When running a small business, one of the most important tasks in your digital marketing strategy is reaching the right audience. Google Ads Keyword Planner is a powerful tool to help small businesses do just that by finding the best keywords for their campaigns.

Whether you’re new to Google Ads or looking to refine your existing efforts, this guide will teach you how to use Keyword Planner to get the most out of your ads.

What is Google Ads Keyword Planner?

Google Ads Keyword Planner is a free tool that helps businesses discover relevant keywords to target in their Google Ads campaigns.

It provides insights into keyword volume, competition, and average bid costs, allowing you to build effective ad campaigns that target the right audience while staying within your budget.

Why Should Small Businesses Use Keyword Planner?

Every marketing dollar counts for small businesses, and finding the right keywords is essential for ensuring your ads appear in front of the right audience.

Google Ads Keyword Planner helps you:

• Understand Customer Intent: Discover what your potential customers are searching for.
• Maximize Your Budget: Focus on keywords likely to bring the highest return on investment (ROI).
• Plan Effective Campaigns: Organize keywords by relevance and search volume to plan ad groups and campaigns strategically.

Now that you understand why Keyword Planner is important, let’s dive into how to use it.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Google Ads Keyword Planner

Step 1: Access the Keyword Planner

To access the Google Ads Keyword Planner, you’ll need a Google Ads account. Once you’re logged in:

1. Navigate to the “Tools & Settings” menu in the top right.
2. Under the “Planning” tab, click on Keyword Planner.

You’ll see two main options:

• Discover New Keywords
• Get Search Volume and Forecasts

For this guide, we’ll focus on discovering new keywords.

Step 2: Discover New Keywords

This is the core feature of Keyword Planner, which helps you find keywords related to your business.

1. Enter Your Product or Service: In the search box, type in a word or phrase related to your business. For example, if you own a local bakery, you might enter keywords like “fresh bread” or “custom cakes.”
2. Refine Location and Language Settings: If you’re targeting a specific geographic area, be sure to adjust the location settings to focus on your local market. For small businesses, this is critical for making sure you’re not wasting money on irrelevant clicks.
3. Analyze the Results: Google will return a list of suggested keywords, along with important metrics:

• Average Monthly Searches: Shows how often the keyword is searched.
• Competition: Indicates how competitive the keyword is (Low, Medium, or High).
• Top of Page Bid (Low and High): Gives an estimated cost per click (CPC) for appearing at the top of search results.

Step 3: Filter and Sort Keywords

Once you have the list of suggested keywords, it’s time to narrow it down:

• Filter by Competition: For small businesses, it’s often best to start with low or medium-competition keywords, as they’ll be easier to rank for and less expensive.
• Sort by Relevance: Prioritize keywords that align closely with your products or services.
• Look for Long-Tail Keywords: Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that typically have lower search volumes but higher conversion rates. For example, “fresh sourdough bread near me” may convert better than the broader “bread.”

Step 4: Choose Keywords Based on Search Intent

Understanding search intent is key to choosing the right keywords. Are people looking for information, or are they ready to buy? Group your keywords into categories based on intent:

• Informational: Keywords people use when researching, like “how to make sourdough bread.”
• Transactional: Keywords people use when they’re ready to buy, like “buy fresh sourdough bread online.”

Focusing on transactional keywords can help you attract customers who are more likely to make a purchase, improving the ROI of your ads.

Step 5: Use the “Get Search Volume and Forecasts” Tool

Once you’ve selected a few keywords, use the Get Search Volume and Forecasts tool to see how those keywords might perform in a campaign. Enter the keywords you’ve chosen, and Google will provide estimates for:

• Impressions: How many times your ads could be shown.
• Clicks: How many clicks your ads could generate.
• Estimated Costs: The cost you can expect for the clicks.

This helps you better understand how much traffic you can expect and whether the keywords fit within your budget.

Step 6: Organize Keywords into Ad Groups

One of the final steps is to organize your selected keywords into ad groups. Ad groups allow you to create more targeted ads that match specific search queries. For example, a bakery might have separate ad groups for “bread delivery,” “wedding cakes,” and “gluten-free pastries.”

When setting up your ad groups, make sure the keywords within each group are closely related so that your ads are highly relevant to what users are searching for. This increases your ad’s quality score, lowers your cost-per-click (CPC), and improves your ad’s overall performance.

Read More 👉 Google Ads for Small Businesses, A Complete Introduction

Practical Example: Using Keyword Planner for a Local Bakery

Let’s walk through a quick example. You run a small bakery and want to set up a Google Ads campaign. Here’s how you would use Keyword Planner:

1. Enter a keyword like “bakery near me.” You’ll find related keywords like “local bakery” or “best bakery in [city].”
2. Filter by location: Refine the results to your city or neighborhood to focus on customers who are nearby.
3. Look at search volume and competition: You may find that “wedding cakes near me” has low competition and decent search volume, making it a great keyword to target.
4. Create ad groups: Organize your keywords into groups like “custom cakes,” “bread delivery,” and “gluten-free pastries” to ensure each ad is highly relevant.

Conclusion

Google Ads Keyword Planner is an indispensable tool for small businesses looking to make the most of their advertising budget.

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can discover the most relevant keywords for your business, refine your campaigns, and drive high-quality traffic to your website.

Whether you’re just starting with Google Ads or looking to improve your existing campaigns, Keyword Planner gives you the insights needed to make smarter, more cost-effective decisions.

FAQs About Google Ads Keyword Planner for Small Businesses

1. Is Google Ads Keyword Planner free?

Yes, Keyword Planner is free to use with a Google Ads account.

2. How often should I update my keyword research?

It’s a good idea to revisit your keyword research every 3-6 months or when you see a change in your campaign performance.

3. Can I use Keyword Planner even if I don’t run ads?

You can access Keyword Planner for research purposes, but it’s most effective when combined with Google Ads campaigns.

4. What’s the best type of keyword for small businesses?

Long-tail keywords usually provide better value for small businesses because they are more specific and often less competitive.

5. How many keywords should I target in one campaign?

It’s best to focus on 10-20 closely related keywords per ad group to keep your ads highly relevant.