Google Keyword Planner is one of the few keyword tools built directly on Google's own data, and you can use it without paying for ads. That makes it a natural first stop for SEO keyword research, especially for small businesses that do not want another subscription.
It is also easy to misread. Keyword Planner was designed for advertisers planning Search campaigns, so some of its columns mean something different from what SEOs expect, and accounts that spend little may see broad volume ranges instead of precise numbers.
This guide walks you through setting up Keyword Planner without running a campaign, using both of its main tools, reading every metric correctly, and turning the output into an SEO keyword list in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Keyword Planner is free inside Google Ads. You need an account with billing details, but you do not need to run ads.
- It has two tools: "Discover new keywords" for ideas and "Get search volume and forecasts" for checking a list.
- "Competition" measures advertiser competition, not how hard it is to rank organically.
- Top-of-page bid ranges are a useful proxy for the commercial value of a keyword.
- Very low-volume and sensitive keywords may not appear at all, so pair Planner with Search Console and your own customer knowledge.
What Google Keyword Planner Is (and Isn't)
Google's help centre describes it simply: Keyword Planner helps you research keywords for your Search campaigns. For SEO, that means you get keyword ideas and demand estimates from Google Ads data, plus signals about which terms advertisers value.
What it does not give you is organic ranking data. It will not tell you who ranks, how strong those pages are or what SERP features appear. For that you need the results page itself or one of the suites in our keyword research tools comparison.
How to Access Keyword Planner Without Running Ads
- Create or sign in to a Google Ads account. If Google Ads tries to push you into creating a campaign straight away, look for the option to switch to Expert Mode, which lets you set up the account without launching one.
- Complete account setup. Google states you must enter billing information to use basic Keyword Planner features. You will not be charged unless you run ads.
- Open the tool. In Google Ads, go to Tools, then Planning, then Keyword Planner. Menu labels change occasionally, so use the search bar in Google Ads if you cannot find it.
- Pause or avoid campaigns. If a draft campaign was created during sign-up, make sure it is paused or removed.
Tool 1: Discover New Keywords
This is where SEO research usually starts. You can begin in two ways:
- Start with keywords. Enter up to a handful of seed keywords describing your products or services. Optionally add your site URL to filter out unrelated ideas.
- Start with a website. Enter a domain or a single page, including a competitor's. Google generates ideas based on the content of that site or page, which is a quick, free way to see the language competitors use.
Before reviewing results, set the location, language and date range at the top of the page. These settings change the numbers significantly. A plumber in Manchester should not be planning around worldwide English volumes. Our guide to local keyword research explains how to choose location settings for service areas.
Refine and filter the ideas
- Use Refine keywords to include or exclude groups such as brand names, product types or locations.
- Add filters to keep only ideas containing certain words, which is a quick way to find question-based or buyer-modifier keywords.
- Exclude keywords already in your account if you also run ads.
- Sort by average monthly searches or by top-of-page bid, depending on whether you are sizing demand or looking for commercial value.
Tool 2: Get Search Volume and Forecasts
If you already have a keyword list from your own research, paste or upload it here to get historical metrics for each term. The forecast view estimates clicks and costs if you were to advertise. For SEO, the historical metrics tab is the useful part; forecasts are mainly for PPC budget planning.
Keyword Planner Metrics Explained
| Metric | What it means | How to use it for SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Avg. monthly searches | The average number of times people searched for a keyword and its close variants over the chosen month range | Size demand, but remember close variants are grouped together |
| Competition | The number of advertisers that showed on each keyword relative to all keywords across Google | Signal of commercial interest, not organic difficulty |
| Top of page bid (low range) | An approximation of the 20th percentile of what advertisers have historically paid for top-of-page placement | Rough floor for the value of a click |
| Top of page bid (high range) | An approximation of the 80th percentile of those historical bids | Higher values suggest buyer intent and valuable traffic |
| Three-month and year-over-year change | Change in search volume compared with earlier periods | Spot rising, falling and seasonal keywords |
The competition definition is worth reading in Google's own words, because it is the most misunderstood column in the tool:
“The number of advertisers that showed on each keyword relative to all keywords across Google.”
