PPC Guide

PPC Keyword List Building: A Practical Framework

A strong keyword list is the foundation everything else in a PPC campaign sits on. Here's a practical, step-by-step approach to building one, from initial research through ongoing refinement.

MarketHealth Insights Updated 2026 Approx. 9 Minute Read

Short Answer

Building a PPC keyword list means starting with seed keywords based on your offer, expanding them using keyword research tools and competitor research, organizing them into tightly themed groups, choosing appropriate match types, and building a negative keyword list alongside it from day one. It's an ongoing process, not a one-time task.

Step One

Starting With Seed Keywords

Every keyword list starts with a small set of seed keywords, the core terms that directly describe what you're promoting. These should come from a clear understanding of the offer itself: what problem it solves, what someone would type into a search bar if they already knew exactly what they wanted, and how they'd describe it in their own words.

Seed keywords don't need to be exhaustive. Their job is to give you a starting point for the research and expansion that follows.

Step Two

Expanding Your List

Keyword research tools

Use a keyword planning tool to find related terms, search volume patterns and variations you might not have thought of manually.

Competitor research

Look at what terms competitors in your space appear to be targeting, which can surface angles you hadn't considered.

Search query reports

Once a campaign is live, actual search terms that triggered your ads are one of the richest sources for new keyword ideas.

Question-based variations

Include how-to and question-style phrasings alongside direct product or service terms, since intent varies across searchers.

Step Three

Organizing Keywords Into Groups

A long flat list of keywords is hard to manage and even harder to write relevant ads for. Group keywords into tightly themed ad groups, where every keyword in a group shares a similar intent and could reasonably point to the same ad copy and landing page.

Signs your grouping is working

Ad copy feels naturally relevant to every keyword in the group
Groups are small enough to write specific, tailored ad copy for
Similar intent keywords are grouped together rather than scattered

Signs it needs work

One ad group contains keywords with clearly different intent
Ad copy feels generic because it has to cover too many different terms
Groups are so large that quality score and relevance suffer

Step Four

Understanding Match Types

Match types control how closely a search query needs to match your keyword before your ad is eligible to show. Choosing the right mix affects both reach and relevance.

Broad Match Widest reach; ads can show for related searches beyond the exact keyword. Useful for discovery, but requires close monitoring and a strong negative keyword list.

Phrase Match Shows for searches that include the meaning of your phrase, offering a middle ground between reach and control.

Exact Match Narrowest reach; shows for searches that closely match the specific meaning of the keyword. Highest control, lowest reach.

Verify current behaviour: match type definitions and how closely they're enforced have evolved over time as Google's matching technology has changed. Check current Google Ads documentation for exact current behaviour before building a match-type strategy.

Step Five

Building Your Negative Keyword List

A negative keyword list prevents your ads from showing for searches that aren't relevant to your offer, even if they're technically related to your keywords. This is not an optional add-on. Building it alongside your main keyword list from the start helps avoid wasted spend from day one, rather than discovering irrelevant traffic only after reviewing weeks of search query reports.

Add obviously irrelevant terms upfront, like "free," "jobs" or "DIY," if they don't fit your offer
Review search query reports regularly and add genuinely irrelevant terms as they appear
Consider negative keywords at both the campaign and ad group level, depending on how broadly a term should be excluded

Step Six

Ongoing Refinement

A simple ongoing review routine

Review search query reports regularly. Look for both new keyword opportunities and terms to add as negatives.
Pause underperforming keywords. Keywords that consistently fail to convert may be draining budget better spent elsewhere.
Expand around what's working. Build out variations of keywords and match types that are performing well.
Reassess groupings periodically. As your list grows, ad groups that once made sense may need to be split further.

What to Avoid

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A keyword list built once and never revisited is already going stale the day the campaign launches. Search behaviour, competition and your own data all keep changing.

Building an enormous list upfront without a plan for organizing or maintaining it
Skipping negative keywords until after budget has already been wasted on irrelevant traffic
Mixing very different search intents into the same ad group
Never reviewing search query reports after the initial campaign launch
Relying entirely on broad match without the negative keyword discipline it requires

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How many keywords should be in a PPC keyword list?

There's no universal number. What matters more is that keywords are organized into tightly themed groups with clear, shared intent, rather than hitting a specific total count.

What's the difference between broad, phrase and exact match?

Broad match offers the widest reach but the least control, exact match offers the most control but the narrowest reach, and phrase match sits in between. Match type behaviour has evolved over time, so check current Google Ads documentation for exact current definitions.

Do I need a negative keyword list?

Yes. A negative keyword list prevents your ads from showing for irrelevant searches and should be built alongside your main keyword list from the start, not added only after budget has already been wasted.

How often should I update my keyword list?

Regularly. Reviewing search query reports on an ongoing basis, rather than treating the initial list as final, helps you catch both new opportunities and irrelevant traffic as search behaviour and your own data evolve.

Where should I get keyword ideas from?

Start with seed keywords based directly on your offer, then expand using a keyword research tool, competitor research, and, once your campaign is live, your own search query reports, which often surface ideas you wouldn't think of manually.

A Note on This Guide

This article covers general PPC keyword list building principles and does not cite specific bid amounts, cost-per-click figures or conversion benchmarks, since these vary enormously by niche, competition and geography. Match type behaviour and platform features can change; verify current details in Google Ads Help before building a keyword strategy.