6 tips to optimize for the content network

A week ago, we let you know that we'd launched content bids, giving you the control to set one bid for ads running on search sites and a separate bid for ads running on content sites. Now, we'd like to share a few tips to help you get the most out of your content-targeted campaigns.

1) Group Your Ads by Theme - The AdWords system looks at the overall theme of this Ad Groups to determine if your ad relates to a particular content site. That's why each Ad Group should focus on a specific theme and a specific audience.

2) Match Keywords to Ads - Each Ad Group should contain a cluster of keywords which are related to one another but which provide variations within the theme. For example, if you're advertising soccer cleats, you may also want to include soccer shoes, but you wouldn't want to include soccer jerseys. The closer the relationship, and the more precise the variations, the more likely it is that your ad will find the right audience.

3) Stay on Message - Write sharp, compelling ad text that reflects your keyword list.

4) Know Thy Customer - Different advertisers have different audiences. Use negative keywords or site exclusion to ensure that your ads reach the users you want.

5) Embrace the Data - Track your performance with our free conversion tracking tool or by adding URL parameters to your keywords.

6) Test. Test. Test Again - Performance improves when you test and make changes based on your ads' results. Use data to drive your decisions and get the most out of the content network.

By the way, if some of these tips seem strangely familiar it may be because you recall our Google turns 7 post from back in September. While today we've mentioned these as tips for effective content targeting, in truth all of these tips could be called "best practices" for targeting your ads for search as well. Give them a try and see if they'll help your ads deliver better results.

Posted by Sarah, Inside AdWords crew

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Is it all about the turkey? Nope, it's also about the thanks

Here in the U.S., we're about to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. (Or, if you're Inside AdWords crew member Vivian, you're 16 hours ahead already enjoying goose in Hong Kong rather than turkey in California!)

But before we embark on a four day weekend, involving turkey, friends, and family (although not necessarily in that order), we wanted to say thanks to our ever-growing family of loyal Inside AdWords readers. The fact is, we have a great time with this blog, but it wouldn't mean a thing without all of you. We truly appreciate your interest.

Thanks for being a part of Inside AdWords!

Posted by Blake, Inside AdWords crew

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Introducing content bids

Two and a half years ago, we launched content targeting -- a product that enables you to reach your customers on high-quality news pages, topic-specific websites, and blogs that they visit each day. Today, Google's content network reaches over 64% of unique Internet users (according to comScore's machine-based panel) in over 100 countries and 20 different languages.

We've made multiple tweaks and enhancements to the product – releasing image ad support, site targeting, and smart pricing -- and are happy to announce another enhancement to the program. Yesterday, we released content bids. This feature will allow you to place one bid (or maximum CPC) for ads that run on search sites and an entirely separate bid for ads running on content sites within the Google Network. In addition, we'll now evaluate your keywords for content targeting separately, ensuring that we're able to target your ads as accurately as possible on the content network. You'll notice that your 'inactive' keywords now read 'inactive for search' and that the minimum bid for content targeting is a static $0.01.

We hope you find the added flexibility and control that content bidding provides useful. If you've tried the Google content network once and decided that it wasn't working for you, this is a great time to give it another try.

Posted by Sarah, Inside AdWords crew

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Use Google Maps to target your customers

Here at 37° 25' 22", -122° 5' 6", we wanted to make it easier for you to set up customized location targeting. So last week, we put Google Maps into AdWords, allowing you to visualize cryptic coordinates or just pick a specific location on the map to determine the location you'd like to target.

Is this new feature for you? That depends on your advertising goals. Customized targeting is great for advertisers who want to market their products or services to a very specific location. For example, if you're selling flowers to people who live near the Four Corners, but you don't service all of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado, customized targeting allows you to precisely target only your audience. And, as you can see below, Google Maps makes it easy to choose this location.

How does it work? After selecting customized targeting when editing or creating a new campaign, you can now define your location with just a few clicks of the mouse. First, click-and-drag the map and zoom in to find your location or desired target area. Then submit a distance (we recommend at least 20 miles) around your location target. A circle will appear on the map to confirm the region – so you can be sure your ads appear to potential customers in the exact neighborhoods you want to reach.

Posted by Sarah, Inside AdWords crew

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The Report Center gets new features

By now you may have noticed that the Report Center has gotten a face lift and that it takes fewer clicks to run a report. Not only that, there are more ways to access and customize your data. Ann-Lee, from the Report Center team, tells us more:

Ever wish you could get a report to see which ads are falling under average position four, or to see which keywords are averaging a higher cost-per-click (CPC) than you'd like to spend?

With the new campaign performance filters, you can see data not only by keyword status, match type and specific keywords, but also by impressions, clicks, average CPC, cost, and average position. Also in the Advanced Options, you can even add or delete columns such as 'daily budget' or 'conversion rate' to further customize every report.

And due to popular demand, you'll now have the ability to designate a different recipient or groups of recipients for every emailed report. Check out the new Report Center from the Reports tab in your account or from the Client Reports tab in your My Client Center.

Posted by Sarah, Inside AdWords crew

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Web analytics in AdWords...

