When it comes to creating Google Ads search campaigns, keyword research is vital for success. That’s why we put together this Google Ads keyword research tutorial. If you want to drive conversions, you need to find profitable keywords that will be relevant for your products and services. I will show you my 5-step process for finding the best keywords for a search campaign.
You can start by watching our videos below and then reading our corresponding article. Personally, I use the Google Keyword Planner in order to do keyword research, but there are other tools you can utilize as well. Google Ads also has a built-in keyword tool when you are building campaigns.
What is Google Ads Keyword Research?
Google Ads keyword research involves identifying specific phrases that your target audience uses when searching on Google. What are you selling? What keywords will people search to find what you are selling?
The goal is to first discover keywords related to your products or services. Next, you want to focus on keywords that can potentially drives sales or leads on your website. It’s important to find keywords with search volume. By doing thorough keyword research, you can create themed ad groups. It then becomes much easier to tailor your ad copy, landing pages, and keywords so you can improve your ad rank.
Why is Keyword Research Important for Google Ads?
Keyword research is a vital part of your advertising strategy, enhancing ad relevance by aligning searches with your offerings and simplifying bid decisions based on average cost per click. It also uncovers new opportunities through finding relevant keyword variations and provides insights into search volume, optimizing your ad’s performance and return on investment. By choosing the right keywords and optimizing for relevance, you can boost clickthrough rates, conversion rates, and overall ad effectiveness.
Google Ads Keyword Research Video Tutorials
One of the best ways to learn about Google Ads keyword research is by watching a video tutorial. I have 2 videos below that I recorded in 2023 that will be very helpful.
Complete Guide to Google Ads Keywords
In the video below, I will show you exactly how to organize your ad groups and target the right keywords. I will also cover Google Ads keyword match types, the search terms report, and negative keywords. You can watch the video directly on my YouTube channel as well.
Google Ads Keyword Research Step-By-Step Video
I created this video tutorial to show beginners how to effectively to Google Ads keyword research. I go over exactly how to find keywords, group them into themes, how to target the best keyword match type, and how to organize campaigns. I also use the built-in Google Ads keyword tool and Google Keyword Planner. Lastly, I go over negative keywords, which are important for campaign optimization.
How to Do Google Ads Keyword Research
I use a 5-step process to find search keywords that I can target in my Google Ads campaigns. I put the entire process below along with some screenshots.
Step 1 – Understand Google Ads Keyword Match Types
There are three keyword match types for Google Ads: Broad Match, Phrase Match, and Exact Match. When you are targeting keywords, you want to choose one of the match types for your Ad Group. Broad match keywords will match search queries that relate to your keyword. Phrase match keywords will match search queries that have a similar meaning as your keyword. Exact match keywords will match search queries that have the same meaning as your keyword.
What Keyword Match Type Should Advertisers Use?
I recommend using Phrase Match keywords when you create your first Google Ads campaign. They provide the perfect balance between volume and relevancy. Broad Match keywords will lead to irrelevant search queries matching your ads, but they will give you more volume. Exact Match keywords will give you the most relevance to the search queries that trigger your ads, but you will have the least amount of volume.
Step 2 – List Landing Pages and Page Titles for your Google Ads Campaign
First, list out all of the landing pages where you will be sending traffic. Each landing page can represent a new Ad Group that you need to create. Also, each landing page should have focus keywords. One of the best things you can do is use your landing page topics to find the most relevant keywords for each landing page. You can also use your page titles to make sure you are focusing on the best keywords.
Step 3 – Use Google Keyword Planner for Bids, Search Volume, and New Keyword/Landing Page Ideas
To access the Keyword Planner, log into your Google Ads account and go to Tools > Keyword Planner. You can also access Google Keyword Planner by visiting it directly.
The keyword planner will provide a list of relevant keywords, monthly search volume, top of page CPC bid ranges, and competition level for each keyword.
How to Generate Keywords with Google Keyword Planner
- Adding up to 10 keywords – You can enter up to 10 keywords and Keyword Planner will return the most relevant keywords.
- Entering a website URL – You can enter your own website or you can enter your competitor’s websites and get relevant keywords based on a website or a landing page.
Google Keyword Planner can help you find the best keywords for your campaign. You can enter individual pages and your website to find keyword ideas. In addition, you can enter up to 10 seed keywords that you will be targeted to find more long-tail keywords for your campaign. Every unique keyword can be a new Ad Group for your campaign. In addition, you can learn more about search volume for keywords and the average bids, which can be helpful when you want to forecast your costs for a Google Ads campaign.
Step 4 – Use Google Ads Keyword Tool While Building Search Campaigns
When you are creating a search campaign in Google Ads, there is a built-in keyword tool throughout the campaign creation process. When you get to the point that you are creating an Ad Group, you can find keywords using a landing page, a seed keyword, or both. Then, you can choose the keywords you want to target, choose the match type, and build out your Ad Groups with the best keywords for your landing pages.
Step 5 – Use the Google Ads Search Terms Report for New Keyword Ideas and Negative Keyword Ideas
Last but not least, you can use the Google Ads search terms report for your campaign once you start getting impressions and clicks. The search terms report will show all of the search queries that people use when they see your ads. In the search terms report, you will find relevant keywords that you can optimize your landing pages for. In addition, you can find irrelevant keywords to add to your negative keyword list.
