When you are setting up a Google Ads account there are a few basic things you need to nail to make sure that the account is succesfull:
- Making sure the numbers add up: Make sure the budget, expected search volume, and expected CPCs are aligned and make sense for your goals.
- Conversion tracking: You need to make sure that you know what events you want to track and make sure you implement the tracking
- Good offer and landing page: You need to have a product/service that people want.
- Keyword research: Point 1 and 4 are walking hands in hands. You need to know which keywords you want to target, what volumes they have, what is the competition and what are the expected CPCs.
Tools to do keyword research in Google Ads
There are plenty of tools that can help you find the correct keywords for your future Google Ads account.
You can find plenty of free and paid tools on the internet to help you with this.
In our list we added the top 8 that we tested and we use daily in our work.
Also, feel free to explore our directory of PPC tools to find more keyword research tools or other tools for your Google Ads projects.
1. Google Keyword Planner - The Best All-Around and Free Tool
Google Keyword Planner is a free, go-to resource for anyone starting with Google Ads.
This is all you need to know.
It’s the best tool for keyword research, providing insights on expected CPCs, volumes, and competitiveness per keyword.
From one PPC expert to another, trust me—there are very few cases where you need to pay for a keyword research tool.
Google Keyword Planner is the GOAT!
It provides valuable insights directly from Google’s data on search volume and forecast metrics.
- Pro: In-depth keyword analytics and competitor analysis with over 20 billion keywords.
- Con: Higher pricing tiers can be a barrier for smaller businesses.
2. Semrush - Best Paid option
Semrush is an all-in-one tool offering powerful keyword research, competition analysis, and insights for search engine optimization and paid ads, with data spanning global markets.
If you are a freelancer or a smaller in-house team you don't need it.
If you still want to invest in a keyword research and competitor analysis tool this is my go to.
This is not a promotion and I don't get anything from saying this.
It's just based on personal experience.
- Pro: Direct integration with Google Ads; highly accurate keyword volume data.
- Con: Expensive
3. Ahrefs - 2nd Best Paid option
Known for its vast keyword database, Ahrefs delivers valuable insights for both organic and paid keyword strategies.
It’s ideal for SEOs and marketers focused on competitive analysis.
- Pro: Comprehensive data on search volume, keyword difficulty, and click-through rates.
- Con: Steeper learning curve, especially for new users, and higher cost.
4. Backlinko Keyword Tool - Good Free option
Created by SEO expert Brian Dean, Backlinko’s Keyword Tool is designed to provide actionable keyword insights with a focus on quality over quantity.
I don't see a situation where you would not use Google Keyword planner, but if you want another free tool here it is.
- Pro: Unique keyword suggestions with a focus on high-quality, relevant terms.
- Con: Limited features compared to all-in-one tools like Semrush or Google Keyword Planner
5. Answer The Public
Answer The Public is a creative tool that helps marketers discover questions and related terms that audiences are searching for, giving a unique angle on content ideas.
- Pro: Excellent for brainstorming long-tail keywords and understanding user intent.
- Con: Doesn’t offer deep metrics on keyword volume or competition.
6. SpyFu - Great for spying on competitors
SpyFu specializes in competitor keyword research, showing which keywords competitors are ranking for and what ads they’re running.
If you only want a tool for spying on competitors, then Spyfu is a great alternative to Semrush.
It's not that expensive and gives great insights on competitors.
- Pro: Exceptional for spying on competitors’ keywords and ad strategies.
- Con: Limited to U.S. and U.K. data, which may not suit global businesses.
7. Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest by Neil Patel is a cost-effective keyword research tool offering insights on keyword volume, difficulty, and SEO suggestions.
- Pro: Affordable and user-friendly with robust keyword and content suggestions.
- Con: Data accuracy is sometimes questioned compared to higher-end tools.
8. KWFinder
KWFinder is a beginner-friendly tool by Mangools, focused on helping users find profitable keywords with low SEO difficulty.
- Pro: Intuitive interface with strong support for finding long-tail keywords.
- Con: Limited features compared to more comprehensive tools like Ahrefs or Semrush.
Bonus 1: ChatGPT or Claude
Let’s be honest—we live in the era of AI.
The AI tools can give you a great starting point when you are doing keyword research.
The biggest advantage compared to other tools is that you can clearly describe your target audience, add you landing page, define your target are and let the tools find the best keywords for you based on that information.
If that's not cool I don't know what is.
Bonus 2: Google Trends
It's not really a keyword research tool, but it can show you general trends.
It’s helpful for spotting whether a topic is trending up or down.
Based on this information, you can gauge whether there’s a real chance for success.
For example, if the trend is declining and Google Ads Keyword Planner data shows high competition, that’s already a red flag.
You’d be looking at a small pie with too many people fighting for a single slice.
