Use the Keyword Details page to view keyword performance data for a selected date range and estimated forecast data and to specify the keyword bid, match type, custom URL, and alternate text. In addition, you can see the ads in the ad group containing the keyword, and if Insert Keyword is used, how the keyword (or its alternate text) will appear when the ad is displayed.

• Understanding Keyword Status

• Opening the Keyword Details Page

• About Keyword Performance Data

• About Estimated Monthly Forecasts

• About Match Types

• About Keyword Bidding

• About Custom URLs

• About Alternate Text

• Specifying Custom Keyword Settings

Understanding Keyword Status

The keyword’s status appears near the top of the Keyword Details page, showing the keyword’s current status information and whether or not the keyword is active. For more information on statuses, refer to the Statuses topic.

Note: If a keyword or its parent ad group or campaign is not active, then the title in the breadcrumb (the navigation path below the tabs at the top of the screen) appears in red text.

Opening the Keyword Details Page

To open the Keyword Details page:

1. Click the Campaigns tab. The Campaigns page opens.

2. If you have more than one account, select the account from the dropdown list.

3. Click the campaign link. The Campaign Details page opens.

4. Click the ad group link. The Ad Group Details page opens.

5. In the Keywords tab, click the keyword. The Keyword Details page opens.

You can also open this page directly from the Keywords subtab on the Campaigns page.

To open the Keyword Details page from the Keywords subtab:

1. Click the Campaigns tab and then the Keywords subtab. The Keywords page opens.

2. Click the keyword. The Keyword Details page opens.

If you added the keyword to your watch list or if it's a Top Keyword, you can open this page directly from the Dashboard.

To open the Keyword Details page from the Dashboard:

1. Click the Dashboard tab.

2. Above the watch list, select Watched Keywords or Top Keywords.

3. Click the keyword in the watch list. The Keyword Details page opens.

About Keyword Performance Data

The Keyword Details page displays performance data for the keyword for the date or date range you select. The data displayed in the Keyword Performance table includes:

• Average Position – The average position of an ad containing this keyword relative to other ads within the Sponsored Search results.

• Impressions – The number of times an ad containing this keyword is displayed.

• Clicks –The number of times an ad containing this keyword is selected.

• CTR – Click-through rate for ads containing this keyword. It's the number of clicks received divided by the number of impressions generated.

• Average CPC – Average cost per click. It's the cost of advertising divided by the number of clicks.

• Cost – Total cost of advertising for this keyword.

If you're tracking conversions, the performance data also shows:

• Conversions – The completion of an action that you value, such as a purchase, registration, or sign-up.

• Assists – The number of times this keyword contributed to a conversion that was credited to another keyword or marketing activity. Assists must occur within 45 days of the conversion event to be recorded. Within any 45-day period, a conversion event can have a maximum of 30 assists recorded.

• Revenue – The amount of revenue this keyword generated.

• CPA – Cost-Per-Acquisition. The cost of acquiring a conversion. The CPA is calculated as the total cost of online marketing activities divided by the number of conversions.

• ROAS – Return on Ad Spend. The amount of revenue this keyword generated per dollar spent on a specific advertising method. ROAS is calculated as Revenue ÷ Cost of Advertising x 100.

Using the Ad Group Default Bid

To change the date range of the performance data:

1. Open the Keyword Details page.

2. Click a calendar icon above the Performance Data table. The Select Date (to hand pick a start and end date) or Select Date Range (to select from predefined ranges) dialog box opens.

3. Select the start and end dates or the date range.

4. Click Apply.

About Estimated Monthly Forecasts

The Keyword Details page shows you a monthly forecast for a specified bid. If you change the keyword bid or match type, we'll update the graph and estimated forecast data.

Note: Please remember that the monthly forecast graph and data are estimates only and are not guarantees.

The graph shows an estimate of the number of clicks you may receive for various bids for this keyword. The data is based on historical traffic data for the keyword. It is calculated using a combination of your bid on this keyword and historical keyword data, including previous bids of other advertisers, monthly click volume for this keyword, and other factors.

