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Search engine advertising is based on the mandatory use of keywords, the correct selection of which affects the success of ads. The user’s query must match the set of keywords that the advertiser has added to his or her advertising account, but this is not the only performance criterion.
Search algorithms additionally analyze the relevance of ads, the quality of website pages, bids at the auction among other advertisers, and the expected click-through rate. Keyword selection is the main, but not the only task that consists of three important stages, which we will discuss today in the ADV Advantage blog.
Analysis of available keywords
The term “semantic kernel selection”, which is difficult to understand at a glance, actually includes the preparatory stages of analyzing the range of goods or services to be sold. To put it even more simply, a marketer should study the range of products on the website to formulate suitable keywords in order to prioritize them.
The main priority is the product category and its brand. For example, the keyword phrase “PlayStation 5 game console” contains a combination of a description of the product category (game console) and the product name (PlayStation 5). Additionally, the word “buy” or “price” increases conversion rates, because it is logical that a potential buyer first looks for the price of the product, and only then for the opportunity to buy it as cheaply as possible. This means that this user is as close to conversion as possible, and the marketer’s task is to correctly present a profitable offer.
Keywords that contain a more detailed description of the product have an additional priority. Such key phrases allow a potential buyer to find exactly the right product among the entire model range. For example, additional attributes may include color, size, geolocation of the product, etc.
All advertising campaigns are usually based on the most precise keywords, but general keywords should not be ignored either. By general, we mean the general name of the product category, for example, “game consoles”. Advertising campaigns with broad match phrases are usually more expensive and have a lower click-through rate, but they allow you to reach a wider audience. The only condition is that you have a wide range of products, because the site visitor will still have to choose between brands and offers.
Selection of phrases
The standard Google Ads interface contains only approximate data on the distribution of popular keywords, so marketers can use additional services to help them. The most popular Keyword Planner from Google Ads itself allows you to provide detailed reports on trends in specific categories. The system offers keyword selection starting with broad match search, as well as the function of excluding individual words on the selected website. You can also research keywords only on the selected site or its individual page.
The selection process is usually manual, meaning that a marketer has to manually select relevant (effective) keywords. This is due to the assortment of the store. If the system suggests keywords for a product that has never been in stock, then including these phrases will lead to unnecessary costs for advertising campaigns. It is worth selecting the most accurate and attractive keywords so that the user has no reason to leave your site if he or she does not find the desired product. At this stage, you should also pay attention to negative keywords. Non-converting keywords that do not bring value to the business but can stimulate clicks on ads should be placed in a separate group and excluded from the advertising campaign. These can be words like “free”, “repair”, “used”, “what is it”, etc.
The sets of key phrases should be exported to a separate Google Sheet file or Microsoft Excel document, where you can sort them for relevance.
The final stage is clustering
In short, clustering is the grouping of keywords. The method of adding all keywords to one group of ads will not be successful, so the words should be segmented into separate groups to improve their overall quality.
According to Google’s algorithms, keyword quality is measured on a 10-point scale and consists of the following components: expected CTR, website quality, and relevance of the ad to search queries. The quality of the selected keywords can be seen in the Keywords section of your Google Ads account.
Once again, clustering is the grouping of a list of words into groups according to their relevance. A separate group of keywords is assigned to a separate advertising campaign that most closely matches its essence. Clustering will increase the effectiveness of an advertising campaign, reduce the cost per click, increase profitability, etc.
Grouping or clustering should be performed by grouping keys that are similar in meaning and can be described by a single heading. It is allowed to include in the same group keys that have the same meaning but differ in spelling. Each person has a different level of search (and punctuation) skills, so you should take these aspects into account as well. The language of spelling is also very important, so for certain countries or regions, it is allowed to duplicate the spelling of keywords in two languages.
Minus words are equally important in clustering. They include queries that describe detailed characteristics that do not meet the goals of the advertising campaign.
Example:
- Keywords: iphone 15, buy iphone 15, cost of iphone 15, iphone 15 in dollars, iphone 15 colors
- Minus words: pro max, 128, 512, pro, mini, plus, 256
Conclusions
Only after you have completed all three stages of working with keywords: product analysis, selection, and clustering, you can start writing ads. Detailed structures of keywords and minus words can be used for different types of advertising campaigns, increasing their profitability from the very beginning. If you still have any questions about the selection and use of keywords, please contact ADV Advantage specialists to get comprehensive answers and use the services of promoting your business on the Internet.
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