What Is Google Key phrase Planner?
Google Key phrase Planner is a free key phrase analysis instrument obtainable within the Google Advertisements platform. It exhibits the search phrases folks use in Google, how usually they search them, and the way a lot advertisers ppc.
Though it’s designed for PPC key phrase analysis (discovering key phrases for adverts), you too can use it for web optimization key phrase analysis (discovering key phrases on your web site).
This information exhibits you easy methods to use Google Key phrase Planner for web optimization and PPC. It additionally explains the place the instrument falls brief and when one other key phrase instrument would possibly work higher.
Step 1: Entry Key phrase Planner
You’ll be able to entry Google Key phrase Planner inside your Google Advertisements account. You don’t must run an advert marketing campaign, however you do must enter billing particulars to entry the instrument.
After you log in or create a Google Advertisements account:
- Swap to Knowledgeable mode, which has extra options than Good mode. You’ll know you’re in Knowledgeable mode if the “Settings” icon is absent from the navigation menu within the high proper.
- Hyperlink your Google Search Console and Google Advertisements account for extra key phrase knowledge
To entry Key phrase Planner, go to “Instruments” > “Planning” > “Key phrase Planner.”

Step 2: Discover New Key phrases
To search out key phrase concepts, choose “Uncover new key phrases” in Key phrase Planner.

You can begin with:
- Key phrases: Enter a couple of phrases and Google will recommend associated key phrases
- A web site: Enter a URL and the instrument will scan the web page or area for key phrase concepts. This works with your personal web site or a competitor’s.
Enter your key phrase or URL. Select your goal language and placement(s). You’ll be able to select international locations, areas, cities, and many others.
In case you’re coming into key phrases, you too can enter your web site’s URL to robotically filter unrelated key phrases. (We’ll present you easy methods to filter key phrases manually for extra management.)
Then, click on “Get outcomes.”

Key phrase Planner will show an inventory of associated key phrases. Together with metrics like common month-to-month searches, three-month change (to identify key phrase reputation development or decline), and competitors (to grasp what number of advertisers are bidding on the key phrase).

As a result of Key phrase Planner provides you phrases carefully associated to your entered phrases, the checklist of solutions could also be narrower than that of different key phrase analysis instruments.
For instance, inputting the key phrase “leather-based purses” into Semrush’s Key phrase Magic Device returns about 25,000 concepts, in comparison with roughly 2,800 in Key phrase Planner.

Step 3: Filter Your Key phrases
Use filters to slim your key phrase checklist to related phrases. This helps you give attention to the key phrases you’re extra prone to rank for or convert with.
Click on “Add filter” and choose which filter you’d like. For natural key phrase analysis, you’ll possible choose the “Key phrase” filter. Which helps you discover key phrases that don’t comprise a selected time period.
For instance, when you promote leather-based purses, you would possibly wish to exclude phrases like “fake.” Choose “Semantic Match” to exclude key phrases with related that means to the one you entered.

Click on “Refine key phrases” for additional filtering. Deselect any phrases that aren’t related. For the leather-based purse instance, you would possibly deselect sure colours you don’t carry.

Step 4: Overview Key phrase Quantity
Search quantity tells you many individuals seek for a key phrase every month. So you’ll be able to estimate potential site visitors your search consequence or advert would possibly get. To finally prioritize key phrases with the best potential.
Google Key phrase Planner exhibits this knowledge within the “Avg. month-to-month searches” column.

Key phrase Planner search quantity knowledge is proven in broad ranges—like 100-1K—as a substitute of actual numbers. This makes it more durable to match key phrases or know which of them will drive extra site visitors.
Semrush’s Key phrase Magic Device exhibits month-to-month common search volumes for every key phrase. So you might have a extra exact concept of which key phrases can deliver extra clicks.

