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Yahoo! Search Marketing > Yahoo! Search Marketing Help > Sponsored Search > Using the Application

Use the Ad Generator

The Ad Generator may save you time by helping you to assemble a set of candidate ads for ad testing and optimization. To use the Ad Generator, you first enter a set of titles and short sentences. The Ad Generator automatically combines various permutations of short sentences and titles to form a set of candidate ads.

The Ad Generator saves the candidate ads in a pending area that is outside of the ad group, where you can view and remove candidates you don't like. This pending area is sometimes referred to as "ads on deck".

Over the next few days or weeks, ad optimization continually tests your candidate ads and keeps the best performing ads for your ad group. After the process is complete, your ad group includes the highest performing ad.

Note: To create and test ads without using the Ad Generator, you can use the Create Your Ad page. You can test additional ads, which you write using the procedure in Create Your Ads, in the same ad group as any ads you create using the Ad Generator.

Using the Ad Generator

To access the Ad Generator:

  1. Click the Campaigns tab. The Campaigns page opens.
  2. Identify a campaign and click the link. The Campaign Details page opens.
  3. Identify an ad group and click the link. The Ad Group Details page opens.
  4. Click the Ad Generator link. The Use the Ad Generator information page displays with a summary of how the Ad Generator works.
  5. Click Get Started. The Use the Ad Generator main page displays.

To set up text that the Ad Generator will use:

  1. Enter a title and click Add. You can enter up to three titles. You can use the Edit and Delete buttons to modify your list of titles.
  2. Enter a Short Sentence and click Add. You can enter up to four short sentences.
  3. Enter the destination URL, which is the web page that will appear when your ad is clicked.
  4. Click Save Ads.

Tips: If you're not sure what to write, or would like to view existing ad descriptions, click one of the Resources links in the bottom right of the page.

Click the arrows next to Description and Display URL if you want to make entries in those fields.

To refine the set of candidate ads:

  1. The Review your ads page displays. This page lets you preview the candidate ads--these were assembled based on the titles and short sentences you provided.
  2. Each candidate ad has a corresponding, pre-assigned Ad Name. Edit these ad names by typing a different value in that field.
  3. To delete candidate ads, select the checkbox next to the ad and click the Delete button.
  4. Click Save Ads.

Ad Optimization

Once you set up your set of candidate ads using the Ad Generator as described above, the ads will be tested and optimized. When used in conjunction with the Ad Generator, ad optimization moves candidate ads into your ad group, where it compares ad performance--it keeps the ads that perform the best and deletes the others.

Over the next few days or weeks, ad optimization continually tests your candidate ads and keeps the best performing ads for your ad group. After the process is complete, your ad group includes the highest performing ad.

Ad Optimization: "Ad Generator" ads versus "Create your Ads" ads

As ad optimization tests the Ad Generator ads, it treats those ads a bit differently than the ads that you write using the Create Your Ad page.

  • When ad optimization tests your Ad Generator ads, it deletes the ads that do not perform as well. You can still view the deleted ads, but you cannot edit them or copy/move them to other ad groups.
  • When you use the Create your Ads page to build multiple ads, the ad optimization function tests those ads against each other too. In this case, however, it turns Off the ads that don't perform as well - it does not delete those ads.

When optimization is complete, the highest performing ad will be On.

View "Ads on Deck"

Ad groups are typically allowed to have up to 20 ads. Because the Ad Generator can produce more than 20 ads, the Ad Generator provides for a separate storage area that holds the candidate ads. This is sometimes referred to as "ads on deck." On the Ad Group Details page, click the View Ad Generated Ads button to see the pending area ads - the "ads on deck." The ad optimizer automatically moves pending ads to the live ad group for testing.

Fields in the Ad Generator Main Screen

The following table defines the fields in the Ad Generator main screen.

Table 1.

Field Description
Title The title is a brief headline for your ad. If carefully crafted, a title can grab the attention of prospective customers. In this Ad Generator page, you may specify up to three titles. Keep these tips in mind when writing a title:
  • Include the keyword token in each title.
  • Make sure your title is relevant for all keywords in your ad group.
  • Choose a title that is specific to the product or service you want to promote, rather than one that is relevant to your business in general.
  • Consider including competitive advantages, such as discounts or free shipping.
  • The number of characters that you may enter varies depending upon your geographical market. In the US market, for instance, your title may be up to 40 characters.
Short Sentence Each short sentence you provide will be combined with another short sentence to provide a description. In this Ad Generator page, you may specify up to four short sentences. We suggest you:
  • Write the short sentence as a standalone sentence that will make sense when combined with any of your other short sentences.
  • Use the keyword token in at least some of your short sentences.
  • Focus on the key points you want to display in your resulting descriptions.
  • Use the Resources links, in the bottom right of the page, for content tips.
  • The number of characters that you may enter varies depending upon your geographical market. In the US market, for instance, your short sentence may be up to 34 characters.
Description The description field is not required, but you may use it in addition to the Short Sentences. We suggest you:
  • Write a single sentence that focuses on the most important information you want to display.
  • Use the Insert Keyword feature so that the relevant keyword is automatically inserted into the description when the ad is displayed.

The description will be combined with the title and added to the candidate ads.
Display URL The display URL field is typically pre-populated. The display URL needs to correspond to a page on your site.
Destination URL The destination URL is the web address of the page on your site that is displayed after your ad is clicked. To help increase your ad’s performance, choose a URL for a page that is specific to your ad, rather than your site’s home page.
Base Name for Ads We supply a default base ad name when you create an ad, but you can change it. The ad name helps you identify this ad when you view its performance data on the Ad Group Details page.

To learn more about ads, see:

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