What is Google Ads Keyword Planner and How to Use It Like a Pro

What is Google Ads Keyword Planner?

The Google Ads Keyword Planner (formerly known as the AdWords Keyword Tool) is a free tool within your Google Ads account that helps you:

• Discover new keywords based on products, services, or your website

• View historical search volumes, competition level, and estimated CPCs (cost-per-click)

• Forecast potential ad performance for specific keyword sets

• Organize keywords into ad groups for streamlined campaign setup

It's built for advertisers—but it’s just as powerful for SEO professionals, content marketers, and PPC strategists.

Who Should Use Keyword Planner?

The Google Ads Keywords Planner is designed for:

• Google Ads specialists planning paid search campaigns

• Small business owners launching local or national PPC campaigns

• Agencies managing multiple client ad accounts

• Ecommerce store owners running Shopping or Display campaigns

• SEO strategists looking for search intent data

Whether you’re focused on Google Search ads, Display ads, or Shopping campaigns, Keyword Planner gives you a data-backed way to pick the right terms to target.

How to Access Keyword Planner

You can find the Google Ads Keyword Planner tool by logging into your Google Ads account and clicking:

Tools & Settings > Planning > Keyword Planner

From there, you'll have two primary options:

1. Discover New Keywords – Find fresh ideas based on your product, service, or competitor.

2. Get Search Volume and Forecasts – Upload or paste your own keyword list to get estimated impressions, CPCs, and click-through rates.

How to Use Google Ads Keyword Planner: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Choose “Discover New Keywords”

This is where you enter your product, service, landing page, or topic. For example:

• “orthodontist Singapore”

• “vegan bakery delivery”

• “accounting software for SMEs”

You’ll be shown a list of keyword ideas including:

• Average monthly searches

• Three-month and YoY search trends

• Level of competition (Low, Medium, High)

• Top of page bid (low & high range)

These data points help estimate how popular a keyword is, how much competition you'll face, and how expensive it might be to run ads.

Step 2: Filter and Sort Keywords

Use filters to narrow your list:

• Location: Target keywords specific to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or your delivery radius

• Language: Filter by English, Mandarin, etc.

• Keyword text: Include/exclude brand names, generic terms, or questions

Sort keywords by:

• Highest search volume

• Lowest CPC

• Relevance to your product/service

Step 3: Build a Keyword Plan

Once you find keywords that match your goals, you can add them to your Keyword Plan. This lets you:

• Create ad group structures

• Forecast campaign performance (clicks, impressions, spend)

• Estimate ROAS before spending a single dollar

If you’re creating Shopping ads, use the Keyword Planner in conjunction with Google Merchant Center and the Display Planner to optimize for product discovery.

Step 4: Forecast Costs

The Keyword Plan forecast tool shows expected daily, weekly, or monthly outcomes based on your bid and budget. You can tweak:

• CPC max bid

• Daily budget

• Conversion rates (manually input or based on account history)

This is critical for setting realistic client expectations or budgeting a campaign for a Google Ads for small business strategy.

Real-World Example

Let’s say you’re a tuition center in Bishan.

You use Keyword Planner to search “O level tuition Singapore”. You discover:

• “math tuition bishan” – 880 monthly searches, medium competition, avg CPC $0.95

• “secondary school tuition” – 2,400 monthly searches, high competition, avg CPC $1.40

Now you can decide if it’s worth competing on the more expensive term, or whether to bid on niche, location-specific keywords with better ROI.

Why Google Keyword Planner Beats Third-Party Tools

While tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush offer rich SEO features, Google Ads Keyword Planner has a few unbeatable advantages:

• It’s free (with a Google Ads account)

• Data is directly from Google—you’re not relying on scraped estimates

• Integration with campaigns is seamless

• You can use it even without running active campaigns

It’s also your gateway to more advanced features like:

• Negative keyword discovery

• Keyword group forecasting

• Exact match vs phrase match impact previews

Common Questions

Q: Can I use Google Keyword Planner without running ads?

A: Yes. You only need to create a Google Ads account. You can access Google Ads Keyword Planner for free even without a live campaign.

Q: Does it show search volume?

A: Yes, but accounts without ad spend may see broad volume ranges (e.g. 1k–10k) instead of precise numbers. To unlock exact data, start a small campaign or work with a Google Ads partner agency.

Q: What is a good CPC?

A: It depends on your industry. For Singapore:

• Retail/ecommerce: $0.50 – $1.20

• Legal/medical: $2.50 – $6.00

• B2B services: $1.80 – $4.00

Use Google Ads keyword CPC estimates to benchmark.

Final Takeaways

If you want to run profitable, keyword-driven Google Ads campaigns, Google Ads Keyword Planner is non-negotiable. It removes the guesswork and arms you with:

• The right keyword mix

• A clear bid strategy

• A performance forecast based on real data

Whether you're a freelancer, a local agency, or a business owner managing your own campaigns, this tool is your foundation for every campaign you’ll launch.

Need help researching keywords for your next campaign?

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