Knowledge Base

Google Ads is a powerful advertising platform that businesses use to reach potential customers. The cornerstone of a successful Google Ads campaign is identifying the right keywords. This guide will provide an in-depth look at Google Ads keyword research, explaining the most effective strategies and tools step by step. The first step to reaching your potential customers with Google Ads Advertising is finding the right keywords.

1. The Importance of Keyword Research and Basic Concepts

1.1. Why Should We Do Keyword Research?

Keyword research is the process of identifying the words and phrases your target audience uses when searching on Google. The importance of this process is as follows:

• Accurate Targeting: Allows you to show your ads to the right people.
• Budget Optimization: Helps you use your advertising budget more efficiently by preventing unnecessary clicks.
• Quality Score Improvement: Relevant keywords increase the quality score of your ads and allow you to appear higher in the rankings at a lower cost.
• Increasing Conversion Rates: Ads that match the words your target audience is looking for increase your conversion rates.
• Competitive Analysis: Allows you to understand which keywords your competitors are targeting and shape your strategy accordingly.

1.2. Keyword Types

Keywords can generally be classified as follows:

• Short-Tail Keywords (Head Terms): Broad and general keywords. For example: "shoes", "car", "vacation". These words have high competition and generally low conversion rates.
• Mid-Tail Keywords (Body Terms): More specific keywords. For example: "men's sports shoes", "car rental Istanbul", "cheap vacation packages". Their competition is lower than short-tail keywords and their conversion rates are higher.
• Long-Tail Keywords: Very specific and niche keywords. For example: "best sports shoes for men's running", "rental diesel automatic car at Istanbul Airport", "all-inclusive Antalya family vacation packages". Their competition is low and their conversion rates are generally very high. Among Google Ads Keyword Targeting strategies, long-tail keywords are especially important for budget optimization.

1.3. Matching Options

In Google Ads, you can specify your keywords with matching options. These options allow you to control which search terms your ads will match:

• Broad Match: Covers all searches that may be related to your keyword. It is the broadest matching option.
• Phrase Match: Covers the exact same or close variations of your keyword (e.g., misspellings, synonyms). Words around your keyword may be different.
• Exact Match: Covers searches that are exactly the same as your keyword. It is the narrowest matching option.
• Broad Match Modifier: By adding a "+" sign before your keyword, you ensure that the word is definitely included in the search.

2. Keyword Research Tools

2.1. Google Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is a free tool that comes with your Google Ads account. It helps you find keyword ideas, estimate search volumes, and see competition levels. It is an ideal tool to start keyword research for your Google Adwords campaigns.

Step-by-Step Usage:

1. Log in to your Google Ads account.
2. Select "Keyword Planner" from the "Tools and Settings" section.
3. Choose either "Discover new keywords" or "Get search volume and forecasts".
4. Enter relevant keywords or your website.
5. Set your targeting settings (location, language, etc.).
6. Click the "Get results" button.

2.2. SEMrush

SEMrush is a comprehensive SEO and marketing tool. It offers keyword research, competitor analysis, site audit, and many other features. It is a paid tool, but a free trial is available.

2.3. Ahrefs

Ahrefs is another popular SEO tool. It offers features such as keyword research, backlink analysis, content analysis, and competitor analysis. Like SEMrush, it is a paid tool.

2.4. Other Tools

• Ubersuggest: A more affordable keyword research tool developed by Neil Patel.
• Moz Keyword Explorer: A tool offered by Moz that helps you analyze keyword difficulty and potential.
• Google Trends: A free tool that shows the popularity of keywords over time.

3. Keyword Research Strategies

3.1. Brainstorming and Customer-Focused Approach

When starting keyword research, first list all the words and phrases that may be related to your business. Think about what words your customers might use when searching for your products or services. You can also get new keyword ideas by reviewing customer feedback, frequently asked questions, and customer reviews.

3.2. Competitor Analysis

Analyzing which keywords your competitors are targeting can provide you with valuable insights. By using tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs, you can see your competitors' top-performing keywords and ads.

3.3. Google Suggestions and Related Searches

When you search for a keyword on Google, the "Related searches" section appears at the bottom of the search results. This section shows other keywords that users are searching for and can give you new ideas. Additionally, Google's autocomplete feature works similarly.

