How to Extract High-Value Keywords from Google AdWords: A Complete Guide
If you’re running online ads or optimizing your content for SEO, finding high-value keywords is crucial. These are the keywords that bring the most profit — often with high search volume, strong buying intent, and good conversion rates.
Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords) provides one of the best tools to uncover such keywords: the Google Keyword Planner. This article will walk you through step-by-step how to extract those high-value keywords, analyze them, and use them to improve your campaigns or content strategy.
1. Understanding What Makes a Keyword “High-Value”
Before jumping into the extraction process, you need to know how to identify a valuable keyword. Not every keyword with a high search volume is profitable.
A high-value keyword usually has:
- High commercial intent (people searching are ready to buy or take action)
- Decent to high Cost Per Click (CPC) (advertisers are willing to pay more for it)
- Reasonable competition (not too hard to rank for in SEO, but competitive enough to show it’s valuable)
- Relevance to your business or niche
- High conversion potential (it actually turns visitors into customers)
💡 Example:
- “Buy gaming laptop online” → High-value (strong intent to purchase)
- “Gaming laptop review” → Medium value (research intent, possible future purchase)
- “History of gaming laptops” → Low-value (informational, no purchase intent)
2. Why Use Google Ads to Find High-Value Keywords?
Many SEO tools provide keyword data, but Google Ads’ Keyword Planner is directly connected to Google’s actual search data, giving:
- Realistic search volume estimates
- Accurate CPC (Cost Per Click) data
- Competition level for paid advertising
- Related keyword suggestions you might not think of
Even if you’re not running paid ads, you can use Keyword Planner for free to discover profitable SEO terms.
3. Accessing Google Keyword Planner
To start, you need a Google Ads account (free to create):
- Go to Google Ads and sign in.
- Create a campaign (you can pause it immediately; no need to spend money).
- From the top menu, click Tools & Settings → Keyword Planner.
You’ll see two main options:
- Discover new keywords (to find fresh keyword ideas)
- Get search volume and forecasts (to check metrics for specific keywords)
For extracting high-value keywords, we’ll mainly use Discover new keywords.
4. Finding Keyword Ideas
In Discover new keywords, you can:
- Enter seed keywords (e.g., “running shoes”)
- Enter a website URL to find keywords related to that site
- Choose your target location and language
💡 Pro tip: Always set your location and language filters correctly so you get relevant data for your market.
5. Analyzing Keyword Data for Value
Once Google shows keyword suggestions, look closely at these metrics:
a. Avg. Monthly Searches
Indicates how many people search for this keyword each month.
- Too low (<100 searches) → Low traffic potential
- Too high (>100,000 searches) → Might be competitive but valuable
b. Competition
Shows how many advertisers are bidding on this keyword in Google Ads:
- High → More valuable but harder to rank for
- Medium → Balanced opportunity
- Low → Easier to target but may have lower value
c. Top of Page Bid (Low/High Range)
This is CPC data — the higher the bid, the more advertisers are willing to pay.
- $1-$5 CPC → Moderate value
- $5-$20+ CPC → Very high value
Example:
| Keyword | CPC (High) | Competition | Search Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| buy insurance online | $25.50 | High | 8,000 |
| cheap travel insurance | $12.30 | Medium | 15,000 |
| best insurance reviews | $4.20 | Low | 4,000 |
The $25.50 CPC keyword is clearly the highest-value term.
6. Using Filters to Find High-Value Keywords Faster
In Keyword Planner, click on Filter and set:
- Top of Page Bid (High range) ≥ $5
- Competition = High or Medium
- Average Monthly Searches ≥ 500
This way, you’ll instantly see only keywords that are:
- Profitable
- Competitive enough to be worth targeting
- Searched often enough to matter
7. Exporting and Organizing Your Keywords
Once you have your filtered keyword list:
- Click Download Keyword Ideas (CSV or Google Sheets)
- Sort by CPC (highest first)
- Mark the ones with both high CPC and relevance to your niche
💡 You might end up with 50–200 solid high-value keywords to work with.
8. Validating Keywords Beyond Google Ads
Google Ads data is great, but double-check your keywords using:
- Google Trends → See if interest is growing
- Ahrefs / SEMrush / Ubersuggest → Check keyword difficulty for SEO
- Search intent analysis → Make sure the keyword matches your audience’s needs
9. Turning Keywords into Profitable Campaigns or Content
Once you’ve extracted your high-value keywords, here’s how to use them:
a. For Paid Ads
- Create tightly themed ad groups
- Use exact match and phrase match for top keywords
- Write ad copy that matches the keyword intent
- Monitor CTR (Click Through Rate) and conversions
b. For SEO
- Use the keyword in:
- Title tag
- Meta description
- Headings (H1, H2)
- Body text (naturally, not stuffed)
- Create high-quality, in-depth content around it
- Build backlinks to rank faster
10. Example: Extracting High-Value Keywords in Action
Let’s say you run an online fitness equipment store.
You enter “treadmill” into Keyword Planner and filter for:
- CPC ≥ $5
- Medium/High competition
- Searches ≥ 500
You find:
- best treadmill for home use → CPC $8.50, 2,400 searches/month
- buy treadmill online → CPC $12.10, 1,300 searches/month
- compact treadmill for small spaces → CPC $7.80, 900 searches/month
From here, you can:
- Create Google Ads targeting buy treadmill online
- Write an SEO blog post titled “Best Treadmills for Home Use in 2025”
- Create a product category for compact treadmills to capture that audience
11. Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Chasing CPC without relevance → A $20 CPC keyword won’t help if it’s unrelated to your business.
- Ignoring search intent → Make sure the keyword matches what your audience wants.
- Targeting only broad keywords → Long-tail keywords (3+ words) often convert better.
- Not updating your keyword list → Keyword trends change; review every 3–6 months.
12. Final Thoughts
Extracting high-value keywords from Google Ads isn’t about just finding the most expensive terms. It’s about identifying keywords that balance profitability, search volume, and relevance to your business.
With Google Keyword Planner and smart filtering, you can build a goldmine of keywords to:
- Drive more qualified traffic
- Increase conversions
- Improve ROI in both paid ads and SEO
💡 Action Plan:
- Create/Log into Google Ads
- Use Keyword Planner’s Discover new keywords
- Filter for high CPC + medium/high competition + good search volume
- Export, sort, and validate your list
- Implement in ads or SEO campaigns