The graph data is only an estimate to help you determine bids for your keywords. It's not a guarantee of click volume. Many factors, such as the bidding behavior of other advertisers, your campaign settings, and the quality of your ad and its relevance to searches, could significantly influence your actual results.

• Average Position – The potential average position of your ad relative to other ads within the Sponsored Search results.

• Impressions –The number of times an ad may be displayed in a month. For example, a Sponsored Search ad that is displayed four times has four impressions.

• Clicks – The estimated number of clicks your ad may receive in a month.

• Average CPC – The estimated average cost per click that you may pay each time your ad is clicked.

• Share of Available Clicks – An estimate of the clicks you may potentially receive for all keywords in your ad group. The share is estimated using your bid and historical data for the keyword. This is an estimate only and not a guarantee of click volume.

About Match Types

If you selected Sponsored Search as a distribution tactic, select the match type for the keyword. The match type determines how a search term is matched to your ads. You can select either Standard or Advanced match type.

• Standard Match Type – These ads can be displayed for exact matches to the keyword, as well as variations in case (that is, differences in upper- and lowercase letters); singular and plural forms of the keyword; common misspellings of the keyword; and topics relevant to the keyword, ad titles, and ad descriptions.

• Advanced Match Type – These ads can be displayed for a broader range of searches related to your keywords, titles, descriptions, and/or web content. The Advanced match type may display your ad for more searches by expanding match possibilities. Unlike the Standard match type, the Advanced match type may display your ads when the keyword is part of a phrase or term. For example, with Advanced match type, the keyword “suede shoes” could match a search for “blue suede shoes” or “shoes with leather and suede tongues.” The primary benefit of the Advanced match type is its simplicity – you don't need to enter every variation of a keyword to get matches.

To use the Advanced match type for a keyword, you must select Sponsored Search as a distribution tactic. In addition, if the keyword's ad group, campaign, or account uses Standard match type, then Standard match type will be used for the keyword, too – regardless of the setting of the keyword match type.

Note: If campaign optimization is on, you can set the Sponsored Search match type for the campaign but not for individual keywords.

If you change the match type, we'll update the Estimated Monthly Forecast for the keyword.

To select a match type:

1. Open the Keyword Details page.

2. Select Advanced or Standard from the Match Type dropdown list.

About Keyword Bidding

For a Sponsored Search keyword, you can either use the ad group bid or specify a custom bid for the keyword that overrides the ad group bid. (You can't specify a custom bid for Content Match keywords because the Content Match bid is set at the ad group level.)

The ad group bid, also called the ad group default bid, can be used for all Sponsored Search keywords in the ad group. Using the ad group default bid can simplify bid management because you have fewer individual keyword bids to manage. You may want to use the ad group default bid for most of your keywords – especially those that you feel comfortable managing as a group. You can easily reset the bid for those keywords at the same time simply by updating the ad group default bid.

If you specify a custom bid for a keyword, you must manually manage that keyword’s bid separately from keywords that use the ad group default bid. Consider specifying a custom bid for keywords that require more pricing control. For example, if you need to set a higher bid to remain competitive for some keywords, use a custom bid.

The Recent Bid Range for Top Positions, displayed in the Maximum Bid panel, shows recent estimated bid range information that may place your ad in the top available positions for this keyword. Keep in mind that a combination of your bid and ad quality – not just your bid - is used to determine your ad's position in search results.

Note: Please remember that the Recent Bid Range for Top Positions is an estimate only and not a guarantee.

Using the Ad Group Default Bid

To use the default bid for a keyword:

1. Open the Keyword Details page.

2. In the Bid panel, click the Use Ad Group Default Bid option. The option shows the current ad group bid.

3. Click Save.

Specifying a Custom Bid

To specify a custom bid for a keyword:

1. Open the Keyword Details page.

2. In the Bid panel, click the Use Custom Keyword bid option. The custom bid field opens.

3. Enter the custom bid amount in the text field.

4. (Optional) Click the Update Estimates button to see the impact of the bid on the estimated monthly forecast.

