Using Google Keyword Planner for Free Keyword Ideas

When it comes to keyword research, there are many powerful paid tools on the market. But what if you're a small business on a tight budget? The good news is that one of the most valuable sources of keyword data is available for free: Google Keyword Planner.

While it's designed primarily for advertisers using Google Ads, Keyword Planner is an incredibly useful tool for any SEO strategy. It allows you to tap directly into Google's massive database of search queries to discover new keywords, understand their popularity, and get ideas for your content.

This guide will show you how to use this free tool to find valuable keyword ideas for your business.

How to Access Google Keyword Planner

To use Keyword Planner, you need a Google account.

1. Go to the Google Ads website.
2. Sign in with your Google account.
3. You may be prompted to create a new Google Ads campaign. You do not need to run an active campaign or spend any money to use the tool. Look for an option to "Switch to Expert Mode" or "Create an account without a campaign." Follow the prompts to set up your account without creating an ad.
4. Once you're in the Google Ads dashboard, go to "Tools & Settings" in the top menu, and under the "Planning" column, you'll find the "Keyword Planner."

Using the Two Main Features of Keyword Planner

Keyword Planner has two main functions that are useful for SEO research.

1. "Discover new keywords"

This is the best feature for brainstorming and finding new keyword ideas.

How to use it:

1. Click on "Discover new keywords."
2. You'll see two tabs: "Start with keywords" and "Start with a website."
3. Using "Start with keywords": Enter one or more of your "seed" keywords (the core topics related to your business, e.g., "landscaping services"). You can enter up to 10.
4. Click "Get results."

What the results will show you:

• Keyword ideas: A long list of keywords related to the ones you entered. This is a great way to find long-tail variations and related topics.
• Avg. monthly searches: This shows you the popularity of a keyword. Note: If you don't have an active Google Ads campaign, Google will show you a broad range (e.g., "1K - 10K") instead of a specific number. While not exact, this range is still very useful for comparing the relative popularity of different keywords.
• Competition: This column shows how many advertisers are bidding on a keyword. While it's an advertising metric, a "High" competition level often indicates that the keyword has high commercial value.
• Top of page bid (low and high range): This shows what advertisers are willing to pay for a click. Again, a higher bid range suggests higher commercial intent.

2. "Get search volume and forecasts"

This feature is useful if you already have a list of keywords and you want to check their search volume.

How to use it:

1. Click on "Get search volume and forecasts."
2. Paste or type your list of keywords into the box.
3. Click "Get started."

This will take you to a similar results page, showing you the search volume ranges and competition levels for the specific keywords you entered.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Keyword Planner

• Filter Your Results: Use the "Filter" option to narrow down your list. You can filter by location to see search volumes for your specific city or state, which is crucial for local SEO. You can also filter to include or exclude certain words.
• Look for Question-Based Keywords: Use the filter to find keywords that contain words like "how," "what," "why," etc. These are perfect for generating blog post ideas that answer your customers' questions.
• Use the "Refine keywords" Panel: On the results page, Google will provide a panel that groups the keyword ideas into branded and non-branded categories and other sub-topics. This can help you organize your research.
• Don't Obsess Over Exact Search Volume: As a small business using the free version, the ranges are perfectly fine. Your goal is to understand the relative demand for different topics and to find relevant, specific phrases to target.

Conclusion

Google Keyword Planner is an essential, free tool that should be a part of every small business's SEO toolkit. It provides a direct look into what your potential customers are searching for on Google. By using it to discover new keyword ideas, understand their relative popularity, and find valuable long-tail phrases, you can build a content strategy that is grounded in real data, helping you to attract more qualified traffic to your website.