If you want to run a paid digital advertising campaign that works wonders, the first step is to learn all about Google Ad keywords.
When it comes to paid advertising, everything starts with Google Ad keywords. It’s the factor that anchors your ad to the search intent of your target market and is also a determining element of your overall advertising cost and success.
If you’re new to digital advertising, then you must be wondering how it fits into the whole ecosystem of online marketing strategies for small businesses. Lucky you, because you’ve stumbled into the right article. Below, we talk about everything you need to know about Google Ad keywords.
Keywords vs. Search Queries for Digital Advertising
Before we delve deeper into the specifics, let’s talk first about the differences between keywords and search queries. Though they are sometimes used interchangeably, they have distinct qualities that set them apart from each other.
Keywords, specifically, are phrases that are summarized or deduced from multiple search queries. Search queries, on the other hand, are actual word strings that a searcher types in the search box to find something.
Keywords are what we should focus on whenever we’re doing paid advertising. For example, “pants” are your target keyword. The search queries it might trigger are variations of it such as “women’s pants,” “cargo pants,” and “discounted pants near me.”
Why Research is Important for Google Ad Keywords
The world of paid digital advertising is highly competitive. If you want to create an effective digital ad, you need to be strategic to make sure that you get the most out of your budget.
Research is very important because it helps you bid on the right keywords. It also allows you to create effective digital advertising strategies around them.
When doing research, you need to use the right tools. Crunch analytics data to arrive at a list that is most relevant to your ad goals. Your north star for your digital advertising strategy is to make sure that when someone searches for anything relevant to your business, your ads will show up in their searches.
Moreover, doing keyword research also helps determine which ones not to use on your ads. Most of the time, these are keywords that are so popular that bidding for them will be extremely expensive and ineffective.
Digital Advertising Best Practices for Your Google Ad Keywords Research
The following are some tips and tricks on what you should do when performing keyword research for Google Ads.
1. Determine your search intent
Your Google Ad keywords should always match your target market’s search intent. Are your digital advertising ads meant for awareness, lead collection, or conversions? One way Google provides a Quality Score to your ads is by assessing whether your ads serve the intent of searchers.
Once you’ve pinned down your search intent, you can brainstorm for keyword ideas. For example, if you’re planning to use Google Ads for a big holiday, you can use seasonal keywords that match the search intent (i.e. Christmas gift baskets, Black Friday couch deals, winter boots, etc.).
If you want to go the unbranded keywords route, then one effective strategy is to use terms that can also be found on your landing page (i.e. horse boots, pimple scar spot treatment, etc.). This way, the search bots will match your ads with the exact search intent of your searcher.
2. Use a keyword research tool.
This is a non-negotiable when doing Google Ad keyword research. By using tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner (which is free, FYI!) you can easily generate a list of keywords based on search intent, search volume, product categories, and product names. Tools like the Keyword Planner also give you important information. These include the competition for a certain keyword and bid ranges—something very important if you are working on a budget.
3. Determine your negative keywords.
When doing keyword research, don’t forget to identify your negative keywords. These are keywords that are likely to attract people who are not interested in what you offer.
Doing this step is important not only because it improves the search experience that you offer. It also helps you optimize your ad budget. If a searcher sees your ad but quickly exits it because it does not match their search intent, you will still be paying for that view despite not making a conversion.
An example of a negative keyword is “eye serum below 1000 pesos” if your brand is selling luxury skincare.
4. Use a PPC planning template.
Having a document where you can organize your keyword research can help you a lot. A planner should include your keywords, search intent, bid budget, copy, and character count for easy review.
Not Sure How to Use Google Ad Keywords? Maximize Your Digital Advertising with Us
Using Google Ad keywords can be a science on its own. Before you get yourself deep into it, make sure that you have a research strategy that can help you create solid campaigns.
If you’re still a newbie in this aspect of digital advertising in the Philippines, we here at Eight Media can help you learn and apply it. Book a free consultation with us so we can help grow your business through Google Ads and other digital advertising strategies.
