Jun
26
Posted | June 26, 2009
A few of the changes we've made in the new AdWords interface improve how you manage your campaign settings. In today's post, we'll cover these changes.
Simply select all four campaigns, click Edit, then use the copy-down button to copy the setting across all selected campaigns.
The Audience section contains settings to specify the audience you want to reach. Language, location, and demographic targeting for the Google Content Network are now grouped together in this section.
New Interface Webinars
Edit Settings for Multiple Campaigns
Have you ever wanted to quickly see which of your campaigns are running on the Google Content Network? Or compare ad scheduling settings for multiple campaigns at once?
Now you can, using the new account-level Settings tab. On the All Online Campaigns page, click the Settings tab to see the primary settings for all your campaigns in a single table.
Some settings, like campaign name or daily budget, can be changed directly in the table using in-line editing. To edit advanced settings such as location targeting and ad scheduling, simply click on the setting you'd like to change and you'll be taken directly to the Settings tab for that particular campaign.
Some settings, like campaign name or daily budget, can be changed directly in the table using in-line editing. To edit advanced settings such as location targeting and ad scheduling, simply click on the setting you'd like to change and you'll be taken directly to the Settings tab for that particular campaign.
You can also use bulk editing to change settings for multiple campaigns at once. Say, for example, you'd like to copy the Networks & Devices settings from one campaign to three others.
Simply select all four campaigns, click Edit, then use the copy-down button to copy the setting across all selected campaigns.
Better Organized Settings
We've also changed how campaign settings are grouped together within the campaign-level Settings tabs for easier navigation.
The Audience section contains settings to specify the audience you want to reach. Language, location, and demographic targeting for the Google Content Network are now grouped together in this section.
The Bidding and Budget section now contains advanced settings such as position preference and delivery method in addition to campaign mainstays like daily budget and bidding option.
Finally, you'll notice a new campaign setting in the Advanced Settings section: frequency capping, which lets you limit the number of times your ad is shown to the same unique user on the Google Content Network.
New Interface Webinars
If you want more help learning the new interface, we're holding two free webinars in the next week to help you get up to speed. During the 1-hour sessions, we'll walk you through the new interface, show you the new features, and answer your questions.
The first webinar is tomorrow, Friday, June 26th at 11 AM PDT. Following that, the next one is on July 1st at 9:30 AM PDT. You can register on our new interface webinars page.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
We want to share with you two upcoming, online Google webinars that you may find useful: Analytics Webinar with Avinash Kaushik and Travel Shopping for Summer 2009.
Analytics Webinar with Avinash Kaushik
Little Changes, Large Results: 5 Things Marketers Can Do Now
In today's tough economic climate, it's increasingly important for marketers to utilize resources effectively – in particular, media dollars – in order to maximize ROI. But often times, marketers overlook what's immediately achievable.
Please join us on Tuesday, May 12th at 10:00am PST when Analytics Evangelist, Avinash Kaushik, leads a discussion on the "Top 5 Things Marketers Can Do Now." This webinar is relevant to all marketers, especially advertisers looking to refine their campaigns.
You'll learn how to immediately implement Avinash's tips for using data-driven insights to guide your marketing message and media strategies. And you'll walk away knowing how to improve marketing efficiency, drive insights into consumer behavior, and generate greater returns on your marketing investments.
Google and Compete present: Travel Shopping for Summer 2009
With travel’s busiest season right around the corner, understanding consumers’ attitudes about traveling this summer and their planning process is more important than ever. Using an in-depth survey of traveler perspectives and a detailed online behavioral analysis, Google and Compete have partnered to create a new study exploring how consumers are shopping for summer travel.
Join us on Tuesday, May 19th at 10:00am PST to find out answers to these and other important questions:
- Are consumers planning to travel this summer, and how do their plans differ this year in comparison to last year?
- How has the volume of travel research and booking activity changed?
- What types of destinations and promotions do consumers find appealing, and how can travel sellers take advantage of this?
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
In this edition of New Interface Thursdays we'll be talking about the Networks tab. The Networks tab replaces the Placements tab from the previous interface, and gives you more insight into where your ads are running. In the Networks tab, you can see your ads' performance across different networks like Google search, Search partners, and the Content Network.
When looking at how your Content Network ads perform, you'll see that the new interface divides Content Network statistics into two groups: automatic placements and managed placements.
Automatic placements are pages in the Content Network where your ads have been contextually targeted. Contextual targeting matches the themes in your keyword list to relevant page content on the sites in our network. For instance, if you have 'ski equipment' as a keyword in your ad group, Google might contextually target your ads to a page talking about the best online ski equipment deals.
Managed placements are sites or specific URLs that you've singled out. With managed placements you can set a specific bid for a site. If a site is performing very well for you and you want to increase your exposure, you might bid higher for that placement. On the other hand, if a site isn't very relevant to your offer, you might lower your bid or exclude the site.
When you add a site to your managed placements, we still use your keywords to find contextually matching pages. You can think of it like a Venn diagram:
Automatic Placements
Jumping back into the account, we can take a closer look at automatic placements. By clicking show details you'll see a table showing the sites on which your ads are running. If you've used the Placement Performance report in the previous interface this should look familiar to you. With the new interface you have this report right in your account.
You can see that each site's performance is broken out. The green "Added" badges appear next to the sites which you've already added to your managed placements.
