Keyword ads — text ads shown on Google search results for the words you bid on — are the original and still the most controllable part of Google Ads. Choosing the right keywords is choosing which customers you want: get it right and every click is a potential buyer; get it wrong and you pay for browsers.
Start With Intent, Not Volume
A keyword's value is the intent behind it, not its search volume. "Interior designer consultation booking" has far fewer searches than "interior design ideas", but the first searcher wants to hire someone and the second wants pictures. Group your keywords by intent: buying terms (buy, price, near me, book, hire), research terms (ideas, vs, best) and problem terms (how to fix). Bid strongest on buying terms.
Match Types Control Who Sees Your Ad
Each keyword gets a match type:
- Exact match: shows for searches with the same meaning as your keyword. Tightest control.
- Phrase match: shows for searches that include your keyword's meaning. A good balance.
- Broad match: shows for related searches Google considers relevant. Reaches furthest but needs Smart Bidding and strong negatives to behave.
Our detailed guide on keyword match types covers examples of each.
Build Tight Ad Groups
Keep ad groups small and themed — 5 to 15 closely related keywords — so your ad copy can speak directly to the search. An ad group for "AC repair" should not also contain "AC installation": write separate ads for each, and send each to the most relevant page. This lifts Quality Score and lowers what you pay.
Negative Keywords Protect Your Budget
Negative keywords stop your ads showing on the wrong searches. A premium interior designer should block "free", "DIY" and "jobs"; a seller of new laptops should block "second hand" and "repair". Review the search terms report weekly and add negatives from what you actually paid for. Our negative keywords guide has ready lists by industry.
Review Search Terms Every Week
Your keyword list is a hypothesis; the search terms report is the truth. Every week, check which actual searches triggered your ads: add converting terms as exact-match keywords, block irrelevant ones as negatives, and pause keywords that spend without converting. If you would rather have a Google Partner team do this for you, see our Google Ads management or the FAQ.
FAQs: Keyword ads google search
How many keywords should a Google Ads campaign have?
Quality beats quantity. Start with 10–30 high-intent keywords split into tight ad groups, then grow from the search terms that actually convert.
Should I use broad match keywords?
Broad match can work well when paired with Smart Bidding, accurate conversion tracking and a strong negative keyword list. Without those three, it tends to waste budget on loosely related searches.
How do I find keywords for my business?
Start from the words your customers use on calls and WhatsApp, then expand with Google's Keyword Planner and the search terms report from your own campaigns.
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