Create an account
It's easy to create an AdWords account and begin advertising on Google. Get started by visiting the AdWords homepage at https://adwords.google.com then click Start now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Choose a username
Now you'll need to choose the username and password for your AdWords account. For this, you'll use a Google Account (a master login for all Google products) which sets the email address and password that you'll use to sign in to AdWords.
More about Google Accounts
When you create an AdWords account, you'll be asked if you'd like to use your existing Google account login for AdWords. How do you know if you already have a Google Account?
A Google Account is a single email and password used to access multiple Google services, including Gmail, Google Groups, Google Alerts, Google Product Search, Personalized Search, and Personalized Homepage. If you currently use one of these services, you probably already have a Google Account that you can use for AdWords.
The sure-fire way to tell if you have a Google Account is to visit the Google Accounts Assistance page. Enter an email you use often, and complete the steps. If we recognize that your email address is tied to a Google Account, we'll send you an email with a link to reset the Google Account's password. If we don't recognize your email address, we'll let you know.
If you don't have a Google Account or still aren't sure, no worries. You can create a new Google Account when creating your AdWords account.
Keep a record somewhere of the email address and password you choose. To ensure your account's security, please do not share these details with anyone.
Choose a currency
Select which currency you'll use to pay Google for your advertising costs. Payments will be requested and accepted only in the currency you choose. Before you do this, make sure to review available payment options ; the availability of payment options may influence which currency you choose.
You won't be able to change your billing currency after you've selected one for your AdWords account. Therefore, please choose carefully.
Verify your account
If you used an existing Google Account to create your AdWords account, you can now sign in to your AdWords account at https://adwords.google.com
If you created a new Google Account to use for AdWords, you'll receive an email asking you to verify your email address. Click the link provided in that email and then sign in to your AdWords account with the email address and password you recently chose.
Submit billing information
You can explore your AdWords account without submitting billing information. However, your account will not be active and your ads won't run until after you provide billing details. See the activate your ads section to learn how to enter billing information and get your ad running.
Next: Create a campaign
Learn more about creating an account in our Help Center
Create a campaign
Now for the fun part! Create a campaign and ad to promote your business. In your account, click the "Create your first campaign" button. Here are some choices you'll have for your ad campaign:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Campaign settings
Audience: Select the language your ad will be written in and the locations of your potential customers. These settings determine the languages and geographical locations of the people who see your ads. Learn more in the ad targeting section of this guide.
Networks and devices:
Select where you want your ad to appear, be it just on Google's search results or on Google's partner sites too. The setting by default will show your ad to the widest relevant audience across Google and the Google Network.
Daily budget
Enter the amount you're willing to spend on average each day for this ad campaign. Your budget will help determine how many times your ad can be shown each day. Learn more in the daily budget section.
CPC bid
Enter the maximum amount you're willing to pay each time a user clicks your ad. Your bid will help determine how often your ad can show and in what position on the page it will appear. Learn more in the bidding section.
Ads
Your text ad will include a headline, two lines of descriptive text, a display URL that shows your website address, and a destination URL that determines which page of your website a user will see after clicking your ad. Learn more in the ad basics section.
Keywords
Your keywords are the words or phrases a potential customer would use to search for your service or product on Google. Keywords determine which searches can trigger your ad, so enter keywords that specifically describe your product or service. Learn more in the keyword basics section.
Activate your account
Now that your first campaign has been created, let's make sure that your ads can begin appearing to potential customers. To start running your ads, you'll need to enter valid billing information and set campaign details like a daily budget.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Choose a payment option
Available payment options depend on the country of your billing address and the currency with which you make payments. Select your country and currency on our Payment Options page to see what's available to you.
Google payment options are divided into two types: postpay and prepay. One or both will be available to you depending on your country and currency. Note that you won't be able to switch from a postpay option to a prepay option or vice versa, so be careful when you select a payment method as you set up your account.
Click the links below for more information on postpay and prepay:
Postpay
Postpay
If you select a postpay option, you'll make payments only after you accrue advertising costs. You'll be billed 30 days after your last payment or when your account costs reach your billing threshold, whichever comes first. Learn more about when you're billed.
Google currently offers two types of postpay. If both are available to you, you can switch between them at any time.
I. Credit and debit card: If you choose this option, your ads will begin running almost immediately after you enter valid credit or debit card information. All AdWords charges will be made to this card. See a list of frequently asked questions about postpay by credit or debit card.
II. Direct debit: If you choose this option, Google will deduct AdWords payments from your bank account. You may be required to submit a debit authorization or verify a test deposit before your ads can run. See a list of frequently asked questions about direct debit.
If you use postpay, we recommend entering a backup credit card in your account. If your primary form of payment is ever declined, we'll attempt to charge your backup credit card to help ensure that your ads run continuously.
See a list of frequently asked questions about postpay.
Prepay
Prepay
If you select a prepay option, you'll pay for advertising in advance of receiving any clicks or impressions. You can add funds to your AdWords account whenever you like, and we'll deduct costs from that balance. We'll notify you when your balance is running low. If you do run out of funds, your ads will stop showing until you make another payment.
