How to Do SEO Keyword Research with Google Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is a free tool inside Google Ads that shows keyword ideas, estimated monthly searches and trends. For SEO, it’s great for finding topics and comparing demand. Just remember it was built for advertisers, so its “competition” column measures ad competition, not how hard it is to rank.

Used the right way, and paired with Google Search Console and a quick look at the search results, Keyword Planner can give you a solid content plan without paying for a tool.

Here’s how to use it step by step, what each metric really means, and the mistakes to avoid.

What Google Keyword Planner is (and isn’t)

It is:

• Free with a Google Ads account
• Built on Google’s own search data
• Good for keyword ideas, rough demand, seasonality and local data

It isn’t:

• An SEO difficulty tool
• Exact. Volumes are rounded estimates, and similar variations are often grouped together
• Complete. Some sensitive topics are hidden, and long conversational queries rarely show up

Think of it as a demand and ideas tool. Then use other signals to judge whether you can rank.

Step 1: Get access (it’s free)

1. Go to Google Ads and sign in with your Google account
2. If Google pushes you to create a campaign, look for the option to switch to Expert Mode, then choose to create an account without a campaign
3. Open Tools, then Planning, then Keyword Planner

Google sometimes asks for billing details during setup. You don’t need to run or pay for ads to use the tool.

Step 2: Choose “Discover new keywords”

You’ll see two options:

• Discover new keywords: for finding ideas (use this for SEO)
• Get search volume and forecasts: for checking a list you already have

Inside “Discover new keywords,” you can start in two ways.

Start with keywords

Enter 1–3 seed terms that describe your topic, such as “running shoes” or “local SEO.”

Start with a website

Paste a competitor’s page or your own best page. Google suggests keywords based on that page’s content. It’s a quick way to spot topics competitors cover that you don’t.

Step 3: Set location and language

Before you look at the numbers, set:

• Location: country, state or city (very useful for local businesses)
• Language: the language your audience searches in

Local example: a dentist in Pune can set the location to Pune and find terms like “dentist near me” or “root canal cost in Pune.”

For more on local terms, see long-tail keywords for local businesses.

Step 4: Read the metrics correctly

Average monthly searches

This shows an estimated range, such as 100–1K or 1K–10K. Accounts with active ad spend often see narrower numbers.

• Use it to compare keywords, not to predict exact traffic
• Remember that close variations may be bundled together

Trends and changes

The results show a trend chart plus 3-month and year-over-year changes. Use these to spot:

• Seasonality: if a topic spikes every December, publish and update by October
• Rising topics: steady growth suggests a good time to write

Competition (Low, Medium, High)

This is the most misunderstood column. It shows how many advertisers bid on the keyword, not how hard it is to rank organically.

• A “Low” keyword can still be dominated by huge websites in organic results
• A “High” keyword just means lots of advertisers want it, which usually signals commercial value

Top of page bid (low and high range)

What advertisers typically pay per click. High bids usually mean strong buying intent, which makes these keywords great targets for product, service and landing pages.

Step 5: Refine and filter

Use the filters and Refine keywords panel to clean up the list:

• Exclude brand names or irrelevant terms
• Include words that matter, like “how,” “best,” “cost,” “near me” or your city name
• Use the theme groups in Refine keywords to narrow down to the subtopics you care about

To find question-style keywords, filter for terms containing “how,” “what,” “why” or “best.” Questions make great H2s and FAQ entries.

Step 6: Check real ranking difficulty

Since Keyword Planner doesn’t show SEO difficulty, check it yourself:

1. Google the keyword and look at page one
2. Ask: are these huge brands, or smaller sites like yours?
3. Check the format: guides, product pages, videos, local results, AI Overview?
4. Use a difficulty score from Ahrefs or Semrush if you have one

If page one is full of small blogs and forum threads, you have a real chance. If it’s all national brands, target a more specific version of the keyword.

A quick SEO competitor analysis makes this easier.

Step 7: Group keywords into topics

Export your list (Download keyword ideas) to Google Sheets or Excel, then:

• Group keywords that mean the same thing
• Pick one main keyword per page, plus close variations
• Organize groups under a main topic

This becomes your content plan. Learn how to structure it with content clusters and pillar pages, and see how many SEO keywords per page makes sense.

Avoid giving two pages the same main keyword, or they’ll compete with each other. More on keyword cannibalization.

Step 8: Match each keyword to search intent

The search results page tells you the intent. Match what already ranks.

Worked example: from seed to content plan

Seed: “keyword research”

1. Keyword Planner suggests: “keyword research tools,” “free keyword research,” “how to do keyword research,” “long tail keywords,” “keyword research for YouTube”
2. Group them:
   • Pillar: How to do keyword research
   • Clusters: keyword research tools, long-tail keywords, YouTube keywords
3. Check page one for each and pick realistic targets
4. Plan one page per group and link them together

On this site, that looks like: SEO keyword research tools, long-tail keywords, high-traffic, low-competition keywords and how to add keywords to YouTube videos.

Use Keyword Planner with other free tools

Keyword Planner works best alongside:

• Google Search Console: shows the real queries your site already appears for, which are often easy wins
• Google Trends: compares interest over time and by region
• Google autocomplete and People Also Ask: show the real questions people type
• AI tools: good for brainstorming angles and questions, but never trust them for search volumes

More options in our list of free SEO tools.

Keyword research for AI answers

People ask AI tools longer, conversational questions like “what’s the best way to find keywords for a new blog with no budget?” Keyword Planner rarely shows these.

To cover them:

• Use question keywords as H2s and FAQ entries
• Answer each question directly in the first sentence or two
• Cover related questions on the same page so it’s the complete answer

Learn more about how answer engine optimization works and how to get cited by AI answer engines.

Common mistakes

• Treating “Competition” as SEO difficulty. It’s advertiser competition
• Chasing only high-volume keywords a new site can’t win
• Trusting volumes as exact numbers
• Skipping the search results check for intent and difficulty
• Targeting the same keyword on several pages
• Ignoring Search Console, which shows your real opportunities

Frequently asked questions

Is Google Keyword Planner free for SEO?

Yes. You need a Google Ads account, but you don’t have to run or pay for ads to use it.

Does the Competition column show SEO difficulty?

No. It shows how many advertisers bid on a keyword. Check page-one results or a difficulty score from an SEO tool instead.

Why does Keyword Planner show ranges instead of exact numbers?

Accounts without active ad spend usually see ranges. Even exact figures are rounded estimates, so use them for comparison.

Can I use Keyword Planner for local SEO?

Yes. Set the location to your city or region to see local demand and ideas.

How often should I do keyword research?

Review your main topics every few months, and check before writing any new page or updating an old one.

What’s better: Keyword Planner or paid SEO tools?

Keyword Planner is great for ideas and demand. Paid tools add difficulty scores, competitor rankings and backlink data. Many people start free and upgrade later.

Final thoughts

Google Keyword Planner is one of the best free starting points for SEO keyword research, as long as you read it correctly. Use it for ideas, demand and trends. Use the search results, Search Console and difficulty tools to decide what you can actually rank for.

Pick realistic keywords, give each one its own page, match the intent, and link related pages together. That’s a keyword strategy that works.

Next steps: on-page SEO checklist, SEO for a new website, SEO vs PPC, our ecommerce SEO guide and the latest SEO trends 2026.

About the author

Saurabh K. has been working in SEO and digital marketing for 10+ years, helping businesses grow their search traffic.