From this table, you have a few actions you can take. You can add a site to your managed placements with a separate bid for that site. If you want to see a breakdown of your performance on individual URLs where your ads were shown, you can select a site and click Show URL report. Also if a site doesn't meet your advertising goals, you can exclude it from your ad group or campaign.
Managed Placements
Your managed placements are shown in a similar table:
Since you set specific bids for managed placements, this table has a Max CPC column. Like the rest of the new interface, you can make changes directly in the table. For example, if you want to change your bid for a placement, just click on the bid and enter a new one. As with your automatic placements, you can view a URL report to take a deeper look at where your ads are showing.
At the bottom of the Networks tab you'll find Exclusions. This area lists any placements that you've excluded to prevent your ads from running on them. You can exclude a placement at the ad group level or at the campaign level.
That's it for our tour of the Networks tab. You can always find more information in the Help Center and at the New Interface site.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
Since launching the AdWords Display Ad Builder, we've been pretty busy. Today, we'd like to give you a summary of what we've done so far, an update on the latest features and what's coming soon.
What we've done so far:
- Global availability: We've made Display Ad Builder templates available in over 40 languages and over 100 countries worldwide, with more languages coming soon.
- Templates for everyone: Currently, more than 90 customizable templates are available, many of which we've announced on this blog, with designs for local holidays and seasons around the world, specific industries and fully customizable "all-purpose" templates. We've also launched several text-only templates, a popular option with advertisers who don't have ready images to use in their display ads.
Recent updates:
- Availability in the new AdWords interface: We've begun to make the Display Ad Builder available to a small number of users in the new AdWords interface, and we'll let you know when it becomes available to everyone. If you're using the new AdWords interface, you'll find that the Display Ad Builder is now easier to use. You can also access the tool with fewer clicks - simply choose "Display ad builder" from the Ads tab to get started.
- Font selection: You can now select different fonts for each of your lines of text. Also, if you're advertising in a language that requires a specific font, we'll automatically identify a font that works for you based on the characters you type. As a result, you're more likely to build ads that meet your brand guidelines, making them more impactful and effective.
What's coming?
- More templates: We're working on many more customizable templates, ranging from general all-purpose templates to those for specific seasons and industries. Also look for new rich media and video-based templates in the coming months.
- Changes to Video Ads: The Click-to-Play video ad template that we launched several weeks ago will soon become the default interface for creating these ads in AdWords. We'll phase out the existing interface, currently accessed by clicking 'Video Ads" as an ad format option. Existing users of Click-to-Play video ads will be individually notified and we'll also update our Help Center to reflect changes in reporting for these ads, such as the fact that play rate will now be captured by the "Interaction Rate" stat for video ads.
To get started with the Display Ad Builder, choose it as an ad format option within your AdWords campaigns. To learn more, please watch our playlist of videos.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
Back in January, we announced that we were adding four new links to local business ads - "Get Directions," "Street View" (where available), "Save to My Maps," and "Send." We added these interactive links to help Maps users find the information they seek about your business more quickly and easily, and to enable you to give those potential customers additional information about your business. Now, there's a new report in your Report Center to track users' interactions with these links.
The new local business ads interaction report includes information such as the number of times the info window was opened from the map and left side of the screen; the number of clicks to your website that originated from the info window; and the number of clicks each from the "Get Directions," "Street View," and "Save to My Maps" links (there is no reporting for the "Send" link).
The data in the report is intended to provide you with greater and more useful insight about your ads' ROI and ability to capture user interest. Click-throughs to your website will be listed as usual in your AdWords account on the campaign, ad group, keyword, and ad variations pages.
You can find instructions on how to run the report in the Help Center. When you get to the 'Advanced Settings' step of the instructions and click on the 'Add or Remove Columns' link, look for the new Local Business Ad Interaction Columns checkboxes at the bottom of the green box. From here, you can choose all links you want to track.
We hope you find the new link functionality and reporting capabilities useful. For more information about local advertising options, please check out the section about local business ads in the AdWords Help Center.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
On Saturday, May 16th, 2009, the AdWords system will be unavailable from approximately 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PDT due to system maintenance. While you won't be able to sign in to your accounts during this time, your campaigns will continue to run as usual. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
Today on New Interface Thursdays we'll be taking a look at customizable columns. Customizable columns are one of the ways that new AdWords interface helps you manage your campaigns more effectively. With customizable columns, you can select which metrics are most important to your business, and then quickly view those metrics in your campaigns.
To get started, click on the Filter and views button in your account and select Customize columns.
From there you'll see a variety of columns that you can add or remove from your account.
On the left hand side you'll see that the metrics are broken into two groups: Performance and Conv., which is short for Conversions. Keep in mind that you'll only see conversion columns if you've enabled AdWords Conversion Tracking in your AdWords account. You can select all the columns in a category by checking the box next to the category name.
While on the topic of conversion columns, let's go over the new conversion metrics. Last month, we announced an update to how AdWords reports conversions. Now, you can choose to see columns for many-per-click, 1-per-click conversions, or both. To get a better understanding of the new metrics you can read this article.
Getting back to the Customized Columns panel, let's take a look at the right side of the box, the Preview section. You'll notice some columns are gray and others are green. The gray columns are fixed, so they're always shown. The green columns are metrics you've selected to be shown. You can rearrange the order of these metrics by clicking and dragging them. This is great for setting up a side-by-side comparison for metrics like average cost-per-click and average position, for example.
