Blog Post

If your keywords are off, everything else in your Google Ads campaign can be perfect—and still fail.

Yep, I said it.

Keyword research isn’t just step one. It’s the difference between showing your ads to buyers or just random browsers who click and bounce.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how I find the right keywords—those that bring qualified traffic and real results. No guesswork. No “set it and forget it” nonsense.

• Why keyword research matters more than ad copy (seriously)
  
• How to find keywords that signal buying intent
  
• The tools I actually use (free and paid)
  
• How to organize keywords by theme
  
• What match types to start with
  
• How to use negative keywords to protect your budget
  
• Common keyword mistakes to avoid

A keyword isn’t just a word. It’s a signal of intent.

Here’s the difference:

• “Marketing tools” = research intent
  
• “Buy email marketing software” = purchase intent
  

Guess which one brings better conversions?

High-volume keywords look nice in a spreadsheet. But high-intent keywords bring in the customers who are ready to take action.

If you’re running your first campaign, I recommend starting with a small list of 10–20 high-intent terms.

You don’t need 10 tools. You need the right ones.

Here are the tools I use regularly:

It’s built into Google Ads and gives you search volume, cost estimates, and related terms.

Great for keyword ideas and SEO crossover.

Best for competitive research and spying on what’s working for others.

You can also look at Google Search Console if your site already gets some traffic—it’ll tell you what people are already searching to find you.

Don’t dump 50 unrelated keywords into one ad group. Please. I’m begging you.

Instead, group your keywords by intent or product/service category.

Let’s say you run a personal training business. Here’s how to break it up:

Ad Group	Keywords
Weight Loss Clients	weight loss trainer, fat burning coach
Muscle Building Clients	strength coach, build muscle program
Online Coaching	online personal trainer, zoom workouts

This structure makes your ads more relevant and boosts Quality Score—two things Google likes (and rewards).

Want help with structure? Here’s my full campaign layout process.

Each keyword in Google Ads can be used in one of three match types:

Your ad shows only for that exact keyword or close variants.

  Best for high control, lower traffic, high relevance

Your ad shows when someone searches your keyword plus other words before or after.

  Balanced reach and control

Your ad shows for searches loosely related to your keyword.

  Lots of impressions, but often less relevant traffic

Start with Phrase Match and sprinkle in Exact Match once you see what performs well. Use Broad Match only if you have conversion data and know what to exclude.

Want to go deeper on match types? This article breaks it down.

Negative keywords tell Google what not to show your ads for. And they can save you a ton of wasted spend.

Let’s say you’re a paid coach. Your ads shouldn’t show for:

• “free marketing coaching”
  
• “DIY business tips”
  
• “marketing internships”
  

Create a negative keyword list from day one. Then review your Search Terms Report weekly to update it.

This is one of the easiest ways to improve ROI. I dive deeper into this in my setup guide.

Some people already know your brand. Others don’t.

Running branded and non-branded keywords in the same campaign muddies the data. It also inflates your overall performance metrics.

• Create a separate campaign for branded keywords
  
• Exclude branded terms from your non-branded campaigns
  

That way, you can clearly see what’s bringing new traffic vs. people already looking for you.

More on this strategy here: Common campaign setup mistakes to avoid.

The Search Terms Report tells you the actual queries people typed in before clicking your ad.

Use this report to:

• Find high-performing long-tail keywords
  
• Add new negative keywords
  
• Spot irrelevant traffic early
  

Review it at least once a week. You’ll often find hidden gems—or budget black holes.

If you’re doing any of these… stop. (And if you’re not—well done.)

These usually bring expensive, low-converting traffic.

You lose control over relevance, and performance tanks.

Not all traffic is good traffic.

If you don’t know what people actually typed—you’re guessing.

Keyword research isn’t just about filling in boxes—it’s about targeting real people, with real intent, in real time.

Use tools, yes. But trust logic, too. Ask yourself: Would someone searching this be ready to buy, call, or fill out a form?

If the answer is no, it’s probably not your keyword.

Pair smart research with a strong structure, clear goals, and solid copy—and you’re in a great place to run profitable Google Ads.

Want to see how keywords fit into the full campaign setup? This guide covers everything.

Need a simpler version to follow? Start with this beginner walkthrough.