How to Use Google Keyword Planner
Sign up for a free AdWords account., Log in to your Keyword Planner tool., Browse what you want to do., Click on "search for new keyword and ad group ideas.", Enter the necessary data for your product., Avoid the "landing page" service., Choose your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Sign up for a free AdWords account.
Keyword Planner is a service available only if you already have an AdWords account with Google.
It's completely free to sign up, and you are only charged for results, not for use of the service.
If you only plan to use the Keyword Planner, you will not be charged at all.
From your web browser, type in https://adwords.google.com Click on the blue "Get started" button.
If you just plan to use Keyword Planner, click on "skip guided setup," and your account will be complete.
If you already have a Google account for your business, it is recommended to use that.
If you only have a personal account, follow these instructions to make a new one for your business. -
Step 2: Log in to your Keyword Planner tool.
This is a built-in tool for AdWord users, and so you don't need to make a new account once you've set up Google AdWord.
Just go to the correct website and sign in.
Go to the "Tools" bar in your Google Adwords account, and click on "Keyword Planner." This will take you to the Keyword Planner page.
Alternatively, from your web browser, type in https://adwords.google.com/KeywordPlanner, then click on the blue "Sign into AdWords" button. , Google Keyword Planner is a powerful tool, and you will be shown a menu with four options:
Search for new keyword and ad group ideas Get search volume for a list of keywords or group them into ad groups Get traffic forecasts for a list of keywords Multiply keyword lists to get new keyword ideas , This will bring up several other menus, including "your product or service," "your landing page," and "your product category." All of these categories are important to getting the tool to work for you, so be careful what you input here. , This is one of the most important steps, and will make or break your search.
Think hard about what your business is and what it provides, and then, how you want to maximize your business.
After you have done so, pick the top keywords that come to mind, and put them in the "product or service" window.
Contrary to the suggested entries, you don't want to put something really general like "used cars" into this window, because then you will only receive a list of very general head keywords.
Instead of entering vague words, try to enter more targeted keywords.
If you're in the used car business for example, instead of "used cars" enter "used cars in Los Angeles" or "used Volkswagen cars." Whatever words that pertain to your business and will make the best use of this tool, you should use.
Do some experimentation. , This tool checks your landing page for any keywords useful for your advertising campaign.
As such, if you are looking for keywords, and not trying to optimize your campaign, this tool should be avoided.
This service is primarily for users of Google AdWords, and so will likely be of little utility to you.
However, if you desire to find some good keywords for your business, putting up a home page, or any other page, from your site probably won't hurt. , You have the option to choose target country, language, and search engine, and so this is an incredibly important tool if you do business abroad or are based in a country outside the United States.
If your business is to ship denim to Europe, there isn't much use in you choosing the United States or Asia as your targets.
Like with the other windows, you need to know exactly what your business does before choosing how to maximize your keywords.
Your targets are automatically set to target people in the United States, searching on Google, who speak English.
If this is not your target audience, make sure to switch them to the appropriate targets.
There is also a "negative keywords" tool, which does not target certain keywords in an advertising campaign.
Unless you are using Google AdWords, this will be of little utility to you. , You are also able to filter your keywords by frequency of appearance in search engines, by how much customers are willing to spend on certain searched items, and by how wide a net you want your search to cast.
You can also include or exclude certain keywords.
The keyword filter allows you to remove keywords that you don't need.
For example, if you want to ship denim to high-value Asian markets, you won't want keywords that show up only once or twice; you want keywords that show up many times.
You can filter for keywords that only show up more than or less than a certain number to come up with the exact words you need.
Keyword options, like "hide keywords in my account," are mostly for Google AdWords campaigners, and so can be avoided.
You may already be searching for certain keywords, and don't want these results to skew past results.
Or, you may be getting a lot of crosstalk in your results, and want to eliminate certain pesky keywords.
Regardless of intent, you can add these keywords to the "include" or "exclude" window. , This will pull up your Keywords Results Page.
