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"How to Get the Most Out of the Google Keyword Planner Tool\n\nIn Part 1 of my series, Keyword Research in Today\u2019s SEO World, we left off with the promise that Part 2 would cover the tool that SEO specialists have been using for years to perform keyword research. Google updated the tool during the summer of 2013, changing the dashboard and adding new features. \n\n\n\nThis walk-through of the tool will give you hands-on exercises to prepare for Part 3 of this series. If you blog or have your own website \u2013 this is invaluable information that you can use to optimize your copy, meta data, headings &amp;amp; URLs.\n\n\n\nThere are other tools available for keyword research, and SEO specialists utilize tools like Google Suggests to enhance what they learn from the Keyword Planner. But this tool is still a work horse for research, and the principles you will learn here will help you better understand keyword data and user behavior.\n\nGetting Started with Google AdWords Planner\n\nStart by logging into the Google AdWords Keyword Planner Tool &amp;amp; click on Search for new keyword and ad group ideas:\n\n\n\n(If you do not already have an AdWords account \u2013 there is much info on the web on how to start one.)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is where you enter in the words or phrases to get search volume data:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s use this very blog post as an example. The topic is: keyword research and understanding the Google AdWord Keyword Planner tool.\n\n\n\nFor this exercise, we will limit our additions to the primary phrases related to this topic:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThen click the \u201CGet ideas\u201D button at the bottom of the screen:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe tool will return words and phrases, distributing them into two sections: Ad group ideas &amp;amp; Keyword ideas. Ad group ideas comes up by default, and there are two tabs to toggle between the two choices:\n\n\n\n\u00A0\n\n\n\nPart of understanding the basic function of the tool is to understand the differences between these two sections of the results.\n\nThe Keyword Ideas Tab\n\nLet\u2019s start with the Keyword ideas tab. (Until recently \u2013 this was all the Google tool gave to you.) At the top is the Search terms section where you can see the exact words and phrases that you entered. It will display their average monthly searches.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat Have We Learned So Far About Our Search Terms?\n\nPeople are referring to Google\u2019s Keyword Planner Tool in search as simply \u201Ckeyword planner.\u201D A quick Google search confirms that the phrase \u201Ckeyword planner\u201D is now containing an additional unexpected meaning; most of the returns in the SERPs are related to the tool and not to something else. So, over 20,000 searches were for that phrase, and under 1,000 for the full formal name of the tool. This is good information to know.\n\n\n\nThere are substantially more searches for \u201Ckeyword research\u201D than there are for \u201Cresearching keywords.\u201D This is an example of how just flipping words can show the value of one phrase over another and/or the opportunities for targeting a more niche phrase. Sometimes with experience, this can be anticipated, but in some cases, it can be surprising which version of a phrase has a higher search volume.\n\nExercises for Selecting Keywords\n\nExercise: Search phrases that you can flip - like \u201CNYC restaurants\u201D &amp;amp; \u201Crestaurants in NYC\u201D \u2013 and get a feel for the results. Some will be logical, and a few surprising.\n\n\n\nExercise: Experiment by searching words like \u201Clawyer\u201D and \u201Cattorney\u201D or \u201Ccar insurance\u201D &amp;amp; \u201Cauto insurance.\u201D Try some related to your own business focus. See if you can intuitively anticipate the result before they are displayed.\n\nThe Keyword (by relevance) Section\n\nThe lower and larger Keyword (by relevance) section displays words and phrases suggested by Google pertaining to the initial search terms entered. In our example we typed in five different phrases. This Keyword (by relevance) section is showing 800 keyword results.\n\n\n\nThey are displayed in the order that Google finds most relevant to the words and phrases that you originally entered. Here are the first few of the 800:\n\n\n\n\u00A0\n\nWhat Have We Learned From Google?\n\nWe clearly see how people are searching for the tool \u2013 what keyword phrases they are using.\n\n\n\nWe are also receiving some insight into Google\u2019s brain! Did any of our initial entries include the words \u201Chow to?\u201D No \u2013 they did not. Did we imply that we were looking for info on \u201Chow to\u201D use the Keyword Planner tool? Nope. Google is making these implications and connections based on the data they collect. \n\n\n\nNext, scroll through the results by clicking on the right arrow on the very bottom right:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAt some point, you will clearly see the results start to drift and stray from the original phrases entered. Below is what we start to see after the 200th word:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat Have We Learned From These 800 Keyword Results?\n\nWe see that the initial keywords are relevant then they start to tail off and are somewhat related, but no longer on target. Depending on the particular search, this can happen anywhere along the line \u2013 but generally by the 100 \u2013 200 words they change from immediate family and friends to second cousins once-removed.\n\n\n\nNext, click on the Avg. monthly searches heading in the top tool bar for this Keyword (by relevance) section:\n\n\n\n\u00A0\n\n\n\nWow, everything changes. We get a different view of the world! The keywords are now ordered by search volume high to low. What do we do with this newly ordered information? How do we process it relative to everything we looked at up to now?\n\nExercises for Selecting Keywords\n\nExercise: Select keywords and download to organize, sort and create topical lists.\n\n\n\nSearch for the initial phrases you feel are most representative. In the top Keyword ideas / Search terms section \u2013 click the little arrow under Add to Plan next to each of your initial phrases:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis will send these keywords into a group that you will download out of the Keyword Planner Tool. You will see a little green check next to the keywords you pick. This is like going grocery shopping \u2013 you are putting these words in your cart.