Martin
Founder, strategy and audits
Writes every audit and takes every first call. On your account from day one, running growth for SMEs since 2010.
SEM / Paid Search
Keyword Research & Expansion
Intent-Driven Keyword Growth.
Keyword lists built from what people really search, what your competitors miss, and how close each searcher is to buying, not a tool's output dumped into one campaign.
We keep adding the search topics that work, and we block the wasteful ones with a maintained list of negative keywords (words that stop your ads showing for the wrong searches).
Get a Free Keyword Strategy Audit arrow_forward+120%
Avg Keyword Coverage
-55%
Irrelevant Query Waste
4.8x
Intent Match Score
200+
Keyword Projects
Why Keyword Strategy Makes or Breaks Paid Search
Common Issues We Fix
- Keyword tools used once at launch, never refreshed
- No split between people who want information and people who want to buy
- Competitor and brand terms mixed with generic head terms
- Lists of blocked words that are out of date, or missing altogether
- New keywords chosen for how many people search them, not for how likely they are to buy
Our Philosophy
A keyword tells you what someone wants. We match every term to how close that person is to buying, a match type (how closely a search must match the keyword), an ad group, and a landing page. New keywords come from data: the reports of real searches, how you compare with rival advertisers, and which searches bring good leads in your CRM. Lots of clicks from people who do not want to buy is just expensive traffic.
How We Research & Expand Keywords - The Details
Research Sources & Intent Mapping
- Search Term Report Mining: Each week we study the real searches that triggered your ads. Winners get their own tightly matched ad group. Losers go on the shared list of blocked words.
- Competitor Auction Insights: We see where you and competitors show up for the same searches, and where you can win customers from them, without overpaying for competitor searches that rarely convert.
- Keyword Planner + Third-Party Data: Search volume, expected cost per click, and seasonal trends are combined with your own results to decide what comes first.
- Funnel Stage Labels: Every keyword is tagged as your own name, ready to buy, weighing options, or just researching. Budget follows the tags.
Negative Architecture & Expansion Rules
- Shared Negative Lists: One central set of blocked words for searches such as jobs, free, DIY, and the wrong locations.
- Steering searches to the right ad group: Loose-matching keywords are used only inside themed ad groups, with a long blocked-words list on the campaign.
- Spotting waste in bulk: We look for word patterns across all your searches and block them in one go, for example every search containing "cheap" or "salary".
- Expansion Playbooks: Written rules for when a search term earns its own ad group or campaign.
Our Keyword Research Process
01
Business & ICP Discovery
We learn what you sell, who buys, and the words they use at each stage of deciding.
02
Seed List & Competitor Analysis
We build the first keyword themes from your input, from what shows up on Google results pages, and from competitor ads.
03
Intent Mapping & Structure Design
Each keyword is placed in a campaign and ad group, with match type rules and a landing page.
04
Negative List Foundation
We launch with a full blocked-words list before any loose-matching keywords go live.
05
Ongoing Search Term Mining
Weekly reviews. Each search term is promoted, blocked, or watched, and we write down why.
06
Quarterly Expansion Sprints
Every quarter we look at new locations, offers, and search topics, guided by your results.
Keyword research is a visual, not a dump
FAQ
Common questions
What to know before you get started.
How is your keyword research different from using Google Keyword Planner alone?
Keyword Planner shows how many people search and what clicks may cost. We add your real search data, competitor checks, lead quality from your CRM, and how close each searcher is to buying. The keywords then feed campaigns and landing pages, not just a spreadsheet.
How often should keyword lists be updated?
Search term mining weekly. Full expansion sprints quarterly or when launching new offers or geos. Negatives updated continuously as new junk queries appear.
Do you research keywords for both Google and Bing?
Yes. Bing has different volume and demographic patterns. We build Bing-specific additions and negatives where behavior diverges.
How do you handle long-tail vs head terms?
Head terms for awareness and volume where ROI supports it. Long-tail exact match ad groups for high-converting niche queries. Budget weighted toward proven converters.
What role do negative keywords play?
They matter a lot. They stop your budget going to searches from people who will never buy. We keep shared lists and campaign-level blocks so loose-matching keywords stay under control.
Can you find keywords our competitors miss?
Often, yes. Examples are searches from people who know their problem but not the fix, searches with a place name, and searches about a specific feature. Google's auction reports show where competitors are not showing up.
How do you align keywords with landing pages?
Every ad group maps to one primary landing page with message match. No sending all traffic to the homepage.
What is query sculpting?
We use blocked words at campaign level to control which searches a loose-matching ad group can show for. That pushes each search into the right ad group.
Do you use AI or automation for keyword expansion?
Tools speed up the research, but a person decides how close each searcher is to buying and how the campaigns are organized. Automation suggests words to block, and we approve them.
How do you measure keyword research success?
Lower CPA, higher conversion rate by query theme, reduced wasted spend, and growth in qualified conversion volume from new themes.
What about branded vs non-brand keywords?
Always separated. Branded gets protection campaigns. Non-brand budget tied to new customer acquisition goals.
How do you research keywords for local businesses?
Searches with a place name, service plus city searches such as "roof repair Austin", "near me" searches, and local competitor searches, each sent to a landing page for that location.
Can you rebuild keyword strategy for an existing account?
Yes. We audit current keywords against search term reality, consolidate duplicates, and restructure without losing historical conversion data.
How long does initial keyword research take?
1 to 2 weeks for most accounts depending on offer complexity and geo scope. Ongoing mining starts immediately after launch.
How do we get started?
Request a free keyword strategy audit. We review your current terms, search terms, and competitors, then deliver a prioritized expansion and cleanup plan.
Ready to grow keywords that actually drive revenue?
Get My Free Keyword Audit arrow_forwardMarketing from $500 USD a month
Month to month, no commitment. One fee covers the pages, the search and ad work and the tracking. Ad spend is separate and stays in your own accounts.
Starting at
$500 USD per month
Free to cancel with 1 month's notice. Tell us what you sell and where. We come back with what the first month would fix.
Get a Free AuditWhat $500 a month covers
Pages
IncludedPages built around the searches your buyers actually type.
Search and ads
IncludedSearch and ads aimed at people ready to inquire.
Tracking
IncludedCalls, forms and bookings tagged to the search, ad or page behind them.
Our team
The same people on the audit and on the work
Martin writes every audit and takes the first call. The same team stays on the account. 160+ businesses since 2010.
Yoana
Social and app development
Shapes social strategy and builds practical app experiences that turn attention into action.
Mike
SEO
Owns technical, local and content SEO so the right buyers find you when demand is highest.
Robert
Paid media
Plans and manages paid search and social campaigns around qualified leads.
Elmer
Analytics
Connects tracking, attribution and reporting so decisions are based on revenue-quality data.
Dino
Design
Creates clear brand and conversion-focused design across landing pages, campaigns and product experiences.
Certified and experienced
Certified where it matters. Accountable for the outcome.
Verified platform knowledge, 25+ years of hands-on experience, and an operating track record since 2010.
Google AdsCertified
✓Google AnalyticsCertified
✓Google Tag ManagerCertified
✓Operating since 2010Proven experience
✓