3.4. Forums and Social Media

By examining the forums, social media groups, and communities where your target audience is active, you can learn which words and phrases people are using. This can be particularly helpful when conducting keyword research in niche markets.

4. Keyword Grouping and Theme Creation

Grouping the keywords you find and creating themes helps you better organize your advertising campaigns. For example, for an online clothing store, you can make the following groupings:

• Dresses: "dress", "gown", "casual dress", "evening dress"
• Shoes: "shoes", "sneakers", "high heels", "flats"
• Accessories: "bag", "belt", "hat", "jewelry"

By creating separate ad groups for each group, you can make your ad texts and landing pages more relevant. Targeted Google Ads Advertising to Acquire Customers strategies are directly related to keyword grouping and theme creation.

5. Negative Keywords

Negative keywords are words that prevent your ads from being shown for specific search terms. For example, if you are a shoe store and only sell shoes for adults, you can add "children's shoes" as a negative keyword. This helps you avoid unnecessary clicks and use your advertising budget more efficiently.

Negative Keyword Types:

• Broad Negative Match: Blocks searches that match any variation of your keyword.
• Phrase Negative Match: Blocks searches that match the exact order of your keyword.
• Exact Negative Match: Blocks searches that are an exact match to your keyword.

6. Monitoring and Optimizing Keyword Performance

Keyword research is a continuous process. After your ads are published, you should regularly monitor the performance of your keywords and make the necessary optimizations. In the Google Ads panel, you can see the click-through rates, conversion rates, costs, and quality scores of your keywords.

Optimization Tips:

• Pause or Edit Low-Performing Keywords: Pause keywords with low click-through rates or that do not generate conversions, or try matching them with more relevant ad texts and landing pages.
• Allocate More Budget to High-Performing Keywords: By allocating more budget to well-performing keywords, you can reach more potential customers.
• Add New Keywords: By continuously researching new keywords, add new words to your campaigns and adapt to the changing needs of your target audience.
• Adjust Match Options: Adjust the match options (broad, phrase, exact) of your keywords according to their performance.
• Add Negative Keywords: Regularly add negative keywords to avoid unnecessary clicks.

7. Real-Life Examples and Case Studies

Example 1: An online bookstore was advertising with the keyword "book". However, since this word was too general, it was receiving high-cost and low-conversion clicks. When the store replaced its keywords with more specific words such as "novel", "history book", "children's book", click costs decreased and conversion rates increased.

Example 2: A dental clinic was advertising with the keyword "dentist". However, since this word was also too general, it was receiving unnecessary clicks. When the clinic replaced its keywords with more specific words such as "Istanbul dentist", "implant treatment", "teeth whitening", it managed to reach its target audience better.

8. Keyword Comparison with Tables

In the table below, you can compare the characteristics of different keyword types:

In the table below, you can compare the characteristics of different match types:

9. Frequently Asked Questions

• Question: How often should I do keyword research?
• Answer: You should conduct keyword research regularly, at least every 3-6 months. Since market trends, the competitive landscape, and your target audience's search behaviors are constantly changing, it's important to keep your keyword list up to date.
• Question: Are free keyword tools sufficient?
• Answer: Free tools are a good starting point for keyword research. However, it is recommended to use paid tools for more comprehensive and detailed analysis.
• Question: What is the importance of negative keywords?
• Answer: Negative keywords prevent your ads from being shown in irrelevant searches, allowing you to use your budget more efficiently. This helps you achieve higher conversions at a lower cost.
• Question: How is keyword research done in Remarketing campaigns?
• Answer: In remarketing campaigns, ads are shown to users who have previously visited your website or viewed your products. Therefore, when conducting keyword research, it is important to consider which products or services these users have previously been interested in. For example, you can show a user who has previously viewed a shoe model an ad related to that model.

10. Conclusion and Summary

Google Ads keyword research is the foundation of a successful advertising campaign. Identifying the right keywords allows you to show your ads to the right people, use your budget more efficiently, and increase your conversion rates. In this guide, we have explained the importance of keyword research, different keyword types, the most effective tools, and strategies step by step. Remember, keyword research is a continuous process, and you need to optimize by regularly monitoring your performance. By selecting the most suitable Google Adwords Ad Types for you and targeting with the right keywords, you can create a successful advertising campaign.