Google offers two widely available types of prepay:
I. Credit and debit card: If you choose this option, Google will charge your credit or debit card in the amount that you specify, and your account balance will update almost immediately. See a list of frequently asked questions about prepay by credit or debit card.
II. Bank transfer: If you choose this option, you'll make AdWords payments by transferring funds from your bank account to Google's bank account. Your ads will begin running as soon as we receive and process your payment. This typically takes 5 to 10 business days, depending on your country and what bank you use.
Be sure to include the correct reference number when making a transfer or we won't be able to match your payment to your AdWords account. See a list of frequently asked questions about bank transfer.
Google also offers a number of prepay options specific to a single country. Learn about these options and more in our frequently asked questions about prepay.
Note that you can switch between all the prepay options available to you at any time.
Submit billing information
The first step is to enter valid billing information into your AdWords account.
How to enter billing details
Your AdWords account won't be activated until you submit valid billing information. Once you do, you can edit this information at any time.
Note: Your payment options depend on the country of your billing address and your selected currency. Enter your country and currency on our Payment Options page to see what's available to you.
Enter billing information for the first time
Once you've created an AdWords account, follow the steps below to enter your billing information.
Sign in to your AdWords account at https://adwords.google.com .
Select the Billing tab.
Click Billing preferences.
Choose the country or territory of your billing address as well as your preferred time zone. Click Continue.
Choose your payment method and enter your billing information. Click Continue.
Agree to the AdWords terms and conditions.
Click Save and Activate.
Note: Once your account is activated and your billing information has been processed, any new ads and campaigns you create can begin running on Google. You will not be asked to submit your billing information every time you create a new ad or campaign.
Edit billing information
To edit your billing information:
Sign in to your AdWords account at https://adwords.google.com .
Select the Billing tab.
Click Billing preferences.
Click edit in the Primary Payment Details section.
Enter your updated billing information.
Click Save Changes.
If your payment has been declined and you'd like to resubmit the same credit card information, you may do so by clicking Retry card on your Billing Preferences page.
We also recommend that you provide a backup credit card to help ensure that your ads continue running if your primary payment method fails.
Have a promotional code? Learn how to use it . Most promotional codes have an expiration date, so you may need to apply it soon after creating your account.
Submit backup information
We highly recommend you enter a backup credit card in your account. That way, your ads won't stop running if one of your payments isn't successful. Learn more
A backup credit card is a credit card that we will keep on file to charge in case your primary payment method fails. If your primary payment method is ever declined when processing a payment, we'll attempt to charge your backup credit card to help ensure that your ads run continuously.
You can enter or edit your backup credit card by following these steps:
Log in to your account at https://adwords.google.com.
Select the Billing tab.
Click Billing preferences.
Under Backup Payment Details, click 'add' or 'edit' if you've entered a backup credit card previously.
Select your credit card type from the drop-down menu then enter the new card information and billing address.
Click Save changes.
Do it now.
Your AdWords account is now active!
For some accounts, your ads will be eligible to start appearing on Google immediately after entering billing information. Other accounts may take up to a week before ads can begin running. This depends on what type of billing method your account uses. Learn more
How long it takes for your ad to start running and accruing costs will depend on the payment option you choose.
Postpay accounts
Postpay by credit or debit card:
Your ads may start running on Google and accruing costs almost immediately after you submit valid credit or debit card information.
Postpay by direct debit:
For advertisers in certain locations, your ads may not begin running until after we receive and process your debit authorization or verify a test deposit. For other direct debit advertisers, your ads may start running as soon as you submit valid payment information. Learn more
Prepay accounts
Prepay by bank transfer:
Your ads will begin running as soon as we receive and process your payment. This typically takes 5 to 10 business days, depending on your country and what bank you use. Learn more
Prepay by credit card:
Your ads will being serving almost immediately after you make a prepayment.
Other prepay methods:
If you chose to use a different prepay billing method, your ads will start running after you submit your payment information and we successfully receive and process your first payment. Learn more
Saturday, September 26, 2009
AdWords Beginner's Guide
Welcome to Google AdWords!
In this guide, you'll learn all the AdWords basics, including how to begin, what to expect, and how to make the most of your advertising efforts. Click a topic below to get started.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Getting started -- Creating an account and campaign, activating your account, promotional codes, and getting your ads running
Account -- Signing in, account pages, account structure, and basic AdWords terms to know
Costs -- Billing, budget, and bids, plus how to control your advertising costs
Ads -- When your ads will show and where, ad targeting, and tips for successful ads
Keywords -- How keywords are used to target your ads and tips for selecting good keywords
Performance -- How to measure your success and improve your performance
Help & resources -- AdWords resources, support options, and tips to stay up-to-date
In this guide, you'll learn all the AdWords basics, including how to begin, what to expect, and how to make the most of your advertising efforts. Click a topic below to get started.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Getting started -- Creating an account and campaign, activating your account, promotional codes, and getting your ads running
Account -- Signing in, account pages, account structure, and basic AdWords terms to know
Costs -- Billing, budget, and bids, plus how to control your advertising costs
Ads -- When your ads will show and where, ad targeting, and tips for successful ads
Keywords -- How keywords are used to target your ads and tips for selecting good keywords
Performance -- How to measure your success and improve your performance
Help & resources -- AdWords resources, support options, and tips to stay up-to-date
Keywords
What are keyword matching options?Print
The four keyword matching options determine which Google searches can trigger your ads to appear. These options can help you control who sees your ads.
