There is a time and a place where negativity rule – it’s with Google AdWords. Specifically keywords. We all know that choosing the appropriate keywords by which we want to be found is paramount to our online survival. And they create the foundation for Google AdWords campaigns.
For those in the Kitchen and Bath industry, “cabinets” is a likely keyword, as is “bathroom” – so we employ them in our AdWords campaigns and sit back waiting for the hits, willing to pay for each click-through – because we anticipate the order…
But, did you know that using cabinet as a keyword will show your ad for these queries: gun cabinet, medicine cabinet, cabinet refacing, Obama’s Cabinet and others. Bathroom will get your ad impressions for search terms such as bathroom mat, bathroom shower curtain, and assorted “adult” fetishes I never thought about before.
Google has a way to avoid useless impressions and therefore paying for click-throughs. It’s called Negative Keywords. The best way to find the keywords you want to negate is by running a Google Report entitled: Search Query Report – and it can be found in the reports section. Run and view the report and look for the undesirable keywords that people entered causing your ad to appear. As you gather these negative keywords, head back to the keywords tab. Toward the bottom of that page (below the keywords you have chosen) is a place for negative keywords. Add the keywords by which you don’t want to be found. This is a great exercise in seeing what clients are really searching for, and saves you money too!
As always, your personal experiences with negative keywords, as well as your thoughts are always welcome.
The Kitchen & Bath Channel – Smart Phone Mobile App
Book: A is for Advertising… B is for Branding…
