SEO? ›

Here's how:
  1. Use Google Keyword Planner to cut down your keyword list. ...
  2. Step 2: Prioritize low-hanging fruit. ...
  3. Step 3: Check the monthly search volume (MSV) for keywords you've chosen. ...
  4. Step 4: Factor in SERP features as you choose keywords. ...
  5. Step 5: Check for a mix of head terms and long-tail keywords in each bucket.
Jan 7, 2022

What is the conversion rate for keyword planner? ›

Typical Google Ads conversion rates for the search network are 3.75% on average across all industries: That makes it hard to keep a campaign profitable. For example, if you are selling a product for $15, you can't have your cost per conversion be $14. Adding in the cost of goods, you would be losing money.

What is the purpose of keyword mapping? ›

Keyword mapping is the researching and planning of the keywords and long-tail phrases that go on a website. It is an essential part of the content creation process, as it makes it easier to determine the best places to group semantic keywords together in a way that seems most logical.

Why is keyword difficulty important? ›

Why Is Keyword Difficulty Important? In short: it's a super important part of the keyword research process. Along with monthly search volume and other factors, keyword difficulty helps you choose the best keywords for SEO. The only issue is that every tool measures keyword difficulty differently.

How important is keyword optimization? ›

Keyword Relevance – It's critical to choose keywords to optimize for based on how relevant they are to your products or services. If your keywords are not intrinsically relevant to what you're offering on your website, the traffic the search engines feed your website will not be delivered a relevant message.

Is 5% click through rate good? ›

For arts and entertainment, the average click-through rate is 10.67%, so a good CTR for businesses in this industry would be something like 11-12%. However, those are the two extremes. You can see that most industries have an average click-through rate of between 4-6%. So a good Google Ads click-through rate is 6-7%+.

What happens if you use too many keywords? ›

Today, stuffing a keyword into your content too many times can actually knock the stuffing out of your search rankings, or even cause your content to be removed from search listings entirely.

Why do you need 3 headlines for Google Ads? ›

Expanded text ads have 3 headline fields.

The extra headline field allows you to include additional text in your ads. You can use up to 30 characters per headline. The headlines will appear next to each other, separated by a vertical pipe ("|").

Does Google punish keyword stuffing? ›

Keyword stuffing is a confirmed negative ranking factor. Attempting to manipulate search rankings with repeated uses of words or phrases will only cause a site to rank lower in Google's search results.

Is learning Google Ads difficult? ›

Google Ads isn't necessarily easy to learn. If you're just starting out, navigating the tool can be complicated. You need to understand how bidding works, figure out keywords you should target, and invest time into monitoring how your ads are performing and making adjustments whenever needed.

What are the weaknesses of Google Ads? ›

The 5 major disadvantages of using Google AdWords for advertising
  • You fail to target the right audience. ...
  • You have to act reactively, not actively. ...
  • You are forced to wait. ...
  • You need the required manpower. ...
  • You can't segment properly.
Oct 7, 2019

Who is Google Ads biggest competitor? ›

For e-commerce businesses, alternatives to Google ads are sixads, Amazon, Facebook, and Instagram advertising. For B2B businesses, alternatives to Google Ads are LinkedIn, Bing Ads, Infolinks. For businesses with a low budget, alternatives to Google Ads are sixads, Bing Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads.

Do Google Ads hurt SEO? ›

However: no, running Google Ads doesn't boost your SEO. Numerous advertisers see their organic results improve after they start spending more in Google Ads. However, this is not because Google likes people who spend money on PPC. It's likely because more people know about you now.

Should I learn SEO or Google Ads first? ›

Don't forget about SEO

While is a good idea to start with Adwords because it's faster, you should also begin working with SEO, Content marketing and social media for best results. These 3 tools are all you need for long term online success.

Why are Google Ads not profitable? ›

If you haven't got the right keywords, your Google Ads account won't be profitable - simple as that. Keywords determine whether your ads will receive a sufficient number of clicks to convert into a sale. The keywords you choose need to be sufficiently searched in order for your ad to appear and then be clicked.

