As experienced search engine marketers we believe we know every high-quality keyword that should be included in our campaigns. We use campaign history, Webmaster tools, and a number of third-party keyword research websites to find every keyword that could and would ever be used in a search. However, people don’t always search the way you think they will, and many times will even surprise you in regards to the search terms they type into the Google box. Here’s a strategy for using your keyword match types intelligently to discover new search terms.
In AdWords, using the broad match modifier form of the keyword type will give you greater keyword flexibility and produce some new ideas in your search terms report. The broad match modifier allows for search terms entered in any order to match to campaign keyword, and trigger ad(s) contained in the ad group. This modifier differs from phrase match in the sense that to trigger an ad for phrase match, keyword searches must be entered in the same order as the keyword in the campaign. In practice the broad match modifier will give you more control than a simple broad match and will allow for more impressions than the phrase match.
A good way to organize your broad match modifiers is to create a separate ad group that contains a tightly themed group of keywords with ad text relevant to that keyword theme. Make all of the keyword match types in this new ad group broad match modified, and write two ads with the goal of testing the message of each. By placing a “+” symbol in front of each of the words you want to modify you have created broad match modified. Once a sufficient set of data has been accumulated you can begin to mine for new keywords and search terms.
Upon close examination of the search terms report for this new broad match modified ad group new search terms will be revealed. Use your, and your client-defined KPI’s to find new and high-performing keywords that should be added to your campaign. These new keywords might be candidates to be added into existing ad groups, or you might find a group of new keywords that can build a new ad group, with ads and relevant text. My recommendation is not to add them to the existing ad group unless it makes sense, and that they will be added as broad match modified.
This search terms report examination can also suggest negative keywords that could be added to your campaign as well. Searchers might also be looking outside of your core business by adding a word or two that matches with your keywords. One example I like to give is for the keyword +used +golf, a searcher enters the term “used ez-go golf cart,” most likely one of our ads will trigger. And while we sell any number of used golf items we don’t sell any golf carts. By adding the negative keywords “cart” and “ez-go” we keep ads from triggering when those search terms are entered.
You should be aware that your new broad match modified ad group must be monitored closely because you may have included a keyword or two that gets a large number of impressions and few or no clicks. In other words, if you don’t keep your eye on the new ad group your CTR could go downhill very quickly. Be ready to pause or adjust those low CTR keywords, and preserve the click through rate in your ad group.
Search marketers have any number of keyword tools in our search marketing toolbox, from the AdWords keyword planner, to free tools to paid 3rd party tools. Now you have one more data-driven tool at your fingertips to find high-quality relevant keywords. Building a new ad group with keywords using the broad match modifier will not only give you some greater flexibility over phrase match, but you will also discover new campaign keywords, as well as some negative keywords. Strategic inclusion of broad match modified will improve the metrics of the campaign, and increase the return on ad spend for your client.
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