You can set each search-targeted keyword to have one of those four settings. To use a keyword matching option, just add the appropriate punctuation to your keyword:
Broad match: keyword
Allows your ad to show on similar phrases and relevant variations
Phrase match: "keyword"
Allows your ad to show for searches that match the exact phrase
Exact match: [keyword]
Allows your ad to show for searches that match the exact phrase exclusively
Negative match: -keyword
Ensures your ad doesn't show for any search that includes that term
With some options, you'll enjoy more ad impressions, clicks, and conversions; with others, you'll get fewer impressions and more narrow targeting. By applying the appropriate matching options to your keywords, you can best meet your ROI goals.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Broad Match
This is the default option. If your ad group contained the keyword 'tennis shoes,' your ad would be eligible to appear when a user's search query contained either or both words ('tennis' and 'shoes') in any order, and possibly along with other terms. Your ads could also show for singular/plural forms, synonyms, and other relevant variations.
Broad match keyword: Ads may show on searches for:
tennis shoes tennis
shoes
buy tennis shoes
tennis shoe photos
running shoes
tennis sneakers
Run a Search Query Performance Report to see what keyword variations trigger your ad. Check out this blog post to learn how broad match can help you reach more customers (English only).
Learn more about broad match
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phrase Match
If you enter your keyword in quotation marks, as in "tennis shoes," your ad would be eligible to appear when a user searches on the phrase tennis shoes, with the words in that order. It can also appear for searches that contain other terms as long as it includes the exact phrase you've specified.
Phrase match keyword: Ads may show on searches for: Ads won't show on searches for:
"tennis shoes" red tennis shoes
buy tennis shoes
tennis shoes photo shoes for tennis
tennis shoe
tennis sneakers
Phrase match is more targeted than broad match, but more flexible than exact match.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exact Match
If you surround your keywords in brackets -- such as [tennis shoes] -- your ad would be eligible to appear when a user searches for the specific phrase 'tennis shoes,' in this order, and without any other terms in the query.
Exact match keyword: Ads may show on searches for: Ads won't show on searches for:
[tennis shoes] tennis shoes red tennis shoes
tennis shoe
buy tennis shoes
You likely won't receive as many impressions, clicks, or conversions with exact match as you would with broad match. However, if you've carefully constructed a comprehensive keyword list, the traffic you do receive may be more targeted to your product or service.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Negative Match
If your keyword is 'tennis shoes' and you add the negative keyword '-used,' your ad will not appear for any searches that contain the word 'used.'
Keywords: Ads may show on searches for: Ads won't show on searches for:
tennis shoes
-used tennis shoes
buy tennis shoes
tennis used tennis shoes
shoe used for tennis
Negative keywords are especially useful if your account contains lots of broad-matched keywords. It's a good idea to add any irrelevant keyword variations you see in a Search Query Performance Report or the Keyword Tool as a negative keyword. Learn more
Learn more about negative keywords
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remember, no matter which matching options you use, it's important to only use keywords that accurately describe your product or service. Read more tips on creating an effective keyword list.
What are the steps to creating a keyword list?Print
After setting your advertising goals, the next step is to build out your keywords. This can sometimes be daunting, especially if you're just beginning, but here are four steps to start creating an effective keyword list:
Expand your keyword list to include as many relevant words as possible.
Target the keyword list by using keyword matching options.
Scrub or refine the keyword list.
Group the keywords in thematic clusters to be paired with different ads.
Step 1: Expand
First, review your site content to identify which keywords (word combinations and phrases) describe the main categories of your business. Write down every relevant keyword under each category you find. Expand the list by including all of your brand and product names as well as plurals and synonyms for each word or phrase on your initial list. Also, remember to think like your customers. How might your customers ask for your product or service? (Don't worry about capitalization — our system is not case-sensitive.)
If you're still looking for more keywords after your own brainstorming, try out our Keyword Tool.
Step 2: Target
Now it's time to target your keywords using Google's keyword matching options. These enable you to pin point ad delivery so your ads reach people precisely when they are searching for what you have to offer. You can choose to designate each of your keywords as a broad, phrase, exact or negative match. Each type of match provides a varying degree of exposure.
For example, a broad-matched keyword will allow your ad to appear on your keyword as well as variations and synonyms of that keyword that the AdWords system identifies as relevant. However, a negative-matched keyword will never trigger your ad. Decide which of your keywords you would like to place where along this spectrum.
Step 3: Scrub
After creating, expanding, and targeting your list of keywords, it's time to refine it. To do this, review your list and make sure you're satisfied with what you've come up with. Eliminate any keywords that may be irrelevant.
Step 4: Group
You've already created different 'buckets' for your words based on your product lines. Now it's time to do even more refined and granular grouping into thematic categories, which are called ad groups. Organizing and grouping keywords is crucial because you'll need to write ad copy targeted to each group.