Can you make a living from Google Ads? ›

Google ads is an excellent way to get new customers and generate income for yourself. There are many people who make a living by using Google ads, and many more people make extra income.

How many Google Ads should I run at once? ›

The answer is 3 (Three). You should have at least 3 ads per ad group so that it can help the system to optimize the performance and you can also check which is working well for your audience. Paid advertising thrives on data, and the more data you can get, the better.

How much does it cost to buy keywords on Google? ›

The average cost per click in Google Ads is between $2 and $4 on the Search Network. The average cost per click on the Display Network is under $1. The most expensive keywords in Google Ads and Bing Ads cost $50 or more per click.

How do I access keyword planner without campaign? ›

Steps for using Keyword Planner without creating ads
  1. Sign into your Google Account. ...
  2. Go to the Google Ads website. ...
  3. Create a new Google Ads account. ...
  4. Switch to Expert Mode. ...
  5. Confirm your business information. ...
  6. Explore your account. ...
  7. Go to your Google Ads Dashboard. ...
  8. Go to Tools and Settings.
Jun 13, 2021

How do I get to keyword planner without campaign? ›

Look for the Create an account without a campaign option and select it: Now finish configuring your account by selecting a billing country, time zone, and currency: At this point your account is ready, so it's time to check out the keyword planner tool.

Which keyword tool is most accurate? ›

Google Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is a simple keyword tool option serving up a few basic features. Despite the lack of functionality, however, it's one of the most accurate sources of keyword data on the market.

Is there any SEO tool as good as Google keyword planner? ›

SE Ranking keyword tool

SE Ranking provides accurate SEO data and insights on keyword searches via Keyword Research tool, a comprehensive Google Keyword Planner alternative.

What is the best keyword planner? ›

The best free keyword research tools in 2022
  • Moz Keyword Explorer for the best all-around free SEO keyword research tool.
  • Google Keyword Planner for researching paid keywords.
  • Semrush for advanced SEO professionals.
  • QuestionDB for finding question-based keywords.
  • Jaaxy for affiliate marketers.
Jul 10, 2022

How do I check my Google keyword traffic? ›

To see what type of keywords users are searching for to find your website, pop over to Google Search Console > Search Traffic > Search Analytics.

How do I find the CPC of a keyword? ›

Average cost-per-click (avg. CPC) is calculated by dividing the total cost of your clicks by the total number of clicks. Your average CPC is based on your actual cost-per-click (actual CPC), which is the actual amount you're charged for a click on your ad.

Is there a Google planning tool? ›

The most common Google planning tools across the board are Sheets, Docs, Drive, Calendar, Gmail, Slides, and Forms. Let's take a closer look at each one.

What are the 3 C's of SEO? ›

Simply put, the fundamentals of SEO can be boiled down to The 3 Cs: content, code and credibility.

What are the 4 types of keywords? ›

There are 4 types of keywords: short-tail, long-tail, questions, and intent targeting keywords.

Who is the World No 1 SEO expert? ›

It is best known for Yoast SEO that Joost de Valk is the best SEO expert. Joost de Valk is an entrepreneur and application software developer based in Wijchen, Netherlands. Before developing Yoast, one of the most popular WordPress plug-ins, De Valk worked as a consultant and blogger.

What are the 3 layers of Google Ads? ›

Google Ads is organized into three layers: account, campaigns, and ad groups. Your account is associated with a unique email address, password, and billing information.

What is best strategy for Google Ads? ›

Conversion optimization is an excellent strategy to keep a stable cost per conversion among your ads. It allows you to get all your conversions under a specific budget. You can set it on a single campaign as well as on multiple campaigns.

What are the 4 parts of a search ad? ›

11.4: The elements of a search ad
  • Note.
  • Writing effective copy. Note. Note.
  • The long tail. Note.
Apr 17, 2022

Is a 30% conversion rate good? ›

Broadly speaking, a common conversion rate for an email opt-in landing page is between 5% and 15%. The companies with the most success tend to convert at around 20-25%. And the very cream of the crop achieves conversion rates of 30% or higher.

