Google Keyword Planner is an essential tool for SEO and advertising. By using this tool, you can grasp vital information like searched keywords, their search volume, and competitiveness. Understanding these elements is key to succeeding in web traffic acquisition.

In this article, we’ll explain the basics and how to use Google Keyword Planner.

What is Keyword Planner?

Keyword Planner is a tool for conducting keyword research in web marketing activities like SEO or paid search ads. If you have a rough idea of ​​your keywords, this tool helps you find high-search-volume keywords or check the search volume of your planned keywords. Although its primary use is for Google Ads, it’s commonly used for SEO as well.

Data You Can Obtain

What kind of data can be obtained by using Google Keyword Planner? Primarily, it includes bid prices and costs for listing ads, number of clicks, and impressions. Additionally, it can also provide the following information, which can be utilized for SEO strategies:

• Search volume for keywords
• Suggestions for related keywords
• Keyword competition
• Estimated bid price
• Search volume by device
• Search volume by network

These data points help you consider relevant keywords, competition, budgeting, and target regions for your business.

Cost of Using Keyword Planner

You might wonder if there’s a fee, but Keyword Planner is free. The free version doesn’t show exact numbers like 100-1,000; however, more accurate data can be displayed if you’re running ads.

Utilization in SEO 

While Google Keyword Planner is often associated with ad campaigns, it plays a crucial role in SEO as well. It provides essential information such as search volume, related keyword suggestions, and competition levels, which are all vital when planning SEO strategies.

Additionally, using Google Keyword Planner to understand related keywords necessary for attracting more traffic proves invaluable for SEO. Use this information to select accurate keywords and implement effective SEO strategies.

The History of Keyword Planner

Originally launched in 2005 by Google as the Google AdWords Keyword Tool, it was primarily used by advertisers for keyword selection. 

In 2013, it was renamed to Google Keyword Planner with enhanced functionalities. By 2016, Google AdWords was rebranded to Google Ads, making the Keyword Planner a part of Google Ads.

Over the years, it has seen design updates and the addition of new features, enabling more advanced keyword analysis.

Who Should Use Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is indispensable for web marketing. If you fall into any of the following categories, consider using this tool

Advertisers 

For advertisers using web ads, the Google Keyword Planner is an essential tool. It enables the setup of suitable ad distribution for their business by considering ad targeting and understanding reference values ​​for bid prices.

SEO specialists

For SEO specialists, the Google Keyword Planner is also crucial. By using the Keyword Planner, you can grasp search volumes, allowing accurate decisions on which keywords to target. Additionally, information on competitor levels and related keywords serves as a valuable resource for SEO strategy planning.

Marketing professionals

Marketing professionals can utilize the Google Keyword Planner as a market research tool. By researching search volumes and the phrases or words customers use, these keywords can be leveraged in ad copy and product development.

Purposes of Using Keyword Planner

The Keyword Planner can be used for various purposes, including

• Identifying potential related keywords
• Checking forecast data for ad placements
• Displaying search volumes for keywords
• Creating new combinations of keywords

Identifying potential related keywords

Identifying potential related keywords is possible with the Keyword Planner. If a specific keyword is already decided, it can display related words.

Identifying Candidates for Related Keywords

The Google Keyword Planner allows you to forecast the expected outcomes of listing ads, examining search performance metrics like click-through rates and the number of impressions for each forecast.

Displaying Search Volumes 

With the Keyword Planner, it’s possible to display the search volume for keywords. By entering keywords, you can see their monthly search volume.

Creating New Combinations of Keywords 

By combining two lists of keywords, you can create new keyword candidates, check their search volumes, and compare them. For example, combining lists of keywords like “Tokyo” or “Kyoto” with “dentist” or “ENT clinic” allows you to create new keyword candidates and check their search volumes, providing more detailed information.

Main Uses of Google Keyword Planner

The Keyword Planner is particularly useful for

• Operating listing ads
• Selecting keywords for SEO

Operating Listing Ads 

One of the primary uses of the Google Keyword Planner is in operating listing ads (Google Ads). By entering keywords related to the products or services you plan to advertise, you can obtain forecast data on the number of clicks, costs, click-through rates, and average cost-per-click.

