Google Ads Forecasting Tool: Budget Forecast In Google Ads

If you want to launch Google ads in Russia in 2023, this article should be useful for you.

In one of my previous articles, I described how to forecast the budget in Yandex.Direct. Now let’s figure out how to make a budget forecast for advertising in Google Ads.

Like in Direct, we need a semantic core to forecast the budget in Adwords.

So, let’s break it down step by step:

1. Log in to your Google Ads account.
2. In the top menu, click “Tools and settings” > “Planning” > “Keyword Planner.”.

3. In Planner, click “Discover new keywords” to find new keyword ideas.

4. You’ll then be asked to add keywords related to your product or service. If you’re working on a blog post, you can enter phrases related to the topic you plan to write about. You can also select a language and location and enter your site URL to filter out irrelevant services and products.

For example, “guide to Moscow:”

The planner will then give you some data about your keywords, based on the information you’ve just provided:

Let’s look at the most important metrics. The Avg. monthly searches field shows the average number of searches for that particular keyword, based on the selected location and month range:

The Competition field determines the level of advertising competition for this keyword. If it’s high, you will need to make a big bet to get a rating for this keyword. If the level of competition is low or medium, you won’t have to invest as much.

Keep in mind that this Competition field doesn’t apply to organic traffic. However, this may give an idea of how many companies want to use this phrase as targeting.

You need to choose a keyword with a high monthly search volume and low or medium competition. Explore different variants of keywords and ideas. You can also expand your search by adding more phrases.

5. Once you’ve found the keywords you want to use, go ahead and select them. Then, click on Add keywords to create plan:

Now that you’ve selected your keywords, you can see some forecasts. This data will give you an indication of keyphrase performance over the next few months.

To start, click on the Forecast tab on the left-hand side of the screen:

You can also use the SpyWords service, which, according to competitor data, has information about traffic and average cost per click. It is better for Yandex.Direct, as there is much less information on Adwords. Besides, this service works only in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Promo code for a 10% discount in SpyWords: PPC_731

Information on prices for traffic from contextual advertising is also provided by SemRush:

SemRush:

I also recommend the SerpStat service, which tend to I use very often when checking out competitors.

Google’s Keyword Planner tool is the most convenient Adwords budget forecasting tool available right now. However, not everything is so clear here.

Firstly, the Planner forecast gives only approximate figures, which usually differ from the real ones. The planner does not know the CTR of your ads, and therefore cannot predict the exact cost per click for you.

Secondly, they say recently that only accounts which constantly spend a certain amount of money (Google does not specify which one) can  use the Keyword Planner now. Other accounts that spend little or nothing at all can’t use this tool to its full potential.

FAQ

How do I make a budget forecast for advertising in Google Ads?

To make a budget forecast in Google Ads, log in to your account and go to the Tools tab in the top menu. From there, find the Keyword Planner tool. In the Planner, select “Planning a budget and receiving forecasts” and add your semantic core keywords. Also, specify your geotargeting settings and daily budget to receive a budget forecast.

What is the “semantic core” and how is it used in forecasting a Google Ads budget?

The semantic core consists of the keywords that are most relevant to your advertising campaign. You add these keywords in the Keyword Planner tool under Google Ads to get a budget forecast. This helps the tool understand the kind of traffic you’re targeting, allowing for a more accurate calculation.

Are there any alternative tools to Google’s Keyword Planner for budget forecasting?

Yes, you can use SpyWords for budget forecasting based on competitor data, though it primarily works in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Another option is SemRush, which provides information on traffic prices for contextual advertising. SerpStat is also recommended for competitor analysis.

Is the budget forecast from Google’s Keyword Planner accurate?

The forecast from Google’s Keyword Planner is approximate and may differ from the actual figures. This is because the Planner does not know the click-through rate (CTR) of your ads and therefore cannot predict the exact cost per click.

Can everyone use Google’s Keyword Planner for budget forecasting?

Google’s Keyword Planner is generally accessible, but its full functionality may be restricted for accounts that don’t spend a certain amount of money, an amount which Google does not specify. If your account spends little or nothing at all, you might not be able to use the tool to its full potential.