How to do keyword research for Google Ads (from idea to profitable campaign)

Remember, this is not a blog, this is not a semi-transactional article, here you have to go for 100% transactional keywords, divide them by their length, understand the% of difficulty, their volume of competition, their identity... It's not enough to generate authority here, it's worth generating business and they will measure the quality of your work by the final results in the bank.

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Before opening Keyword Planner: objective, offer and “what counts as a conversion”

Before generating keywords, make three decisions that condition everything else:

1. Objective: Are you looking for leads (forms, demo) or direct sales (checkout)?
   
   
2. Main offer/landing: what page is “the” page you want to drive traffic to?
   
   
3. Conversion: what event will be your success metric (form sent, purchase, call, completed demo)?
   
   

A quick way to land it is to map offer → intent → landing. This avoids the typical mistake: setting up “pretty” campaigns that bring clicks, but don't fit the actual conversion step.

Segment by intention from minute 1 (informational vs decision)

In Ads, intent often correlates with CPC and CPA expected: decision terms are usually more expensive, but also closer to converting; informational terms are usually cheaper, but they need a bridge (lead magnet or nurturing) to make them “pay” in the short term.

Use three handy buckets:

• Decision: “price”, “software”, “tool”, “buy”, “demo”.
  
  
• Comparison: “X vs Y”, “alternatives to...”, “better... for...”.
  
  
• Problem: “how to do...”, “how to measure...”, “what is...”, ideal if you connect it to a resource or to a guide with a next step.
  

Step 1 Create your “seed list” with PPC logic (and without relying on a tool)

Your seed list is the input that determines the quality of the Keyword Planner output. In 15—30 minutes, build seeds from:

• Product/Service Categories: “SEO suite”, “keyword research”, “SEO audit”, “rank tracking”.
  
  
• User Pains: “cannibalization”, “lower CTR”, “SEO reporting”, “measuring traffic”.
  
  
• Purchase/action verbs: “software”, “tool”, “platform”, “price”, “demo”, “hire”.
  
  
• Qualifiers: “for SMEs”, “for ecommerce”, “enterprise”, “for agencies”.
  
  
• Competitors/brands (if applicable): useful for understanding the market, taking care of policies and expectations (you can't always bid for everything in all countries/scenarios).
  
  

The objective is to cover a variety of intentions from the beginning, not just “synonyms” of a word.

Seed structure by “theme + modifier” (template)

Operational workforce:

• [Category] + [modifier] + [vertical/usage]
  
  
  
  • “SEO tool + auditing + ecommerce”
    
    
  • “keyword research + software for agencies”
    
    
  • “rank tracker + price + Spain”
    
    
  • “alternatives to + [competitor] + for SMEs”
    
    

Create 20—50 combinations and use it as a base for expanding.

Step 2 Keyword Planner: generate ideas and control the context (country/language/network)

Keyword Planner has two main modes:

• Discover new keywords: To discover ideas based on terms or a URL.
  
  
• Get search volume and forecasts: to estimate volume and performance forecasts.
  
  

Important operating point: Google indicates that, to access basic Planner functions (such as getting ideas), you must complete the account configuration by entering billing information.

In addition, always configure the context before exporting: country, language and (if applicable) network. Otherwise, you mix signals and then the forecast doesn't help you plan.

Discover new keywords: by words or by URL (very useful for landings/competitors)

Two uses that tend to give better results than “entering a single keyword”:

• By own URL: you enter the landing (product/service) and it returns terms related to what you understand about that page.
  
  
• By competitor URL: helps you discover the business vocabulary that the market is connecting that category to.
  
  

Use it as an expansion and then filter by intent. Keyword Planner is especially useful here as a generator of term families, not as a final judge of profitability.

Filters and cleaning within the Planner (brand, intention, “free” noise, “pdf”, etc.)

Before building campaigns, cut back on noise. Two approaches:

• Exclude for “no business/no intention” (if it doesn't apply to your offer): “free”, “pdf”, “download”, “employment”, “course”, “what is it”, “definition”.
  
  
• Separate by intention: Create different lists for decision, comparison and problem.
  
  

Recommended output from this step:

• List A: decision (ready to release)
  
  
• List B: comparison (ready to launch or test)
  
  
• List C: problem (only if you have landing/lead magnet or clear strategy)
  
  

Step 3 Choose match types from the research (not later)

Match types are not an implementation detail: they are rules of eligibility at the auction. Google defines that they dictate how close the user's search must be to your keyword in order for the ad to enter the auction.

