We’re in 2025. A lot has changed over the years in Google Ads. But, one question is still relevant. “How to find keywords for Google ads?” Even today, finding the best keywords to run ads is more important than ever.

According to Search Engine Land, last year we saw a 10% increase in Google Ads CPC. So, running ads with low intent and irrelevant keywords results in wasting your hard-earned Ad spend and comprising the Profitability of your business.

Taking account of all the current challenges, here we put forward the easiest and best guide to do Google Ads Keyword research in 2025. See how you can choose the best keywords for ads by using Free and easy-to-use tools like Keyword Planner.

Later in this guide, we have also explained which Keyword match type would work best for you and why.

How to Do Keyword Research for Google Ads (Beginner’s Guide)

 

In this 3-step Process, we’ll guide you to choose the perfect keywords by using Free Tools like Google Keyword Planner, and Google Search, and some third-party Paid tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs. Don’t worry, you can skip the Paid tools and still do the best Keyword research.

Step 1: Use Google Keyword Planner (Best Free Tool for Google Ads)

 

The Google Keyword Planner is our go-to keyword research tool for our Clients at Scaleket. It helps you:

✅ Discover new keyword ideas
✅ See monthly search volume
✅ Check the competition level (low, medium, high)
✅ Find estimated cost-per-click (CPC)

How to Use Google Keyword Planner:

1️⃣ Go to Google Keyword Planner inside your Google Ads

2️⃣ Select “Discover new keywords”

 

3️⃣ Enter a few seed keywords related to your business (e.g., “google ads agency”) and Choose Targeted Location (e.g., United States)
4️⃣ Check the search volume, competition, and CPC
5️⃣ Shortlist high-intent, low-competition keywords

💡 Pro Tip:
Look for keywords which are long-tail + have low competition for the best ROI.

Step 2: Use Google Search (Hidden Goldmine for Keywords)

 

After you have noted your keywords from the Keyword planner, let’s head to another source. Google itself is a free keyword research tool if you know where to look!

How to Find Keywords for Google Ads Using Google Search:

 

🔹 Google Autocomplete – Start typing your main keyword, and Google will suggest the most searched terms.

🔹 Related Searches – Scroll to the bottom of Google’s search results for more keyword ideas.

💡 Pro Tip:
Look for long-tail keywords (4+ words) like:
🔹 “how to find long tail keywords for Google Ads”
🔹 “best keyword tool for Google Ads 2025”

These long-tail keywords have less competition and higher conversion rates.

Step 3: Use Third-Party Keyword Tools (Optional but Powerful)

If you want even deeper insights, you can use premium tools like:

🔹 SEMrush – Best for competitor keyword analysis
🔹 Ahrefs – Great for finding low-competition keywords
🔹 Ubersuggest – Budget-friendly alternative

These tools show:

✅ Search trends – Is the keyword growing or declining?
✅ Competitor ads – What keywords your competitors are bidding on

💡 Pro Tip:
Use competitor research to find profitable keywords they are already spending money on!

How to Select the Best Keywords for Google Ads

Once you have a list of keywords from the above three sources, it’s time to filter out the best ones.

Here’s how to choose winning keywords:

 

✔ Check search volume – Higher volume = more traffic
✔ Compare CPC – Lower CPC = More affordable clicks
✔ Analyze competition – Low competition = Higher chance of success
✔ Focus on buyer intent – Keywords with words like “buy,” “hire,” or “best” convert better
✔ Use negative keywords – Exclude irrelevant searches to avoid wasting budget

💡 Example:
Instead of targeting “google ads agency,” use “best google ads agency near me” (higher intent).

Google Ads Keyword Match Types Explained

Now you have your keywords to target. But, which match type to use?
Not all Google Ads keywords work the same way. Google gives you three keyword match types to control how your ads appear:

1️⃣ Exact Match ([Google Ads expert])
✔ Most precise targeting, but fewer searches

2️⃣ Phrase Match (“Google Ads expert”)
✔ More reach while keeping relevance

3️⃣ Broad Match (Google Ads expert)
✔ Maximum reach, but may trigger irrelevant searches

Which Keyword Match Type to Use in Google Ads & Why?

 

✔ Use Exact Match – Exact Match will give you low volume but highest intent. In case you want to use Manual bidding, an exact match is the top choice.
✔ Use Phrase Match – If you want a mix of reach & relevance.
✔ Use Broad Match – If you’re looking to increase the search volume. Google recommends using broad match with Automated bidding. Using broad match keywords, you need to consistently check your search terms and add negative keywords.

💡 Pro Tip:
Always add negative keywords to block unwanted clicks (e.g., “free,” “cheap”)

Conclusion

Selecting the right keywords is the foundation of your Google Ads success. At Scaleket, we test different keywords and Match types to select the best possible combination for our Clients. Check out our guides on Optimizing Google ads for conversions and Auction Insights to learn more about getting best results.

Matching the right bidding strategy is also important. Make sure to have massive lists of Negative keywords if you wanna use a broad match. My recommendation to you would be to start from Exact match and then try other Match types if you want to scale and high volume.

Still Struggling to find the right keywords for your google ads campaigns? Reach out to us here and Schedule Free meeting with our Google Ads Strategist.