Introduction

Are you running a Google Ads campaign but watching your budget vanish with little or no return? You’re not alone. One of the most common mistakes in PPC advertising is targeting the wrong keywords—high-volume terms that drive traffic but don’t convert. The result? Lots of impressions, few conversions.

That’s where PPC keyword research comes in.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to do keyword research for PPC campaigns that actually convert. We’ll cover everything from paid search keywords and intent to using the right PPC keyword research tools and analyzing your competition.

The goal? Helping you uncover the best Google Ads keywords that deliver high returns with minimal wasted spend.

What is PPC Keyword Research?

PPC keyword research is the process of identifying the most valuable terms to bid on—the ones most likely to drive qualified traffic and conversions.

Unlike SEO keyword research, where long-term rankings are the goal, keyword research for PPC is about immediate results. Every click costs money, so every keyword needs to earn its keep.

To put it simply: it’s not about what people search for. It’s about what buyers search for.

Example: A bakery bids on a broad keyword like “cake”. However, this also attracts searches like “cake decorations” or “cake delivery online”, which don’t match the bakery’s offerings or target audience.

Note: This doesn’t mean you should avoid broad terms altogether! Used carefully, these keywords are an important part of a balanced PPC strategy—more on that later.

What Makes a Keyword Profitable for PPC?

The best PPC keywords share a few traits, no matter your industry or product:

• High commercial intent: The searcher is ready to buy, not just browse.
• Low competition: This means lower CPCs and better ROI.
• Strong historical conversion rates: Use tools like Keyword Planner to estimate performance based on this data.
• Affordable Cost-Per-Click (CPC): So that your budget lasts longer.

Example:

❌ Bad PPC Keyword: “best cotton Tshirts for women” – too broad, vague intent, high competition.

✅ Good PPC Keyword: “cotton Tshirts for women under 500” – specific, high intent, buyer-ready.

But wait: what about keyword volume? Shouldn’t that also be considered?

Here’s Why High Keyword Volume Can Be Misleading in PPC

High search volume looks good, but don’t fall for it. Here’s why:

High Volume ≠ High Value

A keyword with 10,000+ searches sounds great, until you realize that many users are just browsing.

Example: “refurbished macbook” – High volume, but low intent. They might be comparing models or just curious about what “refurbished” involves.

Compare that to “deals for macbook air” – Lower volume, much stronger buying intent. The user knows the exact product and is searching for the best offer, which means they’re ready to purchase soon.

High Volume = High Competition

Popular keywords attract big advertisers with bigger budgets, which drives up:

• CPC
• Ad placement difficulty
• Overall campaign costs

High Volume ≠ High Intent

Search volume tells you how many people are searching, not why. And in PPC, transactional intent matters more than popularity.

✅ Look for terms that include: “Buy,” “get quote,” “order now”.

❌ Avoid research-stage phrases like: “What is,” “how does,” “top 10”.

The 4 Key Types of PPC Keywords

To build a rock-solid PPC strategy, use a mix of these keyword types:

1. Branded Keywords

These include your brand name. Great for defending your territory!

Example: “Puma running shoes”

2. Competitor Keywords

Bid on rival brands to grab attention.

Example: “Adidas running shoes” (when you’re selling Puma)

3. Generic Keywords

Broad terms with high traffic and cost.

Example: “running shoes”

4. Long-tail Keywords

More specific, less competition, higher conversions.

Example: “best running shoes for beginners”

Pro Tip: Long-tail and branded keywords have the highest intent and best ROI.

Search Intent: The Secret Sauce for PPC Success

All searches fall into one of four intent buckets:

• Navigational: Looking for a specific site – “Shiseido website”
• Informational: Seeking knowledge – “best wrinkle smoothing creams”
• Commercial: Researching purchases – “best Shiseido products for wrinkles”
• Transactional: Ready to buy – “buy Shiseido Benefiance wrinkle smoothing cream”

Out of these 4, commercial and transactional intent are your PPC goldmines. You can find these by analyzing Search Term Reports and using tools like Google Keyword Planner.

Keyword Length: Short-Tail vs. Long-Tail

Short-Tail Keywords

Example: “laptop”

Volume: 368,000, according to Backlinko.

CPC: 1.46 USD

Intent: Vague. Are they looking for reviews, brands, accessories, or just researching?

Conversion rate: Low, as the searcher is in the early awareness stage.

✅ Good for brand awareness

❌ Risky for limited budgets or high conversion goals.

Long-Tail Keywords

Example: “HP Pavilion 16 inch Laptop”

Volume: 140 according to SE Ranking.

CPC: 0.21 USD

Intent: High, they know the exact product they want.

Conversion rate: High, as they’re closer to a purchase decision.

✅ Good for eCommerce, B2B, or niche markets.

A study by WordStream found that the average conversion rate for long-tail keywords in Google Ads is higher than for short-tail keywords.

Keyword Match Types: How to Control Your Reach

Google Ads gives you three match types:

• Broad Match: Maximum reach. Expect some wasted clicks.
• Phrase Match: More targeted and greater control over search relevance.
• Exact Match: Precise targeting. Minimal waste. Low reach.

Pro Tip: Start with Phrase Match. Then refine once you see what works.

Why Does PPC Keyword Research Matter So Much?

Because the wrong keywords can be costly in more ways than one.

1. Wasted Budget

Imagine selling Adidas shoes but bidding on “Nike.” Ouch.

2. Low Ad Relevance = High CPC

Google rewards ads with high relevance. Great keyword targeting = better Quality Scores = cheaper clicks.

3. Poor Return on Ad Spend

If your keywords don’t convert, you’re not just losing money. You’re missing opportunities—like leads who could have signed up for a demo or trial, or customers who were ready to buy, just not through your ad.

