The Google Keyword Planner, developed by Alphabet Inc., is a tool within the Google Ads program designed to assist advertisers. It helps users estimate potential traffic and costs associated with specific budgets and campaigns. To access the Keyword Planner, a valid Ads account is required. Besides its primary use for Search Engine Advertising (SEA), it is also beneficial for copywriters and SEOs conducting keyword research.
The Google Keyword Planner is divided into two main areas. The first focuses on keyword research and provides data on search volumes. The second area is tailored for advertising, allowing advertisers to input keywords and bids to receive traffic forecasts. For SEO purposes, the focus is usually on the first area.
Web content creators and optimizers can utilize the Google Keyword Planner as an effective keyword tool. Its primary benefit is displaying potential search volumes and competition.
The planner simplifies the process for users by allowing them to enter a central keyword to receive suggestions based on a search region or a URL. This feature is particularly useful for sites with existing content or for analyzing competitors' keyword lists.
For instance, if you have a webshop focused on "rubber boots" and seek more terms for text optimization, enter this main keyword into the planner to find additional keywords. The tool can also organize these into potential advertising groups.
Identifying trends and search volume is crucial for commercially operated sites like online shops. Transactional keywords hold significant importance. The Keyword Planner helps identify high-traffic keywords and explore niches with lower competition, allowing strategic keyword list creation.
The Keyword Planner offers a feature that allows SEOs to upload two keyword lists. The tool combines these lists, suggesting new long-tail keywords, which are useful for optimizing product pages in webshops.
Filters can be applied to exclude unwanted keywords, enhancing the efficiency of search engine marketing campaigns. These filters are equally useful in SEO for eliminating unnecessary terms.
While the Keyword Planner provides several KPIs for keyword research, it has limitations. It mostly offers forecasts rather than precise traffic data, and the accuracy depends on the volume of ad bookings. The tool focuses on word combinations used in AdWords, excluding other user-entered combinations. For detailed search volume information, tools like Google Trends are recommended.
The Google Suggest function can help refine the keyword focus by automatically generating common additions to the main keyword. However, the Keyword Planner often overlooks relevant questions, limiting its usefulness in understanding user inquiries on specific topics.
Despite its shortcomings, the Google AdWords Keyword Planner remains a valuable tool for web copywriters and content marketers. It's essential to remember its primary purpose is to enhance paid advertising campaigns, with SEO functions being secondary. Therefore, results should be complemented with other analyses like WDF*IDF and question tools for comprehensive content optimization.