When it comes to building successful digital campaigns, keyword research is the foundation. Without the right keywords, even the most creative ads or compelling content may fail to reach the intended audience. That’s where Google Keyword Planner comes in—a free yet powerful tool that helps businesses uncover search terms their potential customers are already using. At EDM33, we’ve used this tool extensively to build high-performing campaigns, optimize SEO strategies, and guide clients toward measurable growth.
Why Google Keyword Planner Matters
Keyword Planner is not just about generating a list of words; it’s about understanding the behavior of your target audience. It provides insights into how often terms are searched, how competition varies, and what potential cost-per-click (CPC) you might expect. This makes it invaluable for both paid advertising and organic SEO strategies.
Research shows that 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine, and Google dominates that landscape with more than 90% of market share. By tapping into Keyword Planner, businesses can align themselves with the very words customers are typing into Google every day. For us at EDM33, the tool acts as a compass, pointing clients in the right direction before a single dollar is spent on ads.
Mastering Keyword Planner is only the first step. What truly drives results is turning those insights into campaigns that convert. As the leading google ads agency, we at EDM33 have helped brands in Singapore and beyond transform search data into measurable growth. From keyword discovery to campaign execution, our team ensures every dollar works harder for your business.
A Step-by-Step Guide (Practical Walkthrough)
Step 1: Get into Google Keyword Planner
Sign in to Google Ads with any Gmail, then open Tools & Settings and choose Keyword Planner under Planning. You don’t need an active campaign or payment method to use the tool. Once inside, you’ll see two main paths: Discover new keywords and Get search volume and forecasts. We use both, but start with Discover to surface ideas, then switch to Forecasts to sanity-check traffic and cost. Think of Discover as exploration and Forecasts as validation.
Step 2: Set your basic targeting before you search
At the top of the interface, set Location to where buyers actually are (e.g., Singapore), pick the right Language, and keep Search networks limited to Google. Choose a Date range that represents a normal demand window, then use the compare toggle to see seasonality. This matters because a keyword that looks weak in a slow month may be a winner in peak season. Aligning these basics upfront prevents misleading volume and cost estimates.
Step 3: Seed the tool with the right inputs
Click Discover new keywords and add seed terms, a URL, or a product category. For a bakery, we’d start with “custom cakes,” “birthday cakes,” and the website homepage to let Google infer context. Avoid single ultra-broad words like “cakes” unless you plan to filter aggressively. Add 5–10 focused seeds that reflect your product lines and buyer language. The broader your seeds, the more cleanup you’ll need later.
Step 4: Use filters to remove noise fast
In the results, apply Include/Exclude filters to focus on intent. Include modifiers like “near me,” “price,” “best,” or “delivery” if they match your funnel stage. Exclude career terms (job, salary), DIY terms (how to make), and regions you don’t serve. For multi-city brands, run separate discovery passes by city so you don’t mix signals. This early hygiene step saves hours and yields cleaner clusters downstream.
Step 5: Read the columns like a pro
Turn on columns for Avg. monthly searches, 3-month change, YoY change, Competition, and Top of page bid (low/high). Volume shows demand, but trend columns show momentum you can ride. Competition isn’t “bad”; it’s a proxy for commercial value. The top-of-page bid range hints at CPC reality and potential ROI. We shortlist keywords that balance relevance, rising trend, and a CPC your margins can support. That trio beats chasing volume alone.
Step 6: Expand smartly with related ideas
Use the “Refine keywords” panel and related themes to branch into high-intent angles: “same day delivery,” “custom design,” “halal options,” or “vegan.” Check the “Questions” formats if available to harvest content ideas for SEO. For local businesses, try adding suburb names or landmarks buyers actually use. Keep a running list of promising modifiers; those often become ad group names, landing page sections, and site link extensions later.
Step 7: Build tight clusters (your future ad groups)
Export your shortlists and cluster them by intent and product: “birthday cakes,” “wedding cakes,” “cupcakes,” “custom designs,” “delivery.” Each cluster should feel coherent enough that one landing page could satisfy all queries inside it. We aim for 5–20 closely related terms per cluster. If a term doesn’t fit neatly, make a separate micro-cluster. Tight clusters improve Quality Score, lower CPC, and make ad copy far more persuasive.
Step 8: Switch to “Get search volume and forecasts”
Paste your clustered keywords into the Forecasts tool. Set your date range (e.g., next 30 days), device mix, and location. The tool projects impressions, clicks, costs, and CPCs at different bids. Treat this as directional, not absolute. We adjust bid sliders to find the spend level where marginal CPCs stop making sense. If forecast volume is too small, expand clusters with near-synonyms or slightly broader intents to hit your reach targets.
Step 9: Choose initial match types with intent control
For high-intent clusters, start with exact and phrase to protect relevance and collect clean search term data. For discovery, layer in broad match but only if you can pair it with strong negatives and clear audience signals. The keyword plan lets you assign match types before creating a campaign. Our rule of thumb: begin narrower, learn fast, then expand once you see profitable themes emerging in the search terms report.
Step 10: Draft the campaign from your plan
From the plan, create a Search campaign. Mirror your clusters as ad groups, set the same geo-targets you used in planning, and align bidding with your objective (maximize conversions or a TCPA once you have baseline data). Write responsive search ads that echo each ad group’s core terms in headlines 1–2, then add benefits, social proof, and delivery options in other headlines. Use site links for sub-offers and callouts for unique value.
Step 11: Add negatives and guardrails on day one
Before launch, build a shared negative list for irrelevant terms you excluded during discovery (career, DIY, wholesale, free). Add complementary negatives per ad group to prevent cannibalization between clusters (e.g., add “wedding” as a negative in the “birthday” group). Review the search terms twice weekly early on. Strong negatives keep your budget focused on buyers, not browsers, and dramatically improve conversion rates from the outset.
Step 12: Connect to landing pages and SEO content
Map each cluster to a page that precisely answers the query and repeats key phrases naturally in H1, subheads, and body copy. If a page doesn’t exist, plan it—those clusters double as your SEO content roadmap. Use the Keyword Planner volume to prioritize build order and tie each page to a clear conversion action. Paid search proves demand quickly; SEO then compounds it by capturing that demand without incremental CPC over time.
Step 13: Iterate with real data, not assumptions
After one to two weeks, compare actual CPCs, CTR, and conversion rates to your forecasts. Promote winning queries into exact/phrase, demote weak ones, and move off-topic searches to negatives. Revisit Keyword Planner monthly to spot new modifiers, seasonal spikes, and rising queries. We treat this as a flywheel: discover, test, learn, and scale. Brands that make this a habit see steadier CPA and stronger share of voice over time.
Step 14: Example workflow you can copy today
Imagine you’re “Sunny Bakes Singapore.” Seeds: custom cakes, birthday cakes, cake delivery, vegan cake, halal cake. Filters: include “delivery,” “same day,” “near me”; exclude “job,” “recipe,” “free.” Clusters: Birthday, Wedding, Delivery, Vegan/Halal, Cupcakes. Forecast each cluster for a S$30–S$60 daily budget test. Launch with phrase/exact and a negative list. Build or refine five matching pages. Review search terms in 72 hours and expand successful angles.
Partner With Us
If you’re ready to scale smarter and stop wasting ad spend, we’re here to help. At EDM33, we don’t just set up campaigns—we build strategies that win customers and outpace competitors. Partner with us, and let our expertise as a google ads agency guide you toward higher ROI and sustainable growth.