PPC keyword research is essential for any business that wants to succeed with pay-per-click advertising. The right keywords can distinguish between a successful campaign and a flop.
Unfortunately, many businesses don’t know how to conduct proper PPC keyword research. As a result, they waste money on irrelevant keywords or bid too high on popular keywords.
In this article, we’ll share some tips on conducting PPC keyword research the right way. We’ll also provide a step-by-step guide on using the keyword research tool Keyword Explorer to find the best keywords for your PPC campaigns.
PPC Keyword Research Tips
1. Start with Broad Keywords
When you first start your keyword research, it’s tempting to go after highly-specific keywords. After all, these are the most likely keywords to convert. Wrong.
While highly-specific keywords may have a higher conversion rate, they also have less search volume. This means that you’ll have difficulty getting your ad in front of people searching for these keywords.
Instead, start with broad keywords. These are the keywords that people are searching for. Once you’ve identified a few general keywords, you can narrow down your list by adding more specific keywords.
2. Use Negative Keywords
Negative keywords are just as important as the keywords you’re targeting. Negative keywords help you filter out irrelevant traffic so that you’re not wasting your money on clicks that will never convert.
To find negative keywords, start by brainstorming a list of words or phrases related to your business. Then, use a keyword research tool like Keyword Explorer to see how often these words are being searched for.
If you’re targeting a broad keyword, you may want to add some of these related keywords as negative keywords. This will help you filter out irrelevant traffic and improve your click-through rate (CTR).
3. Target Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are simply longer and more specific than your average keyword. For example, “red shoes” is a short-tail keyword while “women’s red leather shoes size 8” is a long-tail keyword.
While long-tail keywords tend to have less search volume than short-tail ones, they’re often easier to rank. This is because there’s less competition for these keywords.
In addition, long-tail keywords are usually more specific, meaning they have a higher conversion rate. After all, someone who searches for “women’s red leather shoes size 8” is much more likely to buy than someone who searches for “red shoes.”
4. Use Keyword Groups
Grouping your keywords is an excellent way to organize your keyword list and make it easier to target specific keywords. For example, you might group all of your long-tail keywords or your negative ones.
To group your keywords, start by creating a list of broad categories. Then, add your keywords to the appropriate category. This will help you keep your keyword list organized and make it easier to target specific groups of keywords.
5. Match Types
When you’re setting up your PPC campaign, you’ll need to choose which match type you want to use for each keyword.
There are three different match types:
Broad match – Your ad will be shown for any search query that includes your keyword, even if the searcher doesn’t use your exact keyword phrase.
Phrase match – Your ad will be shown for any search query that includes your exact keyword phrase.
Exact match – Your ad will only be shown for search queries that use your precise keyword phrase.
Which match type you choose will depend on your goals. If you’re starting, you may want to use broad matches to get as much exposure as possible. As you get more experienced, you can use more specific match types.
6. Monitor Your Keyword Performance
Once you’ve set up your PPC campaign, it’s essential to monitor your keyword performance. This will help you see which keywords are performing well and which ones need improvement.
To do this, log into your account and check your keyword report. This report will show how many impressions, clicks, and conversions each keyword has generated.
If you notice that a particular keyword isn’t performing well, you may want to consider changing your ad or targeting a different keyword. Regularly monitoring your keyword performance is an excellent way to ensure that your PPC campaign is as effective.
7. Test, Test, Test!
Finally, don’t forget to test your keywords before you start spending money on PPC ads. This will help you see which keywords effectively drive traffic to your site.
Simply create a few different ads and target each ad to a different keyword to test your keywords. Then, track your results to see which ad performs the best.
Testing is an essential part of any PPC campaign. You can ensure that you’re only spending money on the most effective keywords by testing your keywords.
Read more about How to Do Keyword Research for SEO Copywriting?
Conclusion
Keywords are an essential part of any PPC campaign. By targeting the right keywords, you can ensure that your ads are shown to people who are interested in what you’re selling.
To find the right keywords for your PPC campaign, start by brainstorming a list of potential keywords. Then, use a keyword research tool to find out which keywords are most popular. Finally, don’t forget to test your keywords before you start spending money on PPC ads.
You can ensure that your PPC campaign is as effective as possible by following these tips.
Do you have any tips for choosing the right keywords? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
