How to Use Google Keyword Planner (Complete Guide for Beginners)

If you want to grow your website traffic and rank higher on Google, you need to start with solid keyword research. One of the best free tools for this is Google Keyword Planner. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how to use Google Keyword Planner step by step — even if you’re a complete beginner.

What is Google Keyword Planner?

Google Keyword Planner is a free tool from Google Ads that helps you find keywords people are searching for on Google. It shows you search volume, competition level, and estimated cost-per-click (CPC) for each keyword. While it was designed for advertisers, content creators and SEO specialists can use it to find the best topics to target for blog posts, videos, and landing pages.

Why Keyword Research Matters

Keyword research is the foundation of search engine optimization (SEO). By finding the right keywords, you can create content that matches what your audience is already searching for. This increases your chances of ranking higher in Google search results, driving more organic traffic, and ultimately generating more leads or sales.

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

Step 1: Create a Free Google Ads Account

To access Keyword Planner, you need a free Google Ads account. Go to ads.google.com and sign up. You don’t have to run ads to use the tool — you can skip campaign setup by choosing “Create an account without a campaign.”

Step 2: Access Google Keyword Planner

Once inside your Google Ads dashboard, click on the “Tools & Settings” icon (the wrench) in the top menu. Under the “Planning” section, select Keyword Planner. This will take you to the main tool interface.

Step 3: Choose a Research Option

Keyword Planner offers two main options:

• Discover new keywords: Use this option to find fresh keyword ideas based on topics, products, or websites.
• Get search volume and forecasts: Use this if you already have a list of keywords and want to see their search data.

For beginners, “Discover new keywords” is usually the best place to start.

Step 4: Enter Your Seed Keyword

Type in a broad term related to your niche — for example, if you have a fitness blog, you might search for “home workout.” Click “Get results” and Keyword Planner will generate a list of keyword ideas based on your input.

How to Read the Keyword Results

Once Keyword Planner generates results, you’ll see a table with several columns. Understanding what each column means is crucial for choosing the right keywords.

Keyword (by relevance)

This column lists the keywords related to your search. A good result is a keyword that is relevant to your niche and something you could write a full piece of content about. Avoid irrelevant keywords that don’t match your audience or business goals.

Avg. Monthly Searches

This shows how many people search for that keyword on average per month.

• Good Result: A keyword with a steady number of searches (e.g., 1,000 – 10,000 searches/month) that matches your content topic. This means there’s enough demand to make writing about it worthwhile.
• Bad Result: Keywords with very low search volume (e.g., <100) may not bring much traffic. Extremely high volume keywords (100K+) may be too competitive for a new site.

Competition

This column tells you how many advertisers are bidding on that keyword. While it’s meant for ads, it gives you a clue about SEO competition.

• Good Result: Low-to-medium competition keywords are usually easier to rank for, making them ideal for new websites.
• Bad Result: High competition keywords may require significant authority and backlinks to rank. Beginners should approach with caution.

Top of Page Bid (Low Range / High Range)

This shows the cost advertisers are willing to pay per click. Higher bids usually indicate strong commercial intent — meaning these keywords could convert well for affiliate marketing or product sales.

• Good Result: Keywords with moderate to high CPC (e.g., $1–$5) often have good monetization potential.
• Bad Result: Very low CPC (e.g., $0.01) may not be profitable to target if monetization is your goal.

Trend Graph

Clicking on a keyword shows its search trend over the last 12 months.

• Good Result: Keywords with consistent or upward trends indicate stable traffic potential.
• Bad Result: Keywords with declining trends may bring less traffic over time.

Step 5: Refine Your Results

Use filters to narrow down your results:

• Location: Focus on a specific country, region, or city.
• Language: Target keywords in a specific language.
• Search Network: Usually keep this set to Google for most accurate data.
• Date Range: Look at seasonal trends or focus on recent data.

Step 6: Build Your Keyword List

Choose keywords that strike a balance between search volume, competition, and intent. Long-tail keywords (3+ words) with moderate volume are often easier to rank for and bring targeted traffic. Save them inside Keyword Planner or export to a spreadsheet.

Tips for Using Keyword Planner Effectively

• Look for long-tail keywords: Easier to rank for and attract more qualified visitors.
• Consider search intent: Choose keywords that match what users actually want — informational, transactional, or navigational.
• Combine with Google Trends: Validate keyword popularity over time to avoid seasonal drops.
• Group related keywords: Plan your content strategy by grouping keywords into topic clusters.

How to Use Your Keywords for SEO

Once you’ve built your keyword list, strategically use them in your content:

• Title Tags: Include your primary keyword.
• Headings: Use related keywords in H2/H3s.
• Body Content: Use naturally — avoid keyword stuffing.
• Meta Description: Include your keyword for better click-through rates.

Conclusion: Start Optimizing with Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is one of the most powerful free tools for keyword research. By understanding what each column means and what makes a keyword worth targeting, you can build a content strategy that attracts the right audience and helps you rank higher on Google. Whether you’re running a blog, e-commerce store, or niche website, Keyword Planner can help you grow your traffic and increase your online income potential.

👉 Next Step: Put your keyword research into action by reading our guide on Google Adsense Approval – Start Earning Money and start monetizing your content.