AdWords Management – The Web Authority

May 28, 2018May 25, 2018

AdWords: Broad Match Keyword Match Type Explained

We Are a Google Partner Specializing in Search Marketing.

Broad Match Keyword Match Type – this is the most used AdWords keyword match type and the most unfiltered type. It is used almost exclusively by inexperienced AdWords managers.

AdWords loves the broad match keyword match type as it generates lots of traffic, many clicks, and increases their payment.

I personally do not like to use broad match and prefer to use instead broad match modifier which looks like this in the AdWords control panel +keyword +here.

Here’s what Google AdWords says about broad match keywords:

“When you use broad match, your ads automatically run on relevant variations of your keywords, even if these terms aren’t in your keyword lists. This helps you attract more visitors to your website, spend less time building keyword lists, and focus your spending on keywords that work.”

“Broad match is the default match type that all your keywords are assigned if you don’t specify another match type (exact match, phrase match, or negative match). The Google AdWords system automatically runs your ads on relevant variations of your keywords, including synonyms, singular and plural forms, possible misspellings, stemmings (such as floor and flooring), related searches, and other relevant variations. To help deliver relevant matches, this match type may also take the customer’s recent search activities into account.”

What Google does not say is that if your broad GPS fleet management for example Google would show your ads and generate click charges on broad matched keywords like: adware gps, air lq fleet, at&t fleet oakland park blvd, azuga device, blacklist gps, cyntrx customer service, dash cams for fleets, digital fleet, usft, fleetsharp instructions. These are real keywords and real terms found in an AdWords account that are showing ads and accruing clicks. I personally find these terms very untargeted and I would not want my clients paying for clicks for those terms.

Instead, I recommend a very careful use of broad match and prefer using a broad match modifier keyword. See Wednesday’s blog post for an explanation on broad match modifiers.

If you feel you need better results from your investment in AdWords, I invite you to review our service offerings and schedule a free 15 minute call and account review to see how we would be able to improve performance and get better quality conversions for your ad spend.

May 21, 2018May 16, 2018

How to Evaluate Automated Bidding Methods in Google AdWords

Should you use automated bidding methods in Google AdWords? The answer is both yes and no. Google AdWords aggressively requests for you to use automated bidding when they feel that you may get more conversions.

Before you jump in and change to maximum click bidding, target CPA bidding or maximize conversion bidding evaluate if Google will really have enough data to properly serve your account.

Here’s what I have seen in client accounts – if there are less than 15 to 20 conversions in any ad groups in a campaign and Google recommends target CPA bidding or maximize conversions, your click traffic will drop significantly and your cost per conversion will increase. Your cost per click will go through the roof.

If you have 15 to 20 conversions in a 30 day period, Google AdWords may very effectively be able to increase conversions and lower costs.

I caution moving directly into these bidding algorithms without these conversion numbers, even if AdWords says there will be an improvement.

When I do enable automated bidding, I very carefully monitor costs and conversion numbers. I have seen these automated bidding algorithms crash top performing accounts or crazily line Google’s pockets with cash by boosting up the cost per click to numbers I would never choose to bid to.

As always, if you need help with Google AdWords account management, we invite you to check out our credentials, services and pricing.

April 30, 2018April 29, 2018

How to Know When It’s Time to Fire Your AdWords Manager Part One

We Are a Google Partner Specializing in Search Marketing, Mobile, and Display. — We Are a Google Partner Specializing in Search Marketing,, Mobile, and Display.

When is it time to fire your AdWords manager and find a new one? It’s time to fire them when you have lost trust and performance has significantly changed, and you do not get good answers as to why.

As a paid AdWords consultant that troubleshoots problematic AdWords accounts, here are the items I review when I recommend to a client that they need to fire their current AdWords manager.

Evaluate the Change History
You can actually see what your account manager does by reviewing items in the change history. Just keep in mind that sometimes a good account manager will be in on the account reviewing data and may not make a change as they evaluate strategies every day. However, if your account manager is not in the account making updates at least once a week in a high spend account, you may need to ask why.

My firm has very specific things we do for all account monthly. We pause low search volume keywords, we build out new ad text, we review previously paused keywords to evaluate if they should be on and so on. We have a schedule and we work all our accounts large and small for performance. The change history allows you to see and evaluate what your account manager is doing.

Cost per Conversion
This is a big litmus test for clients and for me. If the cost per conversion is way high for what you are selling, something is not working and that problem may just be your AdWords manager.

I was just in an account yesterday doing an evaluation and the cost per conversion in 30 days was $1,500 for a product. Based on what the client is selling, this was very, very high. As a professional account manager sometimes things can get wacked out when you are in an auction setting, but a good account manager would be in reviewing, changing up, and working to remediate a problem like this not just letting it run. The change history proved that no action was being taken.

