Paid search success hinges on a well-organized and strategically structured account. Simply throwing a bunch of keywords into your campaigns won’t cut it. You need a structured approach to group your keywords into logical themes, optimizing for relevance, efficiency, and ultimately, a higher ROI. This article will guide you through the process, covering keyphrase grouping, ad group and campaign structure, taxonomy creation, and strategic use of match types.

Tip #1: Grouping Your Search Key-phrases: Relevance is King

The first rule of keyword grouping is relevance. You need to group keyphrases that are tightly related to each other and that target the same user intent. Think about what a user would search for when looking for a specific product, service, or piece of information.

Here’s a breakdown of the process:

• Start with Themes: Begin by identifying the core themes or categories that represent your business offerings. This could be product categories, service types, or even specific problem solutions you provide.
• Brainstorm Keywords: Once you have your themes, brainstorm all the keywords and phrases that fall under each one. Be as comprehensive as possible. Use keyword research tools to identify potential terms you might have missed.
• Refine Based on User Intent: As you populate your keyword list, think about the intent behind each search. Are users looking to buy, learn more, compare options, or something else? Group keywords that share the same intent together.
• Avoid Overlapping Groups: The key is to create distinct groups that target specific user needs. Avoid creating groups that are too similar, as this can lead to your ads competing against each other within the same campaign.

How Many Keyphrases Per Ad Group? Finding the Sweet Spot

There’s no magic number for the ideal number of keywords per ad group. However, aiming for 10-20 tightly themed keywords is a good starting point. Here’s why:

• Relevance and Quality Score: A smaller and more focused set of keywords allows you to write more relevant ads that closely match the search queries. This will improve your quality score, which in turn leads to better ad rankings and lower costs.
• Manageability: Too many keywords per group become difficult to manage and optimize. You might find yourself struggling to create relevant ad copy or determine which keywords are performing well.
• Testing and Optimization: A smaller, more focused group makes it easier to test different ad copy variations and quickly identify what works best.

Tip #2: Structuring Campaigns: How Many Ad Groups Per Campaign?

The number of ad groups per campaign depends on the complexity of your business and the breadth of your offerings. Aim for a structure that mirrors your overall business structure:

• Logical Segmentation: Campaigns should be segmented by large categories or business goals. For example, if you sell electronics, you might have separate campaigns for “Laptops,” “Tablets,” and “Smartphones.”
• Avoid Overly Broad Campaigns: Don’t lump everything into one giant campaign. This will make it difficult to track performance and optimize your budget.
• Ad Group Number Varies: You can have anywhere from a handful to hundreds of ad groups within a campaign, as long as they are logically related to the overall campaign theme.
• Focus on Granular Control: The goal is to achieve granular control over your budget, bidding, and ad messaging.

Tip #3: Tackling Taxonomy: Navigating Complex Keyword Combinations

When you’re dealing with keywords involving price, location, and specification, it’s crucial to establish a clear taxonomy to avoid chaos. Here’s how:

• Start with the Core Element: Identify the most important element first – for example, the product or service (e.g., “Apartment”).
• Branch Out: Then consider each of the additional elements – price (e.g., “Cheap Apartment”), Location (e.g., “Apartment in London”), specification (e.g., “Apartment with Balcony”).
• Use Parent-Child Structure: Consider creating a parent ad group for general terms like “Apartment” then child groups with more specific combinations like “Cheap Apartment in London with Balcony”.
• Use Dynamic Keyword Insertion (DKI) Carefully: DKI can help customize your ad copy to match specific search terms, but should be used strategically and with caution to ensure your ads still make sense.
• Test Different Structures: Don’t be afraid to test different taxonomy structures and see which one provides you with the best results regarding traffic and conversions.

Example Taxonomy:

• Campaign: “Apartment Rentals”
  • Ad Group 1 (Parent): “Apartment” (e.g., “Apartment”, “Rental Apartment”)
  • Ad Group 2 (Child): “Apartment in London” (e.g., “Apartment London,” “Apartment for Rent London”)
  • Ad Group 3 (Child): “Cheap Apartment” (e.g., “Cheap Apartment”, “Affordable Apartment”)
  • Ad Group 4 (Child): “Apartment with Balcony” (e.g., “Apartment Balcony,” “Apartment with Balcony”)
  • Ad Group 5 (Child): “Cheap Apartment in London” (e.g., “Cheap Apartment London”, “Affordable Apartments London”)
    • Ad Group 6 (Child): “Cheap Apartment with Balcony in London” (e.g., “Cheap Apartment with Balcony London”, “Affordable Apartments for Rent Balcony London”)

Tip #4: Using Match Types for Efficiency

Match types are crucial for controlling which searches trigger your ads. Leverage them strategically for maximum efficiency:

• Broad Match: Good for initial keyword discovery, but requires careful monitoring. Use sparingly and combined with negative keywords.
• Modified Broad Match: More targeted than broad match. Allows you to specify which words must be present in the search query, giving you more control over traffic.
• Phrase Match: Triggers your ads when the exact phrase or a close variant is present in the search query. This is a good middle ground for relevance.
• Exact Match: Triggers your ad only when the search query is exactly the same or a close variant of your keyword. The most restrictive match type often delivers higher conversion rates.

Strategy:

• Start Broad, Refine Narrow: Begin with broad or modified broad match to gather data and discover new keywords. As you gather data, migrate your best-performing keywords to phrase and exact match.
• Negative Keywords are Key: Use negative keywords to block irrelevant traffic from triggering your ads, preventing your budget from being wasted on useless clicks.
• Test and Optimize: Regularly review your search term reports to identify and implement new negative keywords and adjust your match types.

Effective keyphrase grouping is not a one-time task; it’s an ongoing process. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating highly targeted and efficient paid search campaigns, maximizing your ROI, and ultimately achieving your business goals. Remember to continuously monitor, test, and refine your approach to stay ahead of the curve.