Table of Contents

• Key takeaways
• Understanding what PPC keywords are
• Why does choosing the right keywords matter?
• How to choose the right keywords for your PPC campaign?
• Common mistakes to avoid
• Final tips for smart keyword selection
• Conclusion

Key takeaways

• Know your audience to choose keywords that align with their search intent.
• Utilize keyword research tools to discover high-potential, low-competition keywords.
• Add negative keywords to eliminate unnecessary clicks and cost savings.
• Analyze and optimize keywords continuously for improved campaign performance.

PPC keywords are what individuals input online that activate your advertisements and get to the right people effectively. Your ad copy, budget, and most importantly, your keywords determine a successful PPC campaign. However, the appropriate ones get the appropriate people, increasing clicks and conversions, while the inappropriate ones go to waste. Even newcomers can master how to select them effectively.

Understanding what PPC keywords are

PPC (Pay-Per-Click) keywords are the words that individuals enter into Google when searching for something on the internet. Your ad shows up when a person searches for those words, and you only pay if they click.

For example, if you make candles by hand, your keywords could be “buy scented candles online” or “handmade candle store near me.” The thought is to select keywords that best fit what your desired audience is searching for.

Why does choosing the right keywords matter?

Selecting the right keywords is similar to selecting the right audience to whom you’d show your ad. If your keywords are too generic, you may get clicks from uninterested users. If they are too specific, your ad will never be displayed.

Effective keyword selection does the following:

• You reach the correct audience
• You enhance the relevance of your ad
• You boost your Quality Score on Google Ads
• You save ad spend on unnecessary ads
• You increase conversions

So, selecting the optimal keywords isn’t about achieving clicks—it’s about achieving quality clicks that really make sales.

How to choose the right keywords for your PPC campaign?

Step 1: Know Your Audience

Don’t dive into keyword tools first. Take time to know who your clients are. Consider their needs, issues, and how they would query your product or service.

Ask yourself questions like:

• What do they want?
• How do they define it?
• Are they looking to purchase, learn, or compare?

Knowing your audience provides you with a solid foundation to choose keywords that match their intent.

Step 2: Use Keyword Research Tools

Once you are familiar with your audience, begin utilizing keyword research tools. These tools allow you to discover keywords that individuals are actually searching for.

You can give the following a try:

• Google Keyword Planner
• Ubersuggest
• SEMrush
• Ahrefs

These tools indicate the number of individuals who search for a keyword per month and how competitive it is. As an instance, the best Digital marketing company in Indore can see that “online advertisement services” has great search volume and great competition. 

Additionally, they could opt for a more niche term like “budget PPC services in Indore” instead. Search for keywords with high search volume and low to moderate competition.

Step 3: Target Keyword Intent

Not all searches are equal. Some are learners, and some are buyers. This is keyword intent.

There are three primary types:

• Informational keywords – Used when individuals want to learn (like “what is PPC?”)
• Navigational keywords – Used to locate a particular brand or website (like “Google Ads login”)
• Transactional keywords – Used when individuals are willing to make a purchase (like “hire PPC expert near me”)

For PPC, pay more attention to transactional keywords as they yield higher conversion rates. But including some informational keywords will aid in creating awareness.

Step 4: Select Between Broad, Phrase, and Exact Match

Google Ads allows you to target keywords in three broad ways:

• Broad Match – Your ad shows up for searches that are related but not necessarily exact.
• Example: Keyword “red shoes” can appear for “purchase sports shoes.”

• Phrase Match – Your ad appears when a person searches with your keyword phrase.
• Example: “women’s red shoes.”

• Exact Match – Your ad appears only when the precise keyword is entered.
• Example: Only “red shoes” will trigger your ad.

Furthermore, if you are starting out with PPC, begin with a phrase match. It provides an acceptable compromise between reach and control. You can then test broad and exact matches as you gain more experience.

Step 5: Add Negative Keywords

Negative keywords block your ad from appearing on irrelevant searches. Suppose you are selling high-end products. You can include “free” or “cheap” as negative keywords.

This is cost-saving and enhances your click-through rate since your ad appears only to individuals who are truly interested.

Moreover, suppose some lead generation companies in India have campaigns for “business leads.” They may include “free business leads” as a negative keyword to prevent them from spending money on users who have low possibilities of converting.

Step 6: Analyze and Refine Continuously

PPC campaigns are not “set and forget.” You must check what keywords are doing well and what keywords are not.

Check your metrics from time to time:

• Click-through rate (CTR) – Are people clicking your ads?
• Conversion rate – Are your clicks converting to sales or leads?
• Cost per click (CPC) – Are you paying too much for clicks?

Therefore, if some of your keywords are not doing well, stop them and replace them with new ones. Conversely, boost your budget on those keywords that are yielding results.

PPC involves trial and error. The more you test, the more you learn what is working best for your company.

Common mistakes to avoid

Keyword research may appear simple, but there are certain pitfalls that cost you money:

• Selecting only broad keywords – They are getting too many irrelevant clicks.
• Overlooking search intent – Not every keyword will convert.
• Omitting negative keywords – You’ll be throwing money at the wrong people.
• Not analyzing performance – Without a regular review, you could keep throwing money at underperforming keywords.
• Looking only at volume – High-volume keywords are great, but the right relevance is more important.

Steering clear of these common mistakes can help your PPC campaigns be more effective and profitable.

Final tips for smart keyword selection

• Use long-tail keywords. They are narrower and less competitive.
• Monitor seasonal patterns.
• Experiment with varied keyword combinations.
• Update your list of keywords regularly as your clientele changes.
• Think as your customer, but not as a marketer.

Additionally, keep in mind that PPC is all about creativity and strategy. You will get better with time as you learn more and more data and information.

Conclusion

Selecting appropriate keywords for your PPC campaign may not be easy at first, but it becomes easier with the correct methodology. Get to know your target audience, utilize tools efficiently, and optimize frequently. Hiring the best Google Ads agency in Indore can guarantee smarter keyword selection and improved outcomes.