If you’re running restaurant marketing campaigns in a competitive market like Las Vegas, targeting the right keywords is critical. Successful PPC and SEO campaigns begin with in-depth keyword research with Google Keyword Planner — a free, powerful tool that helps you uncover the exact terms your audience is searching for.
Whether you’re promoting a brunch menu, delivery services, or private dining experiences, using Google Keyword Planner can help you reach more potential customers and increase return on ad spend.
Accessing Keyword Planner
Before starting your keywords research, you need access to Google Keyword Planner. Here’s how to get started:
- Create or Sign in to a Google Ads Account: You don’t need to run ads, but you must have an account.
- Navigate to Tools & Settings in the top navigation bar.
- Under “Planning,” select Keyword Planner.
- You’ll see two main options:
- Discover new keywords
- Get search volume and forecasts
- Discover new keywords
These tools are the foundation of keyword research with Google Keyword Planner, giving you insight into what your audience is searching and how competitive each term is.
Research Methods
Effective keywords research involves more than just entering a few phrases. It’s about exploring variations, intent, and seasonal trends to find the best opportunities.
Keyword Ideas
Start by choosing “Discover new keywords.” Input words or phrases related to your restaurant — like “best tacos in Las Vegas” or “fine dining Summerlin.” Google will return a list of related keyword suggestions, complete with:
- Search volume
- Competition level (low, medium, high)
- Top of page bid estimates
This is where Google Keyword Planner shines. It uncovers both high-traffic head terms and long-tail keywords that are easier to rank for or cheaper to bid on in paid campaigns.
Pro tip: Use filters to exclude brand names or overly generic terms to refine your keyword list.
Volume and Forecast
Next, head to “Get search volume and forecasts.” Paste in a list of keywords — maybe ones you already use in your PPC or SEO strategy — and see:
- Monthly search volume trends
- Forecasted clicks, impressions, and costs
- CTR and average CPC estimates
These insights help you prioritize which terms to focus on based on performance potential. When you’re doing keyword research with Google Keyword Planner, this section helps validate whether a keyword is worth targeting.
Application in Campaigns
So how do you apply all this research?
For PPC campaigns, use high-volume, high-intent keywords with strong forecast metrics. Align ad copy and landing pages directly with those terms to improve Quality Score and conversion rates.
For SEO, focus on a mix of medium-to-low competition keywords that you can realistically rank for. Use them strategically in:
- Page titles
- Meta descriptions
- Headings
- Body copy
- Image alt text
Whether you’re optimizing your Google Ads or building a blog strategy, keyword research with Google Keyword Planner ensures you’re making data-driven decisions, not guessing.
At Strattz, we integrate Google Keyword Planner into every campaign we manage — because the right keywords are the foundation of effective restaurant marketing.
Conclusion
If you’re not using keyword research with Google Keyword Planner, you’re likely missing out on valuable traffic and wasting ad spend. This free tool gives you access to the same data professional marketers use to dominate search results and attract high-converting customers.
From identifying keyword opportunities to forecasting campaign performance, Google Keyword Planner equips you with everything you need to grow your restaurant’s online visibility.
Ready to build smarter campaigns? Let Strattz handle the keyword strategy so you can focus on running your business.
