Keyword research is the backbone of any successful SEM campaign. It begins with understanding what your target audience is searching for and identifying keywords that reflect high purchase intent. These keywords should be relevant to your offerings, aligned with user behavior, and capable of attracting the right traffic. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest are often used to analyze keyword difficulty, search volume, and competition levels. Choosing the right mix of short-tail and long-tail keywords helps you attract both broad and niche segments effectively. Once a strong keyword list is created, the next step is grouping them into tightly themed ad groups. This ensures your ads are shown only to users searching for specific queries, improving relevance and reducing wasted clicks. Bidding strategies are also tailored around keyword value—prioritizing those that offer the best return. Good keyword targeting improves your Quality Score, which reduces your cost-per-click (CPC) and ensures your ads get better placement.