Google Ads Keyword Research: Easy Beginner’s Guide

Imagine you own a small cake shop.

You want to advertise on Google.

But what should you tell Google?

“Cake”?

“Birthday cake”?

“Buy birthday cake online”?

“Birthday cake near me”?

Choosing the right words is important because you do not want to spend your advertising money showing ads to people who are not interested in buying.

That is where Google Ads keyword research comes in.

Tags:

Google Ads Keyword Research, Keyword Research, Google Ads Keywords, Google Keyword Planner, Google Ads for Beginners, PPC Keyword Research, Search Ads, Keyword Planner, Google Advertising, Digital Marketing

What is Google Ads Keyword Research?

Google Ads keyword research is the process of finding and selecting words or phrases that potential customers may use when searching for your products or services.

In simple words:

Find out what your customers search for, then choose the searches that are useful for your business.

For example, if you sell running shoes, your research might produce:

running shoes
buy running shoes
running shoes online
men's running shoes
women's running shoes
best running shoes for beginners

You then decide which keywords are relevant enough to use in your advertising campaign.

Why is Keyword Research Important?

Imagine you sell birthday cakes.

You spend money advertising for:

cake recipes

Someone clicks your advertisement.

But they wanted to learn how to bake a cake.

They do not want to buy one.

You have potentially spent money on a visitor who is not your customer.

Now compare that with:

buy birthday cake online

This search suggests a much stronger buying intention.

That is why keyword research is not just about finding popular keywords.

It is about finding relevant keywords that can bring valuable customers.

Google Ads Keyword Research in One Simple Formula

Think of it like this:

Your product

↓

What customers might search

↓

Keyword ideas

↓

Check relevance + intent + competition

↓

Choose useful keywords

↓

Create advertisements

↓

Track results

↓

Improve your keywords

Step 1: Start With Your Product or Service

Before using any tool, write down exactly what you are selling.

Suppose your business sells:

Running shoes

Start with that phrase.

Now expand it.

Product variations

running shoes
sports shoes
jogging shoes
athletic shoes
training shoes

Buying phrases

buy running shoes
running shoes online
order running shoes
best running shoes to buy

Customer-specific phrases

men's running shoes
women's running shoes
running shoes for beginners
running shoes for long distance

These are your initial keyword ideas.

Step 2: Think Like Your Customer

This is one of the best keyword-research techniques.

Forget your business vocabulary for a moment.

Pretend you are the customer.

Ask:

“If I wanted to buy this product, what would I type into Google?”

For example, you sell a mobile phone repair service.

You might think customers search:

mobile phone repair

But customers could also search:

phone repair near me
iPhone repair near me
Android repair shop
broken phone screen repair
mobile screen replacement
phone repair shop

Your customers may use words you never thought about.

Step 3: Understand Search Intent

This is extremely important.

Search intent means what the person actually wants when they search.

Let us use shoes as an example.

Informational intent

how to clean running shoes

The person wants information.

Research intent

best running shoes for beginners

The person is comparing options.

Buying intent

buy running shoes online

The person may be ready to purchase.

Local intent

running shoes store near me

The person may want a nearby shop.

For an advertiser, these searches can have very different value.

Step 4: Use Google Keyword Planner

Google provides Keyword Planner inside Google Ads.

It can help advertisers:

Discover keyword ideas
Explore related searches
Understand potential search demand
Organize keyword ideas
Plan advertising campaigns

You can access Keyword Planner from your Google Ads account.

The exact interface and available metrics can change over time, so do not worry if your screen looks slightly different from someone else's tutorial.

Step 5: Enter a Starting Keyword

Let us say you sell cakes.

Start with:

birthday cake

Keyword Planner can provide related ideas.

You might discover phrases such as:

birthday cake delivery
custom birthday cake
chocolate birthday cake
birthday cakes near me
order birthday cake online

Now you have a larger list to evaluate.

Step 6: Look for Relevant Keywords

Do not automatically select every keyword Google suggests.

Ask three questions:

Question 1

Is this related to my product?

Question 2

Would someone searching this potentially become my customer?

Question 3

Does the search match what I actually offer?

If the answer is no, remove it.

Step 7: Look at Search Volume

Keyword research tools may provide estimates related to search demand.

Search volume can tell you whether people search for a phrase frequently or infrequently.

