 |
Why Fix What Isn’t Broken on the Google Content Network?Posted by Joe on April 28, 2009 in Google AdWords |
The Google AdWords Content Network is vast and wide-reaching. If you harness this distribution channel properly, it can be a great source for traffic, leads and revenue. Recently, I discussed how to enhance your content network performance by removing poorly performing sites. Today, I will discuss how to optimize your content network performance by expanding your reach and visibility.
First of all, we have to remember that the Google Search Network and the Google Content Network are completely different. And they should be treated differently too. A tactic that is often employed to boost your overall performance is to separate your Search and Content distribution into different campaigns.
Why separate Search and Content? Since the user intent within these distribution channels are very different, what performs best will be vastly different. Ad texts that perform well for the Search Network may not work well for the Content Network, and vice versa. Also, separating the two distribution channels also allows for faster, more thorough reporting as well.
I have a caveat to this strategy, of course. I was managing an AdWords account that was doing very well on the Content Network. At the time, I had Search and Content running in the same campaign. My AdWords Customer Representative suggested that I separate the two distribution channels in order to optimize my performance. However, since the Content Network was doing great, I didn’t want to fix what wasn’t broken.
My AdWords Rep and I created a new, optimized Content Network campaign. However, since I wanted to boost my click and lead volume, I asked why we couldn’t leave my current Content Network campaign alone and launch this new campaign for additional traffic. She agreed and didn’t see why we couldn’t do this (again, why fix what wasn’t broken?). Basically, I left my current campaign alone (with Search and Content together) and launched a new Content-only campaign.
However, I didn’t want to cannibalize my current Content Network performance. My newly optimized campaign had re-organized my keyword groups. Therefore, different themes could be established for these keyword groups and my ads would appear on new, targeted sites (in theory). FYI, there approximately 594 themes on the Content Network.
What do I mean by themes? The way your ads are distributed on the Google Content Network is that AdWords will determine an overall theme to the keywords within an ad group. Google then matches this theme to relevant websites. Your ads are not distributed by keyword within the Content Network, but rather by keyword theme. So, if you re-organize/optimize your ad group structure, your themes can also shift.
Results? It worked! My pre-existing campaign was not effected. And my new Content Network campaign slowly gained traction. My ads began to appear on new sites that worked very well. I then began to optimize my Content Network campaign accordingly.
Since I keep talking about optimizing my Content Network campaign… here is a quick bonus tip on the “Five Commandments of Content Network Optimization” (as decreed by Dave Szetela):
- Run your content campaigns separately from your search campaigns.
- Separate content campaigns into small ad groups — each with, ideally, 20 to 40 keywords — and never more than 50.
- Don’t bother using different match types — e.g. phrase and exact match in Google. Match type is ignored by the content matching algorithms.
- Don’t bother with separate bid prices for each keyword — these too are ignored, and the search engines operate based on the ad group’s default bid. Use negative keywords to help the algorithms “figure out” sub-categories of content network site pages where your ads should not appear.
- Create ads and keyword lists that, taken together, will match a particular theme or category.
In summary, separate your Search and Content Network distribution if you need to optimize your performance. However, if your current structure is performing well, launching a newly structured Content-focused campaign for additional traffic and leads can be very beneficial.
- How To Broaden Your Exposure on the Google Content Network
- What To Look for if Your Volume Tanks on the Google Content Network
- Get More Leads by Restructuring and Optimizing Your Google Content Network Campaigns
- Your Yahoo Stats Weren’t That Bad This Weekend: Yahoo’s Reporting is Broken
- Placement Performance Reporting
April 28th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Great article! The long tail’s an entirely different beast and does work best when managed separately. Then again, I might be ever so slightly biased, since I’m at adMarketplace, and we work in the (relatively) untapped reservoir of the long tail.
April 28th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
NIce post.. Yeah, definitely don’t move a content campaign that’s working!
Also to keep in mind, you CAN use negative match on content campaigns..
-Josh
April 28th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
@Sarah: Thanks! Yes, there numerous beasts within one PPC campaign. And the long tail list can be very different to manage.
@Josh: Yes! You can use negative keywords on content campaigns! I should have mentioned that in my article! Perhaps in the next one! Thanks!!
April 28th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Real picky point; but…
If you don’t set a content bid, your bid is the average of all KW CPCs in your adgroup. You should set a content bid; but if you don’t be careful.
April 28th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Very nice article. Great observation about leaving something alone if its working. Just discussed this topic with a client this morning where I left one campaign alone and created a new one with more targeted themes.
April 28th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
What is your opinion about Dynamic Keyword Insertion in ads in content-only campaigns. Does it make sense?
From my perspective and our clients perspective Content is very often the most efficient way to gain valuable traffic for branding purposes. We have tested a lot of Content Network for big FMCG brand in Poland, and is is the best performing source of traffic (cost, volume, P/V,conversion rates like newsletter subscription and page printing). Most surprising, in this case, Content Network is performing better than search.
April 29th, 2009 at 6:53 am
@Brad: Good point! Yes, separate content bids are extremely important. Man! I keep find ideas from our super smart readers! Setting search & content bids may be a follow up post!
@Shelley: This is awesome! There is nothing like hearing from someone who took direct action! I hope this tactic works for you! Keep me posted.
@Tomasz: DKI on the content network doesn’t work (I believe). DKI is driven by keywords and the content network does not distribute via keyword. So, your alternate text should be showing for your content-focused ads.
April 29th, 2009 at 6:58 am
Good Stuff.