Read to the very end to see how to use this, as each tool will bring up the Keywords Results Page. , This is a useful feature if you know the keywords you want to search for, and are only interested in knowing their search volume.
If you want to discover new keywords, use the "search for new keyword and ad group ideas" tool instead. , Compile all the keywords you want to search for, and then upload them in this window.
There are two ways to do this.
Copy and paste your list of keywords into the "enter keywords" window Upload a CSV file of all your desired keywords by hitting the "Browse" button under "Option 2:
Upload file."
Like in "search for new keyword and ad group ideas," you have the option to choose target country, language, and search engine, and so this is an incredibly important tool if you do business abroad or are based in a country outside the United States.
Like with the other windows, you need to know exactly what your business does before choosing how to target your keywords to certain audiences Your targets are automatically set to target people in the United States, searching on Google, who speak English.
If this is not your target audience, make sure to switch them to the appropriate targets.
There is also a "negative keywords" tool, which does not target certain keywords in an advertising campaign.
Unless you are using Google AdWords, this will be of little utility to you. , This will bring up the Keywords Results Page, and show how many people have searched for the keywords you are interested in.
This article will deal with how to understand the Keywords Results Page in the last section. , This is useful for combining your list of keywords into countless possible combinations, most of which will be useless.
However, some will also provide good material.
It is especially useful for seeing how actual people may search for your product in any number of ways.
The two or more columns you place words in will provide the keyword combinations.
Remember that most of your results will be useless gibberish. , , , By clicking on the grey "X" next to the second list, you can add one new columns for larger potential keyword combinations. , Like in the previous two tools, you have the option to choose target country, language, and search engine, and so this is an incredibly important tool if you do business abroad or are based in a country outside the United States.
Like with the other windows, you need to know exactly what your business does before choosing how to target your keywords to certain audiences Your targets are automatically set to target people in the United States, searching on Google, who speak English.
If this is not your target audience, make sure to switch them to the appropriate targets.
There is also a "negative keywords" tool, which does not target certain keywords in an advertising campaign.
Unless you are using Google AdWords, this will be of little utility to you. , This will bring up all the results for your query on the Keywords Results Page.
This article deals with how to interpret the page in the next part. , There are multiple elements of this page it will behoove you to know, as all of them are rich potential sources for keyword research.
Ad group ideas.
This tab shows all the potential ad groups, as well as the keywords that apply to them.
Keyword ideas.
This tab shows the search parameters you entered earlier: the keywords, their relevance, average monthly searches, and a graphic representation of those searches.
Lefthand sidebar.
This just holds the filtering, targeting, and other parameters you set when you began the search.
If you want to edit your search parameters from here, it is possible to do so by clicking on the translucent grey pencil icons in each box. , The ad groups come up depending on which keywords you entered, and can be used to discover new keywords or new potential markets.
Clicking on the name of each ad group will pull up the keywords that apply to it, sorted in order of relevance.
Many of the keywords that show up here will apply only to the ad group, and so were not included in your original search, making this a good source for keyword research in its own right.
The sheer number of ad groups that may apply to your keywords means that you may fine new, niche markets you had not thought of yet to market your product to.
Hit the download button in the upper right corner to download a file of the ad groups and keywords to your computer for further research. , This pulls up only the keywords, without the ad groups that they apply to.
There is an almost bewildering number of factors to consider in this tab, but there are three important factors you should always look at:
Search volume.
A high search volume for your chosen keyword means a more useful keyword for your advertising.
Competition.
High competition generally means that there are a lot of consumers that companies need to compete for, which means a higher monetization rate for your advertising campaigns.
Suggested bid.
The higher the suggested bid, the higher your potential earnings from your advertising campaign. -
Step 3: Browse what you want to do.
-
Step 4: Click on "search for new keyword and ad group ideas."
-
Step 5: Enter the necessary data for your product.
-
Step 6: Avoid the "landing page" service.
-
Step 7: Choose your targets.
-
Step 8: Customize your search.
-
Step 9: Click on "Get Ideas."
