Google Ads Keyword Research for Small Businesses: A Simple Method

The words you bid on decide who sees your ads. Choose well and you attract people ready to enquire. Choose badly and you pay for clicks from people who'll never buy. Here's a straightforward way to do keyword research without expensive tools.

Start with how customers talk

Before opening any tool, write down:

• What do customers call what you sell?
• What problem are they trying to solve?
• What questions do they ask before buying?
• Where are they, and what do they add to the search?

Use real language from emails, calls, reviews and your own sales conversations. People rarely search with your industry's jargon.

Think in three intent levels

Ready to buy. "Branding agency London", "emergency plumber Bristol". These searches carry the strongest intent and usually cost the most per click. Start here.

Comparing options. "Best accountant for freelancers", "branding agency vs freelancer". People are weighing up choices. Often worth testing.

Learning. "What is a brand strategy", "how to choose a logo designer". Useful for content and awareness, but poor for ads unless you're nurturing.

For a first campaign, focus on the first group.

Use free tools

• Google Keyword Planner (inside Google Ads) shows estimated search volumes and cost ranges for terms. You can use it without running ads.
• Google's own suggestions. Start typing a search and see the autocomplete, and scroll to "People also ask" and "Related searches".
• Search Console. If you have a website, see which searches already bring impressions and clicks.
• Your competitors' ads. Search for your own terms and see who's advertising and what they say.

Build a shortlist

Aim for 20 to 40 terms to begin with, grouped by theme. For each, note:

• The wording
• Estimated volume
• Estimated cost per click
• Intent (buy, compare or learn)
• Which page it should lead to

Choose match types carefully

Google lets you control how closely a search must match your keyword. In simple terms:

• Exact match shows your ad for searches with the same meaning. Most control, smallest reach.
• Phrase match covers searches that include your phrase's meaning, with other words around it.
• Broad match is the widest and can attract irrelevant searches if not managed.

Beginners usually do better starting with exact and phrase match, then expanding once they have data.

Add negative keywords from day one

Negative keywords stop your ads showing for searches you don't want. Common ones include "free", "jobs", "course", "DIY", "template" and "cheap", if they don't fit your business. Review the search terms report weekly and add more as you spot waste. Our Google Ads audit checklist covers this routine.

Match keywords to pages

Each group of keywords should lead to a page that answers it. A search for "startup branding" should land on a page about startup branding, not a general homepage. See why your website isn't converting for what happens when it doesn't.

Check your numbers

For each term, work out whether the cost per click makes sense. If a click costs £6 and one visitor in 25 enquires, a lead costs about £150 in clicks. Compare that with what a customer is worth, as in how to measure marketing ROI.

Keep learning

After a few weeks, you'll know which searches convert. Add more of those, trim the rest and keep testing.

Frequently asked questions

How many keywords should I start with?

20 to 40 well-chosen terms is plenty. More isn't better if the budget is small.

Do I need a paid tool?

Not to start. Keyword Planner, Search Console and your own search terms report will take you a long way.

Can you do this for us?

Yes. See our performance marketing and SEO services, or book a consultation.