How to Find the Right PPC Keywords

Finding the right PPC keywords isn’t about volume alone. It’s about intent, structure, and knowing which terms bring value and which waste spend. Whether you’re building your first campaign or reviewing an underperforming one, getting your keywords right is what drives everything else, clicks, conversions, and cost-efficiency.

This guide walks you through the fundamentals, the technical bits, and the tactical decisions that actually move the needle in paid search.

Start with Intent, Not Volume

Before building out any keyword list, you need to understand what users are trying to do when they search. That’s intent. In PPC, intent can make or break your return.

There are four main types of search intent:

• Informational: The user wants to learn something. These clicks are cheap but rarely convert.

• Navigational: They’re looking for a brand, location, or page. Not always worth targeting unless it’s your brand.

• Commercial: They’re comparing options and weighing up a purchase. This is where many PPC wins are found.

• Transactional: They’re ready to buy or enquire. These terms usually have high conversion rates and competition.

Your campaign should prioritise commercial and transactional keywords. Informational terms are better used in organic content or as part of remarketing strategies.

Understand Match Types

Every keyword added to Google Ads sits within a match type. These define how strictly Google will match search terms to your keywords. Choose poorly and you’ll either miss valuable clicks or waste budget on irrelevant traffic.

• Broad match: The loosest type. Google uses machine learning to match against variations, synonyms, and related terms. Useful for reach, risky for relevance.

• Phrase match: The search must contain the meaning of your keyword, in order. Gives more control while still allowing for variations.

• Exact match: The search must closely match the keyword. Most control, but least reach.

Start with phrase and exact match when budget is tight or precision matters. Use broad match with proper negatives when testing or scaling.

Focus on Relevance and Quality Score

Google gives each keyword a Quality Score from 1 to 10, based on:

• Ad relevance: Does the ad match the keyword?

• Landing page experience: Does the landing page deliver what was promised?

• Expected click-through rate: Will people likely click?

Better scores mean lower costs and higher positions. The more tightly your keywords align with your ads and landing pages, the better the score.

Build a Structured Campaign

A strong keyword list is useless without structure. Group keywords by theme or product, and make sure ad copy is written specifically for each group. This improves relevance, CTR, and overall performance.

Avoid dumping hundreds of keywords into one ad group. Small, tightly themed ad groups perform better and are easier to optimise.

Use Negative Keywords Properly

Negative keywords are essential. They stop your ads showing for irrelevant searches that cost money but never convert.

For example, if you’re selling premium coffee beans, you don’t want to show for “free coffee samples” or “coffee machine repairs”. Adding those as negatives saves money and sharpens your targeting.

Review your search term reports regularly. You’ll find plenty of irrelevant searches to exclude.

Review and Refine Regularly

PPC isn’t set-and-forget. Track which keywords are converting, which aren’t, and what your cost per conversion looks like.

Pause anything that’s consistently underperforming. Add new keywords based on real search data. Adjust match types where needed. The best PPC campaigns evolve over time, driven by performance data.

Avoid Common Mistakes

• Overlapping keywords: Don’t use the same keyword in multiple ad groups. It creates internal competition and confuses reporting.

• Ignoring long-tail terms: Broad keywords may get more volume, but long-tail terms often bring higher intent and better conversion rates.

• Chasing volume over intent: A keyword with 10,000 searches isn’t useful if the intent doesn’t match your offer.

Finding the right keywords is just the start. If you want expert help building and managing campaigns that actually deliver results, we can help. Our team handles everything from keyword research and ad copy to ongoing optimisation and reporting.

Learn more about our PPC management services and see how we can make your budget go further.