What is Keyword Matching

Google and Yahoo both allow different keyword matching options. Of course, they do it differently (wouldn't want it to be easy, would you?). Make sure you are aware of the difference. When you upload keywords, unless otherwise stated, they will default to Broad and Advanced match. This little oversight may cost you big money.

According to Google Keyword matching options are four different methods of targeting your AdWords ads to users. With some options, you'll enjoy more ad impressions; with others, you'll get fewer impressions (but potentially more clicks). By applying more focused matching options to your keywords, you can reach the most appropriate prospects, reduce your cost-per-click (CPC), and increase your ROI. Your options are:
Broad Match - This is the default option. If you include general keyword or keyword phrases-such as tennis shoes-in your keyword list, your ads will appear when a user's query contains tennis and shoes, in any order, and possibly along with other terms. Your ads will also automatically show for expanded matches, including plurals and relevant variations. Because broad matches are sometimes less targeted than exact or phrase matches, you should create keyword phrases containing at least two descriptive words each. You can also try the keyword tool and the other three matching options to further refine your targeting. Finally, keep in mind that other advertisers may have bid for the same broad-matched keyword combinations that trigger your ads, increasing your actual CPC amounts. Using exact, phrase, or negative matches can help you keep your costs low.
Phrase Match - If you enter your keyword in quotation marks, as in "tennis shoes," your ad will appear when a user searches on the phrase tennis shoes, in this order, and possibly with other terms in the query. For example, your ad will appear for the query red tennis shoes but not for shoes for tennis. Phrase matching is more targeted than broad matching, but slightly more flexible than exact matching. To ensure your ads are as targeted as they can be, you may want to include at least two descriptive words in your keyword phrases.
Exact Match - If you surround your keywords in brackets-such as [tennis shoes]-your ads will appear when users search for the specific phrase tennis shoes, in this order, and without any other terms in the query. For example, your ad won't show for the query red tennis shoes. Exact matching is the most targeted option. Although you won't receive as many impressions with exact matching, you'll likely enjoy the most clicks, because users searching for terms in this manner typically want precisely what your business has to offer.
Negative Keyword - If your keyword is tennis shoes and you add the negative keyword -red, your ad will not appear when a user searches on red tennis shoes. You can apply this option for a keyword at both the Ad Group and campaign level. To learn more about the benefits of keyword matching options, view our brief online demo.

Yahoo engine, What is the Standard match type?
The Standard match type displays your listings for exact matches to your keywords, as well as for: singular/plural variations of your keywords common misspellings of your keywords topics that are highly relevant to your keywords topics that are highly relevant to your titles and descriptions What is the Advanced match type?
The Advanced match type drives additional targeted leads to your business from Overture’s high-quality partner network of sites. It helps you grow your business while saving you time and effort by displaying your listings for a broader range of searches relevant to your keywords, titles and descriptions and/or web content. And because you have the ability to track and refine your results specifically for this match type, you'll have the information necessary to keep your ROI on track. To block unwanted matches when using the Advanced match type, use Excluded Words.
Excluded Words will help you refine the matches you receive through the Advanced match type by blocking certain searches that you believe will not be relevant. The examples below illustrate how Excluded Words can help you refine your matches keyword 32 inch colour television excluded word Panasonic Does not sell Panasonic brand. Your ad will not appear if someone searches for "panasonic 32 inch colour television "

Using Yahoo's Daily Budget Tool? Watch Out!!

When you start or make a change to your Yahoo "estimated daily budget," you may see a huge increase in your spend for the next day or two. Yahoo's budget feature is really a MONTHLY spend cap, not a daily spend cap.

When you add your daily spend, the Direct Traffic Center will run your ads almost wide open until it can figure out what the daily spend will be. If you put in $100 per day ($3000 per month), do not be suprised if you spend $500 in the first two days, then drop to almost nothing days 3 and 4. The Traffic Center is trying to figure what the average is. In most cases, it will eventually level out to the estimated daily spend. This increase and decrease of spend and traffic will most likely happen every time you make a budget change. If you change the budget again in the middle of the month, it may become even more volitale.

Try not to make too many changes. If you have to make a change, try to do it on the same day of every month (ie- on the 1st of every month).

Easy Search Engine Account Organization

Wondering how to organize your new account?

The easiest and most effective thing to do is to set up your account based on your website’s navigation. Let’s assume you sell sneakers and have a home page, with links to pages: mens, womens, kids, walking. Name your categories accordingly: “General” for your home page broad terms like discount sneakers, buy sneakers, cheap sneakers, etc… “mens” mens sneakers, buy mens sneakers, discount mens sneakers, and all the different models of mens sneakers. You can even break this up into smaller categories based on brands if you have many different brands. Repeat for womens and others.

I would also add a “sale” category for your overstocks and/or for Holidays that you can turn on and off based on your needs.

If you even want to go a step further, when you find your top performing terms (usually an account has 5 to 10 terms that generate about 80% of your revenue), you can move them to a new campaign so you can manage these terms even more effectively. Make sure you set the budget for this campaign higher so the terms are active in the engines as much as possible.

Second Tier Engines, Should You Use Them?

There are plenty of 2nd tier PPC engines to choose from. Ask.com, Miva (was findwhat), enhance, epilot, 7search, kanoodle, and more. Should you use these smaller engines?

I suggest testing your keywords on some of these smaller engines. Start with maybe a 15 to 20 keyword list. The advantage is lower cost traffic, a disadvantage may be no conversions. So add a few keywords with a very small portion of your total funds for a month as a test. Each engine attracts different types of clientele. I have seen these smaller engines work great for some and produce absolutely no results for others.

So go ahead and test them. If you do it right, you will not have much to lose and may have a lot to gain

Free Google and Yahoo Training

Did you know Google and Yahoo have free training tools for you to use.

Here is the Google link http://www.google.com/adwords/learningcenter/

Here is Yahoo link http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/rc/srch/tutr.php

After you finish the Google training, you can take the Google Professional Exam. If you meet the other qualifications, you can become a Google Certified Professional. The exam is 104 questions and you need to get 75% or higher to pass. Be careful, some of the questions, I felt, had more than one answer.