Google Keyword Planner is a multifunctional tool designed for advertisers but at the same time is a hidden treasure for SEO, too. More than creating ad campaigns, this tool will enable one to discover valuable keywords and even analyze competitors’ keyword strategies.
In this post, we are going to discuss how to leverage the power of Google Keyword Planner for SEO. Whether you are an SEO beginner or a seasoned expert, follow these steps to make the most out of this tool.
Step 1: Accessing Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is entirely free, yet you have to create a Google Ads account before using it. If you don’t have one, then Google will ask you to create one and validate your payment information. While this setup includes a temporary hold on your credit card, it is refundable and guarantees you access to the tool.
How to Get Started:
- Go to ads.google.com and click Start now.
- Log in to your Google account.
- Give your website name and proceed by clicking Next.
- Leave campaign setup by clicking “Leave campaign creation.”
- Enter billing details like country, time zone, and currency correctly.
- Give payment information for verification.
When this is done, head to Google Keyword Planner. If the link does not work, search for “Google Keyword Planner” and select the first result that shows up.
Step 2: Explore New Keywords
After logging in to the Google Keyword Planner, two major options are seen:
- Discover new keywords: Get new keyword ideas.
- Get search volume and forecasts: See search volume for your keywords.
Discover New Keywords:
You can start with:
- Keywords: Put up to 10 seed keywords related to your business.
- Website or webpage: You can add a target URL to generate keyword ideas about a specific webpage’s content.
Example-if you enter “SEO”-it can provide several thousands of related keyword ideas. While Google Keyword Planner won’t give as large keyword databases for your analysis as Ahrefs or SEMrush will provide, it is frequently rather relevant and even out of your original seed keywords.
Step 3: Filtering the Best Keyword Ideas
With an extensive list of keywords, your next step is to refine the results. Use filters to eliminate irrelevant keywords and focus on those that align with your SEO goals.
Refining Keywords:
- Use the “Refine keywords” option to include or exclude terms based on brand, style, or other attributes.
- Apply the “Does not contain” filter to exclude irrelevant terms.
Identifying Opportunities:
- Long-tail keywords: The sorting of keywords by lower search volumes should yield less competitive, more highly specific terms.
- Trending keywords: Find keywords with increasing interest by looking at the YoY change column.
- Seasonal keywords: Sort by three-month change to find the timely search trends.
- High-value keywords: Refer to the Top of page bid (high range) column. If advertisers are paying a premium for a keyword, it often denotes commercial value worth chasing organically.
Step 4: Using Advanced Features for Deeper Insights
- Get Exact Search Volumes:
Google Keyword Planner typically provides broad search volume ranges, such as 1K–10K. To get more exact estimates:
- Use the Get search volume and forecasts mode.
- Set a high daily bid in the Forecast tab.
- Look at the “Impressions” column, which estimates how many times your ad could appear; this number tends to closely reflect the real volumes of searches.
- Get the Local Search Volumes:
In local SEO, change the settings for location to focus on your regions, cities, or even postcodes. That helps a lot in finding out the demand for certain keywords in your location.
- Analyze Search Locations:
Keyword Planner can break down search impressions by country, state, city, or even ZIP code. Use this to understand where your audience is searching from and tailor your strategy towards them.
- Device Preferences:
The Forecast tab shows the percentage of searches that come from desktops, mobile phones, or tablets. Take this insight to prioritize mobile optimization for keywords with a high mobile search share.
Bonus: Creative Ways to Use Keyword Planner
- Find Emerging Trends: Leverage the YoY or three-month change metric to identify those topics or products that show increasing interest. Pair these with tools like Google Trends for context over a greater time scale.
- Spy on Keywords Used by Competitors: The “Start with a website” option enables the analysis of competitor web pages in view of keyword targets.
- Focus on Commercial Intent: Prioritize the keywords that have high Top of page bid values, since those usually correspond to profitable user intent.
Why Use Google Keyword Planner for SEO?
While Keyword Planner is designed for advertisers first and foremost, it offers some unique advantages to SEOs:
- Direct integration with Google data: Unlike third-party tools, Keyword Planner pulls data straight from Google, ensuring accuracy.
- Insights for Local SEO: This is one of the few tools that offer granular data at a specific location. It’s free to access, requiring only a Google Ads account with no subscription required.
However, it isn’t perfect. Missing information such as exact search volume and competitive metrics on organic search can make strategy pretty hard. For the completeness of this, one might consider pairing with a tool like Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer or SEMrush in addition to Keyword Planner.
Final Thoughts
Google Keyword Planner is a powerful, free resource for SEO keyword research. By leveraging its tools and refining your approach, you can uncover valuable keyword opportunities, analyze trends, and optimize your strategy for success.
While it’s not a replacement for professional keyword research tools, it’s a fantastic starting point—especially for beginners or businesses on a budget. Combine it with other SEO tools for a comprehensive approach to dominating search engine rankings.