If you’re planning your SEO strategy or Keyword Mapping, you’ll need to start with some relevant keywords for your commerce website. Did you know that Google offers a Free tool for this? Google Keyword Planner offers a free, handy tool to get you started. Below you will find a clear and concise, step-by-step guide to making the most of this handy tool, ensuring you’re well-equipped to drive more targeted traffic to your website.

Key Takeaways

What It Is: Google Keyword Planner is a free tool from Google Ads that helps you discover and analyse keywords relevant to your commerce business.
Getting Started: You need a Google Ads account to access the tool; setting it up is straightforward.
How to Use: Enter your product or service keywords, adjust targeting settings, and analyse search volumes, competition, and trends.
Actionable Steps: Use the insights to optimise your website’s content, product pages, and digital campaigns.
FAQs Answered: Questions like “How do I use Google Keyword Planner for SEO?” and “Is Google Keyword Planner free to use?” are clearly explained.

What is Google Keyword Planner?

Google Keyword Planner is a free tool designed to help businesses like yours discover the best keywords to target in your SEO and PPC campaigns. It provides valuable data such as search volumes, competition levels, and bid estimates, which can be crucial for understanding what your potential customers are searching for. This tool is an essential asset if you’re looking to enhance your online visibility and drive more relevant traffic to your commerce site.

Before you can get started

Before you dive into the tool, there are a few things you’ll need to do:

Create a Google Ads Account: Although you don’t have to run paid campaigns, a Google Ads account is necessary to access Keyword Planner.
Verify Your Business Details: Make sure your account information is up-to-date, as this will help tailor the keyword suggestions to your industry and location.
Initial Research: Have a list of product names, services, or general terms related to your commerce business ready. This will make your keyword research more effective.

How to setup Google Keyword Planner

Access the Tool: Log into your Google Ads account and navigate to the Keyword Planner under the “Tools & Settings” menu.
Choose Your Option: You’ll have two main choices – “Discover new keywords” or “Get search volume and forecasts.” For a commerce business looking to grow organically, start with “Discover new keywords.”

3. Enter Keywords: Input a few keywords related to your products or services. For example, if you sell eco-friendly clothing, you might enter “sustainable fashion,” “eco-friendly clothing,” or “organic cotton t-shirts.”. For my business, I will enter “marketing consultant” rather than “marketing” as it is too general.

4. Set Targeting Parameters: Adjust your geographical location, language and date range, to suit your target market. Once happy click “get results”

5. Analyse the Results: The tool will display various metrics such as average monthly searches, competition, and suggested bid ranges. This data helps you understand which keywords have the potential to drive quality traffic. As you can see from the example, it offers me suggestions of keyword ideas such as “digital marketing consultant” and “freelance marketing consultant”.

Using the Google Keyword Planner results

With your data in hand, here’s how to turn it into action for your commerce business:

Refine Your Keyword List: Focus on keywords with a good balance of search volume and manageable competition. This often means prioritising long-tail keywords that are more specific to your products.

Segregate by Relevance: Group your keywords into categories such as product pages, blog content, and PPC campaigns. This allows you to target your audience more effectively.

Plan Your Content: Use your keyword list to inform your content strategy. Whether it’s product descriptions, blog posts, or landing pages, ensure your chosen keywords are naturally integrated into your content.
Monitor and Adjust: SEO is not a one-off task. Regularly check your keyword performance and make adjustments to your strategy based on current trends and data insights. Put a regularly entry in your diary every few months to undertake this exercise.
Consider Local. Update your geographic position to understand more about the search results within your local area. This is great to support local SEO efforts.

Applying Keywords to your business

Now that you have your refined list of keywords, here’s how to apply them:

On-Page Optimisation: Use the keywords in your page titles, meta descriptions, headings, and body content. This improves your chances of ranking higher in search results.
Product and Category Pages: Tailor your product descriptions and category pages using the specific keywords related to your commerce offerings. This makes your pages more relevant to user searches.
Content Marketing: Develop a content strategy that addresses common queries and interests of your target audience. Blog posts, guides, and infographics can all be optimised using your keyword research.
PPC Campaigns: If you decide to run paid ads, the insights from Keyword Planner can help you choose the most cost-effective keywords for your campaigns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use Google Keyword Planner for SEO?

Start by setting up your Google Ads account, then use the tool to research relevant keywords by entering terms related to your products or services. Analyse the results to understand search volumes and competition, and apply this data to optimise your website content and digital campaigns.

Is Google Keyword Planner free to use?

Yes, Google Keyword Planner is free to use. However, you need to have a Google Ads account to access it. While you don’t have to run paid campaigns, some features may be more beneficial if you are also utilising PPC strategies.

In summary, Google Keyword Planner is an indispensable tool for any commerce business looking to boost its SEO efforts. By following these steps, from setting up your account and navigating the tool, to refining your keyword strategy and applying the insights, you can unlock valuable opportunities to drive more targeted traffic and improve your search rankings.

By taking the time to master Google Keyword Planner, you’re not only enhancing your SEO strategy but also laying a strong foundation for your business’s online success. Happy optimising!

Free Keyword Research Tool