by The secret behind any successful PPC Campaign is proper implementation of keywords.
Thorough keywords Research is one of the important steps to proper implementation of keywords.
You must be aware of managing keywords in your Campaign. Proper understanding on what customers actually put in search box to find your products or services can
Proper understanding on what customers actually put in the search box to find your products or services can let you know how to structure keywords in your account.
Keywords in PPC campaigns need much advance knowledge to manage. In short, treating keywords flawlessly is the key to generating success in PPC.
[bctt tweet=”A single wrong approach to PPC keywords can damage the entire campaign performance.” username=”adstriangle”]
Therefore an experienced PPC manager always justifies keywords with different benchmarks.
I would like to suggest you give sometimes on gathering knowledge on PPC Keywords. Here, I am discussing some methodologies of implementing PPC keywords properly.
Hope it will guide you how to organize keywords in your PPC Campaign.
Employ Right Keywords Match Type
Selection of right match type determines whether your keywords will be more aggressive or will get restricted exposure.
Match type selection is based on the objective of your AdWords campaign. You must introduce keywords as per your target audiences. Otherwise, your ad will drive most numbers of unqualified traffic.
Keywords match type is one of the key factors that decide the quality conversions of your campaign. Match type actually determines on which search query your ad should be shown.
Proper selection of PPC ad match type lifts the improvement of ROI. Match type selection tells you who can actually see your ad. Using match type you can control the exposure of your ad display.
[bctt tweet=”Proper selection of keywords match type lifts the improvement of ROI” username=”adstriangle”]
There are four keywords match types. You must know about each of the match types to realize why and when you have to use the relevant one.
1. Broad Match Type
When you start your first campaign your keywords will set to broad match type by default. This match type maximizes the exposure of your ad. This match type leads your ads to reach a wide range of people.
In this match type, your ad is likely to display in all the queries that have similar phrases or close keywords variations. These variations may include, singular, plural, misspelling, acronyms and accents etc.
Why use this match type:
This match type lets your ad appears before maximum numbers of people. It also helps your ad to get maximum numbers of impressions. This is a perfect tool for your ad to maximize the volume of clicks.
Disadvantage:
As your ad gets maximum exposure, there are wide possibilities to draw lots of unqualified clicks. It also increases the probability of your ad to appear on irrelevant search queries also.
2. Modified Broad Match Type
This is also a broad match type but with little restriction. You need to add a ‘+’ sign before your keywords you modify the broad match type.
When you place this ‘+’ sign you like to make your ad to be more relevant to the queries.
This modifier tells Google that if the word with the ‘+’ sign is present in the search query, your ad will be eligible to display.
Your ad will appear only then when the query is having more close variations. In Modified Broad Match your ad will appear only when the keywords appear in the search query.
Why use Modified Broad Match:
This match type lets you get more control over your broad match type keywords. It is actually more restricted broad match type. Using this match type you can eliminate the probability of non-targeted clicks.
Disadvantage:
In spite of having entrusted restrictions, there are still lots of possibilities to get untargeted clicks. Though you get more control over your keywords but cannot prevent the clicks from being wasted.
3. Phrase Match Type
When your keywords carry resemble the same phrase of search query your ad will be shown. Most of the PPC managers love to use this match type because it inflicts a greater control.
You can restrict the ad appearance through this match type. The search query may have words either before or after your key phrase.
Why use Phrase Match Type:
It lets you have a higher level of control. It also helps to maximize the numbers of relevant clicks. As this match type increases qualified clicks conversions are more likely to get improved.
Though this match type introduces more restriction but your ad still can reach a wide range of audiences.
Disadvantage:
Due to the restriction, it cannot let your ad as a wide range of audiences as broad match type can. There is still a little chance to display your ad on irrelevant search queries.
4. Exact Match Type
Initially, this type of keyword was used when you wanted to put an optimum restriction and maximum control over the display of your ad.
Your ad would only appear when a person would type exact phrase of your keywords in similar order.
For example, if your key phrase was “Wooden Furniture” then the search query should also contain “Wooden Furniture” in the same order.
However, on one Friday afternoon of March 17, Google announced a change with respect to the working of the exact match type keywords in AdWords.
The change that appeared was that now minor variations would be able to match your exact match type keywords. The common examples are singular/plural and misspellings.
For example, the exact match type keyword “women’s formal shoes” is now eligible to show to the exact search term women’s formal shoes and to the inexact search term formal women’s shoes.
