Google Ads Keyword Research Workshop
Google Ads Keyword Research Workshop · Module 1
Lesson 2
Seed keywords are your starting points. The aim is not to predict every possible search — it is to create a small set of commercially meaningful ideas from which better research can grow.
02
Lesson objective
Create a focused seed-keyword list based on what you sell, how customers describe it and the situations in which they search for it.
Start with the business, not a keyword tool.
Products
What do you sell?
Use actual product and category names rather than internal jargon.
Services
What do you do?
List the services customers can genuinely purchase or enquire about.
Problems
What needs fixing?
Customers may search for the problem before they know the name of the solution.
Outcomes
What do they want?
Think about the end result or benefit a customer is trying to achieve.
Location
Where is it needed?
Local intent can radically change the commercial value of a search.
Customer language
What do customers call it?
Real search language can differ from the terminology used inside the business.
Combine commercial building blocks.
Serviceaccountant
Needtax return
Modifiersmall business
LocationCambridge
Seed research is about direction, not volume.
You do not need hundreds of keywords at this stage.
A focused list of 10–20 strong seed ideas is often far more useful than hundreds of loosely related terms generated without commercial judgement.
Weak starting list
Generic industry words
marketing, business, website, advertising, sales, digital.
Better starting list
Services and customer needs
Google Ads management, PPC agency Cambridge, Google Ads consultant, outsourced PPC management.
Your customers can supply better seed ideas than brainstorming alone.
Review sales calls, enquiries, CRM notes, customer emails, website search data and the terminology people use when describing their problem.
The language customers naturally use is often more useful than the language businesses invent for themselves.
Workshop Task
Create 15 seed keywords.
Choose one product or service. Write three ideas from each of these categories: product/service, customer problem, desired outcome, commercial modifier and location or context.
Key takeaway
Seed keywords should reflect genuine customer needs and commercially meaningful products or services. Start with a focused list you understand before expanding it using research tools and additional data.