But remember:

High search volume does not automatically mean high profit.

Imagine:

cake

has huge search demand.

But:

buy chocolate birthday cake online

might be much more useful to a cake seller because the intent is more specific.

So use search volume as one piece of information, not the entire decision.

Step 8: Look at Competition

Keyword Planner can provide information about advertising competition and estimated bid ranges.

Competition gives you an idea of how many advertisers may be competing for a keyword.

Generally:

More advertiser competition → potentially more expensive advertising opportunities

But do not assume that every high-competition keyword is bad.

A highly competitive keyword may still be worthwhile if the customers it produces are valuable.

Step 9: Consider Cost Per Click

Another useful consideration is potential CPC.

CPC = Cost Per Click

Suppose two keywords have similar relevance:

Keyword A

Estimated CPC: ₹10

Keyword B

Estimated CPC: ₹50

Keyword B is more expensive.

But that does not automatically mean Keyword A is better.

Suppose:

Keyword A → cheap clicks → no sales

Keyword B → expensive clicks → many customers

Keyword B could actually be the better business decision.

So do not optimize only for cheap clicks.

Optimize for valuable results.

Step 10: Find Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are generally more specific phrases.

Compare:

shoes

with:

best running shoes for women under ₹3000

The second phrase is much more specific.

It may have lower search volume, but it can reveal clearer customer intent.

For some businesses, these specific searches can be extremely useful.

Step 11: Find Local Keywords

If you have a physical business, location can be important.

For example:

dentist

could become:

dentist in Jalandhar

or:

dentist near me

A restaurant might target searches such as:

best restaurant in Jalandhar

A repair shop might focus on:

phone repair near me

Local intent can help businesses reach people who are actually able to visit or use their service.

Step 12: Find Negative Keywords

Keyword research is not only about finding keywords you want.

You should also find searches you do not want.

Imagine you sell paid photography courses.

You might not want people searching:

free photography course
photography course free
free photography lessons

If those searches are not useful for your business, appropriate negative keywords can help prevent irrelevant traffic.

Think of negative keywords as a “No Entry” sign.

Step 13: Check Your Competitors

You can also research what kinds of words businesses in your industry use.

For example, if you are selling:

online English courses

you might investigate searches around:

learn English online
spoken English course
English speaking course
English classes online
English course for beginners

Do not simply copy competitors.

Instead, use competitor research to discover customer language and possible keyword ideas.

Step 14: Group Your Keywords

Do not throw every keyword into one giant list.

Organize similar keywords together.

For a shoe business:

Ad Group 1 — Running Shoes

running shoes
buy running shoes
running shoes online

Ad Group 2 — Women's Running Shoes

women's running shoes
women's running shoes online
running shoes for women

Ad Group 3 — Men's Running Shoes

men's running shoes
men's running shoes online
running shoes for men

This can make your campaign easier to manage and help you create more relevant advertisements.

Step 15: Match Keywords With Your Ads

Your keyword, advertisement and landing page should make sense together.

For example:

Keyword:
women's running shoes

Advertisement:
Women's Running Shoes — Shop Online

Landing Page:
Women's Running Shoes Collection

That is a logical journey.

But:

Keyword: women's running shoes

Advertisement: mobile phone repair

Landing Page: laptop accessories

That is obviously a bad match.

Step 16: Check the Actual Search Terms

Keyword research does not stop when your campaign starts.

After your ads run, look at the searches that actually triggered your ads.

These are your search terms.

You may discover:

Excellent search → keep/improve

Irrelevant search → consider negative keyword

Unexpected but valuable search → investigate

This is one of the best ways to learn how real customers search.

Keyword vs Search Term: Simple Example

You choose the keyword:

birthday cake delivery

A customer searches:

“same day chocolate birthday cake delivery near me”

Your keyword and their search are not identical.

The actual customer search is the search term.

Google's current keyword matching system uses meaning and intent, so matches are not necessarily limited to exact word-for-word copies.

How Many Keywords Should You Choose?

There is no magic number.

A beginner should focus on:

Relevance > Quantity

Do not add 1,000 keywords just because you can.

Start with a manageable collection of highly relevant keywords.

Then use campaign data to discover additional opportunities.

A Simple Keyword Research Example

Imagine you sell handmade candles online.

