How To Use Google Keyword Planner Without A Credit Card

It all started with that tweet from Kathleen Garvin @KGarvSEO that really ticked me off! Not by anything that she said, but by what Google has done!

.@adwords Is there any way to access Google Keyword Planner w/o setting up an AdWords campaign? #AdWords #AdWordsHelp

— Kathleen Garvin (@KGarvSEO) September 9, 2015

As you can read in the tweet, Google has made it mandatory to set up an AdWords campaign in order to use the Google Keyword Planner! …or have they? Read more to find out!

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I tried it with my Gmail account (having never to run ads on this specific account before) and sure enough, I was brought to this screen:

This is where I encountered the “guided setup.” See that big blue button that says “continue”?

DO NOT CLICK ON THIS BUTTON!

Instead, click on “Skip the guided setup.”

Doing this will take you to Google Keyword Planner without having to set up an actual AdWords Campaign or entering any credit card info!

If you happened to click on continue, you may be out of luck. 🙁 In fact, you won’t be able to access the Keyword Planner tool or other parts of your account until your billing information has been added. Although you need to fill in your credit card information, keep in mind that you credit card will not be charged unless you’re purchasing ad placements.

However, even if you’ve clicked the continue button, there is good news that come with a little bit of inconvenience.

You’ll have to create a new Google Account.

To do this go to: https://accounts.google.com/signup

So, there you have it. Hopefully, you’re able to use Google Keyword Planner without a credit card or official AdWords account! SEO FTW!

Special thanks to tipsandtricksforum.com, where I found this neat workaround.