Short answer: Keyword Planner is Google’s free keyword research tool inside Google Ads. Use Discover new keywords with your services, competitor sites and landing pages as seeds, filter by location and language, then sort ideas by intent first and volume second. Use the top of page bid ranges to estimate costs, and the forecast tool to check if your budget is realistic before you launch.
Where to find it
In Google Ads, open Tools, then Planning, then Keyword Planner. You will see two options:
- Discover new keywords: find ideas from words or a website
- Get search volume and forecasts: check numbers for a list you already have
Accounts with little or no spend may see volume as ranges rather than exact numbers. The ideas are still useful.
Step 1: choose good seeds
Start with:
- The services or products you sell, in the words customers use
- Your own landing page URL
- A competitor’s website
- Problems people search for, such as “AC not cooling”
Set the location and language to where your customers are. Results for Bangladesh, the UK and the US can be very different.
Step 2: sort by intent
| Intent | Example | Use in ads? |
|---|---|---|
| Buy or hire now | emergency plumber, buy running shoes online | Yes, first |
| Compare | best CRM for small business | Yes, with strong landing pages |
| Price | dental implant cost | Often yes |
| Learn | how does SEO work | Usually no, better for content |
| Jobs or free | marketing jobs, free logo maker | No, add as negatives |
Step 3: check costs
Look at top of page bid (low range) and (high range). These are estimates of what advertisers paid to appear at the top. They help you see if a keyword is affordable. If your expected cost per click is 2 dollars and your conversion rate is 5%, each lead costs about 40 dollars in clicks.
Step 4: forecast
Add chosen keywords to a plan and open Forecast. Adjust the daily budget and see expected clicks and conversions. Treat forecasts as rough guides, not promises.
Step 5: group into ad groups
Group keywords by theme and landing page. Start with phrase and exact match, and build a negative keyword list from the ideas you rejected.
Common traps
- Choosing keywords only by high volume
- Ignoring location settings, which changes volumes and costs
- Using research keywords that never convert
- Trusting forecasts as exact numbers
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Keyword Planner free?
Why do I only see volume ranges?
How do I choose the best keywords for ads?
What does top of page bid mean?
Are Keyword Planner forecasts accurate?
Who can do keyword research for my Google Ads?
Want a keyword plan built for you?
I can research keywords, estimate budget and build the campaign. See my Google Ads management service or request a free ads audit. Also read Google Ads match types and Google Ads negative keywords.