Is a 3% conversion rate good? ›

But here's the thing: That's actually very good. In fact, a “good” website conversion rate falls between 2% and 5% across all industries. Industry-specific conversion rates vary quite a bit more.

What are the benefits of Google Search campaigns? ›

Anticipate what searchers want.

The benefit of search advertising is that, if you anticipate what people want to know, you can get them to click your ad as soon as they see it. For the person searching the keyword shown above, many of their potential questions are covered in the ad.

How will you create a Google Search campaign for any marketer explain the process and the key decisions to be taken? ›

Create the Search campaign and goal
  1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
  2. Select Campaigns.
  3. Click the plus icon to create a New campaign.
  4. Choose the goal of Sales, Leads, or Website traffic. ...
  5. Under “Select a campaign type” select Search.

How can a Google Search campaign benefit a business? ›

Benefits of Google Ads
  1. Target your ads. Targeting gives you the ability to show your ads to reach people with specific interests — namely, people who are interested in your products and services — and show them relevant ads. ...
  2. Control your costs. ...
  3. Measure your success. ...
  4. Manage your campaigns.

When building a keyword list for a Display Network campaign you should do which of the following? ›

Follow these guidelines to create a high-quality keyword list:
  • Choose keywords related to your product or service.
  • Create a set of 5 to 20 keywords that relate to the ads in that ad group. ...
  • Select keywords that are related to each other. ...
  • Select keywords related to the websites your customers see.

What are 3 methods to get better Google searches? ›

Here are some of his key tips:
  1. Think an extra second about what you are really asking for. ...
  2. Don't include your answer in a search. ...
  3. Use “context” search terms. ...
  4. Search by voice for a spelling. ...
  5. Pay attention to little words. ...
  6. Word order matters, too. ...
  7. Use image search when you're remodeling. ...
  8. Use image search when looking for a job.
Nov 2, 2019

What are the negatives of Google Ads? ›

The cons of using Google Ads:
  • You Can End Up Paying for Poor Quality Clicks – Okay, so we've about how this can be an advantage as the traffic is more relevant. ...
  • Competitive Market – If you aren't too sure what you're doing and you're in a competitive industry, you can end up spending a lot of money per click.

What are the disadvantages of Google search ads? ›

High Competition

One of the most obvious disadvantages of search advertising is the fact that there is a limited number of ad slots on each search-engine-results page (SERP for short), especially for the more popular queries.

How do I optimize Google Ads? ›

Optimizing your campaign for online sales
  1. Adjust your bid manually for closer control.
  2. Choose keywords that reach qualified buyers.
  3. Make your ads appeal to potential buyers.

How much does it cost everytime someone clicks on Google search for a business? ›

The average cost per click in Google AdWords is between $1 and $2 on the search network.

How long does it take for Google Ads to work? ›

We review most ads within one business day, though some complex reviews may take longer. Google reserves the right to prioritize ad reviews or re-reviews to ensure the overall stability of system operations, or temporarily restrict ad serving to ensure policy compliance.

Do Google Ads work for small business? ›

Google Ads can be worth it for small businesses. There are a ton of benefits advertising on Google can offer including the ability to reach targeted and motivated audiences, a pay-for-performance pricing model, and an easy-to-track ROI.

How do I choose keywords for a campaign? ›

Basic tips for building a keyword list
  1. Think like a customer when you create your list. ...
  2. Select specific keywords to target specific customers. ...
  3. Select general keywords to reach more people. ...
  4. Group similar keywords into ad groups.

How does keyword targeting work in display ads? ›

Using keyword targeting

Keyword lists determine the pages where your ad can be shown, specifically the subject or content of the page. To help your ads appear next to lots of relevant content, try using keywords for your campaigns or ad groups.

What are the 4 parts of a display ad? ›

A typical Facebook display ad consists of four components – headline, copy, media (image/video) and a CTA button. To ensure your target audience notices your ad and clicks it, here's how you should optimize each ad component.

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