How Many Keywords Should I Use in Google Ads to Achieve Successful Campaigns?

In the competitive world of digital marketing, one of the most common questions is: how many keywords should I use in Google Ads for my campaigns to be effective? The number isn't a fixed number, but rather a strategic decision that directly influences the performance of your ads, the quality of your traffic, and your return on investment.

In this article, you'll learn why choosing the right amount matters, how to organize your keywords by campaign type, what factors you should consider, and what mistakes to avoid so your Google Ads investment really works.

What are keywords in Google Ads?

In Google Ads, keywords are the terms that trigger your ads when a user performs a related search. They act as a bridge between what people type into Google and what your business offers.

These keywords are grouped into ad groups that share a common theme, allowing for consistency between keywords, ads, and landing pages. Therefore, deciding how many keywords to use in Google Ads in each group is critical to achieving relevance and efficiency.

Want to dig deeper into this concept? Watch this short video: “What are keywords and search terms?”

Why does it matter to decide the right amount?

Choosing how many keywords to use isn't a minor detail. It defines the balance between reach, relevance, and budget. Some key reasons:

• Relevance and Quality Score: An ad group with well-focused keywords gets a better quality score and pays less per click.
• More efficient budget: Too many keywords dilute your spending; too few reduce your reach.
• Clearer optimization: With the right number, it's easier to measure results, adjust bids, and improve ads.

In other words, knowing how many keywords to use in Google Ads is key to not wasting budget and increasing the probability of conversion. Want to optimize your results? At Agencia Roco, we have Google Ads specialists ready to guide you step by step.

How many keywords should you use depending on the campaign type?

The ideal number of keywords depends on the type of campaign you're running. These are the most common guidelines:

Search campaigns

It's recommended to use between 10 and 20 keywords per ad group, always related to the same topic. If your product or service is very specific, you could focus on fewer keywords to better optimize your budget.

Example: If you have an online clothing store in Colombia, an ad group could include terms like “buy clothes online Colombia,” “women's fashion Bogotá,” or “winter jackets.”

Display Campaigns

In Display, you can use 20 to 30 keywords, as the targeting is broader and seeks to attract users interested in related topics, not just specific searches.

Example: For the same clothing store, you could include words like “2024 fashion trends,” “casual outfits,” or “style tips.”

Shopping Campaigns

You don't need so many keywords here: 5 to 10 very specific terms are enough. The important thing is to describe the product in detail.

Example: “men's sports shoes Bogotá”, “online party dresses”, “women's leather jackets”.

Factors influencing the choice

When deciding how many keywords I should use in international Google Ads, consider these aspects:

• Relevance: Each word must be directly linked to your product or service.
• Search intent: prioritize terms with purchase or action intent.
• Available budget: Avoid covering too many keywords if you don't have the budget to give them visibility.
• Competition and CPC: Highly competitive keywords can quickly consume your investment.

Common mistakes when using keywords

Many businesses waste part of their investment by not defining their strategy well. These are the most common mistakes:

• Including too many keywords in a group: reduces relevance and disperses the budget.
• Ignore the negatives: Not excluding irrelevant searches causes your ads to appear on queries that don't convert.
• Rely only on broad match: may attract low-qualified and expensive clicks.
• Poorly aligned landing pages: If the page doesn't respond to the search, the lead is lost.

Conclusion: How many keywords should I use in Google Ads?

There's no magic number of keywords, but there are good practices. The general rule is:

• 10 to 20 keywords in search,
• 20 to 30 on Display,
• 5 to 10 in Shopping.

The key is relevance and how you organize your ad groups. Remember: the important thing isn't how many keywords you use, but that they all focus on the same objective and work together to attract the right traffic.

At At Agencia Roco We help you structure and optimize Google Ads campaigns that maximize your investment. If you're wondering how many keywords should you use in Google Ads for your business, contact us and we'll design a tailored strategy for you.