If you’ve ever run a Google Ads campaign, you know how important the right keywords are. They determine who sees your ads, how much you pay per click, and ultimately, whether your campaign succeeds or flops. But how do you find the best keywords that actually drive conversions and not just clicks? That’s where smart keyword research strategies come in.
In this guide, we’ll break down keyword research for Google Ads in a way that’s simple, actionable, and effective. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your approach, these strategies will help you improve your ad performance and maximize your budget.
Why Keyword Research Strategies Matter in Google Ads
Google Ads is built on keywords. When someone searches on Google, your ad competes with others based on the relevance of your chosen keywords, ad quality, and bid amount. The right keywords help you:
- Reach the right audience at the right time
- Improve ad relevance, leading to higher Quality Scores
- Reduce wasted ad spend on irrelevant traffic
- Increase conversions and ROI
Skipping keyword research or doing it poorly means you’ll likely spend more and get less in return. That’s why a solid strategy is essential.
Step 1: Start with Keyword Intent
Before diving into keyword tools, take a step back and think about intent. Every search falls into one of three categories:
- Informational – The user is looking for answers (e.g., “how does Google Ads work?”)
- Navigational – The user is looking for a specific website (e.g., “Google Ads login”)
- Transactional – The user is ready to take action (e.g., “best PPC agency near me”)
For Google Ads, you want to focus on transactional keywords. These are the searches from people who are actively looking to buy, sign up, or request a service.
Step 2: Use Google’s Keyword Planner
Google Ads provides a free Keyword Planner tool that gives you insights into:
- Keyword search volume
- Competition level
- Cost-per-click (CPC) estimates
- Keyword suggestions
To use it effectively:
- Enter a seed keyword related to your business.
- Analyze suggested keywords and look for those with high intent and moderate CPC.
- Pay attention to long-tail keywords—these are longer, more specific phrases that often have lower competition and higher conversion rates.
Step 3: Analyze Your Competitors’ Keywords
If your competitors are already running Google Ads successfully, why not learn from them? You can use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or SpyFu to:
- See which keywords they’re bidding on
- Find out which ads are performing best
- Identify gaps in their strategy where you can compete
Looking at competitor keywords helps you discover opportunities you might have missed and refine your targeting.
Step 4: Focus on High-Intent Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer search phrases that tend to be more specific, like:
- “Affordable digital marketing services for small businesses”
- “Best CRM software for startups”
- “Google Ads consultant for eCommerce”
Why focus on long-tail keywords?
- They have lower competition than broad terms.
- They often result in higher conversion rates because they capture users further along in the buying journey.
- They usually have a lower cost-per-click (CPC), meaning you get more value from your ad budget.
Step 5: Avoid Broad Match Keywords (Unless You Have a Large Budget)
Google offers different match types for keywords:
- Broad Match: Shows your ads for searches that are loosely related to your keyword. (E.g., “men’s shoes” could trigger searches for “boots for men.”)
- Phrase Match: Your ad shows for searches that include your keyword in a specific order. (E.g., “best running shoes” would show for “best running shoes for beginners.”)
- Exact Match: Your ad only appears when users search for the exact phrase. (E.g., “buy blue running shoes” won’t show for “best blue running shoes.”)
For most businesses, phrase match and exact match offer better results because they keep your ad spending focused on relevant searches.
Step 6: Regularly Optimize Your Keyword List
Keyword research isn’t a one-time thing. Google Ads campaigns evolve, and so should your keyword strategy. Every few weeks, review your Search Terms Report in Google Ads to:
- Find new keyword opportunities – Look at actual search queries that triggered your ads. Some might be worth adding to your campaign.
- Identify negative keywords – Exclude irrelevant searches that are wasting your budget.
- Refine match types – If broad match is bringing in too many unqualified clicks, switch to phrase or exact match.
Step 7: Leverage Negative Keywords
Negative keywords help prevent your ads from showing on irrelevant searches. For example, if you sell premium marketing services, you don’t want to show up for searches like “free marketing help” or “DIY marketing strategies”.
Regularly updating your negative keyword list ensures that your budget is spent on qualified traffic, not wasted clicks.
Step 8: Test and Adjust Based on Performance
No keyword strategy is perfect from the start. Keep an eye on your CTR (click-through rate), CPC (cost-per-click), and conversion rates to see which keywords are truly driving results. If a keyword isn’t performing well, tweak your ad copy, landing pages, or bidding strategy to improve performance.
Maximizing Your Google Ads Success
Keyword research is the foundation of any successful Google Ads campaign. By understanding search intent, using the right tools, focusing on high-intent long-tail keywords, and continuously optimizing, you can improve your ad performance and get better results for your budget.
Reach out today and let’s take your campaigns to the next level.
