How to Use Google Ads Keyword Planner: Access, Ideas and Forecasts

Keyword Planner is built for advertisers planning Search campaigns, and that shapes everything about it: what you need to open it, what the numbers mean and what it won't show you. Here's how to use it from first login to a finished plan, plus the two catches that confuse most people the first time.

Getting in: the billing step people miss

You open Keyword Planner from the Tools menu in Google Ads. The first surprise is that a brand new account can't do much there. Google's help page says you must complete your account setup by entering your billing information to access basic features like Get ideas for new keywords.

So if you've opened a fresh Google Ads account and the idea search won't work, that's usually why. Finish the account setup, including the billing details, and the research features open up.

Two ways to start

Once you're in, Google gives you two starting points:

Option	What you enter	What you get
Discover new keywords	Words, a website, or both	Keyword ideas with monthly search estimates and top-of-page bid ranges
Get search volume and forecasts	Your own list pasted in, or a CSV upload	Search estimates and a forecast of clicks, impressions or conversions

Pick the first if you're starting from scratch. Pick the second if you already have a list, for example from your own brainstorm or a competitor's site, and want the numbers behind it.

Finding ideas from words or a website

With Discover new keywords you can type in a few words that describe your business, enter a website, or do both. Google says entering both words and a URL can produce a larger volume of ideas than a URL alone. If you enter a website, Google doesn't use the contents of the pages it links out to.

A good habit: start with the words your customers use, not your industry jargon. If you sell bookkeeping, try the phrases a small business owner would type when their tax return is due, then add your site to widen the list.

Uploading your own list

With Get search volume and forecasts you can paste keywords straight in or upload a file. Google accepts a CSV with one column headed Keyword, or a template that also takes optional campaign, location and ad group columns. This is the fastest way to check a list you've built elsewhere.

Narrowing the list down

The first list is usually long and messy. Google gives you several ways to tidy it:

• Filters by competition, impression share and keyword text, among others.
• The Refine keywords side panel, where you untick whole categories. Google's example is a running shoe seller removing colours they don't sell.
• Location, including a Nearby option, or remove locations entirely to see all locations.
• Date range, to see seasonal or trending periods before you commit budget to them.

Set the location first. A keyword that looks busy nationally can be tiny in the town you serve, and a local business only cares about the second number.

Reading the columns

The main columns are average monthly searches, top of page bid (low range) and top of page bid (high range). Google describes the bid figures as the average cost to show on those searches, which is useful for spotting terms you can't afford before you build a campaign around them.

Keep Google's own caveat in mind: it says campaign performance depends on your bid, budget, ad quality, location targeting and customer behaviour. The planner gives you a starting point, not a result.

When a keyword won't show up

This is the second catch. Google says keywords with very low search volumes, or keywords considered sensitive, aren't discoverable or forecastable. Instead you'll see an error message and a prompt to try new keywords or URLs.

That doesn't mean nobody searches for the phrase. It means Keyword Planner won't report on it. For a niche business, some of your best long, specific phrases may sit in exactly that gap, so don't delete an idea just because the planner won't score it.

Using forecasts without fooling yourself

Forecasts show how many conversions, clicks or impressions you're likely to get based on what you spend. Google says they're refreshed daily using the last 7 to 10 days of data, adjusted for seasonality, and suggests planning weekly rather than monthly or quarterly while markets are unsettled.

A few practical points from Google's page:

• To forecast conversions, you need conversion tracking enabled in your account.
• You can change the average daily budget and the bid strategy, which shows as Maximize clicks by default.
• You can download the forecast and share the plan with someone else.

Adding keywords to a plan or campaign

When you've found keywords worth keeping, you can add them to Saved keywords to organise and forecast them, or add them straight to ad groups in an existing campaign. You choose the match type as you add them, and the drop-down defaults to Broad match, so check it before you click. Google notes that organising keywords into ad groups is available in English only.

Keyword Planner step by step

1. In Google Ads, open the Tools menu and choose Keyword Planner.
2. Choose Discover new keywords or Get search volume and forecasts.
3. Enter your words, your website or both, or upload your list, and set the location and language.
4. Filter the results and untick irrelevant categories in the Refine keywords panel.
5. Add the keywords you want to a plan, check the match type and read the forecast.

Once you've picked your keywords, the next job is writing responsive search ads, and this guide explains how the headlines combine.

Using it for SEO

Plenty of people open Keyword Planner for blog and website research rather than ads, and it can help with that, as long as you remember it's built for advertisers and the volumes are Google's estimates. Many SEO folks pair it with other tools. If you want options, I've compared the best Google Keyword Planner alternatives, and my guide on how to find the search volume of a keyword shows other ways to check demand.

My verdict

Keyword Planner is worth learning if you advertise on Google, because it shows you what people search for and roughly what the top of the page costs before you spend a penny on clicks. Finish your billing setup first, set your location before you read a single number, and treat forecasts as a weekly guide. Just don't treat a missing keyword as a dead one. For the full process of turning these ideas into a campaign, read my guide to keyword research for PPC campaigns.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I use Keyword Planner in my new Google Ads account?

Google says you must complete account setup by entering your billing information before you can access basic features like Get ideas for new keywords.

Where do I find Keyword Planner in Google Ads?

It's in the Tools menu of your Google Ads account.

Why does Keyword Planner say a keyword has no data?

Google says keywords with very low search volumes, or keywords considered sensitive, aren't discoverable or forecastable, so you'll see an error message instead.

How accurate are Keyword Planner forecasts?

Google refreshes forecasts daily using the last 7 to 10 days of data, adjusted for seasonality, and suggests planning weekly while markets are unsettled.

Can I upload my own keyword list to Keyword Planner?

Yes. Use Get search volume and forecasts and upload a CSV with one column headed Keyword, or paste your list in.