• Broad match: more range, less control; requires discipline of negatives and measurement.
  
  
• Phrase match: balance between coverage and control.
  
  
• Exact match: more control; it doesn't mean “exact literal”, but it does mean more restricted by intention/meaning.
  
  

The right decision depends on your tolerance for irrelevant spending, your budget, and whether you have well-measured conversions.

Recommended startup strategy (control first, expansion later)

A reasonable strategy to start with, especially if you don't have a history:

1. Launch with phrase + exact in terms of decision and comparison (those closest to business).
   
   
2. Introduce broad only when:
   
   
   
   • You have reliable conversion tracking.
     
     
   • You can routinely review Search terms.
     
     
   • You have an initial list of negatives.
     
     

Google recommends broad especially when you use Smart Bidding to maximize results within objectives, but that doesn't eliminate the need for control: it just changes how you manage reach.

Step 4 Design the list of negatives (your “insurance” of profitability)

Los Negative Keywords they allow you to exclude terms so that your ads don't show up in searches that don't interest you. This reduces inefficient spending and helps focus budget on traffic that is more likely to convert.

It works with three levels (when applicable):

• Account level: global exclusions that you never want (for example, “employment” if you don't hire). Google documents the option of negatives at the account level.
  
  
• Campaign Level: exclusions by line of business.
  
  
• Ad group level: Exclusions to avoid overlaps between groups.
  
  

Simple example: if you sell software, “free” as a negative can prevent searches that tend not to convert (if you don't offer a free version).

Negatives for “no intention” and for “no business” (suggested table)

No business

• Examples: employment, work, salary
  
  
• Recommended Level: track
  
  

No intention

• Examples: Definition, what is it, meaning
  
  
• Recommended Level: campaign (if you're only looking for decision intent)

Price sensitive (if not applicable)

• Examples: cheap, low cost
  
  
• Recommended Level: campaign

Content/formats

• Examples: pdf, ppt, download
  
  
• Recommended Level: Account or campaign

DIY/learning (if you don't sell training)

• Examples: course, tutorial, examples
  
  
• Recommended Level: campaign

Support (if it's another channel)

• Examples: phone, contact, support
  
  
• Recommended Level: ad group or campaign (as the case may be)

Step 5 — Group keywords into campaigns and ad groups (structure that Google Ads understands)

The structure should reflect three things:

1. Theme (what are you looking for)
   
   
2. Intention (why are you looking for)
   
   
3. Landing (where are you taking it)
   
   

Avoid grouping by “infinite synonyms”. It's better to have intentional ad groups with closely related keywords and aligned ads. A practical range is usually 5—20 keywords per ad group, adjusting it according to the volume and control you need.

Keyword mapping → advertisement → landing (checklist)

• The landing has a main message (H1/hero) which matches the concept sought.
  
  
• The ad responds to the intention (not the same copy for “price” as for “alternatives”).
  
  
• Consistent extensions (sitelinks to pricing, comparison, features, cases, if any).
  
  
• The “next step” in landing is clear (demo, registration, form, etc.).
  
  
• Measurement: The conversion is defined and recorded consistently.

Step 6 — Forecast and budget: from “volume” to “scenarios”

Usa Get search volume and forecasts to create scenarios. Google indicates that Keyword Planner allows you to upload keywords and obtain forecasts.

How to read the forecast correctly:

• It is used to plan (clicks/expected cost depending on assumptions).
  
  
• It doesn't guarantee results: actual conversion depends on ad, landing, competition, bids, traffic quality and seasonality.
  
  

3 minimum scenarios (conservative/base/aggressive)

Build a defensible mini-model (for you, customer or management):

• Estimated impressions (Planner)
  
  
• Expected CTR (assumed)
  
  
• Expected CVR (assumed)
  
  
• Target CPA (your limit)
  
  

Simple formulas:

• Clicks = impressions × CTR
  
  
• Conversions = clicks × CVR
  
  
• CPA = cost/conversions
  
  

The forecast helps you estimate volume/cost, but the actual CVR is validated by the current campaign.

Step 7 After launch: the Search Terms report is your “real keyword research”

El Search terms report show the actual searches that triggered your ads and how they performed. It's the most valuable source for turning an “estimated” campaign into a controlled and upgradable campaign.

