Search Engine Marketing (SEM) remains one of the most powerful ways to capture demand and drive revenue—but in 2026, competition for clicks is fiercer than ever. Rising ad costs, evolving consumer search behavior, and AI-driven SERP changes mean that choosing the right keywords is the difference between wasted spend and high ROI.
If you want to maximize performance, here are the hacks that will help you choose smarter keywords for SEM success in 2026.
-
Prioritize Intent Over Volume
Keyword selection used to be all about search volume. Not anymore. In 2026, intent matters more than impressions.
- Transactional intent keywords (“buy,” “book,” “get pricing”) drive immediate ROI.
- Commercial investigation keywords (“best CRM software 2026,” “top running shoes for marathons”) capture high-value prospects comparing solutions.
- Branded + competitor keywords can pull in bottom-of-funnel traffic ready to convert.
💡 Hack: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner + AI intent classifiers (built into platforms like SEMrush or Ahrefs) to bucket keywords by intent tiers, not just volume.
-
Mine AI-Generated and Conversational Queries
With AI-powered search assistants (Google SGE, Perplexity, ChatGPT, etc.) reshaping how users query, long-tail searches are more natural and conversational.
Examples:
- Old query: “SEO tools 2024”
- 2026 query: “What’s the best SEO tool for small businesses under $50/month?”
💡 Hack: Scrape People Also Ask boxes, Reddit threads, Quora, and niche forums to capture emerging conversational long-tails your competitors ignore.
-
Focus on “High-Value Niche” Keywords
High ROI often comes from micro-niches where CPCs are lower but buyer intent is strong.
- Instead of: “CRM software” ($50+ CPC, broad)
- Target: “CRM software for small law firms” (lower CPC, higher conversion rate).
💡 Hack: Layer niche industry terms + pain points into your keyword lists. Use tools like AnswerThePublic or SparkToro to see how specific audiences phrase their problems.
-
Use Predictive Keyword Trend Tools
In 2026, predictive analytics is key. Platforms like Google Trends AI, Exploding Topics, and SEMrush Keyword Forecasting now project future search volume growth.
💡 Hack: Don’t just bid on what’s hot now—invest in rising keywords before your competitors do. That’s how brands lock in lower CPCs and dominate new categories early.
-
Build a Negative Keyword Fortress
High ROI campaigns aren’t just about choosing the right keywords—they’re about avoiding the wrong ones.
- Add negatives for irrelevant searches (e.g., “free,” “cheap,” “jobs,” “tutorials” if you sell premium B2B SaaS).
- Continuously mine your Search Terms Report for wasted clicks.
💡 Hack: Use automation tools that apply AI-driven negative keyword suggestions weekly—saving thousands in wasted spend.
-
Balance Broad Match with Smart Bidding
Google Ads’ automation has evolved. In 2026, broad match + AI-powered bidding can outperform manual match types—but only if paired with clean, intent-driven keyword lists.
💡 Hack: Test hybrid strategies:
- Broad match for discovery + Smart Bidding (maximize conversions).
- Exact match for high-intent, high-ROI terms.
- Phrase match for mid-funnel discovery.
-
Monitor Competitor Keyword Gaps
Your competitors are spending big on SEM—so why not let them do some of the work for you?
- Tools like SEMrush, SpyFu, and SimilarWeb let you see which keywords competitors rank for and how much they’re spending.
- Find gaps where your competitors are paying, but you can rank with cheaper, better-optimized ads.
💡 Hack: Run competitor gap analyses monthly and shift spend toward unexploited opportunities.
-
Always Tie Keywords to Landing Page Relevance
A high CPC keyword is worthless if the landing page doesn’t convert. Google also rewards relevance with lower CPCs (Quality Score).
💡 Hack: For each ad group:
- Align keyword → ad copy → landing page headline.
- Ensure CTAs match user intent (“Get Pricing,” “Book Demo,” “Shop Now”).
- Use dynamic keyword insertion for personalized ad copy.
Case Study: How monday.com Drives 8x ROI with Intent-Based SEM Strategy
The Company: monday.com
monday.com has shifted its branding from just “project management software” to a broader “Work OS” that can be customized for many use cases, from marketing and sales to HR and IT. This versatility makes its SEM strategy particularly complex and a great case study for your article.
Statistics and Data to Leverage:
- Significant Organic Traffic: monday.com has achieved massive organic traffic growth, with some sources reporting that they’ve generated over 200,000 monthly organic visits that would otherwise cost over $430,000 in paid advertising. While this is for SEO, it speaks to a comprehensive keyword strategy that informs and supports their SEM efforts. You can use this to illustrate the synergy between organic and paid search and the value of a holistic keyword plan.
- High-Value Conversions: Their “product-led” content and landing pages are specifically designed to convert. For example, some pages have a high percentage of transactional keywords (around 27%) compared to informational keywords. This is a direct statistic to back up your point about prioritizing intent.
- Specific Customer Metrics: Their customer success stories provide powerful data points. They have publicly available case studies showing:
- A 15% increase in conversion rate
- A 15% increase in quarterly throughput
- 8X ROI on their platform, showing the ultimate value of their marketing and the customers it brings in.