From time to time, we like to have members of the product team tell you about new AdWords features they've worked on. This time, Andrew and Brett, from the Google Analytics team, have something to introduce:

Good news for advertisers, we've recently released a sophisticated web analytics service called Google Analytics -- it's free and built right into AdWords.

Sweet, huh? Google Analytics tells you everything you want to know about how your visitors found you and how they interact with your site. It will track all of your online campaigns, from emails to keywords, regardless of search engine or referral source.

To start using Google Analytics, log into AdWords and you will notice a new 'Analytics' tab. Click that tab and you can then sign up for your free Google Analytics service.

Once you sign up, you'll add a few lines of tracking code to each page of your site, select your goal and funnel paths (path through your site to conversion), and click the "enable tracking codes" button within AdWords. Then you're all set to view your web analytics reports.

Give Google Analytics a try and see what you've been missing.

In the coming weeks, we'll spotlight features of Google Analytics and tell you more about the types of information you can get using the various reports available, so check back for more info soon!

Posted by Sarah, Inside AdWords crew

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Read anything good lately?

Think your boss might be interested in yesterday's post about industry specific AdWords information? Did you love our seven tips post and want to share it with a friend? Well, Blogger makes it easy for Inside AdWords readers to send specific posts of interest to others via email.

To send along what you've read here, just click on the little envelope icon which can be found at the bottom of each post. Spread some knowledge. Who knows, you might just get in good with the boss.

Posted by Arielle, Inside AdWords crew

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Get insight into your industry

Have you ever wanted to know just how many Tech BtoB users are searching for products online? Need tips to optimize your retail campaign for the holidays? Or, maybe you just want to read a case study to find out how AdWords has worked for others in your line of business?

You can find the answers to all of these questions and information on additional industries in our recently updated "For Your Industry" page located in the AdWords Help Center. This resource provides you with valuable industry-specific content and points out customer behavior and campaign tips that vary by industry.

Ready to check it out? First, take a spin through the vertical overview where you'll learn more about your customer base, and how they use the internet and Google to search for your service or product. Then, read the case study to find out how AdWords has worked for an advertiser in your industry. Finally, curl up with your laptop and scroll through the optimization tips for your industry, implementing along the way.

Once you've finished, drop us a line and let us know what additional information you'd like to see. We'll be adding to and updating these pages over the coming months, so check back in the future.

Posted by Sarah, Inside AdWords crew

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Need help? Try a search

Earlier this week we invited Hannah, a member of the AdWords Help Center team, to let us know what her team has been up to. Here's what she had to say:

Lots of advertisers use the Help Center to browse for answers to their AdWords questions, but although they may search on Google.com everyday, many haven't tried to search for answers to their questions in our online help content.

Recently, one of the readers of Inside AdWords wrote in asking for an explanation of negative keywords. So, to answer that question, we could go to the Help Center and check out the results of a search for "negative keyword." Yep, lots of good info there.

By the way, sharp eyed readers will probably notice that the Help Center has a new design. I hope you'll take a look.

Do you have any comments on the Help Center? Please send them along and we'll make certain that Hannah sees them.

Posted by Blake, Inside AdWords crew

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Advertisers helping advertisers: it's working!

Several weeks ago, we posted about the new AdWords Help user-to-user support forum on Google Groups, where advertisers may search or browse for answers, ask questions, and assist others with AdWords. At the time we posted, we'd just earned our 126th member.

Today, I'm posting with some exciting news. Thanks in large part to readers of this blog, I'm delighted to report that the membership of AdWords Help has now quadrupled.

And while a 400% increase in membership is pretty great, even better is the fact that AdWords advertisers are actively helping each other every day -- and doing it well. It's truly a pleasure to see. Thanks to all who have taken a look at this user-to-user forum, with a very special nod to those of you who have become active participants of AdWords Help.

If you're hearing about this resource for the very first time, then maybe you'll want to take a look now. You'll find a growing, friendly, and helpful community which offers valuable advertising insight and advice.

Posted by Blake, Inside AdWords crew

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The Keyword Tool -- now even more useful

Everyone knows about the importance of creating effective keyword lists, and now there's an improved Keyword Tool to help you do so. Ann-Lee, from the Keyword Tool team, tells us a little more:

Selecting new keywords to meet your campaign goals can be challenging -- that's why we've improved our Keyword Tool to give you more data alongside keyword results. You can see the general popularity of a keyword -- green bars will show you if other advertisers are competing for a particular keyword you're considering or if users are searching on that keyword. Also, you can look at the cost and ad position estimates for a list of keywords prior to adding them to your Ad Group.

We're also excited about a new feature that allows you to generate keywords based on the content of any webpage, such as your landing page (currently only available to advertisers who access their accounts in English).

While we can't guarantee that selected keywords will hit your campaign goals, we hope that this additional guidance will help you make smarter keyword selections. And as always, remember to shop for negative keywords in the results that are returned.

To try these and other new features, access the Keyword Tool from the Ad Group page or the Tools page of your account.

Posted by Arielle, Inside AdWords crew

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