One last thing to keep in mind is that columns vary across the different tabs in AdWords, depending on the metrics presented within each tab. For instance, you'll find a Quality Score column in the Keywords tab, but not in the Campaigns tab.
That's it for customizable columns. We hope you'll give this feature a try so that you can tailor your account and see only the information you want.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
Imagine opening your Sunday paper and seeing ads from a large supermarket chain that didn't list actual products for sale; instead, they simply listed the categories of products available - offers like "Buy discount cola" and "Snacks on sale." The ads wouldn't be useful since you wouldn't know what products are actually being offered. For many categories of advertisers, this is the problem they have faced on Google for some time.
That is why, in an effort to improve ad quality and user experience, we are adjusting our trademark policy in the U.S. to allow some ads to use trademarks in the ad text. This change will bring Google's policy on trademark use in ad text more in line with the industry standard. Under certain criteria, you can use trademark terms in your ad text in the U.S. even if you don't own that trademark or have explicit approval from the trademark owner to use it. This change will help you to create more narrowly targeted ad text that highlights your specific inventory.
For example, under our old policy, a site that sells several brands of athletic shoes may not have been able to highlight the actual brands that they sell in their ad text. However, under our new policy, that advertiser can create specific ads for each of the brands that they sell. We believe that this change will help both our users and advertisers by reducing the number of overly generic ads that appear across our networks in the U.S.
Please note that this policy update will only apply to ads served in the U.S. on Google.com and to U.S. users on the Search and Content Networks. Also, while we will start accepting new ads that contain trademark terms as of 11am PDT on May 15th, those ads will not begin showing until June 15th.
If you have ads in your account which were previously disapproved for trademark policy and that comply with the new policy, you may submit those ads for re-review and eligible ads may begin showing in the U.S. starting June 15th. For instructions on editing your ad text, click here.
In order to help advertisers understand whether their landing pages meet our policy guidelines we've added some new functionality to our Search Based Keyword Tool. If you visit www.google.com/sktool and enter your website URL, you may see a list of brands on the left side of the page if your site contains those brands. When you click on any of those brands you'll notice a column titled "Extracted from webpage." Those landing pages may be opportunities for you to show re-sale or informational ads.
We believe that this change will offer you the opportunity to provide users with more relevant information, choice and options while respecting the interests of trademark owners.
For more detail on our updated trademark policy in the U.S., please visit the FAQ in our Help Center.
That is why, in an effort to improve ad quality and user experience, we are adjusting our trademark policy in the U.S. to allow some ads to use trademarks in the ad text. This change will bring Google's policy on trademark use in ad text more in line with the industry standard. Under certain criteria, you can use trademark terms in your ad text in the U.S. even if you don't own that trademark or have explicit approval from the trademark owner to use it. This change will help you to create more narrowly targeted ad text that highlights your specific inventory.
For example, under our old policy, a site that sells several brands of athletic shoes may not have been able to highlight the actual brands that they sell in their ad text. However, under our new policy, that advertiser can create specific ads for each of the brands that they sell. We believe that this change will help both our users and advertisers by reducing the number of overly generic ads that appear across our networks in the U.S.
Please note that this policy update will only apply to ads served in the U.S. on Google.com and to U.S. users on the Search and Content Networks. Also, while we will start accepting new ads that contain trademark terms as of 11am PDT on May 15th, those ads will not begin showing until June 15th.
If you have ads in your account which were previously disapproved for trademark policy and that comply with the new policy, you may submit those ads for re-review and eligible ads may begin showing in the U.S. starting June 15th. For instructions on editing your ad text, click here.
In order to help advertisers understand whether their landing pages meet our policy guidelines we've added some new functionality to our Search Based Keyword Tool. If you visit www.google.com/sktool and enter your website URL, you may see a list of brands on the left side of the page if your site contains those brands. When you click on any of those brands you'll notice a column titled "Extracted from webpage." Those landing pages may be opportunities for you to show re-sale or informational ads.
We believe that this change will offer you the opportunity to provide users with more relevant information, choice and options while respecting the interests of trademark owners.
For more detail on our updated trademark policy in the U.S., please visit the FAQ in our Help Center.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
In order to provide you with more visibility into the performance of your ads and to help you make more informed marketing decisions, we are expanding the Search Query Performance report to provide more granular insight into the queries that trigger your ads.
The Search Query Performance report is a useful tool that can help you optimize your campaigns and manage your phrase and broad match keywords by tracking the performance of keyword variations that trigger your ads.
If you've used the Search Query Performance report before, you may have noticed that some of your traffic was grouped under a line item called "other unique queries." This line encompassed queries with very low volume, often occurring triggering your ad only one or two times. However, some advertisers found that a significant portion of their spend was grouped under this heading, which made it difficult to manage keyword variations.
Starting today, the Search Query Performance report will show all queries that resulted in a click, where the user has not specifically blocked their referrer URL. In other words, this includes all queries that you would see in your server logs or if you use a tool like Google Analytics. In requiring that the referrer URL be present, we are upholding our commitment to user privacy.
As a result of this update, you will likely see longer lists of queries in your Search Query Performance reports, many of which will have very low traffic. We encourage you to focus your decisions about the performance of your keyword variations on those variations that occur most frequently and have a significant amount of performance data.
We are excited to be able to make this update and believe that it will help make the Search Query Performance report even more useful. To learn more about running Search Query Performance reports, you can visit our AdWords help center.