Can I run on any keyword as long as I pay a high enough CPC?Print
Not necessarily. We place a lot of weight on the quality of your keywords. So if we find that your keyword is not performing well, the Quality Score of your keyword will decrease, increasing the bid required for certain auctions. In addition, your position on a search results page may drop. If there's a more relevant keyword running against yours - even at a lower bid - it will likely outrank your ad. The best way to ensure a high ad placement is to increase both your ad's quality and maximum CPC.
How do I manage the number of keywords in my account?Print
Each ad group has a limit of 2000 keywords. To ensure that accounts do not place unnecessary load on our advertising servers, we ask that you keep the overall number of keywords in your account to a manageable size. When you approach an unmanageable amount of active keywords, we'll place a notice within your account and request that you refine your keyword list and remove unnecessary keywords. In most cases, a handful of well-targeted keywords will deliver the majority of your relevant clicks, and there is no need to create hundreds or thousands of keywords.
By default, our ad system does the work for you by displaying your ad on variations of your keywords, including misspellings and similar keywords. This means that one keyword can serve the purpose of several related words or variations. Adding the additional variations separately won't necessarily increase your visibility by much.
Regardless of whether or not your account contains a small or large number of keywords, you can always take advantage of a 'well-scrubbed' keyword list that focuses on your most targeted keywords. We recommend that you build your keyword lists with the following in mind:
Do...
Use our keyword matching options.
Use our Keyword Tool to select your keywords and see which related searches will trigger your ads.
Review our FAQ on making your keywords work for you.
Get more steps for creating a targeted keyword list.
Don't...
Include these variations: misspellings (french cusine), capitalization (French cuisine), incorrect spacing (french cui sine), hyphens (french-cuisine).
Use variations that are more than three words long (best for unique markets and product names).
Use a three-word keyword in multiple matching variations at one time: [buy red bicycle], "buy red bicycle," buy red bicycle.
Are keywords case-sensitive?Print
No. Keywords are matched without regard to upper-case or lower-case letters. For example, you don't need to enter 'real estate' and 'Real Estate' as keywords; just 'real estate' will cover both.
Can keywords contain symbols?Print
The AdWords system doesn't recognize most symbols (i.e., non-letter characters) when they appear in keywords. The two exceptions are ampersands and accent marks.
I. Valid Symbols
Our system recognizes two kinds of symbols in keywords: ampersands (&) and accent marks (e.g., á).
The following terms would be treated as different keywords:
bed and breakfast is distinct from bed & breakfast
sidewalk cafe is distinct from sidewalk café
II. Ignored Symbols
You can add keywords containing periods or dashes to your account, but the punctuation will be ignored. For example, our system would treat the following keywords as identical:
T-rex is equivalent to T rex
Fifth Ave. is equivalent to Fifth Ave
If your account contains more than one equivalent keyword, such as in the examples above, only one of the keywords will be allowed to trigger an ad per search query. We recommend deleting keyword duplicates to make your ad groups more manageable.
III. Invalid Symbols
You'll see an error message if you try to add keywords containing the following symbols to your account:
! @ % ^ * () = {} ; ~ ` <> ? \ |
If you include a comma in your keyword, the system will treat the term as two keywords. For instance, if you try to add flowers,plants, you'll actually add the keywords flowers and plants to your ad group.
How do I use filters to review my disapproved keywords?Print
You can review all of your disapproved keywords from the Keywords Tab. To do this, follow the steps below:
Sign in to your AdWords account at https://adwords.google.com.
Click Filters and Views above the statistics table from any Keywords Tab within your account.
Click Filter keywords.
Select "Approval status" in the available filters.
Uncheck all boxes except "Not triggering ads: requires action."
Click Apply.
The four keyword matching options determine which Google searches can trigger your ads to appear. These options can help you control who sees your ads.
You can set each search-targeted keyword to have one of those four settings. To use a keyword matching option, just add the appropriate punctuation to your keyword:
Broad match: keyword
Allows your ad to show on similar phrases and relevant variations
Phrase match: "keyword"
Allows your ad to show for searches that match the exact phrase
Exact match: [keyword]
Allows your ad to show for searches that match the exact phrase exclusively
Negative match: -keyword
Ensures your ad doesn't show for any search that includes that term
With some options, you'll enjoy more ad impressions, clicks, and conversions; with others, you'll get fewer impressions and more narrow targeting. By applying the appropriate matching options to your keywords, you can best meet your ROI goals.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Broad Match
This is the default option. If your ad group contained the keyword 'tennis shoes,' your ad would be eligible to appear when a user's search query contained either or both words ('tennis' and 'shoes') in any order, and possibly along with other terms. Your ads could also show for singular/plural forms, synonyms, and other relevant variations.
Broad match keyword: Ads may show on searches for:
tennis shoes tennis
shoes
buy tennis shoes
tennis shoe photos
running shoes
tennis sneakers
Run a Search Query Performance Report to see what keyword variations trigger your ad. Check out this blog post to learn how broad match can help you reach more customers (English only).
Learn more about broad match
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phrase Match
If you enter your keyword in quotation marks, as in "tennis shoes," your ad would be eligible to appear when a user searches on the phrase tennis shoes, with the words in that order. It can also appear for searches that contain other terms as long as it includes the exact phrase you've specified.
