Google Ads Keyword Research Workshop
Google Ads Keyword Research Workshop · Module 1
Lesson 1
A keyword is not valuable simply because it describes what you sell. The real question is what the person behind the search is trying to achieve.
01
Lesson objective
Recognise different levels of search intent and begin separating searches that merely relate to your business from searches that could realistically create a lead or sale.
Every search has a reason behind it.
Someone opening Google usually has a task, problem, question or commercial need in mind.
Keyword research therefore should not begin with a giant list of words. It should begin by asking what the searcher is trying to accomplish.
Research
Learning something
The searcher wants information, education or an explanation and may have little immediate buying intent.
Comparison
Evaluating options
The searcher is comparing providers, products, prices, approaches or alternatives.
Action
Ready to do something
The search suggests a stronger intention to buy, book, enquire, call or request a quote.
Consider three searches for the same service.
“how does loft insulation work”
Mainly informational. Relevant to the industry, but not necessarily an immediate customer.
“best loft insulation companies”
Comparison intent. The searcher may be moving closer to choosing a supplier.
“loft insulation installer Cambridge”
Strong commercial intent. The search indicates a service, location and likely action.
Relevant does not automatically mean valuable.
A search can be perfectly related to your subject while still being a poor place to spend advertising budget.
Read each keyword as if it were a customer sentence.
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What does this person want?
Information, a product, a provider, a comparison or something else?
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Could we realistically satisfy the search?
Relevance must connect to your actual offer.
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How close are they to action?
Buying intent can vary substantially even within the same topic.
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Would the click be worth paying for?
Commercial potential matters because Google Ads traffic has a cost.
Mini Workshop
Classify five searches.
Choose one product or service you sell. Write five searches a potential customer might use and classify each as primarily research, comparison or action intent.
Key takeaway
Good Google Ads keyword research starts with intent. The most useful keyword is not necessarily the one most closely related to your industry — it is the one that connects the right searcher with a commercially valuable action.