Starting keyword

candles

Ideas

handmade candles
scented candles
scented candles online
handmade candles online
candles for gifts
soy candles
scented candles for home
buy candles online

Higher buying intent

buy handmade candles online
scented candles online
order soy candles online

Potentially unwanted searches

candle making tutorial
candle making course
free candle
candle images

You would then investigate the terms and decide which should become keywords and which should potentially become negative keywords.

A Beginner's Keyword Research Checklist

Before adding a keyword, ask:

☑ Is it relevant to my product?

☑ Does it match what I actually sell?

☑ Does the search show useful intent?

☑ Can I create a relevant advertisement for it?

☑ Do I have a suitable landing page?

☑ Is the potential customer valuable enough to justify the advertising cost?

☑ Is there a reason to exclude related searches?

If the keyword passes these checks, it is worth investigating further.

Common Keyword Research Mistakes

Mistake 1: Choosing only high-volume keywords

Big numbers look exciting, but high volume does not guarantee customers.

Mistake 2: Ignoring buying intent

A person searching for information may not be ready to buy.

Mistake 3: Forgetting negative keywords

You may pay for irrelevant traffic.

Mistake 4: Using keywords unrelated to your landing page

This creates a poor customer experience.

Mistake 5: Adding too many keywords

A huge list is not automatically a good campaign.

Mistake 6: Never checking search terms

Real customer searches can teach you things that keyword tools cannot predict perfectly.

Mistake 7: Chasing the cheapest CPC

Cheap traffic is not useful if it does not produce business results.

Google Ads Keyword Research Tools

1. Google Keyword Planner

The most obvious starting point for Google Ads keyword research.

2. Google Search

Type your main keyword into Google and observe related searches and autocomplete suggestions.

Use these as idea sources, not as proof that a keyword will be profitable.

3. Google Search Console

If you already have a website receiving organic search traffic, Search Console can show queries that bring visitors to your site.

These can provide useful ideas for understanding customer language.

4. Your Own Business Data

Do not underestimate your customers.

Look at:

Customer questions
Phone calls
Emails
Product names customers use
Sales conversations
Website searches

Sometimes your customers will give you your best keywords.

The Best Keyword Research Strategy

For a beginner, use this simple process:

1. Start with your product

Running shoes

2. Brainstorm variations

buy running shoes

running shoes online

3. Add specific phrases

women's running shoes

running shoes for beginners

4. Add local intent

running shoes near me

5. Use Keyword Planner

Find additional ideas and relevant information.

6. Remove irrelevant keywords

Do not advertise for searches that do not match your offer.

7. Add negative keywords

Block unwanted searches where appropriate.

8. Group related keywords

Create logical ad groups.

9. Write relevant advertisements

Make the ad match the keyword and customer intent.

10. Measure results

Keep improving based on actual campaign data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Google Ads keyword research?

It is the process of finding, evaluating and selecting search terms that may help your advertisements reach relevant potential customers.

Is Google Keyword Planner free?

Google provides Keyword Planner as part of Google Ads. Access and available functionality can depend on your account and current Google Ads setup.

What is the best keyword research tool for Google Ads?

For Google Ads specifically, Google Keyword Planner is a natural starting point because it is part of Google's own advertising platform.

Other SEO tools can provide additional research, but you should understand what each metric actually represents.

Should I choose keywords with high search volume?

Not necessarily.

A highly relevant, specific keyword with lower search volume can be more valuable than a broad keyword with huge search volume.

What are negative keywords?

Negative keywords help prevent your advertisements from showing for unwanted searches, helping reduce irrelevant traffic.

How many keywords should I use?

There is no fixed number. Start with relevant keywords organized around your products or services and expand based on data.

What is search intent?

Search intent is the reason behind a person's search—such as learning, researching, comparing or buying something.

Final Thoughts

Google Ads keyword research is not a race to find the biggest list of keywords.

It is about discovering:

What your customers search → Why they search → Which searches matter to your business → Which searches should be excluded

Remember this simple rule:

The best keyword is not necessarily the one with the most searches. It is the one that connects your advertisement with the right potential customer.

A strong keyword research process looks like this:

Brainstorm → Research → Check intent → Check relevance → Evaluate competition/cost → Add negatives → Group keywords → Advertise → Measure → Improve

If you follow that process, your Google Ads campaign has a much better foundation than simply choosing random popular keywords.