The Search Query Performance report is a useful tool that can help you optimize your campaigns and manage your phrase and broad match keywords by tracking the performance of keyword variations that trigger your ads.
If you've used the Search Query Performance report before, you may have noticed that some of your traffic was grouped under a line item called "other unique queries." This line encompassed queries with very low volume, often occurring triggering your ad only one or two times. However, some advertisers found that a significant portion of their spend was grouped under this heading, which made it difficult to manage keyword variations.
Starting today, the Search Query Performance report will show all queries that resulted in a click, where the user has not specifically blocked their referrer URL. In other words, this includes all queries that you would see in your server logs or if you use a tool like Google Analytics. In requiring that the referrer URL be present, we are upholding our commitment to user privacy.
As a result of this update, you will likely see longer lists of queries in your Search Query Performance reports, many of which will have very low traffic. We encourage you to focus your decisions about the performance of your keyword variations on those variations that occur most frequently and have a significant amount of performance data.
We are excited to be able to make this update and believe that it will help make the Search Query Performance report even more useful. To learn more about running Search Query Performance reports, you can visit our AdWords help center.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
Last quarter you gave us feedback on what you'd like to see on the blog, and many of you asked for more case studies on how other advertisers have succesfully used AdWords. Google has a site devoted to AdWords Success Stories, and today we'd like to highlight two of those stories:
Twiddy & Company Realtors
Twiddy is a vacation rental company in North Carolina that has effectively used Analytics and AdWords to optimize its website and deliver profitable traffic. Check out Twiddy's success story.
JustAnswer
JustAnswer is a pay-per-question site based in San Francisco that has used AdWords and the Google Content Network to cost-effectively reach its customers. Check out JustAnswer's success story.
Be sure to check out the other 22 success stories or submit your own.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
In this week's post, we'll take a deeper look into the Keywords tab in the new AdWords interface.
The Keywords tab lists the keywords within your account. Just like in the previous AdWords interface, you can add, edit, and create new keywords on the Keywords tab in your account. However, the new interface takes keyword management a step further with a feature called roll-up tabs. A Keywords tab is available at every level of your account, allowing you to see the keywords for a whole campaign, or even across all campaigns in a single list. This is helpful for tasks like identifying your top-performing keywords across your account.
You can also make changes to your keywords directly from any Keywords tab. For example, you can change a keyword's match type by clicking on the keyword and then selecting the desired match type from the drop-down.
Additionally, you can pause and resume keywords, change your bid, or change the keyword itself on any Keywords tab across your account. If you want to make changes to multiple keywords at once, you'll want to use bulk editing. Select the keywords you want to change and then click the Edit button at the top of the table.
A nice feature of bulk editing is the Copy down button, which allows you to change bids across a number of keywords. For example, if you want to change your bids across multiple keywords rather than entering the bid manually for each one, you can click on the Copy down button next to the bid you're editing. Your bid will then be copied to all of the selected keywords. You can also copy down changes to keyword status or destination URLs.
You can also find many of the features that we posted about in the past few weeks in the Keywords tab. If you want to quickly edit your keywords, remember that you have keyboard shortcuts at your disposal. You can also use customizable columns to look at the date in which you're interested. And, of course, you can filter your keywords, which can be especially helpful if you're looking at all the keywords in your account.
Another feature you can try on the Keywords tab is segmentation. By clicking the Filter and views button and then selecting Segment by Query Match Type, you can see the performance for each of your keywords broken out into broad, phrase, and exact match.
Using the Search Query Report
Earlier this week, we posted about the enhancements to the Search Query Report, which you can access directly from the Keywords tab in the new interface.
As a reminder, this report shows you the search terms that triggered your ads. To see the report, select the keywords of your choice and click See search terms, then Selected. You'll be presented with a list of search terms that triggered your ads for those keywords as well as metrics like CTR and conversion rate.
You can then make changes to your account directly from the report. For example, if you a see a search term that looks like a good fit, you can add it to your campaign. Just select the term and click Add as keyword. You'll also have the opportunity to set a specific bid and set the match type for the keyword. Likewise, if you see a search term that isn't a fit for your campaigns, you can add it as a negative keyword. When adding negative keywords, it's best to wait for data. You don't want to exclude a keyword too soon as you might miss out on relevant traffic. Also, you might try using a lower bid or using more targeted ad text before you exclude it completely.
When using this report, it can be tempting to tweak keywords that only have one or two clicks. If you want to get the most out of the Search Query Report, we recommend you focus on keywords with the most impressions and clicks. That's where you'll get the most value out of the changes you make.
Your feedback on the new interface
You've already given us lots of helpful feedback on what you like about the new interface, such as easier Content Network management and faster account navigation, and feedback on what needs improvement.
You can learn more about some of the top issues we're working to address by reading this article. We continue to work on changes to the new AdWords interface based on your feedback. Please continue to send us your feedback on the new interface using the Send Feedback link in the top corner of your account. Your feedback is very valuable to us as we continue to improve the new AdWords interface.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
A couple weeks ago we posted some upcoming Google webinars, and last week, Analytics Evangelist, Avinash Kaushik, led a discussion on the 'Top 5 Things Marketers Can Do Now" in order to maximize ROI. We realize some of you may have missed the opportunity to hear Avinash speak, but may still be interested in the tips he was able to provide. As such, we've posted a recording of his talk onto the Google Brand Channel on YouTube.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
The current economy has been tough on businesses and customers alike, and it can be a lot harder these days to connect with more price-concious customers. To reach these customers, our internal team of AdWords optimizers has come up with 6 tactics that will help your AdWords campaigns be more relevant to your customers.