4. Missed Seasonal Wins

Some keywords become profitable only during specific times—like “back to school laptop deals” or “Eid offers on smartphones.” Plan ahead and bid on them early for the best results. Miss the window, and you’ll pay more when the buyer searches (and the competition) peaks.

Mastering PPC Keyword Research: How to Drive High-Intent Traffic and ROI

Success in PPC comes down to PPC keyword analysis and refinement. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of that process.

Step 1: Focus on buyer-ready terms

Look for intent signals like “buy,” “get quote,” or “order online.” These terms indicate that the user is ready to act.

Suggested reading: How to analyze buyer intent in keywords for PPC.

Step 2: A/B test what converts

Create ad groups with variations of high-intent phrases, and test them. Next, monitor which ones bring in the most conversions at the lowest cost. Over time, even small tweaks in wording can lead to big gains in performance.

Suggested reading: A beginner’s guide to A/B testing Pay-Per-Click ads

Step 3: Let the data lead

Use Search Term Reports, conversion tracking, and attribution data to snip out underperforming keywords, and double down on winners.

Suggested reading: How to optimize your keyword selection strategy after an A/B test

Step 4: Keep refining

Markets shift, intent evolves, and new competitors enter the game. Stay profitable by auditing your PPC keyword strategy regularly.

Key Metrics to Keep in Mind

As you refine your PPC keyword strategy, keep an eye on these metrics:

• Cost-per-click (CPC): Can you afford this keyword?
• Competition level: Are you fighting giants?
• Search volume: Don’t chase volume at the expense of relevance.
• Conversion probability: Would you buy after searching this?

Top Tools to Supercharge Your PPC Keyword Research

Looking for PPC keyword research tools? Here are our top picks:

1. Google Keyword Planner: Free, reliable, straight from the source.
2. SEMRush & Ahrefs: Advanced insights and competitor data.
3. SpyFu: Peek at your competitors’ keywords and ad strategies.
4. AnswerThePublic: Find question-based keyword ideas.
5. Reddit & Quora: Real user language = real search terms.
6. Google Trends: Spot seasonal or rising keywords early.

How to Do Keyword Research for PPC (Step-by-Step)

1. Create a Google Ads account
2. Switch to Expert Mode for full control
3. Open Keyword Planner
4. Generate keyword ideas based on your product/service
5. Filter using CPC, competition, and intent
6. Group your keywords by theme or funnel stage
7. Forecast performance (Google Ads provides estimates)
8. Launch, monitor, and tweak constantly

Don’t Forget the Negative Keywords

Filter out irrelevant traffic with negative keywords to boost your conversions. By excluding irrelevant or low-intent terms, you prevent your ads from showing to people who were never going to convert.

Example: Adding “free plan” as a negative keyword if you only sell paid plans.

Pro Tip: Review your Search Term Report weekly to cut the fluff.

How to Use Competitor Analysis to Steal Smart Wins

Why reinvent the wheel when you can borrow a Ferrari?

• Use SpyFu, SEMRush, or Ahrefs to analyze your competitor’s ads, and find their best keywords and ad copy.
• Check Auction Insights in Google Ads for overlap in keyword bidding. Then adjust your ad strategy to beat your competitors in rank and placement.
• Look for the keywords they aren’t using.
• Bid on their branded keywords. Ethically and within Google’s trademark policy, of course.
• Reverse-engineer high-performing landing pages. This will give you ideas to optimize your own conversion funnel.
• Watch what they do—and do it better.

Pro Tip: If they’ve been bidding on a keyword for months, it probably works.

Start Your PPC Keyword Research Today

You got the strategy, tools, and tactics. Now it’s time to act:

•  Use Keyword Planner to identify high-intent, paid search keywords.
• Spy on competitors to uncover winning terms.
• Mine Reddit, Quora, and forums for long-tail keyword ideas.
• Tap into Google Trends to catch seasonal keywords early.

FAQs on Google Ads Pricing

1. How Much Does Google Ads Cost Per Month?

   The cost of Google Ads depends on the size of your businesses, industry, and CPC of the keywords you are targeting. Generally for small to medium size businesses, it will range anywhere between $1000 to $10000.

2. What Is the Average CPC?

   The average CPC depends on the type of ads. For search ads it is around $2 whereas for display ads it is around $0.5.

3. How Do I Reduce Wasted Spend?

   To reduce wasted spend, use negative keywords, automated bidding strategies like tCPA, tROAS, and adjust bids according to device, location, and time of the day. You can also use budget pacing techniques as well.

4. How Much Do Small Businesses Typically Spend?

   Small businesses spend $1000 to $5000 per month on Google Ads. Although it depends on various factors, if you are just starting out, $1500 per month would be a good budget.

5. Is $5 Per Day Enough for Google Ads?

   So, $5 means $150 per month. Such less budget will not give you enough visibility to understand your market and your progress will be very slow. At least have a budget of $25-$30 per day.

Final Thoughts

PPC success starts with smarter keyword research. With intent, data, and the readiness to adapt, you can minimize wasted ad spend and leave the competition behind.

Ready to level up your campaigns? Start your PPC keyword research today—and watch the conversions roll in.

manan

VP Technology 

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With over 18 years of experience in digital commerce, I have worked extensively across a wide range of technologies including Magento, Shopify, WordPress, WooCommerce, React.js, MySQL, and PHP. As the Vice President of Technology, I lead the company’s technological vision—overseeing strategic initiatives that drive business growth and enhance client solutions. My core focus lies in building scalable and secure systems, while also exploring emerging technologies that deliver competitive advantage. I am responsible for designing and implementing impactful changes across platforms, with a strong belief in leveraging technology to increase project volume, boost revenue, and create meaningful value in our customers’ experiences.