Blogs / How to do better keyword research for Google Ads
How to do better keyword research for Google Ads
Introduction
Quick answer: Better keyword research for Google Ads means finding the exact phrases buyers type when they are ready to act, and organizing them by intent. List your products and customer problems, expand them with Keyword Planner, autocomplete and competitor pages, check intent and cost, group keywords into tight themes, and then validate with real search term data once the campaign runs.
By Mizanur Rahman, digital marketer. Updated 31 October 2026.
What good keyword research looks like
Good research finds queries that match your offer, have enough volume and show buying intent. High volume alone is not the goal. A keyword with 100 searches that brings buyers beats one with 10,000 searches that brings browsers.
Step 1: Start with your business, not a tool
- List each product or service you sell.
- List the problems customers want solved and the words they use.
- List competitors and alternative solutions people compare.
- Note qualifiers: location, price words, audience such as “for small business”.
Step 2: Expand with free and paid sources
| Source | Use it to find |
|---|---|
| Google Keyword Planner | Ideas, volume ranges, estimated bids |
| Google autocomplete and related searches | Real phrases people type |
| People also ask | Question-style queries |
| Search Console | Queries that already bring your site impressions |
| Existing campaigns’ search terms | Proven converting queries |
| Competitor pages and ads | Angles and phrases you missed |
Step 3: Sort by search intent
- Transactional: buy, pricing, quote, hire, near me. Highest priority.
- Commercial investigation: best, vs, alternatives, reviews. Useful, with careful testing.
- Informational: how to, what is, guide. Usually better served by content than ads.
- Navigational: a brand name. Bid on your own brand, and decide case by case on competitors.
Step 4: Check relevance, volume and cost
For each keyword, ask: does the page I will send them to fully answer this search? Is the volume enough to matter? Is the estimated cost per click compatible with my margins? Drop keywords that fail any of these checks.
Step 5: Group keywords into themes
Put closely related keywords in the same ad group, and write ads for that exact theme. Tight groups improve ad relevance and make results easier to read. Avoid mixing different intents in one group.
Step 6: Build your negative keyword list early
Add negatives before launch: free, jobs, salary, course, tutorial, template and other terms that signal people who will not buy. Then expand the list weekly from the search terms report.
Step 7: Validate and refine with real data
- Launch with a mix of exact and phrase match, and a small amount of broad match if you have conversion data.
- Review search terms weekly.
- Add converting terms as keywords, add wasteful ones as negatives.
- Pause keywords with enough spend and no results.
Common mistakes
- Choosing keywords only by search volume.
- Ignoring local or language variations.
- Putting hundreds of unrelated keywords in one ad group.
- Never reviewing search terms.
Frequently asked questions
How many keywords should a campaign have?
There is no fixed number. Use as many as you can organize into tight themes with relevant ads. Many strong accounts use small, focused ad groups.
Do I need a paid tool for keyword research?
No. Google Keyword Planner, autocomplete, Search Console and your own search term data are enough to start. Paid tools can add competitor insights.
How often should I do keyword research?
Review search terms weekly and run a deeper research pass every few months or when you launch new products.
About the author: Mizanur Rahman is a digital marketer based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, who runs Facebook, Google and TikTok ad campaigns and conversion tracking for SaaS and tech businesses. Get in touch if you want help with your own campaigns.
Key points
- Write the first key point here.
- Write the second key point here.
- Write the third key point here.
Conclusion
Write the conclusion of this blog post here.
© 2026 Mizanur Rahman. All rights reserved.