A lot of people have asked how I performed the research for my post fall keyword ideas. It is actually really easy to do! I recommend using the Google Keyword Planner for every post you write.
In order to use the Google Keyword Planner, you need to set up an AdWords account. You do not have to pay for ads to use the Keyword Planner.
Set up Google AdWords
- Go to https://adwords.google.com/KeywordPlanner
- Fill in your email address and website (un-check any undesired services)
- Fill out your personal information
- Verify your account (dirty Google, always wanting my phone number)
- Google isn’t going to let you in until you set up your first campaign. So, quickly fill in the required information. I put $1 in the daily budget.
- Yes, they’ll even make you put in your credit card information. But, you do not have to activate your campaign. You card will not be charged any fees to use the Keyword Planner.
- Review, and click finish and create campaign.
- Head to your email and verify your account
- You now have access to Google Keyword Planner, click Take me to my account.
Okay, now that your account is all set up, you’ll never have to go through those steps again. You’ll be able to log in and only use the Keyword Planner.
How to use the Keyword Planner
- Go ahead and ignore Google’s promptings to start your first campaign (unless you want to, then by all means, go ahead!)
- In the top navigation bar click tools and drop down to Keyword Planner.
- Under What would you like to do? click Search for new keyword and ad group ides
- Type a handful of words or phrases related to your post. Use a comma to separate different keywords. For an example, I searched for: Halloween wreath, wreath ideas for Halloween, Halloween wreath tutorial
- Click Get ideas
- Underneath the graph, click the tab Keyword Ideas
- You will be given results for the keywords you searched for + relevant keywords!
Why use Google Keywords
Who doesn’t want more blog traffic from search engines? Using the Keyword Planner tool can help you narrow in on what people are searching for. I have found that I don’t always use the same phrases as most people, so I’ll go through and change those phrases. It can also give you ideas for future posts. I used it to see what type of blogs people search for and what people are searching for this fall.
Kristie’s keyword tips:
Don’t write your posts based on keywords. You want to be original and you. Instead, write your post first and then go the keyword planner and type keywords based on main content of the post. Compare those keywords to the recommended keywords. Then, go back through your post and adjust where necessary
Don’t always pick the keyword with the most searches. It might be better to get all the traffic for a keyword lower on the list than to be far down on the list for the top keyword.
Don’t go overboard with keywords. Google doesn’t like that.
Do use Google Keyword Planner to help you find keywords.
Do have a great day today!
Looking for more posts on SEO?
I’d love to hear your success (or not so successful) stories on using keywords in your blog posts. Did you find it helpful? Have you noticed an increase in search engine traffic?
Thank you so much for letting us know we have to set up our first campaign. I hadn’t read anything that mentioned that and I never got past that point because I didn’t want to be charged for anything unail I was ready. I really appreciate you for sharing one of the most important points in getting to the keyword planner. I think a lot of other bloggers assume everyone knows what to do, and some of us don’t find it insulting if you talk to us like were 5 years old. At least I don’t.
Hi Stacey. Thanks for not being offended. 🙂 I agree that bloggers frequently forget that people aren’t on the same page as they are. Hope you find google keyword planner useful. I actually have video I’m working on about keywords this week. I’ll email you when it goes live.
I’m park ,creator and founder of Blog Ambitions.Is it possible for the Keyword Planner to show more long
Is it possible for the Keyword Planner to show more long tail keywords, because most of them are about 1, 2 or rarely 3 words. What other tool do you use? 🙂
Hi! Thanks for the advice. I literally started my blog just days ago and advice like this is so helpful!
I’m using KW Planner to maximize keyword pool and then Serpstat for semantic expansion. IMHO Keyword Planner could’ve set few more filters but we still can’t do without it:)
iam searching for this topic..at last i found right post…..thanks for sharing..
At Monitoring Social Media New York on 4th November, Chase McMichael, CEO of Infinigraph
Thanks for sharing this post on how to use google planner..
