Google Keyword Planner adds city and device-level forecast breakdowns

Google's Keyword Planner has received enhanced forecasting capabilities that allow advertisers to view keyword forecast volumes broken down by city, region, and device type. The update was first observed on July 7, 2025, through screenshots shared by Amiya Prakash, a PPC specialist at CausalFunnel, who noticed the new interface panels in select accounts.

The enhanced functionality introduces several new forecast views within the saved keyword plan interface. Advertisers can now access platform-level device insights showing splits across mobile, desktop, and tablet usage patterns. Users can apply filters by location type, including state, city, and Designated Market Area (DMA), enabling more precise targeting for campaign objectives.

According to Search Engine Land, the tool now displays visual snapshots including pie charts of user locations. One example showed 77.4% of forecasted searches originating from Amsterdam in a specific keyword plan. Prakash noted in his LinkedIn post that "Amsterdam alone accounts for 30%+ of the search share in one of my plans," demonstrating the level of geographic granularity now available.

The interface modifications support filtering by state, DMA, and municipality levels. This granular breakdown addresses longstanding requests from advertisers managing multi-location campaigns who previously relied on broader geographic targeting estimates. The functionality particularly benefits businesses operating across multiple markets where local search behavior varies significantly.

Summary

Who: Google enhanced its Keyword Planner tool, with the update first observed by Amiya Prakash, PPC specialist at CausalFunnel

What: Addition of city, region, and device-level forecast breakdowns to Google's Keyword Planner, providing granular geographic and platform insights for keyword volume predictions

When: The update was first documented on July 7, 2025, through screenshots shared on LinkedIn, suggesting a gradual or experimental rollout

Where: The features appear in select Google Ads accounts globally, with examples showing geographic breakdowns for cities like Amsterdam

Why: The enhancement addresses advertiser demand for more precise geographic targeting and budget allocation capabilities, particularly for multi-location campaigns and local businesses seeking granular market insights

Technical implementation details

The updated Keyword Planner maintains its existing grouped keyword ideas functionality while adding the location and device breakdown features. Screenshots indicate the new panels appear alongside traditional forecast metrics within the saved keyword plan interface. The visual representation includes both percentage breakdowns and geographic distribution charts.

The rollout appears staged or experimental, as the features are visible to select accounts rather than universally available. This approach aligns with Google's typical testing methodology for Keyword Planner updates, which have historically undergone gradual deployment across advertiser accounts.

Device-level forecasting provides separate projections for mobile, desktop, and tablet traffic. This segmentation enables advertisers to adjust bidding strategies and budget allocation based on expected device usage patterns for their target keywords. The platform-specific insights support optimization for campaigns where device performance varies substantially.

Location filtering extends beyond basic geographic boundaries to include DMA targeting options. DMAs represent television market areas defined by Nielsen and are commonly used in media planning. The inclusion of DMA-level forecasting bridges traditional media planning concepts with digital advertising execution.

Historical context and industry significance

The Keyword Planner has undergone substantial modifications since its original launch. Google rebuilt the tool from the ground up in 2018, simplifying access to forecasts and keyword research capabilities. The platform deprecated its old version in April 2022, making the new Google Ads Keyword Planner the standard interface.

Previous enhancements included the introduction of negative keywords functionality in October 2024, which allowed advertisers to exclude irrelevant search terms directly within the planning interface. The platform has consistently evolved to provide more granular control and sophisticated forecasting capabilities.

The current update represents a significant advancement in geographic targeting precision. Traditional keyword planning relied on broader regional estimates that often failed to capture local market variations. Metropolitan areas frequently exhibit distinct search patterns that differ from surrounding regions, making city-level forecasting particularly valuable for local businesses and regional campaigns.

Multi-location businesses have historically faced challenges in budget allocation across geographic markets. The enhanced forecasting enables more precise budget distribution based on predicted search volume concentrations. Advertisers can identify high-performing geographic areas before campaign launch, potentially improving return on investment through better resource allocation.