Now, the exact match keywords can show when the search query shares the same words of that keyword but in a different order.
Google also took a step further by including three more cases:
- Adding/Ignoring Function Words
- Reordering Function Words
- Reordering The Keyword Itself
The function words are those words that bind the phrases and sentences like conjunctions, prepositions, pronouns, verbs etc.
With the recent change, these function words may be added, ignored or even replaced.
For example:
(i) When the function words are added
Keyword- Running Shoes Women
Query- Running Shoes for Women
(ii) When the function words are removed
Keyword- Restaurants in Georgia
Query- Restaurants Georgia
(iii) When the function words are replaced
Keyword-News Updates from Today
Query- News Updates for Today
Why Use This Match Type
As Google just found out a way to serve more ads from the exact match keywords, some small advertisers may benefit from this change.
For example, just suppose you were advertising your new restaurant in Gateway Orlando Street. Previously, the exact match keyword “Gateway Orlando Kitchen” would only show your ad to the exact match search query “Gateway Orlando Kitchen”.
So, in order to get more traffic, you had to target multiple keywords or experiment with other match types.
With the recent change, your exact match type keyword “Gateway Orlando Kitchen” will attract a lot more relevant searches from the variation in the exact match type keywords like Orlando Kitchen Gateway, Kitchen in Orlando Gateway, Kitchen near Orlando Gateway, Kitchen on Orlando Gateway etc.
Disadvantage
The uniqueness of the exact match type keyword has been lost and moreover with this change, the exact match type keyword now also matches out to considerably more searches that could somehow increase the ad spend.
You may work with the combination of all the match types in different ad groups to know which one is working best for your ad.
Your marketing strategy will decide which one is suitable for you.
Here are some tips on how you can work with match type-
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Bids:
Applying perfect match type will help you manipulate bid. You can make it more aggressive or restricted. A bid can affect Avg position, Conversions, and CPA.
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Competitors:
You should observe what your competitors are doing with match type. Your good observation may help you to select workable match type for your campaign.
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Performance by a Period:
You should run your campaign with each match type for a certain period. It will tell you which one is performing better for your objectives.
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Account Structure:
You should structure your account on various segments classified on using different match types. Creating separate ad texts for separate match types for a single product can help you out to know about the most optimal match type for your campaign.
Don’t Avoid Using Negative Keywords
Implementation of correct negative keywords improves your PPC ad profits dramatically.
Negative Keywords are other essential Keywords. They do not let your ad display for relevant search queries. But they help to eliminate displaying your ad on irrelevant search queries.
In order to run your PPC campaign successively, you need to add negative keywords effectively.
[bctt tweet=”In order to run your PPC campaign successively you need to add negative keywords effectively” username=”adstriangle”]
How Negative Keywords Help
Negative Keywords actually eliminate unqualified search queries. If a search query contains any of negative keyword phrases or words you used then your ad will not be shown in the query.
For an example, if you are selling the smartphone and you do not repair or sell used the smartphone then your negative keywords should be Used or Repair.
It actually helps your ad focus on target audiences.
Just like Keywords Matches Negative Keywords are also having Match Types-
Broad Match:
You use this match type when you want to eliminate search queries having any of your listed keywords.
Exact Match:
When a query exactly matches exact of your keywords listing your ad will not be appeared. This match type is more focused.
Phrase Match:
This match type prevents your ad from displaying to search queries that match phrases of your negative keywords listing.
You can introduce negative keywords in your PPC Campaign at various levels-
Account Level:
You can introduce negative keywords in your account setting. In the shared library, you can introduce negative keywords to implement later on various campaigns also.
You should use account level negative keywords when you are running multiple campaigns. It eliminates displaying your ad when the query is irrelevant to any of your campaigns.
This is not a common idea to use negative keywords in account level. Sometimes it tends to prevent quality traffics also.
[bctt tweet=”You should use account level negative keywords when you’re running multiple campaigns ” username=”adstriangle”]
Campaign Level:
You can use negative keywords for a single campaign. Every ad group under the campaign will be affected by the listed negative keywords.
It allows you to include the negative keywords for a large number of product categories.
You should implement negative keywords at this level when you want to protect a larger number of keywords in a campaign.
Ad Group Level:
This is not as broad as account level. Introducing negative keywords at this level is very significantly target oriented and specific.
You must go to this level if you like to protect specific keywords in the ad group. At this level, you become more granular with your negative keywords listing.
You should opt for a different set of negative keywords for different ad groups.
