How To Do Keyword Research For Free
- Nick Morfidis
- Feb 6
- 4 min read
Tutorial: How to use Google Keyword Planner (without creating an ad)
In this post, I’m going to show you step-by-step how to do keyword research for FREE and, most importantly, effectively, using one of the most accurate tools out there — Google Keyword Planner. Let’s dive right in!
Jump straight to the point:
What is Keyword Research and Why Does It Matter?
Let's start with the basics. Keyword research is the process of identifying and analyzing the words and phrases that people use when searching for something online. It’s the foundation of every SEO strategy, and when done right, it can help you uncover high-potential content opportunities that:
Resonate with your audience
Drive traffic to your website
Increase conversions
By creating content based on your target audience's keywords, you can satisfy their search intent while promoting your business. If you’re new to keyword research, I highly recommend reading this post first and then coming back here: Long-Tail Keywords and Niche Markets: The Key to Organic Growth.
How to Do Keyword Research for Free with Google Keyword Planner
To use Google Keyword Planner, all you need is a free Google Ads account. There’s no need to spend money on ads if you don’t want to. However, some users may be prompted to set up a campaign before accessing the tool. If that happens, you can skip the setup by selecting "Switch to Expert Mode" and then navigating directly to the Keyword Planner.
How to Access Keyword Planner
To access an existing Google Ads account, or create one from scratch, go to ads.google.com
Once you’ve created your account and/or logged in, your screen will look like the screenshot below. To access the Keyword Planner, scroll over Tools on the left-side menu and select Keyword Planner.
Once on the Keyword planner landing page you will be given two main options:
Discover New Keywords (ideal for keyword idea generation)
Get Search Volume and forecasts (ideal for checking search volume and forecasts for specific keywords)
How To Discover New Keywords on Google Keyword Planner
Click on Discover New Keywords to begin your keyword research. If you have an idea about the topic you’d like to cover, start by adding some broad terms (e.g., Scandinavian Interior Design), the country or countries you are targeting, and the language.
Pro Tip: Add a competitor's URL into the "Enter a site to filter unrelated keywords" field to generate keyword ideas related to their content.
The Keyword Planner will then generate a list of keywords, along with metrics such as Average Search Volume (ranges like 1K–10K), competition (for PPC ads, not organic search), and search trends. You’ll also see cost-per-click (CPC) ranges, which can be helpful if you’re considering running ads.
Tip: Focus on keywords that align with search intent, have high search volume, and low competition.
How to Refine Your Keywords on Google Keyword Planner
You can refine your keyword research by adding filters to your results. For example, if you don’t want to see keywords related to furniture, click on Refine Keywords, select Furniture, and those keywords will be excluded from your list.
Experiment with this feature if you already have a rough idea of what type of content you want to create. You can further filter your data by branded or non-branded keywords, styles, languages, and more. These options may vary depending on your initial keyword input, so take time to explore them.
Another useful feature is Grouped View, which groups related keywords for easier navigation. For instance, in our Scandinavian Interior Design example, keywords might be grouped by room or style. If you want to write a blog post on Boho Scandinavian Style, click on Boho to find both main and secondary keywords without scrolling through endless lists.
How to Export Your Keyword Research Data on Google Keyword Planner
Once you’ve identified the keywords you want to target, you can extract them by clicking the download icon. You’ll have two options:
Download a CSV file (for use in Excel or similar software)
Save as a free Google Sheet
When you open your exported file, you’ll see all your data in one place, including search volume, search trends, competition, and more. I recommend sorting and formatting the data for easier analysis—especially if you’re working with large keyword lists.
Tips for Effective Keyword Research
When conducting keyword research, put yourself in your user’s shoes. Think about the intent behind those keywords — are they informational (seeking knowledge) or transactional (ready to make a purchase)? Align your keyword strategy with both the intent and your content’s goals.
If you’re a new business, go after keywords with moderate to high search volume and low competition. These long-tail keywords (phrases of 2–3 words or more) may not have massive search volume, but they’re less competitive and can drive highly targeted traffic to your site.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are some great tools to help you find the right keywords to focus on — Google Keyword Planner being one of the most accurate and best of all, it’s free!
Go ahead and explore this amazing tool, and let me know in the comments below if you have any questions.
If you found this tutorial helpful, please share it with your network.
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