Google Keyword Planner (formerly called Google Keyword Tool) has helped many websites grow from small stores to thriving businesses – and it can help you do the same for your website.

For example, it can help you find keyword ideas that are related to your services, products, and target audience.

This tool also shows historical data like search volume for specific phrases which can go a long way in helping you decide the right keywords for your campaigns. After all, Google owns 76% of the search market share, so it’d be a good idea to heed their suggestions.

Recently, the Keyword Planner received an update that has added to its capabilities in a major way.

We’ll guide you on how to use the Keyword Planner to find new keywords and acquire search data that can certainly give your business an edge. Let’s get started!

Step #1: Go To Google Keyword Planner

The good news is that the Keyword Planner is a free tool.

But there’s a problem:

You’ll NEED a Google Ads account to access the Keyword Planner.

If you don’t already have an account, it’s really easy to set up and only takes a few minutes. Once you have done that, create a new ad campaign (Google will force you to!), but then pause it.

A paused ad campaign doesn’t appear in search and won’t cost you anything – just make sure you turn it off straight away.

Then, it’s time to find SEO keywords using the Keyword Planner and its built-in tools.

Step #2: Choose The Right Tool

You’ll find two tools inside of the Google Keyword Planner (GKP).

1. Find New Keywords

The name says it all; this tool helps you find new keywords.

You will see a field that says: “Enter words, phrases, or a URL related to your business.” Do as it says!

2. Metrics And Forecasts For Your Keywords

This really comes in handy, especially if you have a long list of keywords and just want to see their search volume stats.

Copy and paste your list in the search field and click ‘Get Started.’

Now, the interesting thing is that both these tools will bring you to the same Keywords Results Page. However, the second time around, you’ll get data on the keywords you put in and Google will tell you how many clicks and impressions you can expect if you use them.

Step #3: Filter The Results

Let’s filter the list of keywords to find the terms that are perfect for your business.

At the top of the Keywords Results Page, you will find three options; Locations, Language and Search networks.

Play with these metrics to find the most suitable choices – for example, if you are based in Spain, then you can change the location to your country and set the language to Spanish. Leave the ‘Search networks’ setting at Google.

You can further refine the results with the ‘Add Filter’ option – this breaks down the results by keyword text, average monthly searches, organic impressions and average organic position in the results.

Step #4: Choose The Right Keywords For You

By now, you should have a long list of keywords that you can potentially use in your marketing and ad campaigns – nonetheless, shortlisting the best ones from all the top keywords can be a little bit tricky.

We suggest you select keywords that have a high search volume, good SEO competition and commercial intent. You can’t go wrong with any keywords or key phrases that measure up to these factors.

Last Word

GKP is jam-packed with powerful insights that can help you build a successful search and content marketing campaign.

Remember, the folks at Google update it frequently, but the features remain the same and the focus is always on helping users find relevant results.