Before you create a search ad campaign, you must do keyword research to discover and choose right keywords for your campaign.
Google Ads is a powerful platform for advertising your products or services. It offers a wide range of targeting options, including the ability to target specific keywords. Keyword research is an essential step in any successful Google Ads campaign. In this guide, we will explain what keywords are, how to use keyword match types, and how to use the Google Keywords Planner Tool. We’ll also provide tips and best practices for conducting effective keyword research.
Keyword research is the foundation of any successful Google Ads campaign. It’s the process of identifying the words and phrases that people use to search for your products or services. With the right keywords, your ads will show up when people are searching for what you offer. In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of keyword research and how to choose the right keywords for your Google Ads campaigns.
What are Keywords?
Keywords are words or phrases that people use when searching for information or products on search engines like Google. In the context of Google Ads, keywords are the words or phrases that advertisers use to target their ads to people who are searching for those specific terms.
For example, if you are a dentist, you might use the keyword “teeth whitening” to target people who are searching for information or services related to teeth whitening.
Keyword Match Types
There are four different keyword match types in Google Ads. Understanding these match types is important because they determine how broadly or narrowly your ads will be matched to search queries.
- Broad Match: With broad match, your ads will be shown to people who search for similar words and phrases, including synonyms, singular or plural forms, misspellings, and variations. For example, if your broad match keyword is “teeth whitening,” your ad might be shown to people who search for “tooth whitening,” “whiten teeth,” or “teeth bleaching.”
- Phrase Match: With phrase match, your ads will be shown to people who search for the exact phrase or a close variation of it. The phrase must be in the same order as your keyword. For example, if your phrase match keyword is “teeth whitening,” your ad might be shown to people who search for “best teeth whitening” or “teeth whitening reviews.”
- Exact Match: With exact match, your ads will be shown only to people who search for the exact keyword or phrase. For example, if your exact match keyword is “teeth whitening,” your ad will be shown only to people who search for “teeth whitening” and nothing else.
- Broad Match Modifier: With broad match modifier, your ads will be shown to people who search for your keyword or close variations of it, but with more control than broad match. You can add a plus sign (+) before one or more words in your keyword to indicate that those words must be present in the search query for your ad to be shown. For example, if your broad match modifier keyword is “+teeth +whitening,” your ad might be shown to people who search for “teeth whitening,” “teeth bleaching,” or “whitening for teeth,” but not to people who search for “best toothpaste for whitening teeth.”
Why is keyword research important?
Keyword research is critical because it helps you understand the language that people use when searching for products or services like yours. By identifying these keywords, you can create ads that are more likely to be shown to people who are interested in what you offer. Keyword research also helps you:
- Increase your visibility: With the right keywords, your ads will appear in search results, which can increase your visibility to potential customers.
- Improve your click-through rate (CTR): When your ads are relevant to the keywords people are searching for, they’re more likely to click on your ads, which increases your CTR.
- Increase your quality score: Google assigns a quality score to your ads based on relevance and other factors. By using relevant keywords, you can improve your quality score, which can lower your cost per click (CPC).
- Control your ad spend: By choosing the right keywords, you can make sure your ads are shown to the right people, which can help you avoid wasting money on irrelevant clicks.
Now, let’s take a look at how to choose the right keywords for your Google Ads campaigns.
How to do Keyword Research?
Step 1: Brainstorm a list of relevant keywords
Start by brainstorming a list of keywords that are relevant to your business and the products or services you offer. Think about the words and phrases your customers might use to search for your products or services. For example, if you’re a plumber, your list might include keywords like “plumbing services,” “emergency plumber,” and “leaky faucet.”
You can also use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner, which will suggest relevant keywords based on your website or product category.
As one of the most popular and effective digital marketing channels, Google Ads offers businesses of all sizes the ability to reach their target audience with precision and generate high-quality leads. However, to succeed in Google Ads, you need to choose the right keywords.
Keyword research is the foundation of any successful Google Ads campaign. The right keywords can help you target the right audience and achieve your marketing objectives, while the wrong keywords can waste your ad budget and deliver little to no results. In this article, we’ll explore how to conduct keyword research in Google Ads and choose the right keywords for your campaigns.
Understanding Keyword Metrics
Before we dive into the specifics of how to choose the right keywords, it’s important to understand the various metrics that are associated with keywords. These metrics can help you evaluate the potential value of a keyword and decide whether or not to target it.
Search Volume
Search volume refers to the number of searches that are conducted for a particular keyword over a specific time period. In Google Ads, you can see the search volume for a keyword using the Keyword Planner tool.
High search volume keywords are generally more competitive, which means that they may be more expensive to bid on and more difficult to rank for. However, high search volume keywords also have the potential to generate a lot of traffic and leads if targeted correctly.
Low search volume keywords, on the other hand, may be easier to rank for and cheaper to bid on, but they may also have limited traffic potential.
Competition
Competition refers to the level of competition for a particular keyword among advertisers. In Google Ads, you can see the competition level for a keyword using the Keyword Planner tool.
