The short answer
To find keywords for Google Ads, open Tools → Planning → Keyword Planner and choose “Discover new keywords”. Enter 3–5 services your customers search for, set the location (for example Kochi) and language, then keep keywords that show buying intent, such as “price”, “near me” or a service name. Check the top-of-page bid range, group similar keywords into ad groups, and note words to exclude as negatives.
Before you start
By the end of this SOP
A keyword sheet with 3–6 ad groups, 10–20 keywords each, bid estimates and a starting negative keyword list.
- Time
- 30–45 minutes
- You’ll need
- A Google Ads account (SOP 014). Keyword Planner is free inside it; you don’t need a running campaign.
- Who does this
- The person who will build the Google Ads campaign.
About this SOP: why it matters, where and when
Why it matters: Keywords decide who sees your ads. Buying-intent keywords cost more per click but bring leads; research keywords are cheap and rarely convert.
Where: Google Ads → Tools → Planning → Keyword Planner, plus a Google Sheet.
When: Before you build any new Search campaign, and every quarter to find new ideas.
Stage 1
Collect seed keywords
Seed keywords are the plain words customers use, not your internal service names.
- 1
Write the 3–5 services or products that make the business the most money.
- 2
For each one, write how a customer would type it into Google:
- Service + city: “dental implants kochi”.
- Problem: “tooth pain treatment”.
- Comparison or price: “invisalign cost in kerala”.
- 3
Ask the sales team or front desk which words customers use on the phone. These often beat anything a tool suggests.
Stage 2
Expand and check them in Keyword Planner
- 1
In Google Ads, open Tools → Planning → Keyword Planner and click “Discover new keywords”.
- 2
Enter your seed keywords (up to 10), or switch to “Start with a website” and enter a competitor’s or your own service page.
- 3
Set the location to where you serve (for example Kochi + 30 km, or Kerala) and the language to English. Add Malayalam if customers search in Malayalam script.
Tip
Many Kerala searches are typed in English even by Malayalam speakers. Check both, but expect most volume in English.
- 4
Look at “Avg. monthly searches”, “Competition” and “Top of page bid (low range)” and “(high range)”. The high range is a rough idea of what a top position could cost per click.
- 5
Click Download keyword ideas and open the file in Google Sheets.
Stage 3
Keep buyers, drop browsers
Sort every keyword into one of three groups.
- 1
Keep: keywords that show someone is ready to act.
- “near me”, “price”, “cost”, “book”, “best … in [city]”, service names with a location.
- 2
Maybe: research keywords that could work later with a good offer.
- “how to”, “types of”, “benefits of”. Park these for SEO content instead of ads.
- 3
Negative: words that bring the wrong people. Add them to a negative list from day one.
- “free”, “jobs”, “salary”, “course” (unless you sell courses), “DIY”, “pdf”, competitor names you don’t want.
- 4
Drop keywords where the high top-of-page bid is more than your break-even cost per lead × your expected conversion rate. At a ₹500 target cost per lead and 5% conversion, you can afford about ₹25 per click.
Stage 4
Group keywords into ad groups
- 1
Group keywords that one ad and one landing page could answer well, for example “implants”, “braces and aligners”, “root canal”.
- 2
Keep 10–20 keywords per ad group. If an ad group needs a different landing page, it should be its own group.
- 3
Start with phrase and exact match for your best keywords. Add broad match later, once conversion tracking has enough data for Smart Bidding to learn.
- 4
Write the ad group names in the sheet with the landing page URL next to each. This is the plan for your Search campaign (SOP 302).
Practice & check
Now do it for real
Reading is not doing. Open your own account and complete this task before you move on.
Practice task (5 min)
Pick a local business (for example a Thrissur physiotherapy clinic). Build a keyword sheet with three ad groups, a bid estimate per group and 15 negative keywords.
Prove it
Two questions. Get both right and this SOP is done.
Common questions
Is Google Keyword Planner free?
Yes. It is part of every Google Ads account. You don’t have to run a campaign, though accounts without spend may see volume ranges instead of exact numbers.
How many keywords should a Google Ads campaign have?
Fewer than most people think. 3–6 ad groups with 10–20 closely related keywords each is plenty for a small business, especially with Smart Bidding.
Should I use broad match keywords?
Broad match works well with Smart Bidding and solid conversion tracking. Without tracking, start with phrase and exact match so you control which searches you pay for.
Done. That’s a real skill, not a certificate.
Next: SOP 302 — Create a Google Ads Search Campaign and Check It Before Launch →
Want to do this on real client budgets, with a mentor checking your work? That’s Level 2 at Unlearn. See the Digital Marketing track