How to Do Keyword Research for PPC Advertising
Keyword research is the foundation of every successful PPC (Pay-Per-Click) campaign. Choosing the right keywords can make or break your ad performance. Good keyword research helps you target the right audience, increase clicks, and reduce wasted ad spend.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to do keyword research for PPC step by step, along with tools and tips to find profitable keywords that convert.
✅ 1. Why Keyword Research Matters in PPC
Every time someone searches on Google or Bing, their search triggers keywords in your PPC campaign. If your keywords match the searcher's intent, your ad appears.
Right keywords = Right audience = Higher ROI
Without keyword research:
Your ads may show to the wrong audience.
You could spend money on irrelevant clicks.
Your Quality Score might go down, raising your CPC.
✅ 2. Types of PPC Keywords
Before doing keyword research, understand these 4 main types of keywords:
Broad Keywords: e.g. "shoes" — attracts wide traffic but often unqualified.
Phrase Match: e.g. "running shoes" — ad shows when search includes that phrase.
Exact Match: e.g. [buy running shoes] — ad shows for specific intent.
Negative Keywords: exclude irrelevant searches, e.g. “free,” “used.”
For better targeting, mix exact and phrase match keywords, and always use negative keywords.
✅ 3. Step-by-Step Keyword Research Process
🔍 Step 1: Understand Your Audience
Start by defining:
What are your customers looking for?
What problems are they trying to solve?
What language or terms do they use?
Tip: Use buyer personas and customer surveys for deeper insight.
🔍 Step 2: Brainstorm Initial Keyword Ideas
Think about:
Your products or services
Common terms in your niche
Competitor keywords
Related searches
Example: If you sell online courses, seed keywords might include:
"learn digital marketing"
"best SEO course"
"online business classes"
🔍 Step 3: Use Keyword Research Tools
Here are the best free and paid tools:
Google Keyword Planner (Free)
Great for search volume, CPC, and competition data.Ubersuggest
Provides keyword ideas and difficulty score.SEMrush / Ahrefs / SpyFu
Excellent for competitor keyword spying and in-depth analysis.AnswerThePublic
Generates question-based keyword ideas.
When using tools, look at:
Search volume (monthly average)
CPC (Cost-Per-Click)
Competition (Low, Medium, High)
User intent
🔍 Step 4: Focus on High-Intent Keywords
High-intent keywords are used by people ready to take action.
Examples:
“Buy noise-canceling headphones”
“Best laptop for video editing 2025”
“Digital marketing course with certificate”
Avoid generic keywords like “headphones” or “marketing” — they bring high traffic but low conversion.
🔍 Step 5: Analyze Competitor Keywords
Use tools like SEMrush, SpyFu, or Ahrefs to find:
Which keywords your competitors are bidding on
Their ad copy
Estimated traffic and spend
This gives you insights into what’s working in your industry.
🔍 Step 6: Create Keyword Groups (Ad Groups)
Group your keywords into tight themes for each ad group.
Example:
Ad Group 1: "SEO Course"
Keywords: "learn SEO online", "best SEO course", "SEO course with certificate"Ad Group 2: "Content Marketing Course"
Keywords: "content marketing class", "how to write blog content", etc.
Each group should have its own tailored ad and landing page.
🔍 Step 7: Add Negative Keywords
Avoid irrelevant traffic by adding negative keywords like:
“Free”
“Jobs”
“PDF”
“Used”
Use Google Search Terms Report to identify wasteful queries.
✅ 4. Tips to Refine Your Keyword List
Start with 10–20 keywords per ad group
Use long-tail keywords — they convert better
Continuously test and refine based on ad performance
Monitor CTR and conversion rates of each keyword
✅ 5. Conclusion
Effective keyword research is not a one-time task; it’s a continuous process of testing and optimizing. The better your keywords match user intent, the more likely your ads are to perform well.
By using the right tools, understanding your audience, and refining your list, you’ll drive better traffic, reduce costs, and increase conversions in your PPC campaigns.