For instance, we took 100 key phrases and in contrast the common month-to-month search quantity between Google and Semrush’s knowledge for the previous 12 months.
Here’s a snippet of our knowledge:
Key phrase |
Semrush Quantity |
Google Key phrase Planner Quantity |
leather-based tote bag |
18100 |
50,000 |
leather-based crossbody bag |
14800 |
50,000 |
leather-based bag |
9900 |
50,000 |
leather-based shoulder bag |
8100 |
50,000 |
leather-based purses |
6600 |
50,000 |
leather-based purses |
6600 |
50,000 |
leather-based sling bag |
6600 |
50,000 |
portland leather-based baggage |
6600 |
5,000 |
leather-based backpack purse |
5400 |
5,000 |
leather-based bucket bag |
4400 |
5,000 |
Throughout all 100 key phrases:
- Google’s Key phrase Planner confirmed a complete of 994,100 estimated searches
- Semrush’s Key phrase Magic Device confirmed a extra correct complete of 250,350
In case you rely solely on Google’s search quantity ranges, you would possibly prioritize the incorrect key phrases and miss site visitors alternatives.
Key phrase Magic Device additionally exhibits Key phrase Issue (KD%), which measures how simple or onerous it’s to rank in natural search. A decrease KD% means it’s possible simpler to rank.

Google’s Key phrase Planner doesn’t present a problem metric for natural search. The “Competitors” column solely applies to advertisers working Google Advertisements.

Step 5: Overview Competitors and Bids (For PPC)
In case you’re working adverts, verify the “Competitors” and “High of web page bid” columns in Key phrase Planner. These provide help to select key phrases that match your finances.
Right here’s what every column exhibits:
- High of bid (low vary): The decrease finish of what advertisers sometimes pay for a high advert spot. It provides you a tough concept of the minimal value per click on on this advert area.
- High of web page bid (excessive vary): The upper finish of what advertisers sometimes pay for a high advert spot. It provides you a tough concept of the utmost value per click on for this key phrase.
- Competitors: The extent of advertiser curiosity—rated as “Low,” “Medium,” “Excessive,” or “–” if there’s not sufficient knowledge. It displays the variety of advertisers bidding on this key phrase relative to different key phrases.

Mix this knowledge with search quantity to grasp value vs. potential attain.
For instance, say you wish to run PPC adverts for “leather-based purses.” Which Key phrase Planner estimates between 10,000 to 100,000 month-to-month searches.

In case you estimate a 2% click-through price (CTR), Google’s vary of 10K to 100K searches may imply anyplace from 200 to 2,000 clicks. This huge vary makes it onerous to forecast how a lot site visitors your advert would possibly get or easy methods to finances successfully.
However Semrush exhibits the actual quantity for “leather-based purses” is nearer to six,600 searches, which provides you a clearer baseline for planning.

Step 6: Forecast PPC Key phrases
Use Key phrase Planner’s Forecast function to estimate how your adverts would possibly carry out. This helps you take a look at totally different key phrase units and give attention to the best ones.
Begin by clicking the “Saved key phrases” tab after which “Add key phrases.” Enter the key phrases you wish to take a look at and click on “Save.”

Go to the “Forecast” tab. Google makes use of knowledge like your bid, budgets, and historic advert high quality to point out you perception reminiscent of conversions and advert value. Which helps you optimize your conversion charges.
Modify standards like your bid technique or match kind to see which changes result in extra gross sales, and finally, a greater return on funding (ROI).

While you’re prepared, click on “Create marketing campaign” and observe the directions to launch your adverts.
Extra Insights to Refine Your Key phrase Technique
Semrush’s Key phrase Magic Device provides greater than search quantity and key phrase issue. It provides you deeper key phrase knowledge and extra methods to refine your content material or advert technique.
After coming into a key phrase, you’ll get 1000’s of key phrase concepts.
Right here’s easy methods to analyze them.
Click on the quantity within the “SF” column to see if the key phrase triggers SERP options like Featured Snippets or AI Overviews. Which may also help you create content material that seems in these options.

Use the “Intent” column to grasp the searcher’s aim:
- Navigational: Customers wish to discover a explicit web site or web page
- Informational: Customers wish to study extra a few subject
- Industrial: Customers wish to conduct analysis earlier than prior to creating a purchase order resolution
- Transactional: Customers wish to full an motion like a purchase order
Concentrate on industrial and transactional key phrases to focus on customers with increased buy intent.
And since Key phrase Magic Device produces extra key phrases than Key phrase Planner, you would possibly get extra concepts for content material.
You may as well filter by “Questions” to seek out what customers are asking about your subject. These key phrases are useful for constructing FAQ pages or weblog content material.

Need to discover better-performing key phrases? Strive the Key phrase Magic Device free of charge as we speak.