Most PPC enthusiasts will be aware of the four common AdWords matching types:

• Broad
• Phrase
• Exact
• Negative (can be broad, phrase or exact)

Here is a quick overview of what keyword matching is all about, for the non PPC folks:

Keyword matching allows you to control how precise a user’s search must be to trigger your ad on Google search pages. Defining how broadly or narrowly your keywords are targeted helps you reach the audience you want. Source AdWords Learning Center

However based on AdWords definition of match types, I think I have found a new one and I am naming it the 'bogus broad match'.

So what is the bogus broad match type?

Good question, it seems to be a hybrid of the broad match type and the ability to bid on partially related keywords. How and when it evolved I am uncertain, although I am pretty sure of its existence.

Let's look at the characteristics of a broad match first:

• Other words are included in the query
• Terms in the query are not written in the same sequence as your keyword
• The query is similar to your keyword. This includes plurals and synonyms.
• All the terms must be present

The bogus broad match takes all the above characteristics except for the last one "“ not all the terms have to be present.

By this I have had an experience of bidding on a two worded keyphrase and the ad showing for only a one worded search term.

An example of this would be to bid on the keyword phrase 'bank holiday' on broad match and for your ad to be shown for the search term 'holiday'. This would result in unqualified paid traffic landing on your site, eeek!

You may wander how I discovered what the actual search term was "“ this was not through a third-party analytics package, it was though AdWords very own Search Query Report.

This is difficult to prove without providing login details, and I am curious to see if anyone else has experienced a sighting of the bogus broad match type.

How to overcome the bogus broad match type?

If you believe in that the bb match type existing there is a way to overcome it and it involves the lesser known negative embedded match type. This did the trick for me, but seems a little unnecessary:

e.g.
Bank holiday
"“[holiday]

You may have to include embedded negative plurals and synonyms "“ although I have not had a problem with this.

It is always good practice to run search query report every now and then as part of campaign optimisation and if you do, you may encounter the bogus broad match – be warned! Of course, it could be a blip in the search query reporting or perhaps even a blip in my reporting – although I would like to say the latter is unlikely to be true as I have experienced it several times in the last couple of months. Anyone else seen the same?

I'LL LET YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Last week I spent sometime checking out the AdWords Campaign Optimizer and was left a little ruffled as to whether it was a useful optimisation tool or another way for Google to monetize on advertisers spend. It's been around for a couple of months, so let's have a quick look at what it does:
Google blurb:

1. "It’s an on-demand AdWords tool that provides personalized campaign ideas in just minutes"
2. "Since Campaign Optimizer is an automated tool, we suggest that it be the first step — not the last – in optimizing your account."

And here's what Google says it can be used for:

1. Change daily budget. Budget adjustments can affect your ad visibility and bring you more traffic.
2. Add new keywords. Campaign Optimizer proposes targeted keywords that relate to your landing page.
3. Change keyword matching options. The right matching option can help you reach customers more effectively.
4. Adjust keyword maximum cost-per-click bid. Your maximum CPC bid (in addition to your ad quality) affects your ad position.
5. Change ad text. Your ad text affects your click-through rate.

Google covers itself several times by stating that it's an automated tool and should only be used as the first steps of optimisation.

There are hints of useful optimisation tips for the novice AdWords user, although Google seems to have a very clear and loud optimized call to action of its own – "spend more money" and perhaps Campaign Monetizer would be a more fitting name? Not sure why I think this? Re-read the above bulleting points!

Unfortunately the monetization is geared towards Google's ever expanding pockets, rather than the average and often lonely AdWords advertiser. Those that have an understanding for AdWords are unlikely to find the basic suggestions of any use and those that don't are encouraged to spend more money with a lack of any real PPC optimization.

To justify the tools name it would have been nice to see it better integrated with the existing AdWords' conversion tracking. Albeit Google does state that the Campain Monitizer Campaign Optimizer should be the first and not last step in optimization, and although it does indeed make sense, I am still left questioning who will find the tool useful or benefit from it? The AdWords newbie, the intermediate PPC chappy, the seasoned veteran or perhaps Google itself? Me thinks the latter!

Am I being a too cynical? Are Google finally feeling the pinch and responding with subtle money spinners for a quick win? I will let you be the judge of this, although you may want to checkout the AdWords Top Ad Placement formulae post over at PPC Blog if you are still insure !

It's been quite a debate for a while now – should you consider keywords as separate entities with regards to quality score?

Do keywords with a low quality score create a bad neighbourhood for all others?

Should you ditch lower performing keywords? And are your keywords solo or team soldiers?

Well it appears that keywords are team players, they do influence each others quality score and you should consider dumping keywords with a low quality score as they can have a negative effect within the ‘hood!

How do I know? "“ well a combination of first hand experience, talking to Google and through fellow SEM pros.

Ask Google

During a recent visit to Google London, I asked these very questions and the answer I received was pretty straightforward and went something like this:

AdWords quality score is housed at an account level, with keyword quality scores having an accumulative affect on the overall account quality score. And the account quality score also has an impact on a keyword’s quality score.

What can we learn from this? Well it is safe to say that keywords with a lower quality score can have a negative influence on neighbouring keywords and that they aren’t solo soldiers "“ they are team players and if one gets hit by a low quality score then they all feel the pain to a certain extent.

First hand experience

Over the last year I have seen patterns to suggest that an account with a good account quality score, receives favourable quality scores for newly added keywords.

An example of this would be an advertiser that has a heavy part of their budget allocated to brand terms and has a particularly good account quality score.

As new non-brand terms are added, their associated quality scores are often very good initially and then slump after a while – kind of like a honeymoon period.

My take on this is that Google uses the account's overall history until the keyword has had time to build up its very own history and then allocates more weighting to the keyword’s quality score rather than the overall account quality score.

Has anyone else had similar experiences?

There has been quite a bit happening in the last month or so with Google AdWords, so here is a quick overview of the most significant news:

AdWords Editor 3.0 now available

Even though I don't use AdWords editor on a day-to-day basis, I do find it really useful especially for bulk changes or for setting up new campaigns. I have found the latest update of benefit tool, the changes this time are subtle, although it's continuing to improve all the time.

AdWords Keywords Search Tool Showing Search Volumes per Month

This is very much at the rumours stage, but it appears that Google is to offer a similar feature to Yahoo Overture Inventory Keyword Search "“ whereby search volume estimates are given for keywords for a given month. Currently a rating of 1 to 5 is given for search volumes, so let's hope Google gives us that extra bit of detail we all crave.

Google Content Network Ads to Show Sites URLs

Google plans to start showing publishers urls to AdWords advertisers, so you can see exactly where your ads are showing on the Google Network. Up until now you can only get this information from raw logs. I highlighted a Google Analytics hack for this back in December, and although this is a very useful addition to the armoury, I do not think it is as thorough as it could be "“ so I certainly welcome AdWords becoming more open.

Quality Score Update

Last month saw the latest quality score updates going live and you can also see a report (Great, Ok, Poor) of how various keywords are performing by customising columns within your AdWords account to show the quality score status. Many advertisers were seeing bugs with the launch of the quality score update, although this seems to have settled down now.

Well at my desk, it’s a definite YES! The freebie MSN Adcenter mobile phone stand looks like it was built for nothing else than to supply search engine love to my Google Christmas pressie.

Earlier last week my Christmas present from Google finally arrived. It’s a digital photo frame capable of displaying/playing photo, video & audio. It’s rather neat and very GEEKY– me likes!

Generous, perhaps not – I think the AdWords spend to get one of these bad boys is about £15k per annum or otherwise you are entitled to one if you are super high earning AdSense publisher.