1. Focus your ads on low prices and savings.
2. Use value-related keywords.
3. Make sure your ad groups are targeted and relevant.
4. Don't waste money on irrelevant clicks.
5. Make it easy for customers to buy.
6. Focus your money on your high-performers.
You can read more about each of these tips including examples and instructions at www.google.com/adwords/tactics and you can also view these tactics in a pdf format at www.google.com/adwords/tactics/top_tactics.pdf. We hope these tactics will help you continue to see good returns from your AdWords investment.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
With more AdWords advertisers using the new interface each week, we'd like to take a moment to recap the topics we've covered on New Interface Thursdays these past two months.
We started the series with a list of learning resources including the new AdWords interface website. The next week we showed you how you could use keyboard shortcuts to manage your campaigns more efficiently. We then wrote about how you can use filters and customize columns to help you focus on the data that's most important to you. Most recently, we took close looks at both the Keywords tab and Networks tab.
If you want to take the next step in mastering the new interface, and if you plan to attend SMX Advanced in Seattle, Washington next week, you can learn about the new interface from the people who built it. The new AdWords interface team will be doing a deep dive into the new interface and demonstrating some of the latest tools we're adding to AdWords:
When: Tuesday, June 2, 11 AM to 12:15 PM
Where: Sound Conference Room, Bell Harbor Convention Center, Seattle, WA
If you'd like to attend our session, you'll need to register for a free expo hall pass. We hope to see you at the session, and please visit us at booth #32 and tell us your thoughts about the new interface.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
Increase efficiency with CSV import.
Many advertisers have requested the ability to import CSV files in AdWords Editor, and we're happy to announce this feature is now available in the new versionwe're happy to announce this new feature. If you make changes to your account in a spreadsheet or a custom application, you can now import your spreadsheet directly into AdWords Editor, then post your new or edited items. Learn more
Save time by downloading or updating selected campaigns.
Have you ever waited a long time for your account to download, when all you want to do is work with one or two campaigns? Now you can just download the campaign (or campaigns) that you want to edit, leaving the rest of the account alone. You may also choose to download or update only active campaigns (or only paused campaigns). Learn more
Make the most of Keyword Opportunities.
We've made a few changes to the Keyword Opportunities tool that should make it easier to manage your keyword data. On the "Search-based keywords" tab (the AdWords Editor version of the Search-based Keyword Tool) you can now view and organize new keywords by topical category, letting you zero in quickly on the keywords that are most relevant to your account. Also, when you export or copy keywords, the Keyword Opportunities columns (such as Volume and Competition) are now included. As another response to advertisers' requests, you can now add terms to your account as either keywords, negative keywords, or campaign negative keywords. Learn more.To learn more about what's in version 7.5.1, such as multiple column sorting and new conversion columns, please visit the release notes.
If you're already using AdWords Editor, you'll be prompted to upgrade automatically. This update won't require you to re-download your account, and it won't affect your comments and unposted changes. In the auto-update prompt, choose the 'Update without Backup' option; after you upgrade, your account will already be in the new version.
If you're not already using AdWords Editor, you can visit our website and click 'Download AdWords Editor.' To learn more about the benefits of using AdWords Editor to manage your ad campaigns offline, please refer to these frequently asked questions. Also, comprehensive instructions and tips are available in our Help Center.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
We'd like to share with you some upcoming, free Google webinars in June, ranging from general AdWords topics to topics geared specifically toward the travel and auto industries:
AdWords ongoing UK webinar series
Along with a number of on-demand webinars that you can watch any time, every month we also run live webinars hosted by UK AdWords specialists. Due to the timing of these webinars, they may be most suitable for UK and East Coast advertisers. Coming up in June we have:
We also have two specific webinars focused on the travel and auto industries:
A Look into Destination Shopping Behavior
As consumers plan and book travel to destinations around the world, understanding their online and offline research and purchase process is key. Using a detailed online behavioral analysis and in-depth survey of traveler perspectives, Google and Compete are partnering to present a new study exploring how consumers shop for and book destination-based travel.
Register today and join us on Tuesday, June 16th at 10am PST to learn:
Consumers are turning to the web in increasing numbers to research a variety of financial services products. In order to maximize your online marketing ROI, it's important to understand their behavior.
Join Google and Compete as we present findings of a recent study that analyzed consumers’ auto insurance related shopping and purchase behavior, with an emphasis on the role of search.
Register today and join us on Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 11am PST to learn:
AdWords ongoing UK webinar series
Along with a number of on-demand webinars that you can watch any time, every month we also run live webinars hosted by UK AdWords specialists. Due to the timing of these webinars, they may be most suitable for UK and East Coast advertisers. Coming up in June we have:
- June 3rd at 3pm British Summer Time (9am EST): Website Optimizer: Test & Enhance your Website
- June 10th at 3pm British Summer Time (9am EST): AdWords Editor I
- June 17th at 3pm British Summer Time (9am EST): AdWords Editor II
- June 18th at 11am British Summer Time (5am EST): ROI Maximization for the Education Industry
- June 18th at 3pm British Summer Time (9am EST): Back to School for Retailers
We also have two specific webinars focused on the travel and auto industries:
A Look into Destination Shopping Behavior
As consumers plan and book travel to destinations around the world, understanding their online and offline research and purchase process is key. Using a detailed online behavioral analysis and in-depth survey of traveler perspectives, Google and Compete are partnering to present a new study exploring how consumers shop for and book destination-based travel.
