Google Keyword Planner is a free tool by Google Ads that helps you research keywords and plan your search campaigns. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to use it effectively:
✅ Step 1: Sign In to Google Ads
- Visit ads.google.com
- Sign in with your Google account.
- You don’t need to run ads to use the Keyword Planner — just create a free account and skip the campaign setup if prompted.
✅ Step 2: Access Keyword Planner
- From the top menu, click on “Tools & Settings” (🔧 icon).
- Under the Planning section, choose “Keyword Planner.”
✅ Step 3: Choose Your Goal
You’ll see two main options:
- Discover new keywords – Get keyword suggestions based on a word, phrase, or website.
- Get search volume and forecasts – Check traffic estimates for existing keywords.
✅ Step 4: Discover New Keywords
- Click on “Discover new keywords.”
- Enter:
A product or service (e.g., “organic skincare”)
Your website (optional, for better suggestions)
Your target location and language
- Click “Get Results.”
You’ll now see:
- ✅ Keyword ideas
- 📉 Average monthly searches
- 📈 Competition level (low, medium, high)
- 💲 Suggested bid ranges (top of page bid)
✅ Step 5: Use Filters & Refine
- Filter results by location, language, or search network.
- Sort by high volume, low competition, or relevance.
- Add negative keywords (optional) to refine results.
✅ Step 6: Get Forecasts (Optional)
- If you already have a list of keywords, choose “Get search volume and forecasts.”
- Paste your keywords and click “Get started.”
- Google will show you estimated clicks, impressions, CPCs, and conversions.
✅ Step 7: Export or Save Keywords
- You can download the keyword list as a CSV file or add keywords to your plan for a Google Ads campaign.
🔍 Pro Tips:
- Focus on long-tail keywords for better targeting (e.g., “best vegan face cream for dry skin”).
- Check both high and low competition keywords for a balanced strategy.
- Use Keyword Planner monthly to stay updated on trends and seasonal shifts.
Organizing your keyword research is crucial for building an effective SEO or Google Ads strategy. Here’s a step-by-step guide + a simple template to help you keep your keyword search clean, actionable, and ready for execution.
✅ How to Organize Your Keyword Search
-
🗂️ Create a Spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel)
Use columns to keep everything structured. Here’s a basic column layout:
| Keyword | Search Volume | Competition | CPC (Top of Page) | Intent | Topic Cluster | Page Type | Notes |
| organic face wash | 12,000 | Medium | ₹22.50 | Commercial | Skincare | Product Page | Good fit for Google Ads |
-
🧠 Group by Intent
Categorize keywords by user intent:
- Informational – “How to use organic face wash”
- Navigational – “Best organic face wash brand”
- Transactional – “Buy organic face wash online”
- Commercial Investigation – “Organic face wash reviews”
This helps in deciding what type of content (blog, product page, FAQ, ad) you need.
-
📦 Create Topic Clusters
Group keywords into themes or clusters for content planning:
- Skincare → organic face wash, natural moisturizer, herbal toner
- Haircare → sulfate-free shampoo, ayurvedic hair oil
Helps in structuring:
- Blog categories
- Landing pages
- SEO silos
-
🧮 Sort by Priority
Use criteria like:
- High search volume
- Low competition
- High commercial intent
Add a “Priority” column in your sheet:
| Priority |
| High |
| Medium |
| Low |
- 🔎 Tag for Campaigns or Pages
Add a column to tag which keyword is used for:
- Google Ads
- Homepage
- Product Page
- Landing Page
- Blog
This avoids keyword overlap and helps in mapping keywords to content.
| Keyword | Volume | Competition | CPC | Intent | Topic Cluster | Page Type | Priority | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| buy organic face wash | 8,100 | Low | ₹25.00 | Transactional | Skincare | Product Page | High | Ideal for Google Ads |
| best organic cleanser | 5,400 | Medium | ₹18.00 | Commercial | Skincare | Blog Post | Medium | Use for SEO content |
| how to use face wash | 2,900 | Low | ₹8.00 | Informational | Skincare Tips | Blog Post | Low | Good for educational blog |
⚡ Tools to Speed Up Keyword Organization:
-
Google Sheets filters
-
Conditional formatting to color-code priorities
-
Ahrefs/SEMrush/KeywordTool.io to enrich data
Pro Tip: Combine Keyword Planner with Google Trends to spot seasonal opportunities and emerging topics.
Leverage Google Keyword Planner and smart tools to manage your keywords to allocate keywords appropriately and excel in Google Ads and Google SEO search
Trilokana Marketing leverages Google Keyword Planner extensively as a foundational tool for all its SEO strategies and paid advertising campaigns. By analyzing search volume, competition, and keyword trends, our team crafts data-driven content plans and highly targeted ad campaigns that deliver measurable results for clients across various industries.