High competition keywords are typically more expensive to bid on and more difficult to rank for, as there are more advertisers competing for those keywords. Low competition keywords, on the other hand, may be easier to rank for and cheaper to bid on.
Bid Value
Bid value refers to the average cost-per-click (CPC) that advertisers are currently paying to bid on a particular keyword. In Google Ads, you can see the bid value for a keyword using the Keyword Planner tool.
High bid value keywords are typically more expensive to bid on, as advertisers are willing to pay more to target those keywords. Low bid value keywords, on the other hand, may be cheaper to bid on.
Conducting Keyword Research
Now that we understand the various keyword metrics, let’s explore how to conduct keyword research in Google Ads.
Brainstorming
The first step in conducting keyword research is to brainstorm a list of potential keywords that are relevant to your business and marketing objectives. Start by thinking about the products or services you offer, the problems you solve, and the benefits you provide to your customers.
You can also use tools like Google Suggest, which provides suggestions for related searches based on what users are searching for on Google.
Keyword Planner
Once you have a list of potential keywords, you can use the Google Ads Keyword Planner tool to research those keywords and identify additional keyword opportunities.
In the Keyword Planner, you can enter your list of keywords and see metrics like search volume, competition, and bid value for each keyword. You can also see suggested keywords that are related to your list.
Refining Your Keyword List
After conducting keyword research, it’s important to refine your keyword list and choose the keywords that are most relevant and valuable for your campaigns. Here are some tips for refining your keyword list:
- Choose keywords that are relevant to your business and marketing objectives.
- Focus on long-tail keywords that are more specific and targeted.
- Prioritize keywords with high search volume and low competition.
- Consider the bid value of keywords and choose keywords that fit within your budget.
- Use negative
Using Google Keyword Planner Tool
The Google Keyword Planner Tool is a free tool that allows you to find new keywords related to your business and see how often they are searched and how competitive they are. Here are the steps to use the Keyword Planner Tool:
- Sign in to your Google Ads account and navigate to the Keyword Planner Tool.
- Click on “Discover new keywords” and enter a word or phrase related to your business.
- Select the location where you want to target your ads. You can choose a country, region, or city.
- Choose your language and set the date range for your search. By default, the tool will show you the average monthly searches for the last 12 months.
- Click on “Get Results” to see a list of related keywords and their search volume.
- You can also see the level of competition for each keyword and the suggested bid for each keywords
The suggested bid is an estimate of how much you might need to bid to show your ad for that keyword. Keep in mind that this is just an estimate, and the actual cost per click will depend on several factors, including the quality of your ad and landing page.
- You can sort the results by relevance, search volume, or other criteria by clicking on the column headers.
- You can also use the Keyword Planner Tool to get ideas for new ad groups and campaigns. Click on “Group ideas” to see a list of related keywords grouped by theme. You can use these themes to create new ad groups or campaigns.
Search Volume, Competition, and Bid
Search volume refers to the number of times a keyword is searched for in a specific location and time period. The search volume can give you an idea of how popular a keyword is and how much traffic you might expect if you target that keyword.
Competition refers to how many other advertisers are targeting the same keyword. A high level of competition means that there are many advertisers competing for that keyword, which could drive up the cost per click.
Bid refers to how much you are willing to pay for each click on your ad. The bid is one of the factors that determines whether your ad will be shown and where it will be placed on the search results page.
Best Practices and Tips for Keyword Research
Here are some best practices and tips for conducting effective keyword research:
- Start with broad keywords and gradually refine your list. Begin by brainstorming a list of general keywords related to your business. Then, use the Keyword Planner Tool to find more specific keywords and narrow down your list.
- Use a mix of keyword match types. Using a mix of broad, phrase, and exact match keywords can help you reach a broader audience while still targeting specific search queries.
- Focus on long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that are less competitive but often more targeted. For example, “best teeth whitening dentist in Los Angeles” is a long-tail keyword that might be more effective than just “teeth whitening.”
- Consider the intent of the search query. Think about what the searcher is looking for and how you can provide value. For example, someone searching for “teeth whitening tips” might be interested in a blog post or video tutorial, while someone searching for “teeth whitening near me” might be more interested in a local dentist.
- Use negative keywords to exclude irrelevant searches. Negative keywords are words or phrases that you don’t want to target. For example, if you are a dentist who only offers in-office teeth whitening, you might want to exclude searches for “at-home teeth whitening” or “teeth whitening products.”
- Monitor and adjust your keyword list regularly. Keyword research is an ongoing process, and you should regularly review and update your list based on performance and changes in your business or industry.
In conclusion, keyword research is a critical step in creating a successful Google Ads campaign. By understanding keywords, match types, and using the Google Keywords Planner Tool, you can find the right keywords to target and reach your desired audience. By following best practices and tips, you can maximize the effectiveness of your ads and drive more traffic to your website or business.
This tutorial is written by Bhavesh Gudhka – He is founder of Optron Academy and digital marketing consultant, trainer and mentor. Optron Academy offers various digital marketing courses for students, working professionals and business owners.