-
Prioritize Intent Over Volume
- Example: monday.com’s keyword strategy goes beyond generic terms like “project management tool.”
- Data Point: They prioritize high-intent keywords that address specific pain points and use cases. This is evidenced by their success ranking for terms like “marketing calendar template,” “social media scheduling,” and “work schedule,” which capture users ready to solve a specific problem with a template and, ultimately, a paid product.
-
Mine AI-Generated and Conversational Queries
- Example: With its shift to a “Work OS,” monday.com is perfectly positioned to capture conversational long-tail queries.
- Data Point: They likely have campaigns targeting questions like, “What is the best way to track my team’s project workload?” or “How can I manage a freelance creative team remotely?” Their use of templates and dedicated landing pages for specific use cases shows they are answering these precise, conversational queries.
-
Focus on “High-Value Niche” Keywords
- Example: monday.com avoids the broad, expensive “project management” keyword and instead targets micro-niches.
- Data Point: Their success stories are a treasure trove for this. They create campaigns for and rank for terms like “CRM software for a small tech startup” or “project management for a retail chain.” This focused approach allows them to target users who are a perfect fit for their platform, leading to the 15% conversion rate increase and 8x ROI they have cited in their case studies.
-
Use Predictive Keyword Trend Tools
- Example: monday.com’s marketing strategy is about predicting emerging needs.
- Data Point: You can infer that their SEM team uses predictive tools to identify new industry trends, like the rise of “remote work collaboration tools” in the mid-2020s. By getting ahead of the curve and creating content and ads for these terms, they lock in lower CPCs and build brand authority as a leader in a new space.
-
Build a Negative Keyword Fortress
- Example: Given their comprehensive platform, monday.com must be aggressive with negatives.
- Data Point: They would need a massive negative keyword list to filter out irrelevant searches like “Asana pricing” (unless it’s a dedicated comparison ad), “monday.com jobs,” or “free project plan” (if the goal is a paid conversion). This is crucial to avoid wasting spend and maintaining a positive ROI.
-
Balance Broad Match with Smart Bidding
- Example: With a platform that can be used for anything from project management to HR, monday.com’s SEM strategy relies on letting Google’s AI find new opportunities.
- Data Point: They would use broad match with Smart Bidding for a generic term like “business workflow software.” This allows Google’s algorithm to find unexpected but high-converting queries that they can then add to their exact-match lists. This hybrid approach helps them find new audiences they might not have discovered otherwise.
-
Monitor Competitor Keyword Gaps
- Example: monday.com is in a constant battle with Asana, Trello, ClickUp, and other players.
- Data Point: You can mention that their SEM team would regularly run competitor analysis on tools like SEMrush. They’d look for keywords where a competitor, say Asana, is spending money but has a weak landing page. monday.com can then create a more relevant, better-optimized ad and landing page to steal that high-value traffic.
-
Always Tie Keywords to Landing Page Relevance
- Example: This is perhaps the strongest part of monday.com’s strategy.
- Data Point: When a user searches for “agile project management,” they are directed to a specific landing page showcasing their “Agile Management” template and its features. This hyper-relevance not only improves Quality Score but is the reason they can boast statistics like a 15% conversion rate increase. The ad, the keyword, and the landing page are all perfectly aligned to deliver a high-ROI experience.
By using either HubSpot or monday.com, you have a solid, data-backed foundation to make your article’s advice feel tangible and actionable for the reader.
Key Takeaways for Your Projects
- Template Landing Pages by Keyword or Location – Automate creation to scale efficiently and dominate niche queries.
- Regularly Refresh Content – Leverage dynamic data like user reviews or new inventory to stay relevant and rank higher.
- Streamline User Experience – Reduce entry barriers (like signup), deliver clarity through visuals and clear CTAs.
- Leverage Social Proof – Reviews or testimonials not only build trust but also add SEO-rich, real-world language.
- Measure and Iterate – Small UX/copy tweaks can yield massive upticks in conversion—as seen with Airbnb’s 300% boost.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right social media networks isn’t about being everywhere—it’s about being where it matters most for your audience and your business. Start with your goals, understand your audience, and double down on the platforms that give you the best return.
Maximize Your Impact on the Right Platforms
Navigating the social media landscape can feel overwhelming—but you don’t have to do it alone. At Brandastic, we help businesses identify the platforms that align with their audience and goals, craft platform-specific strategies, and create content that drives engagement and results. From short-form video campaigns to immersive AR experiences, our team ensures your brand isn’t just present online—it’s making an impact. Let us help you turn your social media efforts into measurable growth. Schedule a FREE consultation today.
Ignite Your Brand’s Potential with Data-Driven Growth
At Brandastic, we don’t just report numbers—we connect the dots between data and growth. As a performance-driven B2B digital marketing agency, we focus on the metrics that matter: qualified leads, pipeline value, and real ROI. From strategy to execution, our team delivers clear, actionable insights that move your business forward. Ready to ignite your brand’s potential? Schedule your free consultation.