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNext, go to the bottom Keyword (by relevance) section and click Add to plan for all the additional keywords that you feel are appropriate for the focus of your content. You have to start making some choices here. Indecision is not recommended.\n\n\n\nFor this exercise, only go through the first 50 \u2013 100 keywords displayed.\n\n\n\nThen, hit the Avg. monthly searches tool bar heading to regroup them by high to low search volume. Now go down those choices and see if there are any keywords with substantial search volume that you might have missed when using the other Google ranked view. Click the Add to plan to add these keywords to your other choices.\n\n\n\nNow on the right side of the page, you will see My Keyword Ideas and next to it in parenthesis is the number of keywords you have chosen to export:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nClick on the downward pointing arrow, and this new window will appear:\n\n\n\n\u00A0\n\n\n\nClick the Excel CSV button (as shown above) and keep the default Historical statistics checked to prepare to download your keywords into an Excel doc.\n\n\n\nNext click the blue download button.\n\n\n\nYou will see this window:\n\n\n\n\u00A0\n\n\n\nClick Save file.\n\n\n\nOn a PC you will see this next:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo continue your work now, keep the default setting Open with Microsoft Excel and click OK.\n\n\n\nThe Excel doc should open (if not \u2013 find it in your browser\u2019s download list). It will look something like this:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDelete all the columns in the document except for Keyword, Avg. Monthly Searches &amp;amp; Competition. So in this (above) example I will delete columns A, C, D, E, H &amp;amp; I, and I will be left with a very clean looking three columns:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNext, click on one of the numbers in any Avg. Monthly Searches cell, right click and choose Sort AND THEN Sort Largest to Smallest:\n\n\n\n\u00A0\n\n\n\nThe keywords in your Excel doc will now be sorted by search volume.\n\n\n\nAt this point, I roll up my sleeves and start making my choices by color coding them. Remember our blog post is about keyword research and the Google AdWords Keyword Planner tool. Here are my top search volume choices \u2013 orange for the primary phrases and blue for the supporting ones:\n\n\n\n\u00A0\n\n\n\nThis gives you a solid overview of how to navigate through the process using the results of your entered keyword choices in conjunction with the Keyword (by relevance) section of the tool where Google is expanding on your terms.\n\n\n\nNow we will add in another component that the Google Keyword Planner Tool offers.\n\nIncorporating the Ad Group Ideas Function of the Tool\n\nClick on the Ad group ideas button choice, and you will see Ad group (by relevance) appear:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is similar to the previously used Keyword (by relevance) section, except now Google is grouping its choices, and creating headings to segment them. Each group shown has a number of words and phrases in it, the amount varies based on what keywords Google deems appropriate for the each group it created.\n\nHow Do You Use This Section of the Tool?\n\nWhen you use the Keyword (by relevance) section, you have to scroll through 800 choices and pick the ones you preferred. With the Ad group (by relevance) section you can expedite that process by scanning the title of the groups Google created and clicking on the ones that you feel are relevant. In the following example, if you click on the \u201CKeyword Planner\u201D group:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou will see the 42 keyword results:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNow you can make your picks and put them into your choice bucket.\n\nWhat Do You Do With the Competition Column?\n\nI like to see it \u2013 but for SEO purposes \u2013 I don\u2019t let a high completion value keep me from optimizing for those particular keywords. Sometimes I use it as a \u201Ctie breaker,\u201D picking between two similar search volume phrases, and going with the lowest completion one.\n\n\n\nThere is a choice in the Google Keyword Planner called Set Match Type where you can choose between Broad, Exact &amp;amp; Phrase match. You access it by clicking on the little pencil icon above My Keyword Ideas:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u00A0\n\n\n\nThis choice used to matter with the old version of this tool. But in 2014, you can just leave it set to the default setting (Broad) and not worry about clicking on the pencil icon. The results will be the same for our purposes.\n\nExercises for Selecting Keywords\n\nExercise: After this test drive through the functionality of the Keyword ideas section of the Google AdWords Keyword Planner tool, now go search for a new topic of your choice \u2013 it could be for a page on your website, or for a blog post you want to write. Follow all these steps and see what you get. The more you use this tool \u2013 the more comfortable you will get.\n\nKeyword Planner Tool Summary\n\nAs you have probably already concluded, you can use the Ad group (by relevance) in conjunction with the Keyword (by relevance) sections or you can choose to use one or the other. Ultimately, you will start to develop an intuitive sense along with a better overall understanding of how to search, review, and pick your keywords, and you will use the tool like a musician uses an instrument, as a tool for your creativity.\n\n\n\nThere are many ways to use this keyword tool creatively. After much experimentation, I have given you my preferred method. The creatively is the wild card \u2013 and it has to come from you.\n\n\n\nAfter you play around with the Keyword Planner Tool for a couple of weeks, and get skilled with the functionality of the tool - and just as importantly, gain some experience in anticipating the results and building \u201Cintuition\u201D for this process \u2013 tune in back here for Part 3 of this series. I will address how to rewind back to the very start of this process before you even enter words and phrases into the tool, helping you learn how to determine the focus of a particular webpage or blog post. It seems simple, but when we teach keyword research and optimization at our workshops \u2013 we find that this is the most challenging thing for people to do, and thus the component in the process that most people get wrong."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<https://www.dragonsearch.com/blog/keyword-research-copywriting-overview-part2/>