Register today and join us on Tuesday, June 16th at 10am PST to learn:
- How do consumers split their time researching and shopping across online and offline resources?
- How long do consumers spend doing research before booking destination travel and what's the timing of particular research activities?
- What do consumers value when comparing destinations and planning leisure vacations?
- When do consumers use search in their process of researching and booking destination travel and how can travel sellers leverage this?
Consumers are turning to the web in increasing numbers to research a variety of financial services products. In order to maximize your online marketing ROI, it's important to understand their behavior.
Join Google and Compete as we present findings of a recent study that analyzed consumers’ auto insurance related shopping and purchase behavior, with an emphasis on the role of search.
Register today and join us on Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 11am PST to learn:
- What leads consumers to shop for a new auto insurance policy?
- How important are various research channels for consumers during their auto insurance shopping process?
- What role does search play in driving online auto insurance quote volume?
- How do consumers search before requesting a quote and what keywords are driving conversions?
- What's the role of brand and generic search terms in the purchase process?
- What's the effect of key word types on conversion rates?
- What's the time frame from beginning research to eventual application?
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
Today on New Interface Thursdays, we'll take a quick look at the Ads tab in AdWords. The Ads tab lets you view and edit all of your ads, as well as check their status and performance. In the new AdWords interface, you have access to the Ads tab within individual ad groups, whole campaigns, or for your entire account.
We've also recently added the Display Ad Builder to the new interface. You can get to the tool by clicking New ad and then selecting Display ad builder. If you've wanted to expand your campaigns beyond text ads but haven't had the time to create a display ad from scratch, the Display Ad Builder is a great tool to try.
Like in the other tables in the new interface, you can make edits right in the table, customize columns, and filter your ads within the Ads tab. One feature we've added to the new interface is the ability to see which ads are pending approval. While in the previous interface you could only see when ads had been disapproved, the new interface allows you to see if they're pending review or have been approved. This will take the guesswork out of determining when your ad is eligible to start running on the Google Network.
You can use filtering to quickly identify all ads that are pending review. Click on Filter and views and select Filter Ads. From the drop-down, select Approval Status, and then check the box for Pending. Click Apply and the table will only show ads that are pending approval.
You can do the same with disapproved ads. If you have a disapproved ad, you can click the bubble icon in the Status column to learn why it was disapproved
We've also recently added the Display Ad Builder to the new interface. You can get to the tool by clicking New ad and then selecting Display ad builder. If you've wanted to expand your campaigns beyond text ads but haven't had the time to create a display ad from scratch, the Display Ad Builder is a great tool to try.
We hope you find the Ads tab helpful in managing your AdWords campaigns.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
On Saturday, June 13th, 2009, the AdWords system will be unavailable from approximately 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PDT due to system maintenance. While you won't be able to sign in to your accounts during this time, your campaigns will continue to run as usual. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
Starting today, all AdWords Seminars for Success will be taught using the new AdWords interface. So, if you've been wanting some in-person instruction on how to best use the new AdWords interface or how to generally grow your campaigns, check out the seminars we're hosting in the next couple months:
AdWords 101: Beginner and AdWords 201: Intermediate
For more information about Seminars for Success, including registration details, course outlines, and past attendees' comments, please visit http://www.google.com/awseminars.
AdWords 101: Beginner and AdWords 201: Intermediate
- June 15-16: San Diego, CA
- June 24-25: Boston, MA
- July 16-17: Minneapolis, MN
- August 4-5: Denver, CO
- June 17-18: Dallas, TX
- June 25-26: Washington D.C.
- July 7-8: Edmonton, Canada
- July 7-8: Sao Paulo, Brazil
- June 19: Dallas, TX
- February 11: San Jose, CA
- July 9: Sao Paulo, Brazil
For more information about Seminars for Success, including registration details, course outlines, and past attendees' comments, please visit http://www.google.com/awseminars.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
By now you probably know that we've been working on a new interface for AdWords to help you save time managing your account and get even better results from your campaigns.
We've built a number of new features that make managing your campaigns faster and easier: more graphs to track your performance over time, integrated reports that provide ready access to detailed search and content network data, and faster editing to help you make changes quickly.
You've probably received an email from us letting you know that your account will be converted to the new interface in the coming weeks. Today we have two release updates to share with you: we've recently made the new interface available to everyone who uses AdWords Standard Edition, and we've begun the migration process with a small number of accounts.
In our email, we stated that you would have at least 30 days before we update your account. This 30 day period is a minimum; in fact, most advertisers will have more than 30 days before their accounts are upgraded. We're taking a gradual and deliberate approach to ensure a smooth transition, and we won't upgrade your account until we're confident that the new interface meets your advertising needs.
So, how should you prepare for the transition to the new interface? First, the single most important resource to help you get up to speed is the new interface microsite. Here you can find short videos explaining the benefits of the new interface, a before and after guide, and even a short quiz you can take to make sure you're ready for the changes.
Next, if you haven't explored the new interface yet, now is a good time; try it by signing in to your AdWords account. If you notice any issues that make it difficult to manage your campaigns in the new interface, please let us know right away by submitting feedback.