Market implications for digital advertising

The localized forecasting capabilities address growing demand for precision in geographic targeting. Local search behavior has become increasingly important as consumers seek location-specific products and services. Mobile search patterns often exhibit strong geographic clustering, making device-level insights particularly relevant for mobile-first campaigns.

Regional search volume variations can be substantial, even within the same metropolitan area. The ability to forecast at the municipality level provides insights that were previously unavailable through standard geographic targeting options. This granularity supports more sophisticated local SEO and paid search strategies.

Budget optimization becomes more data-driven with precise geographic forecasting. Advertisers can allocate spending based on predicted search volume concentrations rather than relying on population density or general market assumptions. This approach potentially reduces wasted spending in low-performing geographic areas while increasing investment in high-opportunity markets.

The device-level forecasting supports mobile-first campaign strategies that have become standard practice in digital advertising. Mobile search behavior often differs significantly from desktop patterns, particularly for local and location-based queries. Understanding these differences at the keyword level enables more effective campaign structure and bidding strategies.

Cross-platform campaign planning benefits from unified device forecasting within a single interface. Advertisers can evaluate the relative importance of different devices for specific keywords and adjust campaign settings accordingly. This integration reduces the need for separate planning tools and provides a more comprehensive view of keyword opportunities.

Competitive landscape and platform development

Google's Keyword Planner enhancements occur within a broader context of advertising platform evolution. LinkedIn recently introduced significant Campaign Manager updates including Media Planner tools for forecasting reach, impressions, and cost-per-result metrics. The competitive pressure to provide sophisticated planning tools drives continuous platform development across major advertising networks.

Forecasting accuracy has become a critical differentiator among advertising platforms. The integration of local and device-specific data potentially improves prediction quality by incorporating factors that influence actual search behavior. More accurate forecasts support better campaign planning and budget allocation decisions.

Platform integration trends favor unified planning interfaces that consolidate multiple data sources. The Keyword Planner updates align with this approach by providing geographic and device insights within a single tool rather than requiring separate analysis platforms. This consolidation reduces workflow complexity for advertisers managing complex campaigns.

The gradual rollout approach suggests Google is monitoring performance and user feedback before broader deployment. Platform updates of this scale typically undergo extensive testing to ensure accuracy and usability across diverse advertiser needs. The selective availability indicates the features may undergo refinement based on initial user experiences.

Technical architecture and data sources

The enhanced forecasting likely draws from Google's extensive search data repository, which includes geographic and device-specific query patterns. The platform processes historical search volume data to generate predictions at granular geographic levels. This data processing requires sophisticated algorithms to maintain accuracy across varying geographic scales.

Real-time data integration supports dynamic forecasting that reflects current search trends. The geographic breakdowns suggest the platform analyzes search patterns at specific location coordinates rather than relying solely on administrative boundaries. This approach provides more accurate representations of actual user behavior patterns.

Device classification algorithms distinguish between mobile, desktop, and tablet traffic to provide platform-specific forecasts. The accuracy of these predictions depends on Google's ability to classify user agents and device types accurately across its search ecosystem. Historical performance data informs these classifications and improves forecast precision over time.

The interface design accommodates complex data visualization requirements while maintaining usability for advertisers with varying technical expertise. Pie charts and geographic visualizations translate numerical data into accessible formats that support quick decision-making during campaign planning processes.

Timeline

• July 7, 2025: Screenshots showing enhanced forecasting features first shared by Amiya Prakash on LinkedIn
• April 2022: Google deprecates old Keyword Planner, establishes current interface as standard
• October 2024: Negative keywords tab introduced in Keyword Planner
• June 2025: Google Ads API v20 released with enhanced campaign controls
• March 2025: Adform launches Campaign Planner with CPC and CTR forecasting
• March 2025: LinkedIn introduces Campaign Manager updates including Media Planner tool
• 2018: Google rebuilds Keyword Planner from ground up