How to use Google Ads Keyword Planner: access, volume, and adding to campaigns

Location, language, search network, and date range settings

Every figure in the planner is calculated according to the selected settings; volume viewed with the wrong location does not reflect the actual demand the campaign will encounter. According to Google’s refining new keywords page, geographic locations such as countries, regions, and cities can be entered in the location box. Selecting only Istanbul or only Ankara rather than all Turkey produces a much more realistic picture for a local service business.

Four areas require attention on the settings screen:

• Location: Select the country, province, or city served; several locations can be added.
• Language: Select the language the ad will target; for campaigns in Turkey, this is usually Turkish.
• Search network: Choose either “Google” only or “Google and search partners.”
• Date range: Used to view volume trends over particular periods; examining individual months is useful for seasonal businesses.

A business serving Maltepe and an e-commerce website shipping throughout Turkey can examine the same keyword and see very different results. The location setting should match the location targeting that will be used in the campaign.

How do you read the result columns?

The columns on the results screen are defined on Google’s About Keyword Planner forecasts page. Each column answers a different question and does not determine decisions by itself:

The Competition column measures competition only among advertisers; it does not show how difficult a keyword is in organic rankings. Bid ranges likewise summarize historical bids rather than the cost per click you will actually pay.

Why does search volume sometimes appear as a range?

For some accounts, the average monthly searches column may show a broad range rather than a single number. Because this display can vary according to account status and usage, it is unsurprising for the same keyword to be listed differently in two accounts. When a range appears, looking at relative keyword size, trends within the date range, and the forecast screen together produces a sounder result.

Can planner data be used for SEO?

Yes, but with an understanding of its limits. Google Ads Keyword Planner is an advertising tool; its volume represents searches rather than clicks that will reach organic results. Because the Competition column measures advertisers, it should not be read as an organic difficulty indicator when writing content.

Under Google’s definition, average monthly searches cover searches for the keyword and its close variants. When singular/plural or suffixed/unsuffixed spellings show similar values, do not add those volumes together to calculate a single page’s potential. For SEO, the planner is most useful for:

• Comparing the relative size of terms in a topic cluster
• Viewing seasonal rises and falls through the date range
• Separating terms for service pages and blog posts according to intent
• Reflecting province-level demand differences in local page planning

How to choose between advertising and organic visibility is compared in detail in the Google Ads or SEO article.

Adding Google Ads keywords: from plan to ad group

Following the help page’s flow, check the boxes next to desired keywords in the list, select the match type from the dropdown labeled “Broad match,” and use “Add keywords” to move them to a new or existing plan. Planned keywords can later be moved to a real campaign. If the campaign is already live, keywords can also be added directly to the relevant ad group’s keyword list.

Before adding, divide keywords into small groups by meaning. If “boiler maintenance” and “boiler breakdown” are in the same ad group, the ad copy will not fully suit both. Giving each group its own ad copy and landing page makes it easier for people who click to find what they searched for.

Match types: broad, phrase, and exact

Google’s keyword matching options page defines the three types as follows:

• Broad match: The default type for all keywords, written without symbols; the ad may appear for searches related to the keyword.
• Phrase match: Written in quotation marks, for example “tennis shoes”; activates for searches that include the keyword’s meaning.
• Exact match: Written in square brackets, for example [red shoes]; appears for searches with the same meaning or intent, offering the most control and narrowest reach.

On the same page, Google emphasizes the importance of using broad match with Smart Bidding. For accounts starting with broad match, setting up a Google Ads negative keyword list is also important to exclude unwanted searches.

The forecasts screen and budget planning

After creating a plan, open the forecasts screen. According to Google, a plan forecast shows the conversions, clicks, or impressions keywords may generate depending on spending; forecasts are updated daily, use data from the last 7–10 days, and account for seasonality. Changing the average daily budget shows how results shift.

The prominent metrics are clicks, impressions, cost, click-through rate (CTR), and average CPC. These figures are forecasts of the range to expect under current conditions rather than commitments; ad quality, bidding strategy, and competitors’ actions change actual results. The items making up the advertising budget paid to Google are explained separately on the Google Ads prices page.

How should the forecast screen inform budget decisions?

Google Ads Keyword Planner forecasts are most useful for seeing which keywords a proposed daily budget can support. Trying several budget amounts reveals where click growth starts to slow; this point is often a reasonable boundary for the starting budget. If expensive keywords alone consume most of the budget, starting the first month with a narrower group with clear intent makes measurable data easier to collect. Once the campaign goes live, actual search terms and costs replace the forecast.

A volume-only approach versus an intent-focused approach

In common practice, the list is built from the highest-volume keywords and the budget is allocated to them. This generates impressions but does not distinguish the intent behind searches, so a significant portion of clicks may come from people seeking information, comparing prices, or looking for jobs. In an intent-focused approach, each keyword is first evaluated by asking “how close is this searcher to purchasing?”

Low-volume phrases containing action words such as “price,” “nearest,” or “appointment” are often a more efficient starting point for businesses with small budgets.

Common mistakes and the correct approach

Most planner mistakes arise from reading data with the wrong settings rather than from the tool itself. Common examples and their correct alternatives are as follows:

• Looking only at high volume: Prioritize terms with clear intent close to the service rather than generic high-volume keywords.
• Not distinguishing intent: Separate informational or job-search terms such as “what is,” “how to,” and “job vacancy” from the ad list and add them to the negative list if necessary.
• Forgetting province targeting: Leaving the planner set to all Turkey while launching the campaign in one province inflates expectations; keep settings consistent with the campaign.
• Mistaking the bid range for the amount payable: The range summarizes historical bids; actual cost varies with ad quality and competition.
• Adding close variants together: Do not calculate nonexistent demand by stacking volumes for similar spellings.
• One-off research: Review the search terms report regularly and add new keyword and negative keyword opportunities to the list.

How does keyword research proceed at Onur Freelance?

At Onur Freelance, operating from Maltepe since 2019, we treat keyword research as a separate stage of campaign setup. First clarify the provinces and districts served, profitable items in the services sold, and conversion tracking status. Then read volume and bid ranges with Google Ads Keyword Planner, group keywords by intent, and prepare the negative list from day one.

Our working arrangement has these core principles:

1. The ad account is opened in the business’s name and ownership remains with it; we work through administrator access.
2. The keyword list and location settings are shared with the business owner before launch.
3. During the first weeks, the search terms report is reviewed frequently and unnecessary spending is stopped early.
4. Reports are read through real conversions such as calls, forms, and WhatsApp rather than impressions.

Google advertising management starts at 9,000 TL per month; the advertising budget paid to Google is excluded from this fee. Rankings, click counts, and sales are not guaranteed; Onur Freelance is not an official Google representative and does not act on Google’s behalf.