A free tool providing keyword ideas, search volume estimates, and forecasts
Marketers use it when planning content, meta tags, or headings for a website
01What it is and how it works
Google Keyword Planner pulls data from Google's search network to suggest keywords related to your product, service, or website. You enter a seed keyword, a landing page URL, or a product category. The tool returns a list of related keywords with average monthly searches, competition level, and bid estimates for ads. The data comes from actual Google searches, aggregated and anonymized. You can filter by location, language, and date range. The tool also shows historical trends and forecasts for new campaigns. It is primarily designed for Google Ads, but the search volume data is widely used for SEO.
It's a free Google tool that shows you what people search for and how often, so you can pick the best keywords for your content or ads.
02What to do about it
Start by logging into your Google Ads account (you don't need to run ads). Go to Tools & Settings > Planning > Keyword Planner. Choose 'Discover new keywords' and enter a few broad terms related to your business. Review the results and export the list. Focus on keywords with moderate competition and decent search volume. Use the 'Get search volume and forecasts' option to check specific keywords you already have. Integrate these keywords into your content, meta tags, and headings. For SEO, prioritize keywords with high volume and low competition. For PPC, use the bid estimates to plan your budget.
03How it is measured or noticed
The key metrics are average monthly searches, competition (low, medium, high), and top of page bid (low range and high range). For SEO, you look at search volume trends over time and the suggested bid as a proxy for commercial intent. You can also notice the 'Three-month change' and 'Year-over-year change' columns to spot rising or falling interest. The tool itself doesn't measure your performance; it provides data you use to measure potential. You would notice changes in your organic traffic after targeting keywords found here.
04Common mistakes
- Using the tool only for PPC and ignoring its SEO value.
- Relying solely on exact match volumes without considering seasonality.
- Not filtering by location, leading to irrelevant global averages.
- Confusing competition level (for ads) with SEO difficulty.
- Ignoring the 'Keyword ideas' tab and only using the 'Get search volume' function.
05Limits
Google Keyword Planner shows data in ranges, not exact numbers, especially for low-volume keywords. It does not provide click-through rate data or conversion data. The competition metric reflects advertiser competition, not organic ranking difficulty. The tool requires a Google Ads account, though you can use it without spending money. It is not a substitute for a dedicated SEO keyword research tool that offers keyword difficulty scores, SERP analysis, or backlink data. Also, the data is aggregated and may not reflect real-time trends.
06A worked example
Imagine you run a small bakery in Chicago. You open Keyword Planner and enter 'bakery Chicago' as a seed. The tool suggests keywords like 'best bakery in Chicago', 'gluten-free bakery Chicago', and 'custom cakes Chicago'. You see that 'custom cakes Chicago' has 1K-10K monthly searches with low competition. You decide to create a blog post titled 'Custom Cakes in Chicago: A Guide for Birthdays and Weddings' and optimize your service page for that phrase. Over the next three months, your organic traffic for that term increases by 40%.
Frequently asked questions
How is Google Keyword Planner different from other keyword research tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs?
Google Keyword Planner is free and uses Google's own search data, but it shows volume ranges instead of exact numbers. Other tools provide more detailed metrics like keyword difficulty, SERP features, and historical trends, but they usually require a paid subscription.
Should I use Google Keyword Planner if I'm not running Google Ads?
Yes, you can use it without running ads. You only need a free Google Ads account. It's still valuable for organic SEO to discover keyword ideas and estimate search demand.
How do I get accurate search volume data from Google Keyword Planner?
You cannot get exact numbers; the tool shows ranges (e.g., 100–1K). For more precision, combine it with other keyword tools or run small ad campaigns to see actual impressions.
Does Google Keyword Planner still work for SEO in 2024?
Yes, it remains useful for keyword discovery and volume estimates. However, it is designed for paid search, so it lacks organic competition data and may miss low-volume but high-intent keywords.
What happens if I rely only on Google Keyword Planner for keyword research?
You risk missing low-volume keywords that could convert well, and you won't get accurate difficulty scores or SERP analysis. It's best used as one part of a broader research toolkit.
How long does it take to see actual keyword performance after using Google Keyword Planner?
The tool provides estimates, not real-time data. To see actual performance, you need to run ad campaigns or track organic rankings over weeks or months.
Asked out loud
spoken, not typedThe same term in the words somebody uses speaking to an assistant rather than typing into a box — written from the situation, which is why each one carries the situation it came from.
Use Google Keyword Planner. It's free and gives you search volume estimates and keyword ideas. Just create a Google Ads account—you don't need to run any ads.
Yes, Google Keyword Planner is fine for initial research. Just remember the data is optimized for paid search, so combine it with other sources for organic keyword difficulty.
Use Google Keyword Planner. It's quick if you have a Google Ads account—just enter your keywords and see the volume ranges immediately.