-
Step 10: Click on "get search volume for a list of keywords or group them into ad groups."
-
Step 11: Upload your list of keywords.
-
Step 12: Choose your targets.
-
Step 13: Click on "Get search volume."
-
Step 14: Click on "multiply keyword lists to get new keyword ideas."
-
Step 15: Enter your list of keywords into "List 1."
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Step 16: Enter your second list of keywords into "List 2."
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Step 17: Add an additional set of keywords.
-
Step 18: Choose your targets.
-
Step 19: Click on "get search volume."
-
Step 20: Survey the page.
-
Step 21: Utilize the ad group ideas tab.
-
Step 22: Utilize the keyword ideas tab.
Detailed Guide
Keyword Planner is a service available only if you already have an AdWords account with Google.
It's completely free to sign up, and you are only charged for results, not for use of the service.
If you only plan to use the Keyword Planner, you will not be charged at all.
From your web browser, type in https://adwords.google.com Click on the blue "Get started" button.
If you just plan to use Keyword Planner, click on "skip guided setup," and your account will be complete.
If you already have a Google account for your business, it is recommended to use that.
If you only have a personal account, follow these instructions to make a new one for your business.
This is a built-in tool for AdWord users, and so you don't need to make a new account once you've set up Google AdWord.
Just go to the correct website and sign in.
Go to the "Tools" bar in your Google Adwords account, and click on "Keyword Planner." This will take you to the Keyword Planner page.
Alternatively, from your web browser, type in https://adwords.google.com/KeywordPlanner, then click on the blue "Sign into AdWords" button. , Google Keyword Planner is a powerful tool, and you will be shown a menu with four options:
Search for new keyword and ad group ideas Get search volume for a list of keywords or group them into ad groups Get traffic forecasts for a list of keywords Multiply keyword lists to get new keyword ideas , This will bring up several other menus, including "your product or service," "your landing page," and "your product category." All of these categories are important to getting the tool to work for you, so be careful what you input here. , This is one of the most important steps, and will make or break your search.
Think hard about what your business is and what it provides, and then, how you want to maximize your business.
After you have done so, pick the top keywords that come to mind, and put them in the "product or service" window.
Contrary to the suggested entries, you don't want to put something really general like "used cars" into this window, because then you will only receive a list of very general head keywords.
Instead of entering vague words, try to enter more targeted keywords.
If you're in the used car business for example, instead of "used cars" enter "used cars in Los Angeles" or "used Volkswagen cars." Whatever words that pertain to your business and will make the best use of this tool, you should use.
Do some experimentation. , This tool checks your landing page for any keywords useful for your advertising campaign.
As such, if you are looking for keywords, and not trying to optimize your campaign, this tool should be avoided.
This service is primarily for users of Google AdWords, and so will likely be of little utility to you.
However, if you desire to find some good keywords for your business, putting up a home page, or any other page, from your site probably won't hurt. , You have the option to choose target country, language, and search engine, and so this is an incredibly important tool if you do business abroad or are based in a country outside the United States.
If your business is to ship denim to Europe, there isn't much use in you choosing the United States or Asia as your targets.
Like with the other windows, you need to know exactly what your business does before choosing how to maximize your keywords.
Your targets are automatically set to target people in the United States, searching on Google, who speak English.
If this is not your target audience, make sure to switch them to the appropriate targets.
There is also a "negative keywords" tool, which does not target certain keywords in an advertising campaign.
Unless you are using Google AdWords, this will be of little utility to you. , You are also able to filter your keywords by frequency of appearance in search engines, by how much customers are willing to spend on certain searched items, and by how wide a net you want your search to cast.
You can also include or exclude certain keywords.
The keyword filter allows you to remove keywords that you don't need.
For example, if you want to ship denim to high-value Asian markets, you won't want keywords that show up only once or twice; you want keywords that show up many times.
You can filter for keywords that only show up more than or less than a certain number to come up with the exact words you need.
Keyword options, like "hide keywords in my account," are mostly for Google AdWords campaigners, and so can be avoided.