— Google Ads Help, Keyword Planner metrics definitions
For organic difficulty, use a dedicated metric and a manual results check. Our guide to keyword difficulty explains the difference.
Why you might see ranges instead of exact numbers
Since 2016, Google has shown broad ranges such as "1K–10K" rather than precise averages to many accounts with low or no ad spend, as reported by Search Engine Land at the time. Ranges are still useful for prioritising: a keyword in the 10K–100K bucket clearly has more demand than one in 10–100. If you need finer estimates, compare with a third-party tool or with impression data from Search Console once you rank. Our guide to search volume covers why all volume figures should be treated as estimates.
What Keyword Planner leaves out
“Keywords with very low search volumes, or keywords that are considered sensitive aren't discoverable or forecastable.”
— Google Ads Help, Use Keyword Planner
That gap matters for niche businesses. A specific query showing no data may still be searched. Our article on zero-volume keywords explains how to judge them.
A Simple Keyword Planner Workflow for SEO
- Set the correct location, language and a 12-month date range.
- Run "Discover new keywords" with five to ten seed terms, then again with your top two competitor URLs.
- Download all ideas to a spreadsheet and remove irrelevant or branded terms.
- Add a column for intent and a column for the page you would target.
- Use top-of-page bid ranges to flag high-value commercial terms for service, product or category pages.
- Check seasonality with the monthly breakdown or Google Trends.
- Search each priority keyword in Google to confirm intent and competition before committing.
Common Mistakes With Google Keyword Planner
- Reading "Competition: High" as "too hard to rank". It reflects advertiser activity, not organic difficulty.
- Leaving the location on the default. Make sure the targeting matches where your customers actually are.
- Treating grouped volumes as separate demand. Close variants are combined, so do not add them together.
- Accidentally launching a campaign. Check that no draft campaign is active after setup.
- Discarding keywords with no data. Low-volume and sensitive terms may simply be hidden.
- Using only Planner. Combine it with Search Console, the results page and, if budget allows, a paid SEO suite.
Keyword Planner for SEO vs PPC
| Use | SEO focus | PPC focus |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword ideas | Content topics and page targets | Ad group themes |
| Volume | Prioritising pages | Budget and reach planning |
| Bid ranges | Proxy for commercial value | Setting starting bids |
| Forecasts | Rarely needed | Estimating clicks, cost and conversions |
If you also run ads, read our guide to Google Ads keyword match types and the broader Google Ads guide.
Related Guides
- How to Use Google Trends for SEO and Content
- Zero-Volume Keywords: Why They Can Still Win
- Commercial Investigation Keywords: Capture Buyers Early
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google Keyword Planner free?
Yes. It is part of Google Ads. You need an account with billing details entered, but you do not have to run or pay for ads to use it.
Why does Keyword Planner show ranges instead of exact search volumes?
Accounts with low or no ad spend are often shown broad ranges such as 1K–10K. Accounts with higher ad spend generally see more precise figures.
Does Keyword Planner competition mean SEO difficulty?
No. It measures how many advertisers showed ads on a keyword relative to all keywords on Google. It says nothing direct about organic ranking difficulty.
Can I see a competitor’s keywords in Keyword Planner?
Partly. Entering a competitor URL in Discover new keywords generates ideas based on that site’s content, but it does not show which keywords the competitor ranks for.
Why do some keywords show no data?
Google says keywords with very low search volumes or sensitive keywords are not discoverable or forecastable in Keyword Planner.
Make Google's Data Work for Your SEO
Used correctly, Google Keyword Planner gives you free keyword ideas, demand estimates and commercial value signals straight from Google Ads data. Set the right location, read competition as advertiser competition, and validate every priority keyword in the live results. Want help turning keyword data into rankings and leads? Our SEO services and PPC management teams use Planner every day. Request a free quote.