If you've already sent us feedback on the new interface, thank you! We're listening closely to your comments and are working to fix the problems you've reported. Examples of top issues we're working on are wide pages that require too much scrolling, and slow load times for some types of browsers and Internet connections.
We've already made a number of changes in response to your feedback, and this week we've released updates to the new interface that address many of the top issues we've heard. And we're not done yet; we'll continue to make ongoing improvements to the new interface over time.
For those of you who joined the beta test early, we hope you like how the new AdWords interface has improved. And for those of you just getting started, we hope you're already noticing a few of the ways the new interface can help you get more out of your AdWords campaigns.
Posted by Austin Rachlin, Inside AdWords crew
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
If you'd like more help getting started using AdWords, we'd like to show you the free Step by Step workbook that details the simple steps in building successful AdWords campaigns. The workbook breaks down advertising with AdWords into four steps:
- Organizing your campaign
- Picking the right keywords
- Writing targeted ads
- Putting it all together
Within each section you'll find definitions, tips, screenshots, and other helpful information to help you navigate your account and build your campaigns. Check out www.google.com/adwords/pdf/step_by_step.pdf to get started.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
Last week we shared tips on how you can get ready for the new AdWords interface. We now have another resource to help you prepare for the change. Starting this week, we're holding weekly webinars about the new interface.
The first webinar is this Friday, June 19th at 11 AM PDT. The free 1-hour webinar will be led by Ariel Bardin, Product Management Director for the new AdWords interface. Ariel will walk you through the new interface, show you how to use the new features, and answer your questions.
You can register for the webinar here: New Interface Webinar Registration. Also, we have set up a Google Moderator page where you can send us your questions and vote for the questions you want answered. You can visit this page to submit your questions.
And, remember you can always visit the new interface microsite for additional help. We hope to see you on Friday.
The first webinar is this Friday, June 19th at 11 AM PDT. The free 1-hour webinar will be led by Ariel Bardin, Product Management Director for the new AdWords interface. Ariel will walk you through the new interface, show you how to use the new features, and answer your questions.
You can register for the webinar here: New Interface Webinar Registration. Also, we have set up a Google Moderator page where you can send us your questions and vote for the questions you want answered. You can visit this page to submit your questions.
And, remember you can always visit the new interface microsite for additional help. We hope to see you on Friday.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
In order to track your return on investment (ROI) from AdWords, you need to be able to see which keywords, ads and campaigns lead to conversions on your site. If you use Google Analytics, you can now import your Google Analytics Goals and Transactions into your AdWords account to use as conversion actions. This lets you track the ROI from your AdWords campaigns directly inside the AdWords interface. In the past, you needed to separately install AdWords Conversion Tracking to make use of this feature.
If you're new to Conversion Tracking, a "conversion" happens when a visitor to your site completes a desired action (such as making a purchase or requesting a quote). A conversion is very similar to the concept of a Goal or Transaction in Google Analytics, and is crucial to assessing the ROI from your online advertising spend.
One of the benefits of importing your Google Analytics Goals and Transactions into AdWords is that you can use them with the Conversion Optimizer, an AdWords CPA bidding tool that has been shown to help advertisers get more conversions from AdWords. Conversion Optimizer makes it a lot easier to manage your AdWords bidding and maximize results.
Here's how to get started importing your Google Analytics Goals and Transactions into AdWords:
Link your Accounts, Enable Sharing and Setup a Goal
First you need to link your Google Analytics and AdWords accounts and create at least one Google Analytics Goal or track at least on Google Analytics Transaction. You'll also need to enable data sharing in Google Analytics by completing the following steps.
- Sign in to your Google Analytics account.
- Click "Edit Account and Data Sharing Settings."
- Make sure you've selected at least the "With other Google products only" options under "Share my Google Analytics data."
- Click "Save Changes" to finish.
Import your Goals into AdWords
- Navigate to the "Conversion Tracking" page from within your AdWords account.
- Click "Link your Analytics goals and transactions" from the Conversion Tracking table.
- Select the Goals or Transactions you want from the list.
- Edit the action name so you can identify the goals in your AdWords reports.
- Select "Link" from the bottom of the table to finish.
Posted by Emel Mutlu, Inside AdWords crew
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
The basics of AdWords, such as bids, budgets, and Quality Score, haven't changed with the new interface. Still, every once in a while, you might find yourself asking, "Where did that go?" Here's a set of pointers to help you pick up where you left off in the previous AdWords interface.
Search my campaigns
In the previous interface, you could search your campaigns using a search box in the top corner of your account. In the new interface, we've replaced this functionality with text filters. You can now search for ads or keywords across your account by setting up a text filter. For searches you run often, you can save the filter to quickly access it at any time. Filters allow for more than just searching though, and you can read our earlier post to learn more about how filters can help you zero in on the data you care about most.
Keyword destination URLs
If you'd like to edit the destination URLs for individual keywords, you can do so by clicking the checkbox next to the keywords you'd like to edit, and then clicking on the "Edit" button at the top of the table. This will open up all keyword fields for editing, including the destination URL. If you'd like to see your destination URLs in your Keywords tab all the time, you can do so by customizing columns. By customizing columns, you can also find additional metrics like Quality Score that you might want to view and add them to the table.
