Here are four steps to building a more effective keyword list:
- When creating your list, think like a customer.
What terms or phrases would your customers use to describe your products or services?
- For search keywords, be sure to list any keywords that you think users might search for on Google to find your business. Then expand your list to include relevant variations including alternate spellings (for example, light, and lite), plurals, synonyms, and misspellings. To help you brainstorm, use our Keyword Tool. To use the Keyword Tool in your account, select the Keywords tab and click Add keywords.
- For content keywords, be sure to select keywords that are closely related to the central concept of the ad group, as ads on the Content Network are targeted by the overall theme of the keyword list, not individual keyword terms. Choose keyword themes that relate to the content on the websites your target audience might visit.
- Refine or remove keywords that may be too broad or irrelevant.
Keywords that are too broad can lower your performance by generating many ad impressions but few clicks.
- For search keywords, delete generic keywords on your list that could relate to a wide spectrum of products or services. One-word keywords are likely to be too generic, so try using two- or three-word phrases. For example, using the generic keyword bags to promote luggage goods could show your ad to people searching for unrelated items like tea bags and vacuum bags. To make your keywords more specific, add words that are descriptive of your goods or services. Instead of using the keyword bags, try more relevant and descriptive keywords like luggage bags, carry-on travel bags, and buy luggage online.
- For content keywords, avoid this by deleting keywords that aren't closely related to the primary ad group theme. Avoid creating keyword lists that could have multiple meanings. For example, creating a Content Network targeted keyword list using the terms java, java advice, java sales, etc. could cause the AdWords system to place your ads on sites related to both coffee and the Java programming language. Instead, be sure to use tightly themed keywords in each ad group that match the content your target audience will be looking at, such as programming with java, java code and java software.
- For the Search Network, consider using the Search Terms Report to further improve your keyword list. This report will give you information on the exact search queries people used to find your ad. With this information you can add keywords or remove them from your list.
- Consider different keyword matching options.
- On the Search Network, you can choose four different keyword matching options to target your ads to users: broad, phrase, exact, or negative match. If you don't set a specific option, your keywords will be broad match by default. Switch to one of the other options if you want to narrow your audience to be more relevant. By applying more focused matching options to your keywords, you can reach those who are more interested in what you offer, reduce your cost-per-click (CPC), and increase your ROI.
- On the Content Network, however, all keywords are only considered broad match, as the AdWords system doesn't use individual keywords to target ads on the Content Network, but rather the overall theme of all the keywords combined. As a result, only broad match and negative match keyword options are available for ad groups targeted to the Content Network.
