Keyword research is the step that decides whether a campaign works, and it is the step most AI ad tools skip entirely. They will happily launch whatever you dictate. That is not the hard part.
Step 1: Ask what the competition pays for
What keywords is [competitor] bidding on for their main product?
This is the more useful question than "what should I bid on", because a competitor spending real money has already run the experiment.
Step 2: Get the numbers, not just the list
Show me the search volume, competition and cost per click for those keywords.
The data comes from Google's own keyword planner: average monthly searches, competition level, and top-of-page bid ranges. Three things to read:
- Volume tells you whether the term is worth winning at all.
- CPC range tells you what a click will actually cost, which decides whether the maths works at your margin.
- Competition here means advertiser competition, not how hard it is to rank organically. Those are different things and are constantly confused.
Step 3: Cut the list honestly
Most keyword lists are too long. Cut anything where the cost per click cannot possibly pay back at your average order value. A $40 click on a $30 product is not a keyword, it is a donation.
Which of these can I afford at a $60 average order value?
Step 4: Launch on what survived
Launch a Search campaign on those five keywords at $40 a day.
Check the budget, geography and match types before you approve it.
Why this order matters
Launching first and researching later is how you find out a term costs $30 a click after spending $300 discovering it. The research takes two minutes and it is the cheapest part of the whole process.
FAQ
Where does the keyword data come from?
Google's Keyword Planner, so it is the same source Google shows advertisers: average monthly searches, competition, and top-of-page bid ranges.
Can I research other countries?
Yes. Volumes and costs vary a lot between markets, so check the geography you actually intend to target rather than assuming US numbers apply.
Does "low competition" mean it is easy to rank?
No, and this trips people up constantly. That column describes how many advertisers bid on the term. Organic ranking difficulty is a completely separate measure.
Can I see a competitor's actual bids?
No. Nobody can see another advertiser's real bids or budgets. What is available is which terms they appear for and what Google estimates those terms cost.