As it is more specific it more likely to eliminates most numbers of unqualified clicks.
You should also experiment with different types of negative keywords variations. It will also prevent clicks from untargeted people.
How Negative keywords Improve PPC Campaigns
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Increases CTR:
As you use negative keywords to eliminate the most number of irrelevant traffics your ad tends to be more focused. Through filtering unqualified traffics it helps to improve CTR.
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Increases Conversions:
Negative keywords are meant to be guarding the productive keywords. Using negative keywords you increase the possibilities of keywords conversions. Negative keywords are focused on driving only the quality clicks. Therefore, your CPC drops gradually.
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Improves Quality Score:
As it helps to lower CPC and increases CTR, the quality score gets improved gradually. The quality score helps to lower overall expenses of running your PPC campaign.
Group Your Keywords
Grouping of keywords is another important task that helps you lower Campaign cost by improving keywords performance. Clients often complaints about expenses involved in PPC Campaign. Most of them are unfamiliar to Keywords grouping.
I suggest them to group keywords and it will help them to optimize the campaign.
We usually introduce a large set of numerous keywords. They will only serve the optimum result when they will be segmented into appropriate groups.
Grouping keywords mean you organize them in an appropriate manner. You should pay much attention in grouping to make them perform efficiently. It helps you to improve ROI.
You must group keywords in order to keep your data organized. Well, knitted keywords grouping makes your way to success.
[bctt tweet=”High themed ad groups help you to create more relevant ad texts” username=”adstriangle”]
You can target a specific audience with a certain keywords group.
Grouping has a vast impact on improving quality score. Good quality score lowers PPC costs and lets you achieve good overall performances.
‘Tightly themed keywords’ means High CTR, good Quality Score and more possibilities of conversions.
Highly specific keywords set have the major possibilities to display the ad only to the target audience.
How to Group Keywords
Grouping Keywords improves campaign performance in an effective way. However, I am recommending you to follow some important strategies while grouping keywords.
Here I am furnishing some important tips-
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Create a list:
You must create a list of keywords you want to use in your campaign. Google Keyword Planner tool can help you find a most relative set of keywords for your term. You should avoid listing virtually useless keywords.
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Segment Them:
Now you need to organize them in a best possible way as per your objective. You have to bring the keywords that are sharing a common theme in a single segment.
Segmentation may be based on- long tail, similar 2-3 words phrases, category, match type and by product.
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Add to Ad Group:
Now add keywords in different ad groups. Remember, an ad group must have common themed keywords.
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Organize Keywords by profitability:
You may group your listed keywords as per prospect profitability. You may also consider product margin while grouping keywords. This considers the definition of value for your selected keywords.
It is a fruitful way if you are following portfolio system (for bid management). You can easily group keywords in lower value to higher value.
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Group by Match type:
This is the most common ad group practice. You can allocate specific ad group for the keywords, which are sharing same match type. It lets you have more control over your keywords.
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Group by Performance:
This process little much critical and takes much time to build. You have to put well-performing keywords in separate groups and poor performing keywords in other groups.
You can make the strategy to gain more conversions from the groups with well-performing keywords. And you should try to optimize poor-performing keywords separately.
You need to analyze keywords report to find the most and the least performing keywords. On the basis of keywords report you need to pull out poor performing keywords and run separate group with them.
[bctt tweet=”By adding performing keywords in separate groups you can blow more impact over your success.” username=”adstriangle”]
Though ‘keywords grouping’ needs much effort and proper understanding, it ultimately determines visibility or impressions of your ad.
Therefore, you need keen observation. You may also use keywords grouping tools. You may follow common practices but you need to structure your own system.
Stuffing keywords in ad group cause the occurrences of having an improper grouping of keywords.
You Must Avoid Adding Lots of Keywords in an Ad Group
You have already gathered knowledge on how and why to group keywords. Another important thing you should consider while putting keywords in an ad group and that is not to add all your keywords in a single ad group.
You group keywords in an organized way in order to make them perform well but too much gathering of keywords in an ad group will show the reverse result.
It does not mean that all the relevant or meaningful keywords together in a group can elevate campaign performance.
Good keywords may work better individually but in a single group, they may kill your ad relevancy.
I always recommend my clients to avoid gathering too many keywords in a single ad group. I personally prefer to use single keyword group.
[bctt tweet=”Good keywords may work better individually but in a single group they may kill your ad relevancy” username=”adstriangle”]
Technically, less than 10 keywords in an ad group improve your ad’s health. You may find more than 10 keywords variations but you should stop before considering them all.