Phrase match keyword: Ads may show on searches for: Ads won't show on searches for:
"tennis shoes" red tennis shoes
buy tennis shoes
tennis shoes photo shoes for tennis
tennis shoe
tennis sneakers
Phrase match is more targeted than broad match, but more flexible than exact match.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exact Match
If you surround your keywords in brackets -- such as [tennis shoes] -- your ad would be eligible to appear when a user searches for the specific phrase 'tennis shoes,' in this order, and without any other terms in the query.
Exact match keyword: Ads may show on searches for: Ads won't show on searches for:
[tennis shoes] tennis shoes red tennis shoes
tennis shoe
buy tennis shoes
You likely won't receive as many impressions, clicks, or conversions with exact match as you would with broad match. However, if you've carefully constructed a comprehensive keyword list, the traffic you do receive may be more targeted to your product or service.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Negative Match
If your keyword is 'tennis shoes' and you add the negative keyword '-used,' your ad will not appear for any searches that contain the word 'used.'
Keywords: Ads may show on searches for: Ads won't show on searches for:
tennis shoes
-used tennis shoes
buy tennis shoes
tennis used tennis shoes
shoe used for tennis
Negative keywords are especially useful if your account contains lots of broad-matched keywords. It's a good idea to add any irrelevant keyword variations you see in a Search Query Performance Report or the Keyword Tool as a negative keyword. Learn more
Learn more about negative keywords
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remember, no matter which matching options you use, it's important to only use keywords that accurately describe your product or service. Read more tips on creating an effective keyword list.
What are the steps to creating a keyword list?Print
After setting your advertising goals, the next step is to build out your keywords. This can sometimes be daunting, especially if you're just beginning, but here are four steps to start creating an effective keyword list:
Expand your keyword list to include as many relevant words as possible.
Target the keyword list by using keyword matching options.
Scrub or refine the keyword list.
Group the keywords in thematic clusters to be paired with different ads.
Step 1: Expand
First, review your site content to identify which keywords (word combinations and phrases) describe the main categories of your business. Write down every relevant keyword under each category you find. Expand the list by including all of your brand and product names as well as plurals and synonyms for each word or phrase on your initial list. Also, remember to think like your customers. How might your customers ask for your product or service? (Don't worry about capitalization — our system is not case-sensitive.)
If you're still looking for more keywords after your own brainstorming, try out our Keyword Tool.
Step 2: Target
Now it's time to target your keywords using Google's keyword matching options. These enable you to pin point ad delivery so your ads reach people precisely when they are searching for what you have to offer. You can choose to designate each of your keywords as a broad, phrase, exact or negative match. Each type of match provides a varying degree of exposure.
For example, a broad-matched keyword will allow your ad to appear on your keyword as well as variations and synonyms of that keyword that the AdWords system identifies as relevant. However, a negative-matched keyword will never trigger your ad. Decide which of your keywords you would like to place where along this spectrum.
Step 3: Scrub
After creating, expanding, and targeting your list of keywords, it's time to refine it. To do this, review your list and make sure you're satisfied with what you've come up with. Eliminate any keywords that may be irrelevant.
Step 4: Group
You've already created different 'buckets' for your words based on your product lines. Now it's time to do even more refined and granular grouping into thematic categories, which are called ad groups. Organizing and grouping keywords is crucial because you'll need to write ad copy targeted to each group.
Can I run on any keyword as long as I pay a high enough CPC?Print
Not necessarily. We place a lot of weight on the quality of your keywords. So if we find that your keyword is not performing well, the Quality Score of your keyword will decrease, increasing the bid required for certain auctions. In addition, your position on a search results page may drop. If there's a more relevant keyword running against yours - even at a lower bid - it will likely outrank your ad. The best way to ensure a high ad placement is to increase both your ad's quality and maximum CPC.
How do I manage the number of keywords in my account?Print
Each ad group has a limit of 2000 keywords. To ensure that accounts do not place unnecessary load on our advertising servers, we ask that you keep the overall number of keywords in your account to a manageable size. When you approach an unmanageable amount of active keywords, we'll place a notice within your account and request that you refine your keyword list and remove unnecessary keywords. In most cases, a handful of well-targeted keywords will deliver the majority of your relevant clicks, and there is no need to create hundreds or thousands of keywords.
By default, our ad system does the work for you by displaying your ad on variations of your keywords, including misspellings and similar keywords. This means that one keyword can serve the purpose of several related words or variations. Adding the additional variations separately won't necessarily increase your visibility by much.
Regardless of whether or not your account contains a small or large number of keywords, you can always take advantage of a 'well-scrubbed' keyword list that focuses on your most targeted keywords. We recommend that you build your keyword lists with the following in mind:
Do...
Use our keyword matching options.
Use our Keyword Tool to select your keywords and see which related searches will trigger your ads.
Review our FAQ on making your keywords work for you.
Get more steps for creating a targeted keyword list.
Don't...
Include these variations: misspellings (french cusine), capitalization (French cuisine), incorrect spacing (french cui sine), hyphens (french-cuisine).
Use variations that are more than three words long (best for unique markets and product names).
Use a three-word keyword in multiple matching variations at one time: [buy red bicycle], "buy red bicycle," buy red bicycle.