5. (Optional) Do either of the following:

   • Enter different custom bid amounts or in the forecast graph, drag the red Bid bar to the right or left to see how various bids may affect the estimated forecast.

   • Switch between a custom bid and the ad group default bid to compare estimated forecasts.

6. Click Save.

About Custom URLs

The ad's destination URL may not be ideal for some keywords such as a specific product or model number. In those cases, you may want to send a prospective customer directly to the web page for that product or model. Just specify a custom URL for the keyword. A custom URL is unique to a keyword and overrides the ad's destination URL.

Like the ad's destination URL, the custom URL is reviewed for compliance with the Sponsored Search Editorial Guidelines. Until the URL is approved, the ad's destination URL will continue to be used when an ad is displayed.

Setting a Custom URL

To set a custom URL:

1. Open the Keyword Details page.

2. Select the Use a Custom Destination URL for This Keyword checkbox. The Enter a URL field opens.

3. In the URL field, enter a custom destination URL for this keyword.

4. Click Save.

Changing a Custom URL

You can change the custom URL for any keyword. The revised URL is subject to review for compliance with the Sponsored Search Editorial Guidelines. Until it is approved, the previously approved custom URL will be used for the keyword when the ad is displayed.

To change a custom URL:

1. Open the Keyword Details page.

2. In the URL field, enter a new custom destination URL for this keyword.

3. Click Save.

Deleting a Custom URL

You can delete a custom URL. If you do, the ad's destination URL will be used when the ad is displayed.

To delete a custom URL:

1. Open the Keyword Details page.

2. Uncheck the Use a Custom Destination URL checkbox.

About Alternate Text

If you use the Insert Keyword feature in an ad in this keyword's ad group, you can use alternate text to replace the keyword when the ad is displayed – as long as the alternate text doesn't cause the title or description to exceed the length allowed. If the alternate text causes the title or description to exceed the maximum length, the default text (which you specify when you use the Insert Keyword feature) is displayed.

Here are some examples of using alternate text in an ad:

Table 1.

Does every keyword need alternate text? Take a look at the ads on the Keyword Details page. If Insert Keyword is used in an ad title, short description, or long description, you may want to specify alternate text if:

• The default text, and not the keyword, is displayed. If default text is displayed, then the keyword is too long for the ad title or description. Shorter alternate text could make your ad more relevant.

• The ad title and description are grammatically incorrect when the keyword is displayed.

Specifying Alternate Text

Alternate text is subject to review for compliance with the Sponsored Search Editorial Guidelines. Until it is approved, ads that use Insert Keyword will display the keyword (or the default text).

To specify alternate text for a keyword:

1. Open the Keyword Details page.

2. Select the Use Alternate Text for This Keyword checkbox. The Enter Alternate Text field opens.

3. In the Enter Alternate Text field, enter alternate text for this keyword. As you enter the text, the ads that use Insert Keyword are updated with the alternate text.

4. Click Save.

Changing Alternate Text

You can change the alternate text for any keyword. The revised text is subject to review for compliance with the Sponsored Search Editorial Guidelines. Until it is approved, the previously approved alternate text will be used for the keyword in ads that use Insert Keyword.

To change alternate text for a keyword:

1. Open the Keyword Details page.

2. Uncheck the Use Alternate Text for This Keyword checkbox.

3. Click Save.

Deleting Alternate Text

If you delete alternate text, the keyword or default text will be displayed in ads that use Insert Keyword.

To delete alternate text for a keyword:

1. Open the Keyword Details page.

2. Change the text in the he Enter Alternate Text field.

3. Click Save.

Specifying Custom Keyword Settings

Regardless of how you select keywords, you can add custom settings for some or all keywords in the Selected Keywords panel. You can include the following custom settings for each keyword:

• Custom bid

• Custom URL

• Alternate text

• Match type (Advanced or Standard)

To learn more about keywords, see:

• Choose Keywords

• Create Your Ad

• Adding Custom Keyword Settings

• Statuses