Key Takeaways
- Start with Customer Language
- Negative Keywords Are as Important as Positives
- Estimate Profitability Before Bidding
PPC keyword research is fundamentally different from SEO keyword research. You pay for every click — so unprofitable keywords directly waste budget. The goal is identifying keywords where the searcher's intent closely matches your offering and whose CPC makes conversion economics viable.
Start with Customer Language
Your customers do not search with industry jargon — they search with their own words describing their problem. Interview customers about how they searched for a solution. Seed your keyword research with their exact language.
Negative Keywords Are as Important as Positives
A comprehensive negative keyword list prevents your ads from showing for irrelevant queries. Start with standard exclusions: "free", "DIY", "job", "how to", "review" (if you're not a review site). Add account-specific negatives based on search term reports.
Estimate Profitability Before Bidding
For each keyword cluster, estimate: average CPC × expected conversion rate = cost per conversion. If cost per conversion exceeds your target CPA, the keyword economics do not work at current CPCs.
Quick Facts
The OwlClaw team brings together specialists in SEO, paid media, social marketing, and AI automation — delivering measurable growth for 150+ businesses across India.