Selecting Keywords for SEO 

An important step in SEO is deciding which keywords to target.

For selecting keywords in SEO, you can utilize the Google Keyword Planner. By checking the search volume of the keywords you’re considering and entering competitor URLs, you can identify related keywords that are highly relevant.

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How to Use Keyword Planner

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use the Google Keyword Planner.

Step 1. Log In 

First, log into Google Ads from the login screen. Before logging in, you’ll need to have a Gmail account.

Step 2. Planning 

After logging in, navigate to the screen shown. Click on “Tools and Settings,” then select “Planning” to find the Keyword Planner and click on it.

Step 3. Enter Keywords

Choose “Find new keywords” and then enter your target words and similar words in the next screen. Try entering the keyword “SEO strategies” as a test. Then, click the “Get results” button.

Step 4. Search Volume 

Google will display the monthly search count for the words. If you are running Google Ads, you’ll see detailed monthly average search volumes. If not, you’ll only get a rough estimate like “10,000 to 100,000” or “1 to 1000” searches, so be mindful of this distinction.

Even with the free version, you can still get a rough idea of whether your keywords are considered big, middle, or small in terms of search volume.

When researching words, try searching with various words. The results will differ based on the words you investigate.

Step 5. Suitable Keywords for Your Website 

Besides searching by keywords, you can also search by URL. Click “Start with a website” and enter the URL. Google will then display keywords suitable for your website.

Alternatively, this function allows you to understand how strongly your site is recognized for certain keywords. Using these features to discover niche words or long-tail compound words that competitors might not have noticed is also a good strategy.

Features of Keyword Planner That Should Be Utilized

Here are the features you should be utilizing in the Google Keyword Planner.

• Downloading keyword information
• Breakdown by device
• Changing regions, search networks, and languages
• Modifying display options

Downloading Keyword Information 

With Google Keyword Planner, you can download search results, allowing for utilization in Excel. This makes it easier to share keyword candidate information with other employees, offering various applications.

Breakdown by Device 

The Keyword Planner allows for a breakdown by devices, such as PCs, smartphones, and tablets. This helps tailor keywords appropriately for users across different devices.

Changing Regions, Search Networks, and Languages 

Setting regions, search networks, etc., in the Keyword Planner enables focused searches. For example, specific advertising targets can be set for keyword acquisition. By further narrowing down categories like language or region, you can find more accurate keywords.

Changing Display Items 

In the Google Keyword Planner, you can filter keywords by various criteria like monthly search volume and competition level. These items can be easily changed to suit your needs at any given time.

Key Points in Deciding on Keywords 

The key points to consider when looking at keywords are “Search Volume,” “Competition Level,” “Relevance,” and “Bid Price.”

Search Volume This is the most crucial metric. Keywords with a high search volume are frequently searched by users, so ranking highly for these words can significantly increase site traffic.

Competition Level A high competition level suggests that it may also be challenging to appear in organic search results.

Bid Price This is the average bid price for Google’s listing ads. The higher the price, the more likely the keyword is profitable and competitive.

Additionally, you can research results from different regions, languages, and even for Google searches in foreign countries. For international SEO efforts, you can set the location to the United States and change the language from Japanese to English for research.

Other functionalities include a filter feature that allows you to specify criteria such as

• Keyword text
• Excluding keywords
• Excluding adult keywords
• Excluding plan keywords
• Checking monthly average search volume
• Checking competition level
• Ad impressions
• Bid price for top of the page ads (low range)
• Bid price for top of the page ads (high range)
• Organic search (SEO) impression share
• Average position in organic search (SEO)

This way, if you have many potential keywords or want to check keywords based on the results of ad postings, you can set detailed conditions to narrow down your search.

If you’re finding that your site’s traffic has decreased recently, it might be time to review your keywords using the Google Keyword Planner.

From keywords with a high number of searches

When creating text content for a website, let’s consider how to handle words that have several ways of being expressed. If the word has a clearly defined meaning and application for each case, you can simply choose based on the situation. However, when there are several words with similar meanings applicable to the situation, it can be challenging to decide which one to use.

