How to use Google’s keyword planner?

It’s been a long time that “Google’s AdWords keyword tool” and “Traffic estimators” have been a standard for SEO professionals. The reason behind this was, it offered a platform that provided information to run a keyword research for free.

However, late in August 2013, “Google AdWords keyword tool” was slowly been replaced and taking its place is “Google’s keyword planner.” This tool launched by Google combines the functionality of “keyword tool and “traffic estimator” which makes it easier for building a powerful search network campaigns or expanding existing ones.

Therefore, more and more SEO professionals are already taking an advantage of this tool that helps them to search new keywords, pull search volume estimates and choose competitive bids and budgets to use with your campaigns.

Tips to use Google’s keyword planner

How to get started?

To access the keyword planner, log into your “Google AdWords” account and under “Tools” drop-down menu you will find it. Selecting that, you’ll be directed to Google’s keyword planner dashboard. All you need to have is a Google AdWords account to get started.

How to search for keywords and ad group ideas?

Every SEO professional has to search for the most effective and trending keywords and ad group search ideas that don’t have a high search volume, but more likely to lead to a conversion.

Step 1 – From your keyword planner dashboard click on “ Search for new keyword and ad group ideas” to expand the search section.

Step 2 – You now have three options and you need to enter information in the boxes that appear.

You can either enter one or even input information as asked in all the boxes as mentioned below:

Label 1 = Your product or service. In this box, you can enter either words or phrases that best describe your offerings or depending on what you want to advertise.

Label 2 = Your landing page. In this box, you can either enter the URL of any landing page of your website or the website address.

Label 3 = Your product category. In this box, you need to mention a category that will best define your offerings.

Step 3 – Once you enter the information, click on “Get Ideas”

Step 4 – You will be directed to a page that will show up a list of “Ad group ideas” and “Keyword ideas” relevant to the information entered by you.

Step 5 – Once you review the list and find a relevant keyword click on the double arrow “>>” that you wish to add an ad group or keyword idea to your plan.

Step 6 – Once you create your plan, click on “Get estimates and review plan.” This will present you a graph with a range of maximum CPC (cost-per-click) bids and daily traffic estimates.

How to search volume for a list of keywords or group them into ad groups?

If you have a list of keywords and want to know how popular those keywords have been, Google’s keyword planner will make that easy for you.

Step 1 – From the dashboard of your “keyword planner” account select “Get search volume for a list of keywords or group them into ad groups.”

Step 2 – You can enter your list of keywords one-by-one manually or upload them as a “CSV file” to get an idea how popular they are.

Step 3 – Once you add your list of keywords, click on “Get search volume.” This will reflect the historical statistics that will include monthly search volume or competition data, for your keywords.

And, if you want to see these keywords grouped into ad groups, click on the “Ad group ideas” tab in your results.

How to get traffic estimates for a list of keywords?

If you have a list of keywords and want to get the click and cost estimates then follow the below steps.

Step 1 – Click on “Get traffic estimates for a list of keywords.”

Step 2 – You can enter your list of keywords one per line or separate them using commas. Or, you can also upload them as a “CSV file” to get traffic estimates for them.

Step 3 – Once you enter your list of keywords, click “Get estimates.” This will reflect traffic estimates, like estimated clicks or impressions, for your keywords.

How to multiply keyword lists?

If you want to save the time of manually combining keywords by multiplying two or more lists or phrases in order to get one new keyword out of both, Google’s keyword planner will make it easy for you.

Step 1 – Click “Multiply keyword lists to get new keyword ideas.”

Step 2 – This will open two boxes – “List 1” and “List 2.” In “List 1” enter keywords or phrases one-by-one or separate them by commas. And, in “List 2” enter keywords different from “List 1.” Again, enter keywords or phrases one-by-one or separate them by commas.

By default, you have two boxes, List 1 and List 2. But, if you want to add few more lists, you can do it by clicking on “X” to add more boxes.

Step 3 – Once you are done with adding your keywords, click on “Get estimates.” This will help you get a visibility of traffic estimated clicks for your combined keywords. Or, you can also click on “Get search volume” that will show up monthly search volume or competition data, for your combined keyword phrases.

How to target, customize and filter your results?

Adopting “Google’s Keyword Planner” you can target your results by location, language and network settings. While you can also customize your results by date range and filter them by historical statistics, keyword options and you will also have an ability to add and remove keywords.

For targeting your results, click the pencil tool icon as shown in the image below:

Location settings: Enter location, including country, territory, region, and city in the box. Click on the “Nearby” link to get ideas for the location that is close to the ones you have entered.

Language settings: You can either enter a language in the box or scroll through the list of languages to get an idea for.

Network settings: Select “Google” or “Google and search partners” to get ideas for Google search – that includes maps, images, Google search partners.

For customizing your results

If you are running a seasonal campaign, then this tool will help you make the most out of it. It will show you search volume trends over time and keywords that are relevant during a certain time of the year.

For example, if you sell soft toys (teddy bear). Looking at your search volume trends, you will notice that your keywords were most popular during of February and August, the month of “Valentine day” and “Friendship day.” This way using the date range tool, you can find for other keywords that have been the most used keywords during that season. Just click the pencil icon to enter your date range.

For filtering your results

Google’s Keyword Planner offers a tool that will help you filter your results by different historical data, choose to see certain keyword ideas or include and exclude certain keyword ideas. To perform this task, click the pencil icon.

Filter by historical data: This will show you keywords based on the number of average monthly search, average CPC, or competitive data.

Filter by keyword options: This will show you keywords that are already being used in your account, or the ones which you’ve already added to your plan. You can also “include” and “exclude” keyword ideas using this tool.

How to use Keyword Planner to get traffic estimates and save keywords to your account?

If you have an online business, striving hard and having difficulties in your keyword research then you need to take a step further! Google’s keyword planner will have a better understanding of your products or services and will help you match correct searches in few simple clicks.

In closing

“Google’s Keyword Planner” will bring in a new experience for those who were familiar with “Google’s Adword keyword tool” and “Traffic estimators” and more importantly it will offer advanced and much better features for SEO professionals who are already using Google’s tool for their keyword research.