Are keywords case-sensitive?Print
No. Keywords are matched without regard to upper-case or lower-case letters. For example, you don't need to enter 'real estate' and 'Real Estate' as keywords; just 'real estate' will cover both.
Can keywords contain symbols?Print
The AdWords system doesn't recognize most symbols (i.e., non-letter characters) when they appear in keywords. The two exceptions are ampersands and accent marks.
I. Valid Symbols
Our system recognizes two kinds of symbols in keywords: ampersands (&) and accent marks (e.g., á).
The following terms would be treated as different keywords:
bed and breakfast is distinct from bed & breakfast
sidewalk cafe is distinct from sidewalk café
II. Ignored Symbols
You can add keywords containing periods or dashes to your account, but the punctuation will be ignored. For example, our system would treat the following keywords as identical:
T-rex is equivalent to T rex
Fifth Ave. is equivalent to Fifth Ave
If your account contains more than one equivalent keyword, such as in the examples above, only one of the keywords will be allowed to trigger an ad per search query. We recommend deleting keyword duplicates to make your ad groups more manageable.
III. Invalid Symbols
You'll see an error message if you try to add keywords containing the following symbols to your account:
! @ % ^ * () = {} ; ~ ` <> ? \ |
If you include a comma in your keyword, the system will treat the term as two keywords. For instance, if you try to add flowers,plants, you'll actually add the keywords flowers and plants to your ad group.
How do I use filters to review my disapproved keywords?Print
You can review all of your disapproved keywords from the Keywords Tab. To do this, follow the steps below:
Sign in to your AdWords account at https://adwords.google.com.
Click Filters and Views above the statistics table from any Keywords Tab within your account.
Click Filter keywords.
Select "Approval status" in the available filters.
Uncheck all boxes except "Not triggering ads: requires action."
Click Apply.
Ads
Why can't I see my ad?Print
There are several common reasons you may be unable to see your ad. To help you determine why, we've developed a great tool:
Use the Ads Diagnostic Tool to learn the exact reason why you can't see your ads.
You can also get an instant diagnosis for any keyword by first clicking the Campaigns tab, and then the Keywords tab. Click the speech bubble icon next to any keyword, and more information will appear.
To preview your ad, use the Ad Preview tool instead of performing a regular Google search. When you search for your ad multiple times on Google, it can affect your ad position by racking up many ad impressions and lowering your clickthrough rate (CTR); so use the Ad Preview tool instead.
Or, click the situation below that best describes you, and review some of the possible reasons why you may not see your ad:
I just created an ad and can't see it yet.
No Billing Information
Your AdWords ads can't begin running until you enter valid billing information in your account. If you pay with credit card or other postpay option, your account will be activated once you submit billing information. Depending on the processing time associated with your payment option, your ads may begin showing and accruing costs immediately. If you pay with bank transfer or another form of prepayment, your ads won't run until we receive and process your first payment. This can take 8-10 days (and occasionally more) after you've submitted your billing information and made your first payment. To enter your billing information, sign in to your AdWords account and click the Billing tab. Then select Billing preferences and enter your billing information.
Ad Approval Status
All ads must comply with our advertising policies. While some ads may run on Google prior to review, others may not run at all before being reviewed and approved by an AdWords Specialist. If your ad is awaiting review, we'll get to it as soon as we can. While your ad is in queue, you can review our advertising guidelines to ensure that your ad complies. Also, note that no ads will show on the Google Network until after being reviewed and approved.
Ad Location
Search network ads typically appear to the right of, or above, search results on Google or search partner sites. If your Ad Rank is not high enough to place your ad on the first page of search results for a certain keyword, it may appear on a subsequent search result page. To see additional pages of ads, click 'Next' at the bottom of the page, or click the 'More Sponsored Links' link below the column of ads.
If you want your ad to show closer to or on the first page more often, you can improve your Ad Rank by optimizing your campaign and/or increasing your cost-per-click (CPC) bids. The First Page Bid column on your 'Ad Group Details' page, under the 'Keywords' tab, estimates the CPC bid you'd need for your ad to appear on the first page. Note that this amount depends on the keyword's Quality Score - the higher the Quality Score, the lower the first page bid estimate, and vice versa.
Server Delay
There may be a brief delay after you create your ads but before the time they are actually shown. Sometimes it takes our servers longer than usual to upload and prepare to serve your ads. Try checking for your ad again after a few hours have elapsed.
I've seen my ad before, but I can't anymore.
Daily Budget
If your daily budget is set lower than the recommended amount, the AdWords system may slow or even stop the delivery of your ad for that day in order to stay within your budget. Depending on the delivery option you've set, your ad delivery may be spread out over the day or your ad may stop showing earlier in the day as soon as your budget is reached. To maximize your ad visibility, consider changing your daily budget to meet the recommended amount.
Disapproved Ad
If an ad doesn't meet our advertising policies, we'll stop your ad from running, and you'll see the word Disapproved listed below that ad.
You can use filters to identify your disapproved ads and why they were disapproved. Then click the 'Edit' link next to your ad to make the appropriate changes. If this is the case, please make the needed edits and save the changes to automatically resubmit your ad to us for review.
