Can you have the same keyword twice in the same Ad Group? (Phrase + Exact match)

I have a single keyword as phrase match in one of my Adgroups, but I'm wanting to add the same keyword as exact match so I can compare the 2.

I'm wanting to know which of the 2 are going to convert better and which is going to get the higher click through rate (and presumably help rank me higher) - can I do this with Adwords?

 

Of course you can have all three match types and I always do ... you would be surprised the difference a quote or bracket can make.

-Joe
http://www.TheJoeGroup.org

 

you can as joseph states, i'd create another group so you can see the info clearer

 

So if you had a an adgroup called 'Widgets' you would have:

widgets
[widgets]
"widgets"

in that Ad Group?

Does [widgets] usually get a better CTR and therefore the price per click goes down?

 

You mean have 3 separate Ad Groups with the same Ads (and keywords) - comparing the 3 match types?

 

It depends on negative keywords too. But normally you'll get better CTR with exact match since the number of impressions is lower. In order to low click price you have to keep good CTR at least two weeks... but if there are new competitors with the same keyword, it will be hard

 

No, since the only clickthrough rate that affects the QS is the exact match anyway. On Broad Match, you could have a 0.01% CTR, and still get a great QS, if searches for the exact term has a good CTR.

As a result, all of the versions of a keyword will get the same QS.


The benefits of having Phrase Match and Exact Match, if you have Broad Match as well, are few, since the advert won't show any more often. In addition to this, searches for the exact keyword will be spread across all of the match types, so it'll be difficult to tell what's happening.

 

Apologies custard I'm a little confused by that. What's QS? Query Search?

When you say there is no benefit having Phrase Match and Exact Match, if I have Broad Match, do you only mean this if they are all in the same Adgroup?

Is it beneficial to have 3 ad groups and use [exact match] in AdGroup1; broad match in AdGroup2 and "Phrase match" in AdGroup3? Would it then be easier for me to decipher after X amount of time, which is the best to stick with out of the 3?

If so, I'm assuming the keywords and ads for each would have to be the same, yes? Thanks in advance.

 

Quality Score. For better management it's better to have all match types in one ad group. Google recommends it too

 

"Quality Score. For better management it's better to have all match types in one ad group. Google recommends it too"

Ok cheers. So basically, in order for me to test Exact Search & Phrase Search, I'm going to have to turn off Widgets in 'Broad Search' as you have said, the benefits are few, otherwise?

 

Google say that there's no benefit:

http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=67992

Personally, I find it's nice to get an indication of the clickthrough rate for the exact-match version, without having to run a Search Query report.

If you want to run widgets on Broad Match, do so. It will throw up results that you don't get on Exact or Phrase Match. Just make sure that you run regular Search Query Reports (from the Reports tab) as Broad Match includes Expanded Matching, which can sometimes be very different to your keywords...

 

Do you think there's any difference in running a Search Query Report, than just using my StatCounter logs to look for keywords used? SC seems to tell me the exact word/phrase that people are using, and I then use that information to add negative/excluded words where I see fit.

 

I wouldn't use broad match ever in adwords, except on the content network. Use phrase and exact only otherwise you're going to get a ton of crappy traffic from the broad match.

 

"otherwise you're going to get a ton of crappy traffic from the broad match"

But can't broad match be good to begin with, as it's giving you search information for future possible exact matches?

Say you have widgets as the broad phrase and upon looking at search logs you see someone is finding your website via Blue Widgets and it's converting, you can then make [blue widgets] an exact match ?

 

broad match is really useful but like PPC coach said you have to use broad carefully and be ready to react quickly. Broad match will match you with many different variations of keywords, some of which are not even related to your product.

Exact match almost always has the best CTR and ROI since the only way your ad will be display is when that exact phrase is typed in the search engine.

I saw some other people say you should mix exact, broad and phrase match within the same adgroup, but I beg to differ on that topic. In my experience we have case studied this and found that AVG CPC can be reduced by isolating your match types withing their own adgroups. I plan on posting this case study on my site in my sig in the near future, but its not video ready yet.

Lastly, do not rely on the search query report, since they only report the obvious and sum up all the rest of the queries under other. Using your own backend search term referal tracking is the best solution, especially when using broad match. Like I said, be ready to react because if you broad match "six pack abs" you might get these results

how to get six pack abs
six pack abs workout
six pack of beer
buns of steel
abs brakes

or anything else Google wants to match you too

 

If you're going to use it to find future exact matches, then that's not a bad route to take...

 

"In addition to this, searches for the exact keyword will be spread across all of the match types, so it'll be difficult to tell what's happening."


I thought searches for the exact keyword, *always* triggers the Exact Match over Phrase & Broad?

 

Wish it did. Sadly, not. They all have the same Quality Score, and match equally well, so Google may choose any of them...

 

You could well be right CM, but I remember a post last week I think it was, where a link to Google was placed, stating that Exact always gets triggered before Phrase & Broad, and Phrase always gets triggered before Broad.

I'll look for the thread and link it on here when I've found it. Robert, from the board, also put it in bold for everyone to see.

 

Here we go. The thread I started:

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=768082

and, the link to Google:
http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=66292

"The more restrictive match type will always trigger the ad, regardless of CPC bids. For instance, if the broad-matched keyword apple and the exact-matched keyword apple both existed in your account, the exact match would always trigger an ad