When I see too high of a cost per conversion, I will typically move out of any automated bidding strategies or change my selection based on what is happening, and then target that program for a careful review and rework. It is not good account management to not dig in and try to fix issues like this. Doing so shows that an AdWords manager is inexperienced.

Keyword Activity
Take a look at your keyword activity. If you have one keyword or several keywords that are one word phrases and have high costs, you should be asking questions. In the case of the review I did yesterday, one keyword that was a three letter term spent $14,000 in a 30 day period. Google hates single word terms as they are not considered targeted. In this case, this term did generate conversions but further research on activity is really warranted as this term may be bleeding off cash in the account and draining off resources for the visibility of better keywords.

Visit our blog on Wednesday to get more insights on when is it time to fire your AdWords manager.

Remember, if you need help, a reality check, a professional recommendation and analysis of what is happening in your AdWords account we are AdWords experts!

February 14, 2018February 9, 2018

Machine Learning Initiatives for AdWords – Part Two

Machine Learning – Continued from Monday.

Google AdWords is specifically using advanced machine learning via artificial intelligence in its automated bidding algorithms. Target CPA (Cost per Acquisition) bidding, Maximize Conversions, and Maximum Clicks are just samples of new bidding algorithms that can be used in AdWords accounts.

Each algorithm has a place and function based on a client’s need and metrics of success. However, I have found that in some cases using these machine learning driven algorithms that cost per click increases as does cost per conversion.

The value of an account manager in this automated environment is to provide the needed checks and balances to assure that your profitability goals are being met in AdWords.

As Google integrates more machine learning applications in Google AdWords for suggestions, bidding, and account management, it now becomes even more important to have a business-minded AdWords experienced expert overseeing your account to achieve the best results at the lowest cost for your budget.

February 12, 2018February 9, 2018

Machine Learning Initiatives for AdWords – Part One

Machine learning, it is the new buzz in our industry. Machine learning is using computers via artificial intelligence to predict actions. Machine learning can be used for Smart Bidding in Google AdWords and can even predict performance of activity based on your keywords and budget.

With products like Universal App Campaigns and Smart Bidding, it’s now possible to use this data to help deliver millions of ads customized for your customers, and set the right bid for each of those ads–in real time.

If you are using the new Beta AdWords interface, the Opportunities tab recommendations are personalized suggestions for your account based on machine learning.

Even if you’re not using these AdWords innovations [listed above], you’re still seeing the benefits of machine learning. Google uses information about search queries, historical ad performance and other contextual signals combined with machine learning, to predict whether or not someone will click on your ad. This predicted click-through rate helps determine the selection, ranking and pricing of your ads–meaning machine learning is already working to show the right ads to the right customers.

This means that even if you were not aware that you were embracing machine learning, Google AdWords has embraced it for you, to make account management easier and to provide more insights and analytics to assist you in better managing your ad account.

Here are some ways that Google is leveraging machine learning for your benefit in AdWords.

Smart bidding and bidding to increase conversions
Ad rotation, ad creation, and optimization
Opportunities and account suggestions

Google AdWords is embracing machine learning in many account management areas. Not only will they will making keyword, bid, and budget suggestions, but now AdWords will even be self-creating ad text for your programs to supplement your own created ads.

To leverage all that AdWords offers for your businesses benefit, I invite you to visit our website to find out more about how McCord Web Services can help you with your AdWords management needs.

August 21, 2017August 18, 2017

Google’s Research Reveals More Demanding Customers

Nancy McCord of McCord Web Services – a Google and Bing Partner.

Google has recently revealed research based on micro moments and customer buying patterns to Google Partners. Of particular interest are several trends

Customers are more demanding.
“Near Me” searches have decreased by 150% over the last 2 years.
Use of a zip code in a search query has declined 30%.

Google data shows that consumers are wanting more useful information, more personalization, and more immediacy.

The reason for the decrease in activity on “near me” and zip code specific searches is that consumers expect the results to be location and self-specific. This change has been driven by the mobile micromoment, as Google calls it, – the I want to know, I want to buy, I want to go mentality.

One important trend that you can leverage on your website and in Google AdWords due to dynamic keyword insertion is the use of “best” in a search query. Consumers want the “best” toothbrush, “best” web designer, “best” lawyer and so on.

In fact in the research Google states that “best” related keyword search activity has grown by 80% in the past two years.

In addition, consumers are demanding personalized localization – meaning the delivery of results that are uniquely personal and based on their own location. Mobile apps leverage results by GPS location and websites can enhance results by providing location cues and data sortable by location.

In addition to more localization, Google has identified that 50% of all mobile users will typically make an immediate purchase after a successful mobile search.

Google is identifying other important trends and sharing them with Google Partners as we work to leverage this information to help our clients better market their products and services on Google AdWords.