PPC keyword research template for search ads
Name the intent, the volume, and the bid — so the keywords earn the conversion, not the click.
- Google Ads
- DataForSEO
- Ahrefs
- Google Sheets
- Notion
Research PPC keywords for a CRM targeting small businesses.
- Pulled the keywords120 seed keywords, 4,800 expanded
- Named the intent42 commercial, 18 transactional, 60 informational
- Named the volumeTop 5: "crm for small business" (1,900), "best crm" (8,100)
- Named the bidCPC $4.20, target CPA $80, ROAS 4:1
The research named the intent (42 commercial, 18 transactional), the volume (top: "crm for small business" 1,900), and the bid ($4.20 CPC, $80 target CPA). The list earned a 3.8:1 ROAS after launch, up from 1.2:1 on the prior keyword buy. The template earned the conversion because it named the intent, not bought the keywords.
A PPC keyword research template is the research that earns the conversion. It fixes the intent, the volume, and the bid — so the keywords read as a target, not a guess. A search lead who buys the keywords earns the click; a PPC keyword research template that names the intent and the volume earns the conversion and the ROAS.
What is a PPC keyword research template?
A reusable research shape for the keywords — the intent, the volume, the bid — that earns the conversion and the ROAS. The template fixes the shape so the keywords read as a target, not a guess.
Build the research
- Intent named — the one stage the keyword earns
- Volume named — the one count of searches
- Bid named — the one cost the keyword earns
Ship the list
- Name the intent, do not buy the keywords
- One bid per intent, not five
- Re-run the research quarterly
What intent does a PPC keyword research template name?
The one stage the keyword earns — the commercial, the transactional, the informational — that earns the conversion. The intent is the part that earns the conversion, because a search lead who buys the keywords earns the click; a search lead who names the intent earns the conversion.
What volume does a PPC keyword research template name?
The one count of searches — the monthly, the competition, the trend — that earns the conversion. The volume is the part that earns the conversion, because a keyword without the volume earns the intent and loses the click; a keyword with the volume earns the conversion.
What bid does a PPC keyword research template name?
The one cost the keyword earns — the CPC, the share, the cap — that earns the ROAS. The bid is the part that earns the ROAS, because a keyword without the bid earns the conversion and loses the margin; a keyword with the bid earns the ROAS.
How the PPC keyword research template fits your stack
The agent reads your keyword data and the SERP, drafts the intent, the volume, and the bid, and ships the list. It pairs with the negative keyword research and the campaign structure plan templates.
- Google Ads
- DataForSEO
- Ahrefs
- Google Sheets
- Notion
Who uses this PPC keyword research template
- Search leads
- Name the intent, do not buy the keywords.
- PPC managers
- One bid per intent, not five.
- Founders
- Re-run the research quarterly.
How to run this PPC keyword research template in Metaflow
Pull the keywords
The seed, the volume, the SERP.
Name the intent
Agent names the one stage.
Name the volume
The one count of searches.
Name the bid
The one cost the keyword earns.
What you provide
- Seed keywords
- Volume data
- SERP
What you get back
- PPC keyword list
- Intent named
- Volume named
- Bid named
Why use this PPC keyword research template?
Names the intent, does not buy the keywords
One bid per intent, not five
Re-runs quarterly, not once
Pairs with the negative keyword and campaign structure templates
PPC keyword research template FAQs
How do you do PPC keyword research?
Name the one intent, the one volume, and the one bid. The research reads as a target, not a guess, which is why the keywords earn the conversion, not the click.
What is PPC keyword research?
The research that earns the conversion — the intent, the volume, the bid. A search lead who buys the keywords earns the click; a search lead who names the intent and the volume earns the conversion and the ROAS.
How do you judge keyword intent?
Name the one stage — commercial, transactional, informational. A keyword without the intent earns the click and loses the conversion; a keyword with the intent earns the conversion, because the intent is what earns the ROAS.
What makes a PPC keyword list convert?
An intent that earns the conversion, a volume that earns the click, and a bid that earns the ROAS. The research that buys earns the click; the research that names the intent earns the conversion.
Similar Google Ads and Meta Ads templates
Key takeaways
- Names the intent, does not buy the keywords
- One bid per intent, not five
- Re-runs quarterly, not once