How adding keywords in a single group can affect
- All your keywords in a single group give negative impact on target people. It also lowers performance of your PPC Campaign
- Your main message that you want to convey will be lost under the crowd of keywords
- Including Keywords in an ad group fails to improve PPC Campaign performance
- Ad group stuffed with keywords is likely to get fewer clicks
- It will be more likely to display your ad maximum numbers of irrelevant search queries. Therefore your ad gets more irrelevant impressions
I have found using single keyword ad group more focused and can produce a good result. You should use the single keyword in an ad group if possible.
It arrays more control over your ad display. As it has higher relevancy, it enables triggering only the relevant search queries. When you use the single keyword in an ad group you reduce the difference between What you offer on your landing page and your ad text.
[bctt tweet=”Single keywords reduce the difference between your offering on the landing page and the ad text.” username=”adstriangle”]
As you get familiar with this you will strategically use this technique to improve CTR.
How to Make Keywords List in PPC
In Search engine marketing or PPC ad, it is all about selecting effective keywords. Though Google offers a nice tool to select apt keywords for your ads but you need to follow the proper strategy in order to achieve success.
Ultimately keywords are the anchor that determines whether your ad should be displayed or not against a certain search query.
You need to identify keywords that would successfully display your ad before target audience.
It is very important to select proper keywords for good conversions and great ROI. You should consult with an expert while selecting keywords
You can simply follow strategies that I am providing below to make effective keywords list
[bctt tweet=”It is very important to select proper keywords for good conversions and great ROI” username=”adstriangle”]
You can simply follow strategies that I am providing below to make effective keywords list
1. Recognize your Audience:
To get good conversions you need to make a relevant ad. Try to identify their activities as per your products. It may help you out to design your ad accordingly.
You should know how you can provide your products to them and how your products can help them. It also helps you to know what set of words or phrases they use to find the products you sell.
2. Select Productive Keywords:
When you are making your keywords list you must limit it only with the most relevant keywords. Do not increase the volume of your list with unnecessary keywords. You should select only those words that can more likely to make conversions.
3. Try to be specific:
You should avoid using general keywords. PPC campaign is not meant for calling huge loads of traffic. You just have to attract only quality traffic. Single word keywords are often very generic.
Therefore, you should use keywords that have at least two words to be more specific.
Sometimes, too specific keywords fail to draw traffic and remain as a complete waste of money. You should not be too specific in keywords because it may limit exposure of your ad.
[bctt tweet=”Sometimes too specific keywords fail to draw traffic and remain as complete waste of money” username=”adstriangle”]
4. Use Google Analytics:
Analytics tell you about keywords performance. Using Web analytics you can identify which keywords are working better. You should run keywords review in weekly basis so that you can improve keywords performance.
5. Keywords should be relevant to Ad Copy and Landing Page:
When a user finds your ad in search result they get a primary idea on your products or services. Your ad copy should include keywords that can make users feel they are at exact place. Ad copy must have keywords that are relevant to your products.
Your landing page must be relevant to keywords you have used in ad copy. For which keywords users find your ad in the search result, your landing page should contain those keywords also. Relevant landing page increases likelihood of conversions
6. Utilize Keywords Variations:
A single keyword may have different variations. Different users may search for your products using different variations. Lack of introducing variations of keywords may cause losing a large number of quality clicks.
Variations may use various terms such as synonyms, misspellings, alternative spellings, singular term, plural term and much more.
7. Look at your ad as a user:
This is the most needed step. You should look at your ad at the point of view of a user. You should search for your product in the search engine. And be sure of what keywords most of the users like to put to find your products or services.
Summary
I hope this discussion will help you run your PPC campaign successfully. Hopefully, this discussion will provide much input while you will design your next campaign.
Strong keywords strategy is key to success. Though it is an ongoing process to research with keywords, you should introduce best practices. More you involve in keywords management more you can array powerful keywords techniques.
This article is not the only potential to support you for constructing strong PPC campaign but it also ensures you to come up with strategic possibilities. You must not copy strategy from your competitors or never follow advice blindly.
Analyze your competitors’ success and advice. You just need to use them as per your strategy and must organize those ideas accordingly to make them work for you.
Hopefully, this discussion will help you in structuring your PPC Campaign. Now, you are thinking what to do with the keywords that have already been running in your current campaigns.
In my next blog post, I will come up with discussions on how to treat keywords in your PPC Campaign.