How to Use Google for Keyword Research
Hello WA Family
How to use Google for keyword research is our lesson today. I am happy to be able to provide you with my posts to help you.
Google Keyword Research Guide
Step 1: Access Google Keyword Planner
- Keyword Planner is a free tool by Google Ads that helps you discover new keywords and analyze their search volume. While it's designed for paid advertising, it's a resource for SEO research as well.
- To access it, you'll need a Google Ads account. Don't worry, you don't need to run any ads to use the Keyword Planner. Just sign up for a free account if you haven't already.
You can use Jaaxy instead for the first step if you are more comfortable, but this is a free research tool that you can use as well.
Step 2: Discover New Keywords
There are two ways to find new keywords with Keyword Planner
- Enter a few broad keywords related to your niche or product. For instance, if you sell fitness equipment, you could enter "fitness equipment," "workout machines," or "home gym." Keyword Planner will suggest related keywords and search phrases people are using.
- Enter the URL of a competitor's website or a website relevant to your niche. Keyword Planner will analyze the website's content and suggest keywords users might be searching for to find similar content.
Again you can use Jaaxy instead of the Keyword Planner if you desire to, now let us learn how to analyze the results.
Step 3: Analyze the Results
Keyword Planner will provide you with a list of keywords along with several metrics, including
- This shows you how often a particular keyword is searched for on average each month.
- This indicates how difficult it might be to rank for a keyword based on the competition in paid advertising. (For SEO purposes, high competition suggests how many websites are competing to rank for that keyword organically).
- This is an estimate of what it might cost to bid on that keyword in Google Ads.
Understanding how to use the Keyword Planner is an alternative to Jaaxy if for some reason Jaaxy is down.
Step 4: Choose Your Keywords
- Ideally, you want keywords with a good balance of search volume and competition. High search volume is great, but if the competition is huge, it might be difficult to rank for those keywords organically.
- Look for keywords with a decent search volume but manageable competition.
- Consider long-tail keywords (more specific keyword phrases) that might have lower search volume but also lower competition and potentially higher conversion rates.
As you can see the Keyword Planner is similar to using Jaaxy, I used this before Jaaxy existed online.
Bonus Step: Additional Insights
- Google Search itself can be a great tool for keyword research.
- Look at the autocomplete suggestions that appear as you type in your seed keywords. These are real search queries people are using.
- Check the "People also ask" section at the bottom of the search results page for related questions people are searching for.
- Look at the content ranking at the top of the search results page for your seed keywords. Analyze the keywords and phrases used in that content to get additional ideas.
By following these steps and using Google for additional research, you can discover valuable keywords to target with your content and improve your website's SEO.
Google Planner Alternatives
Semrush
Semrush is an all-in-one SEO toolkit that includes a powerful keyword research tool. It allows you to see search volume, competition level, and other important metrics for a wide range of keywords.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is another popular SEO toolkit that includes a comprehensive keyword research tool. It provides similar data to Semrush, but also includes features like keyword difficulty scoring and click-through rate (CTR) estimates.
Moz Keyword Explorer
Moz Keyword Explorer is a great option for those who are looking for a more affordable keyword research tool. It provides essential data like search volume, competition, and organic CTR, along with unique features like keyword suggestions and a "SERP analysis" tool that shows you how difficult it will be to rank for a particular keyword.
KWFinder
KWFinder is a user-friendly keyword research tool that is perfect for beginners. It provides all of the essential data you need to make informed keyword decisions, such as search volume, competition level, and keyword difficulty score.
It is never a bad idea to have some other keyword research tools in your toolkit for an emergency, if Jaaxy is down you don't need to put off your research with alternatives.
Google Planner Vs Jaaxy
Google Keyword Planner
Pros
- Completely free to use
- Integrates with Google Ads for easy campaign creation (if you plan to use Google Ads)
- Reliable search volume data from Google itself
Cons
- Limited data on competition and keyword difficulty
- Focuses on keywords for paid advertising, not necessarily organic SEO
- Interface can be complex for beginners
Jaaxy
Pros
- Free tier available (limited searches)
- Easier to use interface compared to the Keyword Planner
- Additional features like keyword profitability estimation (helpful for affiliate marketers)
- Targets affiliate marketing with features like domain availability checking
Cons
- Less comprehensive data compared to paid SEO tools
- Paid plans require to access the most valuable features
What to Consider
Choose Google Keyword Planner if
- You're on a tight budget and only need basic keyword ideas
- You plan to run Google Ads campaigns alongside your SEO efforts
- You're comfortable with a more complex interface
Choose Jaaxy if
- You're a beginner and want a user-friendly interface
- Your focus is affiliate marketing and you find the profitability estimation helpful
Google Keyword Planner is a good free backup to Jaaxy, but if I had to choose between them Jaaxy would always be my first choice. The Keyword Planner is way more complicated to learn to use and understand for beginners, so this can be time-consuming when you are not familiar with using it.
Final Thoughts
When I was a member of WA in the past, I started using Jaaxy with success. It was easy for me to learn how to use it, After I left WA for a while, I was using Google Keyword Planner. Once I learned how to use it, I was again receiving success. Both of these are good choices, what I recommend is go with the one you are the most comfortable using and stick with it.
I hope you found this helpful,
Jeff
Recent Comments
9
Some good information. Since I don't use Google often, I don't know how to do these steps. I will have to figure it out, but I think they could be useful once I do learn how to do it.
Nancy
Hello Nancy
I have faith in you to be able to follow the steps from this guide. Learning new skills is a part of growing in this business
Jeff
Very good post. If you are involved in any kind of marketing key word research is one of the most important step you take.
Hello KJ
I agree keyword research is extremely important to learn for the most succes
Jeff
I didn't know google had this option, but admittedly I haven't done much with google other than search.
Thanks once again Jeff for another helpful blog.
Have a Great Day!
-Chuck
Hello Chuck
Thank you for reading and commenting. Nice that I could help you learn something new today. This was started to research for Google ads, but marketers started using it for keyword research as well.
Jeff
See more comments
Would KWFinder would be the best for beginners besides Jaaxy, you think?
Jena