Why Google Keyword Planner is Key for SEO
Google Keyword Planner is often seen as a tool for PPC campaigns, but it’s incredibly useful for SEO as well. Instead of focusing solely on search volume, a more effective approach for SEO is targeting keywords with high Google Ads bid costs, indicating high user intent and profitability.
How to Find the BEST Keywords
- Start with Broad Keywords: Begin with a broad seed keyword relevant to your business.
- Sort by "Top of Page Bid" (Low Range): Ignore the competition filter and instead focus on the "top of page bid" to identify high-value keywords that advertisers are willing to pay more for. These keywords may have lower search volume but are more likely to convert.
- Look for Low-Competition, High-Cost Keywords: Keywords with a low bid but high cost (even with lower search volume) indicate valuable terms. For example, "emergency electrician" may have fewer searches, but its high bid cost means it’s a keyword worth targeting.
Why High Bid Keywords Matter for SEO
A higher bid cost typically indicates that the keyword has high commercial intent, making it valuable for SEO efforts. Businesses wouldn’t spend a lot on ads unless they were getting results, so these keywords can be just as profitable in organic search.
Example: Plumbing & E-Commerce
For the plumbing industry, targeting keywords like "emergency plumber" with lower monthly searches but higher bids can lead to conversions. In e-commerce, targeting specific brands or products with lower volume but high bidding costs is often more effective than focusing on high-volume, generic keywords.
Conclusion
By focusing on the most lucrative keywords in Google Keyword Planner—those with high bid prices—you can create an SEO strategy that not only targets popular terms but also drives meaningful conversions. These keywords often indicate strong user intent, making them perfect for both paid and organic strategies.