Strategies to Find PPC Keywords for Your Paid Search Campaigns

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Using the wrong PPC keywords is one of the biggest problems your campaign can encounter. This may lead to fewer impressions, clicks, conversions, and wasted ad budget.

A study by Disruptive found that marketers wasted approximately 61% on non-converting search terms. Some Google Ads accounts even have over 99% of wasted ad spend.

You can solve this by considering search intent when picking keywords with reasonable search volume and minimal competition.

This guide introduces the PPC keywords you should prioritize for successful campaigns and how to find them. Stay tuned.

How to Find the Right PPC Keywords

The first step to finding the right PPC keywords is to imagine yourself as the customer. What keywords would you use when looking for a product or service?

Once you master search intent, you can use tools to identify keywords with suitable costs-per-click (CPC) and search volumes. Some tips for PPC keyword research include:

Consider User Intent and Search Term Metrics

While picking words with reasonable CPC and search volumes is crucial, you should align keywords with your PPC goals. The search intent behind a given term determines whether a visitor wants to buy or find more details. Pick keywords that attract users who can perform your desired actions and balance between competition and search volume.

Search intent can be:

• Informational: Searchers want more details about the products, services, or topics.
• Navigational: Searchers are seeking a given brand, location, or page.
• Commercial: Users want specific products, services, or brands.
• Transactional: Searchers are ready to take action, for example, buy your product.

Commercial and transactional keywords tend to attract more conversions.

After identifying keywords with your preferred intent, consider metrics like:

•  Competitive density: The degree of Google Ads competition ranges between zero and one. Keywords with 0.8 or higher have the most advertisers and tend to be transactional. Those between 0.6 and 0.8 have a moderate number of advertisers. Meanwhile, keywords with 0.6 or less are either unprofitable or great opportunities that few advertisers use.
• CPC: How much can you comfortably spend per click? Keywords costing $0.50 to $1.00 are more favorable on a $500.00 monthly budget than those with a $20.00 CPC.
• Keyword difficulty: How easy/challenging is it to rank for a term? Consider terms below 70, as they aren’t as competitive as those with a higher score.
• Search volume: A metric that establishes how often your ads will reach desired audiences. Pick terms with reasonable search volumes based on your niche.

Tools like Semrush’s Keyword Overview can help you identify most keyword metrics.

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Include Variations and Synonyms

Different users seek answers using various terms. Therefore, adding variations and synonyms for the PPC keywords you identify is important. This way, you can reach more searchers and increase your clicks. Also, adding extra trigger terms to your negative keywords can reduce irrelevant clicks.

You can identify keyword variations with tools like Semrush and Karooya.

Best Keywords for PPC and How to Find Them

Incorporating both broad and specific terms in your campaign is essential. While broad terms offer more exposure, long-tail and branded keywords provide the highest conversions. Also, include negative keywords if you want to maximize your ad spend.

Long-Tail Keywords and Voice Search Queries

Long-tail keywords are specific terms, often three words or longer, with lower search volume than broad keywords. Voice search queries are usually full sentences, as people don’t have to worry about typing. Consider incorporating long-tail and voice search terms to drive more relevant traffic while reducing competition.

Looking at long, specific keywords in your PPC keyword tool can help you find long-tail and voice search terms.

A long-tail keyword example would be “carpet cleaning services in Clarington.” Meanwhile, a voice search query would be, “Where can I find carpet cleaning services in Clarington?”

Although individual long-tail terms and voice search queries have low search volumes, they are the bulk of Google searches. According to Backlinko, 92% of searches use long-tail keywords.

Branded Keywords

These terms include your brand name, such as “Nike Air Force” or “BMW M2.” They often have high Quality Scores and low CPC but typically feature excellent conversion rates. So, include them to avoid losing this traffic to competitors.

You can include keywords with your brand name + products/services. Alternatively, search your brand in a keyword research tool to find popular phrases that include your brand.

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Competitor Keywords

Checking your competitor’s keywords can inspire you on what to include in your ad groups. You probably want your ads to appear at the top for the same keywords the competition uses.

You can identify competitor keywords with tools like SpyFu and Semrush Advertising Research.

After selecting suitable competitor keywords, create better content to outrank them.

Negative Keywords

These are terms you include to prevent your ads from appearing before users that may not match your target profile. They can help lower ad spending while boosting CTR and conversion rates.

Assume your brand sells swimsuits, but you don’t have blue ones. You can include “blue swimsuits” and other variations in your negative keywords.

This way, you won’t waste your ad budget on users seeking blue swimsuits. Fewer irrelevant clicks mean fewer bounces, hence a higher conversion rate.

One of the best ways to find negative keywords is through Google search terms. This report highlights terms that triggered your ads. Look out for terms that don’t match your offers, whether they resulted in clicks or not.

Note: Negative keywords may not always work. As Google notes, “Your ad might still show when someone searches for a phrase that’s longer than 16 words, and your negative keyword follows that 16th word.”

What are the Best Tools for PPC Keyword Research?

Using a keyword research tool is one of the simplest ways to find PPC keywords. However, many of these tools prioritize SEO and may not always be the best for identifying suitable paid keywords.

Some of the best tools for PPC keyword research include:

How to Make the Most From Your PPC Keywords

Successful paid search campaigns don’t end with keyword research. You should arrange terms into tight-themed ad groups to ensure your ads are relevant. Ad relevance improves your chances for better rankings, increasing the likelihood of earning the clicks that matter for less.

Let’s say you have an ad group with the base term “swimsuits.” Some good keywords to include in the same group would be “swimsuit for ladies” and “black swimsuit.” These terms have a transactional/commercial intent aligning with the base keyword.

Conversely, keywords like “swim” will hurt that ad group by attracting irrelevant impressions and clicks. People who include “swim” in their searches may want other things, like training videos, hacks, or swim goggles.

Someone searching for swim goggles may still click your ad. However, you may not sell those, or the landing page may be specifically for swimsuits, and the customers may not want to peruse your site. Hence, such clicks aren’t turning into conversions.

Relevance of keywords in your ad groups ensures that you meet search intent and helps make your campaign successful. Aligning keywords in close-knit ad groups can boost your Quality Scores to earn better ad ranks. Consequently, you’ll get more clicks and reduce CPC.

Optimizing Your PPC Campaigns for Success

To achieve a successful PPC campaign, it’s essential to prioritize relevant keywords that align with your goals. By considering user intent, search term metrics, and using variations, you can optimize your ad groups for better performance. Make sure you use tools and competitor insights to refine your keyword strategy effectively.

At Vizion Interactive, we have the expertise, experience, and enthusiasm to get results and keep clients happy! Learn more about how our status as a Google Partner, along with our PPC Management, Google Shopping Ads, Social Media Advertising, Amazon Advertising, and other Paid Media services can increase sales and boost your ROI. But don’t just take our word for it, check out what our clients have to say, along with our case studies.