Use it for two things:

1. Add negatives (cut irrelevant spending).
   
   
2. Discover winners (terms that convert and deserve their own keyword).
   
   

Weekly routine: add negatives + promote winning terms to keywords (with appropriate match)

Practical routine (especially in the first 2—4 weeks):

• Filter terms with spending and 0 conversions → evaluate if they are irrelevant → add negatives.
  
  
• Identify terms with good conversion rate → add them as Phrase/exact.
  
  
• If a winning term grows in volume → create a specific ad group with more aligned ads and landing pages.
  
  
• Review overlaps between ad groups (to avoid internal competition).
  
  

Search terms insights: group terms into categories to understand demand

Search terms insights groups terms into categories and subcategories and it gives you metrics to understand how users search and interact over a period of time. It's useful for seeing patterns beyond an individual keyword and detecting emerging issues.

Recommended Use:

• If a category grows and converts, create a dedicated ad group (structure + message + landing).
  
  
• If a category consumes unconverted expenditure, it defines negatives or reduces coverage.

Scaling: Large-scale research with Ads API (if you manage many accounts)

If you are a manager or agency and the manual process doesn't scale, Google Ads API offers services of Keyword planning for historical metrics, ideas and forecasts. The documentation indicates that historical metric statistics are Refresh monthly and recommends caching results because many answers don't change from one day to the next.

In practice:

• You automate the extraction and normalization of keywords by market/language.
  
  
• You generate scenarios by clusters.
  
  
• You maintain consistency in reporting across accounts.
  
  

How to use Makeit Tool to accelerate research (even if planning is in Google Ads)

Without relying on promises of specific features: a SEMrush-like suite like Makeit Tool can help you “before and after” Keyword Planner:

• Before: discover themes, competitors and language of intent by SERP.
  
  
• Durante: group and prioritize by intention (decision/comparative/problem).
  
  
• afterward: converting Search terms findings into a backlog of landings and messages.
  
  

The idea is that research is not a one-off event, but rather a system.

Quick inputs for PPC from SEO: clusters, intent and pages that already convert organically

If you're already working on SEO, reuse signals for PPC:

• Queries and landings with good organic performance (GSC/GA4) as seeds.
  
  
• Clusters that you already know convert (for leads, demos, revenue).
  
  
• Intent language captured in SERP (“price”, “alternative”, “vs” modifiers).
  
  

Then you validate costs and forecasts in Keyword Planner and adjust match/negatives based on Search terms.

Frequently asked questions about keyword research for Google Ads

Do I need to have billing activated to use Keyword Planner?

Google indicates that, to access Keyword Planner and use basic functions (such as getting ideas for new keywords), you must complete the account configuration by entering billing information. That doesn't mean you have to launch campaigns right away, but it does mean that your account is configured to access the Planner.

What match type should I use when starting out: broad, phrase or exact?

For a controlled start, it's usually prudent to start with Phrase and Exact in terms of decision and comparison. Broad can work well to expand coverage, but it requires reliable conversion tracking and discipline in reviewing Search terms. Google explains that match types determine how close the search must be to the keyword to enter the auction.

How do I know which negatives to add first?

Start with negatives of “no business/no intention” (employment, free, pdf, definition, etc. if they don't apply to your offer) and then refine with the Search terms report. Google defines negatives as a way to exclude terms to avoid irrelevant searches and focus on what matters.

Is the Keyword Planner forecast reliable?

It is an estimate based on historical data and assumptions (for example, expenditure), useful for building scenarios and deciding clusters, but it is not a promise of performance. Actual conversion depends on ad, landing, competition and configuration. Use it to plan and validate campaigns with Search terms and conversions.

How often should I review the Search terms report?

At the beginning, a cadence weekly It's the reasonable minimum (or more common if spending is high) because the report shows the actual searches that triggered ads and their performance. With the stabilized account, you can move at a fixed pace (weekly/biweekly) without losing quality control.

How do I convert “winning terms” from the Search Terms into new keywords?

Typical promotion: add the term as a keyword Phrase or Exact, create a dedicated ad group if you start to concentrate volume, and align ad and landing with that intention. The Search terms report serves precisely to identify real searches that trigger your ads and take advantage of those that perform the best.

Final editorial note for the editor

Editorial note for the editor:
Keep the article in “operational” mode: each step must produce an output (seed list, list of keywords, list of negatives, campaign structure, forecast scenarios and Search Terms routine). Avoid general SEO theory. Always clarify the difference between estimates (Planner) and reality (Search terms + conversions). Integrate Makeit Tool to support the workflow (discover/validate/prioritize) without an aggressive commercial tone.

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