The first thing that comes to mind might be synonyms or near-synonyms. In such cases, a basic principle is to choose the one with a higher search volume as the main keyword and incorporate other words in the page to a natural extent. This tends to produce better SEO results. However, if a word has a high search volume and high competition, ranking highly may be challenging. Decide based on the situation.

Be careful of words that, while similar, have different meanings. For example, the difference between “聞く” (to hear) and “聴く” (to listen). “聞く” is used when hearing something naturally, while “聴く” is used when actively listening to music or paying close attention to sounds around. Though similar in meaning, the usage differs.

Another example is “趣旨” (the reason or purpose of doing something) and “主旨” (the main point of a piece of writing or thought), which, if mistaken, could not only affect search ranking but also misinform users. If in doubt, make it a habit to check the meaning of words immediately, such as in a dictionary.

Quality and Quantity in Writing 

To aim for higher rankings in search results, there are several points to consider in web writing for content creation. Both the “quality” and “quantity” of the text are important.

Recently, it’s been said in SEO strategies that “if the quality is good, quantity does not matter.” However, when comparing websites that achieve high rankings with those that do not, it’s evident that this is not always the case. A certain amount of text appears to be necessary.

The term “content useful to the user” is often mentioned as a characteristic of good content, but the definition of “useful” is not always clear. Therefore, among contents of similar quality, the only difference may come down to quantity. Of course, writing empty words in a lengthy manner, or so-called “content with no substance,” is out of the question.

In a typical website layout divided into menu and content sections, there isn’t much difference in the menu part across websites. It’s crucial how much you can enrich the quality and quantity of the content part.

Tips for Using Keyword Planner 

Here, we’ll note some points to consider when using Google Keyword Planner. Keep the following in mind when using it:

A Google Ads account is necessary 

To use Google Keyword Planner. if you don’t already have an account, you’ll need to create one first. Even after opening an account, it’s not mandatory to use Google Ads.

The accuracy of search volume

The search volume displayed in Google Keyword Planner is not precise because it estimates based on past data and includes unofficial search results. Therefore, it should only be taken as a reference.

Data updates

Data updates occur monthly based on the past 12 months of data. However, rapid changes in keyword search volume may not be immediately reflected.

To obtain the most current search volume data, it’s necessary to regularly check. It’s recommended to check the latest data monthly for keywords crucial to your business.

FAQs about Google Keyword Planner

Here we have compiled some frequently asked questions about Keyword Planner.

Q: Is a Google Ads account absolutely necessary?

A: Yes, a Google Ads account is required to use the Keyword Planner, as it’s provided as part of Google Ads services. Ensure you have an account set up first.

Q: Which search engines does it support? 

A: The Keyword Planner is optimized for Google’s search engine, analyzing search volume and competition levels based on data provided by Google. As Google is the most widely used search engine worldwide, it’s highly valuable for keyword analysis.

Q: Is it difficult to use? 

A: First-time users might find it challenging. However, Google constantly improves the Keyword Planner to make it user-friendly. Utilizing Google’s provided documents and help videos can ease beginners into using it effectively.

Q: Can it be used for SEO? 

A: Yes, it’s beneficial for SEO. Selecting appropriate keywords is crucial for SEO, and the Keyword Planner allows you to understand what users are actually searching for. However, keep in mind that the data from Keyword Planner are estimates and may differ from actual search results.

Summary 

Google Keyword Planner is a vital tool for SEO strategies, helping to refine keywords, check search volumes, and understand user demand. The main goal is to find accurate search keywords, but by entering the URLs of other companies, you can identify keywords with high relevance. This means you can research what keywords top-ranking websites are using. Additionally, by checking bid prices, you can prepare a rough advertising budget and assess the competitive landscape. For SEO efforts, it’s necessary to target keywords that many users search for but have little competition. Utilizing Google Keyword Planner allows you to discover new keywords or check the search volume for the keywords you plan to use, offering various benefits.

Author Profile

International Web Consultant Paveena Suphawet

A trilingual professional in English, Thai, and Japanese, she has numerous achievements in international SEO. She studied the latest IT technologies at Assumption International University, Thailand, and majored in International Business at the University of Greenwich, UK. Following her tenure at ExxonMobil’s Thai branch, she became a key member of Admano from its establishment.

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