You may already be searching for certain keywords, and don't want these results to skew past results.
Or, you may be getting a lot of crosstalk in your results, and want to eliminate certain pesky keywords.
Regardless of intent, you can add these keywords to the "include" or "exclude" window. , This will pull up your Keywords Results Page.
Read to the very end to see how to use this, as each tool will bring up the Keywords Results Page. , This is a useful feature if you know the keywords you want to search for, and are only interested in knowing their search volume.
If you want to discover new keywords, use the "search for new keyword and ad group ideas" tool instead. , Compile all the keywords you want to search for, and then upload them in this window.
There are two ways to do this.
Copy and paste your list of keywords into the "enter keywords" window Upload a CSV file of all your desired keywords by hitting the "Browse" button under "Option 2:
Upload file."
Like in "search for new keyword and ad group ideas," you have the option to choose target country, language, and search engine, and so this is an incredibly important tool if you do business abroad or are based in a country outside the United States.
Like with the other windows, you need to know exactly what your business does before choosing how to target your keywords to certain audiences Your targets are automatically set to target people in the United States, searching on Google, who speak English.
If this is not your target audience, make sure to switch them to the appropriate targets.
There is also a "negative keywords" tool, which does not target certain keywords in an advertising campaign.
Unless you are using Google AdWords, this will be of little utility to you. , This will bring up the Keywords Results Page, and show how many people have searched for the keywords you are interested in.
This article will deal with how to understand the Keywords Results Page in the last section. , This is useful for combining your list of keywords into countless possible combinations, most of which will be useless.
However, some will also provide good material.
It is especially useful for seeing how actual people may search for your product in any number of ways.
The two or more columns you place words in will provide the keyword combinations.
Remember that most of your results will be useless gibberish. , , , By clicking on the grey "X" next to the second list, you can add one new columns for larger potential keyword combinations. , Like in the previous two tools, you have the option to choose target country, language, and search engine, and so this is an incredibly important tool if you do business abroad or are based in a country outside the United States.
Like with the other windows, you need to know exactly what your business does before choosing how to target your keywords to certain audiences Your targets are automatically set to target people in the United States, searching on Google, who speak English.
If this is not your target audience, make sure to switch them to the appropriate targets.
There is also a "negative keywords" tool, which does not target certain keywords in an advertising campaign.
Unless you are using Google AdWords, this will be of little utility to you. , This will bring up all the results for your query on the Keywords Results Page.
This article deals with how to interpret the page in the next part. , There are multiple elements of this page it will behoove you to know, as all of them are rich potential sources for keyword research.
Ad group ideas.
This tab shows all the potential ad groups, as well as the keywords that apply to them.
Keyword ideas.
This tab shows the search parameters you entered earlier: the keywords, their relevance, average monthly searches, and a graphic representation of those searches.
Lefthand sidebar.
This just holds the filtering, targeting, and other parameters you set when you began the search.
If you want to edit your search parameters from here, it is possible to do so by clicking on the translucent grey pencil icons in each box. , The ad groups come up depending on which keywords you entered, and can be used to discover new keywords or new potential markets.
Clicking on the name of each ad group will pull up the keywords that apply to it, sorted in order of relevance.
Many of the keywords that show up here will apply only to the ad group, and so were not included in your original search, making this a good source for keyword research in its own right.
The sheer number of ad groups that may apply to your keywords means that you may fine new, niche markets you had not thought of yet to market your product to.
Hit the download button in the upper right corner to download a file of the ad groups and keywords to your computer for further research. , This pulls up only the keywords, without the ad groups that they apply to.
There is an almost bewildering number of factors to consider in this tab, but there are three important factors you should always look at:
Search volume.
A high search volume for your chosen keyword means a more useful keyword for your advertising.
Competition.
High competition generally means that there are a lot of consumers that companies need to compete for, which means a higher monetization rate for your advertising campaigns.
Suggested bid.
The higher the suggested bid, the higher your potential earnings from your advertising campaign.
About the Author
Joyce Green
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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