You can find the search terms report by clicking on the ‘Keywords’ tab on the left-hand side of your campaign and clicking on the ‘Search Terms’ link from the dropdown.
How to Use the Google Ads Keyword Tool When Building Campaigns
You can easily access the built-in keyword research tool as you create a Google Ads search campaign. If you follow the steps below, you can find keywords for your ad groups with ease. Simply enter a seed keyword and Google will return the most relevant search terms for every ad group you are creating.
Step 1 – Create a New Google Ads Campaign
Start by creating a new campaign in your Google Ads account.
Step 2 – Choose a Search Campaign
Since we are targeting keywords, we need to choose a search campaign as the Google Ads campaign type.
Step 3 – Choose Website Visits
Next, choose website visits as the goal. We will be sending traffic from Google Ads directly to our website.
Step 4 – Target the Google Ads Search Network
Choose to target the search network so we can reach people when they actively search our keywords.
Step 5 – Click Keywords and Ads to Create Your Ad Groups
Next, you want to set-up your first Ad Group where you will target keywords and create responsive search ads.
Step 6 – Enter the Main Search Term For Your Ad Group and Find Keywords
Next, enter your landing page URL and your search term to find more keyword ideas. You can target directly through your Google Ads campaign.
7 Keyword Research Tips for Google Ads
Tip #1 – Perform Competitor Keyword Research
One of the best ways to discover proven, high-potential keywords is to uncover what your competitors are targeting in their Google Ads. Conduct searches for your top competitorsā brand and product names, then scroll down to see the text ads displayed on the results page. Many will likely be bidding on those branded keywords.
You can then leverage paid keyword research tools to discover additional keywords your competitors are bidding on:
SEMrush: Enter a competitor’s domain and navigate to the ‘Advertising Research’ report to see keywords, ad spend, CPC data, and more.
SpyFu: Input a competitor’s URL to access their historical and current ads along with a list of keywords they target.
Tip #2 – Group Keywords into Ad Groups
To conclude your initial research, you need to organize your keyword list into ad groups within your Google Ads account. Place tightly related keywords into their own ad group, which allows you to customize the ad text and landing page specifically to those words.
One example of grouping Ad Groups to relevant Google Ads keywords:
Ad Group 1 – Coffee Beans
Keywords: “coffee beans”, “coffee beans for sale”, “fresh coffee beans”, “best coffee beans”
Ad Group 2 – Coffee Subscription
Keywords: “coffee subscriptions”, “monthly coffee delivery”, “coffee club”
Keep each ad group to a tightly focused theme for optimal relevance. You should consider the topic of the landing page where you are sending traffic. Your ads should all be very relevant to the keywords you are targeting.
Tip #3 – Monitor and Optimize Keyword Performance
Once you launch your new Google Ads campaign, you need to monitor and optimize the performance. On a weekly basis, you should review your campaign performance, focus on your most valuable keywords, remove keywords that don’t convert, and add negative keywords to your campaign. You should refine your keywords over time to improve campaign results. Conduct new keyword research every 3-6 months to uncover the latest high-potential options.
Within your Google Ads account, frequently check metrics like:
- Impressions
- Clicks
- Clickthrough Rate (CTR)
- Average Cost-Per-Click (CPC)
- Conversions
- Conversion Rate
- Cost Per Conversion
Tip #4 – Use Landing Page Focus Keywords
Focus on finding the most relevant and targeted keywords for the landing pages where you are sending traffic. For example, if you are sending traffic to a landing page with country music concert tickets, you want the keywords to be relevant to your landing page. You can use the page title of your landing page to come up with a seed keyword. You can use the Google Ads keyword tool when you are building a campaign to find more relevant keywords for each Ad Group.
For example, O’Reilly Auto Parts has a page that sells ‘Brake Proportioning Valves’ below. That would be the focus keyword for this Ad Group and all traffic would go to the landing page below.
Tip #5 – Create Relevant Ads to Your Keywords
It’s important that your ads provide a solution when someone searches for a keyword. Create great user experiences for high-volume keywords with your ads and landing pages. If your ads are not relevant to the queries people are searching, you will struggle to drive conversions. Use the targeted keywords in your Ad Groups to create ads.
For example, you can see the ads match my search query in the image below. There’s a good example of Google Ads keyword research.
Tip #6 – Understand Google Ads Keyword Match Types
You should understand keyword match types in Google Ads and how they impact campaign performance. Personally, I prefer to use Phrase Match keywords because they keep my campaign relevant. Broad match keywords can be effective for large-budget campaigns that are doing a lot of testing.
Tip #7 – Add Negative Keywords to Google Ads Campaigns
Find negative keyword ideas that may lead to poor conversion rates when you initially do Google Ads keyword research. As you are doing keyword research, you can find keywords you want to avoid for your campaigns. Utilize the search terms report to see unrelated search queries that are not converting. Then, remove them with a negative phrase match keyword at the campaign level.
Conclusion
Google Ads keyword research is one of the first steps to take when you are creating Google Ads campaigns. Use the Google Keyword Planner to come up with keyword ideas. You need to know the keywords that people will type in to find your business. Then, you want your ads to show at the top of the search results so you can drive targeted traffic to your landing pages. With the right keyword targeting and an organized search campaign, you can drive more conversions from Google Ads.