Keyword Performance
If a keyword underperforms, its Quality Score will decrease and it may become ineligible to trigger your ads for certain search queries at its current cost-per-click (CPC) bid. This most often happens to keywords that are very general and therefore do not perform very well. For instance, a keyword with a low Quality Score may only be eligible to trigger ads on certain variations of your broad- or phrase-matched keywords. To monitor your keyword's performance, check the 'Quality Score' column on the 'Keywords' tab of your Ad Group Details page. Or, to get a detailed view of performance and Quality Score, visit the Keyword Analysis page by clicking the magnifying glass icon beside the keyword you're interested in.
If your keyword has a poor Quality Score and isn't accruing much traffic, try following these optimization tips to improve your Quality Scores, or try raising the keyword's CPC bid. We want to give users a positive ad experience while keeping your costs low, so we encourage you to try optimizing your account before paying more.
My ad's running and accruing statistics, but I've never been able to see it.
Geo-Targeting
You can target your campaign to specific languages, countries and territories, regions, and cities. If you don't target your own geographical area and the language of your Google interface, you won't be able to see your ad. (For instance, if you're in London and you've targeted your ads to Tokyo only, you won't see your ad when you search for it in London.) If you're targeting a region or city, we show ads based on a user's internet protocol (IP) address. Sometimes we're unable to obtain IP information. In this case, we'd be unable to identify the user's location and therefore wouldn't recognize which regional ads to deliver. If we can't determine the user's location, we'll show nationally-targeted ads instead of regionally-targeted ads. Also see Why can't I see my regionally targeted or customized ads?
Language Targeting
You can target your campaign to specific languages, which means that your ads are only visible to users whose Google interface is set to one of these languages. You can view your Google interface language setting by clicking the 'Preferences' link to the right of the Search Box on the Google homepage. If your Google interface language isn't included in your campaign language targeting selection, you may want to edit your campaign language targeting in order to see your ad. You can also edit your Google interface language setting by selecting the appropriate language from the dropdown menu and clicking 'Save Preferences.'
Campaign Ad Scheduling
If your campaign has ad scheduling enabled, make sure you are looking for your ad during the days and times when it is scheduled to run.
I can't see my ad on the Google Network.
Google Network
Your ad will not show on sites and products in the content and search networks until it has been reviewed and approved according to our advertising policies. Therefore, image ads, video ads, and other multimedia ads won't begin running until after review and approval. Your ad may not appear on Google Network sites if its Ad Rank is too low. In this case, improving your Quality Score through optimization, or raising your CPC or CPM bids, can help increase your Ad Rank. In addition, some sites in our network may restrict advertising or keywords based on their own policies regarding content and editorial standards. In this case, your ad may not appear on a content or search site even if you have chosen keywords which seem to match it. Also see How can I make sure my ads appear on the Google Network?
Image Ad
Image ads will only run on content network sites, and must be reviewed and approved before they will appear. The format of the ad you're running must match the size and format accepted by each website. For example, if you've uploaded a 160x600 wide skyscraper ad, make sure the site you're looking for your ad on runs ads in that format. Also see Why isn't my image ad showing?
Placements
If you are targeting placements in your campaign, and your campaign setting is 'Relevant pages only on the placements I target', your ad will appear only on the websites you specify. Those websites must be part of the Google Network. Make sure you're looking for your ad on one of the sites you selected. In addition, your bid may be too low to win impressions on the site or sites you have chosen. This is especially likely if you have targeted popular sites that many other advertisers may also have targeted. Raising your bids may help your ad appear more often. It's also possible that your ad simply isn't showing at the moment you view the page.
There are several common reasons you may be unable to see your ad. To help you determine why, we've developed a great tool:
Use the Ads Diagnostic Tool to learn the exact reason why you can't see your ads.
You can also get an instant diagnosis for any keyword by first clicking the Campaigns tab, and then the Keywords tab. Click the speech bubble icon next to any keyword, and more information will appear.
To preview your ad, use the Ad Preview tool instead of performing a regular Google search. When you search for your ad multiple times on Google, it can affect your ad position by racking up many ad impressions and lowering your clickthrough rate (CTR); so use the Ad Preview tool instead.
Or, click the situation below that best describes you, and review some of the possible reasons why you may not see your ad:
I just created an ad and can't see it yet.
No Billing Information
Your AdWords ads can't begin running until you enter valid billing information in your account. If you pay with credit card or other postpay option, your account will be activated once you submit billing information. Depending on the processing time associated with your payment option, your ads may begin showing and accruing costs immediately. If you pay with bank transfer or another form of prepayment, your ads won't run until we receive and process your first payment. This can take 8-10 days (and occasionally more) after you've submitted your billing information and made your first payment. To enter your billing information, sign in to your AdWords account and click the Billing tab. Then select Billing preferences and enter your billing information.
Ad Approval Status
All ads must comply with our advertising policies. While some ads may run on Google prior to review, others may not run at all before being reviewed and approved by an AdWords Specialist. If your ad is awaiting review, we'll get to it as soon as we can. While your ad is in queue, you can review our advertising guidelines to ensure that your ad complies. Also, note that no ads will show on the Google Network until after being reviewed and approved.