Negative keywords
In the previous interface, you created negative keywords by adding a - sign to them. For example, you would add -free if you didn't want your ads to appear for searches containing the term free. Negative keywords were also mixed in with your regular keywords in your overall keyword list. With the new interface, negative keywords now have a home of their own. You'll find a section for negative keywords under your regular keywords in the Keywords tab. You can also view your campaign and ad group level negative keywords side by side.
Google Analytics and Website Optimizer
Where did the Analytics tab go? If you're looking for Google Analytics or Website Optimizer, you'll now find them under the Reporting tab at the top of your account.
Other questions?
If you'd like a side-by-side comparison of how to complete common tasks in new interface, we have a What's Changed page on the New Interface website.
Finally, we're providing webinars as another resource to help orient yourself in the new interface. The first webinar is tomorrow, June 19th at 11 AM PDT, and there's still time to register. We've scheduled the second webinar for June 26th also at 11 AM PDT.
We hope to see you at a webinar, and please continue to send us feedback on the new interface.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
After reorganizing their ad groups, ExecutiveChefEvents.com saw a 140% increase in their click-through rate (CTR). Many advertisers ask us how to improve their performance, and the answer is that simple one day projects, like the one ExecutiveChefEvents.com completed, can lead to big improvements in your performance.
Click on any of the video links below to see how these AdWords advertisers received more visitors to their websites, more paying customers, and more awareness about their businesses with a few simple changes to their campaigns. Each video will show you the problems the advertiser was having in their campaigns, how they improved their performance, and how you can do the same.
Expanding keywords: After adding keywords to their account, Adventures Cross Country saw a 55% increase in the number of people who filled out forms on their site. Watch the video and see how adding new keywords with consistent CPCs can help you reach more customers.
Expanding keywords: After adding keywords to their account, Adventures Cross Country saw a 55% increase in the number of people who filled out forms on their site. Watch the video and see how adding new keywords with consistent CPCs can help you reach more customers.
Organizing ad groups: After creating tightly themed ad groups, ExecutiveChefEvents.com saw an influx of visitors to their site and a 140% increase in their click-through rate. Watch the video and see how reorganizing your campaigns makes it easier for your customers to find you.
Adjusting bids: After raising some keyword bids to meet or exceed their first page bid recommendations, MoonKnight Networks saw their call volume shoot up by 200%, with a 270% increase in CTR. Watch the video and see how adjusting bids can help you get more exposure and more clicks for your ads.
You can also view the entire playlist of videos here: www.google.com/optimization-success.
Jun
24
Posted | June 24, 2009
Do you use Google Ad Planner to find websites for your display ad campaigns? If so, you'll be glad to know we launched the Google Ad Planner Publisher Center, a new feature that improves the quality and accuracy of the site data you see in Google Ad Planner.
The Publisher Center enables publishers to contribute directly to the site data provided in Google Ad Planner. Website owners can specify their site descriptions, content categories, supported ad formats and sizes, and share their Google Analytics traffic data in Google Ad Planner. With shared Google Analytics data, we can supplement our traffic estimates with actual, site-measured data from the publishers themselves. In turn, you'll have access to more robust and accurate information in Google Ad Planner to make better-informed decisions about which sites to include in your media plans.
Here's an example of a site profile you will see when the site owner updates information through the Publisher Center:
(Click the image for a full-size version)
We hope you'll take advantage of this improved Google Ad Planner data for your media planning activities. To get started, please visit www.google.com/adplanner.
Jun
15
Posted | June 15, 2009
Google has announced that its Google Analytics Data Export API beta is now available for developers....
Jun
15
Posted | June 15, 2009
Google now gives users the option to post a link to a Google profile at the bottom of name-query search pages, meaning that anyone searching for a user online can view information that the user wants the world to see. This potentially allows Google to use its search engine to create more of a social networking presence online, similar to Facebook and Twitter....
Jun
15
Posted | June 15, 2009
AT T is said to be making software enhancements to its 3G network to get a bit more juice from it before a planned migration to 4G and before millions of new Apple iPhone users come on board....
Jun
15
Posted | June 15, 2009
OPINION: License violations may be the least of your problems if your business is using pirated software. This Microsoft study indicates that it's quite possible you're using such software even if you tried in good faith to buy legit software....
Jun
15
Posted | June 15, 2009
Omniture adds a new application to its Omniture SiteCatalyst tool that allows users to monitor the spread of viral video on YouTube and other sites. Salesforce, Google, Amazon and other companies have all been expanding the range of applications available on their cloud-based computing platforms, even allowing clients to monitor Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and other sites to see how a particular service or product is being greeted by the general public....
Jun
15
Posted | June 15, 2009
Every publisher has a host of projects underway at any given time; the question is how to manage them to get the best ROI out of the whole set, not just individual projects. Automation tools promise to help, but getting the right tool is as important as starting the right project....
Jun
15
Posted | June 15, 2009
IT leaders are using their growing influence to boost business....
Jun
15
Posted | June 15, 2009
Hints about the modular, ambitious potential replacement for Windows have been leaking for months, but a batch of internal documents make up the most comprehensive picture yet....
Jun
15
Posted | June 15, 2009
It's not clear how tight IT budgets are going to be this year, but these five technology trends will create changes all midmarket companies should be watching....
Jun
15
Posted | June 15, 2009
Aligning master data sets, which include documents, Internet and intranet sites, e-mail, spreadsheets, charts, graphs, video and any other kind of data, across multiple systems provides a 24/7 view of the syste, plus full reporting and analysis on data assets and their use....