Thanks.. 🙂
Good Piece of Information regarding keywords planner nice thanks for sharing such useful information
You’re welcome.
Hey Kristie,
Thanks for such a great post. Am a blogger and I just love to read such blogs so I can implements these tricks for my own blog. Thanks again.
Great Post! Google’s Keyword Planner is a fabulous tool! I had thought I had included all the essential keywords but now I realize I was getting lost with all the competition. I selected certain keywords based on monthly search amounts and lower competition. Looking forward to seeing that inbound traffic rise 🙂
Miche Independent Representative: the unique, patented interchangeable handbag
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Hi there!
I found you through Pinterest. Thanks for the insight! I’m already putting it into practice.
Hey Kristie
That was such a nice post. Thank you.
You can also have a visit of my site!
Thank you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! Even though I have GA installed I didn’t realize I didn’t have to actually have ads to activate adsense! Game changer for me!!!!
Hope it helps! Most people never utilize the keyword tool because they think it costs money. Let me know how it helps you out with your posts.
Thank you soooo so much for this post! Finally a human sounding blog post about SEO and keywords, and a real strategy I can use. This is so cool!
You’re welcome Margo! I love using the Keyword tool for my posts!
Hi Kristie, great content. Thank you for you help!!
I hope this can help to boost my blog’s traffic and that our content start to show up on google more times.
I have a question for you. When someone is running a blog that is written in two languages (portuguese and english), do you have any suggestion for the language and location that must be choose when submiting the first 1 dollar campaign??
Thank you!
That’s a tough one, I haven’t experienced that before. Select the one that you hope to be found on more? If you aren’t going to be using adwords, and just plan on using the keyword tool, it probably doesn’t matter very much.
Thank you for your help 🙂 I want to say a big thank you for this article! I’ve searched a lot on this topic but anyone is addressing the 1 dollar thing!!!! And this small thing that apparently noone talks about is really important for anyone who doen’t understand much about it . Again, thank you!
You’re welcome! Most people are intimidated to sign up, because they think they have to pay to use adwords – but you don’t!
Hi Kristie,
Great post! Very clear walkthrough, really useful!
Sorry to be posting links but here’s another take on Keyword Planning that you may find interesting?
http://convertd.co.uk/teaching-analogies-part-1-think-empires-keyword-planning-search-engine-marketing/
Let me know what you think, always good to be discussing & learning!
Nice to meet you,
Nick
Great post. I love how you kept it pretty simple. There’s just one thing though…the column in the Keyword Planner that says “Competition”…that refers to people bidding on ads (the kind of ads that show up in Google searches and on websites). It does not refer to how many other websites/blogs are using that phrase.
So unless you are bidding on ads to advertise with you can ignore that column. To find out if there is a lot of competition (other websites and blogs using those keywords) for you as a blogger then you would want to use a tool such as Traffic Travis (which has a free version) to find out what the competition is.
You are very right Shannon. I will edit the post to clarify! Thank you!!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for this!!!!
I swear over the last month I’ve tried to google a decent tutorial for this exact subject and I could not find something that simply explained how to use the keyword tool in adwords.
I was easily able to follow your instructions and get to exactly what I needed. What a life saver this post is! Thank you again!
I’m glad you found this! Hopefully it will show up next time someone google’s it!
This is something that’s completely confusing and overwhelming for me. I have got to try this. Thank you for breaking it down so clearly.
Pinning for future reference.
Thanks so much!
xoxo
You’re welcome! I’m glad you’ll be able to use the Keyword tool for your posts now!
Awesome Kristi. I must admit that I signed up for Adwords but didn’t activate it, so now I will go ahead so I can try this! Pinning.
Thanks so much for this! I never really understood how Google Adwords works.
Hopefully it helps!
Thanks Kristie!
You are a great teacher! I learn something new in each and every post! I am doing this today! Thank you!
Let me know how it goes Janelle! Be careful, it can be addicting doing keyword research!