Ad Location
Search network ads typically appear to the right of, or above, search results on Google or search partner sites. If your Ad Rank is not high enough to place your ad on the first page of search results for a certain keyword, it may appear on a subsequent search result page. To see additional pages of ads, click 'Next' at the bottom of the page, or click the 'More Sponsored Links' link below the column of ads.
If you want your ad to show closer to or on the first page more often, you can improve your Ad Rank by optimizing your campaign and/or increasing your cost-per-click (CPC) bids. The First Page Bid column on your 'Ad Group Details' page, under the 'Keywords' tab, estimates the CPC bid you'd need for your ad to appear on the first page. Note that this amount depends on the keyword's Quality Score - the higher the Quality Score, the lower the first page bid estimate, and vice versa.
Server Delay
There may be a brief delay after you create your ads but before the time they are actually shown. Sometimes it takes our servers longer than usual to upload and prepare to serve your ads. Try checking for your ad again after a few hours have elapsed.
I've seen my ad before, but I can't anymore.
Daily Budget
If your daily budget is set lower than the recommended amount, the AdWords system may slow or even stop the delivery of your ad for that day in order to stay within your budget. Depending on the delivery option you've set, your ad delivery may be spread out over the day or your ad may stop showing earlier in the day as soon as your budget is reached. To maximize your ad visibility, consider changing your daily budget to meet the recommended amount.
Disapproved Ad
If an ad doesn't meet our advertising policies, we'll stop your ad from running, and you'll see the word Disapproved listed below that ad.
You can use filters to identify your disapproved ads and why they were disapproved. Then click the 'Edit' link next to your ad to make the appropriate changes. If this is the case, please make the needed edits and save the changes to automatically resubmit your ad to us for review.
Keyword Performance
If a keyword underperforms, its Quality Score will decrease and it may become ineligible to trigger your ads for certain search queries at its current cost-per-click (CPC) bid. This most often happens to keywords that are very general and therefore do not perform very well. For instance, a keyword with a low Quality Score may only be eligible to trigger ads on certain variations of your broad- or phrase-matched keywords. To monitor your keyword's performance, check the 'Quality Score' column on the 'Keywords' tab of your Ad Group Details page. Or, to get a detailed view of performance and Quality Score, visit the Keyword Analysis page by clicking the magnifying glass icon beside the keyword you're interested in.
If your keyword has a poor Quality Score and isn't accruing much traffic, try following these optimization tips to improve your Quality Scores, or try raising the keyword's CPC bid. We want to give users a positive ad experience while keeping your costs low, so we encourage you to try optimizing your account before paying more.
My ad's running and accruing statistics, but I've never been able to see it.
Geo-Targeting
You can target your campaign to specific languages, countries and territories, regions, and cities. If you don't target your own geographical area and the language of your Google interface, you won't be able to see your ad. (For instance, if you're in London and you've targeted your ads to Tokyo only, you won't see your ad when you search for it in London.) If you're targeting a region or city, we show ads based on a user's internet protocol (IP) address. Sometimes we're unable to obtain IP information. In this case, we'd be unable to identify the user's location and therefore wouldn't recognize which regional ads to deliver. If we can't determine the user's location, we'll show nationally-targeted ads instead of regionally-targeted ads. Also see Why can't I see my regionally targeted or customized ads?
Language Targeting
You can target your campaign to specific languages, which means that your ads are only visible to users whose Google interface is set to one of these languages. You can view your Google interface language setting by clicking the 'Preferences' link to the right of the Search Box on the Google homepage. If your Google interface language isn't included in your campaign language targeting selection, you may want to edit your campaign language targeting in order to see your ad. You can also edit your Google interface language setting by selecting the appropriate language from the dropdown menu and clicking 'Save Preferences.'
Campaign Ad Scheduling
If your campaign has ad scheduling enabled, make sure you are looking for your ad during the days and times when it is scheduled to run.
I can't see my ad on the Google Network.
Google Network
Your ad will not show on sites and products in the content and search networks until it has been reviewed and approved according to our advertising policies. Therefore, image ads, video ads, and other multimedia ads won't begin running until after review and approval. Your ad may not appear on Google Network sites if its Ad Rank is too low. In this case, improving your Quality Score through optimization, or raising your CPC or CPM bids, can help increase your Ad Rank. In addition, some sites in our network may restrict advertising or keywords based on their own policies regarding content and editorial standards. In this case, your ad may not appear on a content or search site even if you have chosen keywords which seem to match it. Also see How can I make sure my ads appear on the Google Network?
Image Ad
Image ads will only run on content network sites, and must be reviewed and approved before they will appear. The format of the ad you're running must match the size and format accepted by each website. For example, if you've uploaded a 160x600 wide skyscraper ad, make sure the site you're looking for your ad on runs ads in that format. Also see Why isn't my image ad showing?
Placements
If you are targeting placements in your campaign, and your campaign setting is 'Relevant pages only on the placements I target', your ad will appear only on the websites you specify. Those websites must be part of the Google Network. Make sure you're looking for your ad on one of the sites you selected. In addition, your bid may be too low to win impressions on the site or sites you have chosen. This is especially likely if you have targeted popular sites that many other advertisers may also have targeted. Raising your bids may help your ad appear more often. It's also possible that your ad simply isn't showing at the moment you view the page.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
