May 20, 2024

Google Ads

How to Use the Google Keyword Planner Tool

AdStage Team 1 minute read

Building a paid search campaign for the first time can be tricky. In addition to choosing your settings and writing your ads, you’ll need to come up with a list of keywords to target. Fortunately, Google's free Keyword Planner makes selecting your initial list of keywords a breeze.

Google's Keyword Planner makes finding keywords a breeze.

Google’s Keyword Planner can help you find keywords (and ad groups) to target in your PPC campaign based on terms that are relevant to your product, service or website.

Getting Started with Google’s Keyword Planner

To build your search campaign keyword list, follow these simple steps:

  1. Sign in to AdWords. You'll need an account to access the tool.
  2. Click "Tools and Analysis" in the menu and select " Keyword Planner ."
  3. Click "Search for keyword and ad group ideas."
    google keyword tool ideas
  4. Now enter words, phrases, or categories related to the product or service you're advertising, or just enter your website’s URL and Google will scan your page for keyword ideas. google keyword tool enter source keywords
  5. Click "Get ideas" and Google will generate a list of recommended keywords for your campaign based on what customers are actually searching for.
  6. You can review your list of keywords from the "Keyword ideas" tab, or see them in grouped into relevant ad groups under the "Ad group ideas" tab. Spend some time looking around this page. You can fine tune your targeting, customize your search settings and see relevant stats like search volume, competition and average costs per click. Search volume is especially important as you'll want to choose keywords that people will actually search for.
    google keyword tool ad group results
  7. Click the double arrows » on the right to collect the ad groups and keywords you like into a "plan."
  8. Click review estimates to forecast performance with your bids and daily budget. This will help you gauge the traffic you can expect for your budget and can guide your initial bids.
    google keyword tool forecast results

Once you're satisfied with the keywords you've collected, you can either add them to your AdWords campaign directly or click the download icon to export it to a spreadsheet.

You can even use this list of keywords to target for SEO or for Bing Ads (bud don't tell Google, it'll be our little secret).

Next, learn How Ignoring Match Types Can Kill Your PPC Campaign .

AdStage Team