How to setup keyword prioritisation in Google ads

how-to-setup-keyword-prioritisation-in-google-ads

To set up keyword and search theme prioritization in Google Ads, you can follow these steps:

1. Understand Keyword Matching Options: Google Ads offers different keyword matching options, such as exact match, phrase match, and broad match. Exact match keywords are identical to the search term, while phrase match keywords are similar to the search term but may include additional words. Broad match keywords are the most general and may include synonyms, related terms, and misspellings.

2. Use Exact Match Keywords: Exact match keywords are the most specific and are given the highest priority in the auction. They are identical to the search term and are not affected by other keywords in the same ad group. For example, if you have the exact match keyword “skydiving license” and a user searches for “skydiving license,” your ad will be more likely to appear than if you only had a broad match keyword like “skydiving.”

3. Prioritize Relevance: Google’s AI system determines the relevance of keywords based on the meaning of the search term, all the keywords in an ad group, and landing pages within the ad group. Ensure that your keywords are relevant to the search term and that the landing pages they point to are also relevant.

4. Optimize Ad Rank: The ad or asset group that generates the ad with the highest Ad Rank will be prioritized in the auction. Ad Rank is determined by the maximum cost-per-click (CPC) bid that an advertiser is willing to pay for a specific ad position. To improve your Ad Rank, you may need to increase your bids or optimize your ad copy and landing pages.

5. Consider Budget Constraints: Your campaign’s daily budget can affect keyword prioritization. If a keyword is in a budget-restricted campaign, which means the campaign’s budget isn’t high enough to accrue all possible traffic, the keyword won’t always be able to trigger an ad even if it otherwise could. This helps prevent the campaign from greatly exceeding its budget.

6. Use Search Themes: In Performance Max campaigns, search themes can be used to prioritize your keywords. Search themes get the same priority as your phrase match and broad match keywords. They allow you to tell Google the kinds of things your customers are searching for, and they play nice with brand exclusions and negative keywords.

7. Group Keywords and Ads: Group your keywords and ads into ad groups based on your products, services, or other categories. This helps ensure that your ads are shown to potential customers who are interested in your products or services.

8. Test and Optimize: Continuously test your keywords and ad groups to ensure that they are performing well and that your ad rank is high. Use the search terms insights to keep an eye on your campaign’s performance and make adjustments as needed.

Remember that keyword and search theme prioritisation is a dynamic process, and you may need to adjust your strategy over time to ensure that your ads are shown to the most relevant users.