# Generate keyword ideas from a seed in minutes

> Tier: recipe. Operating recipe: real tool sequence, core rules, known traps.

Keyword ideas with historical volumes, the light version of the full expansion skill.

**Intent.** Fast candidate terms with volumes, for a brief or a brainstorm.

## When to use

- A brief needs candidate terms today.
- Sizing a theme before committing to the full plan.

## When not to use

- As the launch plan itself: the full keyword-expansion skill dedupes and forecasts; this one only proposes.

## Sources

Required: Google Ads

## Preconditions

- The account is ticked in the dashboard, confirmed via list_accounts.

## Inputs

- `window`: Analysis window. Default: last 30 days.

## Procedure

1. Generate ideas from seeds. — tools: `google_ads_generate_keyword_ideas`
2. Attach volumes and competition. — tools: `google_ads_generate_keyword_historical_metrics`

## Decision rules

- **When** A candidate's volume is a wide range → **conclude** Quote the range, never the midpoint as fact.

## Evidence requirements

- Every figure carries its account, metric and window.
- Anything below a readable sample size is reported as unjudged, not as zero.

## Human approval boundary

- The readout changes nothing. Any change it motivates goes through Safe Writes: preview, human confirmation, then apply.

## Failure modes

- Planner data is bucketed and averaged: directional, not billable.

## Output

- **Readout**: The figures, with windows and accounts named.
- **Flags**: What deserves a deeper skill or a human decision.

## Related

- Skill: [keyword-expansion](https://www.getmcpads.com/skills/keyword-expansion.md)