When it comes to Google Ads, the difference between a good campaign and a waste of money often comes down to one thing: your keywords.
If you’re not showing up for the right searches, you’re either invisible or paying for irrelevant clicks. Neither’s good.
So, how do you find the best keywords for your campaign? Here’s how I approach it.
1. Start with your customer, not your product
Most people make the mistake of starting with what they want to sell. But good keyword research starts with what your customers actually search for.
Ask yourself:
• What problem are they trying to solve?
• What would they type into Google to find a solution?
• Are they looking to buy now, or just browsing?
Get inside their head, the best keywords come from real-life language, not marketing fluff.
2. Use Google’s tools (and your own brain)
Yes, Google Keyword Planner is useful. So is looking at the “Searches related to…” section at the bottom of Google’s search results.
But don’t just rely on tools, common sense goes a long way. What would you search if you were trying to solve the problem your business helps with?
Also, check your own website's search terms (if you have internal search tracking) or Google Search Console data. Goldmine!
3. Think about intent
Not all keywords are created equal.
Someone searching “best software for project management” is in research mode. Someone searching “buy Trello premium” is ready to spend.
You don’t want to treat those the same. Focus on commercial intent, the people who are ready to take action. That’s where your budget should go.
4. Don’t go too broad
“Project management” might get a ton of searches, but it’s way too broad and expensive.
Instead, go for longer-tail keywords like:
• “Project management software for remote teams”
• “Trello vs Asana comparison”
• “Best project management tool for small business UK”
They’ll have lower volume, but they’re way more specific and that means better clicks, better conversions, and less wasted spend.
5. Use negative keywords (and keep refining)
Once your campaign is live, keep an eye on the actual search terms that trigger your ads. You’ll almost always find some junk in there.
Add irrelevant ones as negative keywords, so you don’t keep paying for clicks from people who were never going to buy in the first place.
Final thought
Finding the best keywords isn’t just about volume, it’s about relevance, intent, and control. Spend time upfront getting it right, and your whole campaign works better.
And if you’re still not sure what your customers are searching for - ask them. Seriously. A 5-minute chat can save you £500 in wasted clicks.
