When is a keyword considered a duplicate?

While doing some research on how was showing up for various PPC keywords, I noticed that some come up that only have part of the keyword. For example professional and technical training vs. professional technical training. Would I need to bid on both these keywords or can I bid on just professional and technical training since it includes the words professional technical training? Thanks.

I wanted to give another example of what I'm talking about to make it more clear.

Would I need to bid on "medical biochemistry" if I bid on "biochemistry". Since "biochemistry" is included in the phrase "medical biochemistry" is that a duplicate?

Google doesn't care if you have duplicates in your account. It gives the impressions/clicks to whichever ad their system believes will generate more money. Their system automatically ignores any duplicate within the same ad group and leaves those that are in separate ad groups.

There are three types of keyword phrases at Google: broad, "phrase", and [exact]. Here is how they differ:

[medical biochemistry] will only display your ad if that is the exact search used (same words, same order, no additional words)

"medical biochemistry" is the phrase matched version and will display your ad if those two words in that order appear in a search that contains additional words

medical biochemistry is the broad matched form and will display your ads for a broader range of searches including those containing those two words but either not in that order OR with word(s) between them.

If you want your ads to display for either of those words use them both together and alone. If you DO NOT want your ads to display for either of those words alone you may wish to only use the "phrase" and [exact] match versions.

At Google you can use all three forms. Also use both plural and singular versions of any words where that applies.

From what i'm understanding about exact, phrase or broad matched keywords, I don't seem to think broad matched would be a good choice.

With broad based, you would need a lot of negative keywords. I'm assuming a negative keyword only factors into cost if you are using a company to setup the account (i.e., it would come out of the 30 word allowance).

But if setting it up on my own, those negative keywords won't cost me anything. Do you find most small and niche businesses don't use broad based keywords?

Also for exact search you used these [] symbols--why? Are people putting [] into the search engines?

When you put the keywords in your account the quotes and brackets are what tells their system what type of match you want. Many searchers do use quotes to search for specific phrases.

For example, to use all three forms you put these keywords into your account:

medical biochemistry
"medical biochemistry"
[medical biochemistry]

The first is broad match, the second is phrase match, the third is exact match. Which you use depends on how much traffic there is and how much you want. If you use broad match you can block many of the unrelated searches with negative keywords.

If the SEO company is offering 30 keyword phrases and no negative keywords they may only use exact match. If you can get all the traffic you want that way and only want about 20-25% of all potential clients to find you that may work for you.

I used tracking codes on one account to find out which forms generated their sales. I found broad matched keywords were responsible for about half of all sales, and phrase and exact match generating the other half.

It is not wise to assume that any particular SEO or Adwords consultant knows about broad, phrase, and exact match. Unless you ask (or look at what they do once it is done) you won't know which they use or advise.

All consultants are NOT created equal. Most will be average with average knowledge. Some are brilliant. Some are below average. That's why they call it "average". For best results I recommend using someone who specializes in PPC and has exceptional knowledge.

I do know that corporations work best with other corporations or those SEO/SEM agencies that specialize in working with those types of companies. Entrepreneurial businesses will usually be happier with entrepreneurial consultants.

I've never seen a study of what "most" advertisers actually do. I have done dozen of evaluations of existing accounts and since most Google Adwords users haven't read up on how it works most have only broad match with no negative keywords in their accounts.

Negative keywords cost you nothing except the time to research and add them. When I create campaigns and ad groups I do not charge by the keyword and I include as many negative keywords as I find in my search tools and from using the positive keyword phrases in Google.

Do you know that Google provides many resources on how to use their system? Their help center includes Adwords Demos and Guides and an Adwords Learning Center.

For ease in locating them again, I provide Important PPC Keyword Advertising Related Links to those and other resources in the sticky threads at the top of this forum.

[ Message was edited by: flyingrose 11/09/2006 02:45 pm ]

If I pick the keyword "glp quality assurance" and select phrase match, does that mean that we will also come up for the keyword "glp"? If so, how do we avoid that? Just select exact match? We offer training in this subject but it isn't free--it is in the form of paid courses. therefore, we wouldn't want people looking for free information to click on our ad. What is the best way to deter those people from clicking?

Avoid using the broad match version. You can use the phrase and exact match versions like this:

"glp quality assurance"
[glp quality assurance]

This will show your ad to anyone that has those three words in that order but not just glp. If you believe they would use the words in any other order you can put those phrases in the same ad group like this:

"quality assurance glp"
[quality assurance glp]

Or maybe even

"glp assurance"
[glp assurance]

Totally up to you what you use. You cannot use -glp as a negative keyword because that would block all of your phrases.

I do use -free as a negative keyword in most accounts to block any search that has free in it. This keeps your spending lower and increases your CTR.

If I use broad match for one search phrase, do I also need to do exact match and phrase match for the same word? Or is it assumed that broad match encompasses exact match and phrase match?

Thanks for your help flyingrose

I strongly recommend that you use all three. Broad match phrases can stop displaying your ads over time if they don't get clicked on in a very small number of impressions. And click costs can (but don't always) vary dramatically between the three versions.