how match type segmentation is part of a vast right wing conspiracy by john lee

#SMX #22b @john_a_lee

…and what you can do about it!

How Match Type Segmentation is Part of a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

John Lee – Clix Marketing


•  Managing Partner – Clix Marketing •  Digital Advertising Geek

Emphasis on “Geek”

•  Prior Sentences Served: Hanapin Marketing Wordstream

•  Writer: Search Engine Watch, ClickZ, Clix Marketing Blog, The SEM Post, Acquisio Blog, PPC Hero

•  Speaker: SMX, SMX Social, SES / ClickZ Live, HeroConf, State of Search, Acquisio User Summit, Bing Ads Connect


It’s a Stump Speech, Man

My Position


§  You don’t always have to do what smart people tell you to do (oh, wait…).

§  I oppose a/b and SKAGs as a universal PPC strategy.

§  Segmentation for the purpose of segmentation is pointless.

My Position


Sorry Susan… This Is a Battle, Right?

What Trump (I Mean Susan) Says


alpha/beta strategy and SKAGs: -  Provide sterile environment for search query mining. -  Provide environment for granular ad and landing page

testing. -  Force search engines to trigger the most precise

keyword+ad+landing page combo. -  “Efficiency.”


CREATE

YOUR OWN

MEME!


…or “Break it Down” …or “Why I Don’t Care”

Hammer Time!


§  One size fits all does not apply.

§  Not all campaign managers operate at this level and will be crushed by ALL THE CAMPAIGNS.

§  Some campaign structures are complicated enough already.

a/b and SKAGs Preached as Gospel


REAL EXAMPLE Segmented by Country Segmented by Theme 5 Countries X 9 Themes X 2 = ??? …90 Campaigns (and that’s just search, we also have GDN!)


§ Create every campaign. Twice.

§ Add a keyword. Add a negative keyword.

§ Download and upload every campaign. Twice. (bandwidth FTW!)

Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun


§  Longer testing cycles for ad & landing page data.

§  “Low search volume.” It happens.

§  Plural vs. singular. Reverse word order. Do they really need separate ads?

Meaningful & Expeditious Testing?


You Can Do Most of This In a “Normal” Campaign Structure.


§ Exact, modified broad (and more!) in one ad group.

§ Exact is your winner, winner, chicken dinner. § Mod+broad is your research. § Learn new queries; create new ad groups. § Rinse. Repeat.

Sometimes, Less Work is OK


§ Ad group level negative exact match keywords.

§ Still have risk of mod+broad serving impression for exact match? Yes.

§  Chance of this happening is slim with tiered bidding, but if it does – you’ll still serve the right ad!

But John, What About the Negatives?


§ Keyword to ad relevancy is HUGE, yes. But…

§ How much is there to gain from an ad for the plural vs. singular keyword variations?

But John, What About the Ads?


Keyword. Destination.

URLs.

But John, What About the Landing Pages?


Exact and Modified Broad Match Only Really? Really? Really?


§ Phrase match is a great catch all for those “just in case they search” long tail keywords.

§ Broad match is one of the best keyword research tools out there. §  You can come after me with pitchforks in the lobby…

Phrase & Broad Match Still Have Value


I Don’t Know, Can They?

Can Concessions Be Made?


Yes, a/b and SKAGs can make sense for high volume keywords.


Should you at least consider a/b and SKAGs when planning optimization strategies? Yes.


§ Don’t blindly apply a/b and SKAGs to all keywords.

§ Consider the impact of other segmentations first (e.g. location, ad schedules, business purpose).

§ Let the data inform your ongoing decisions.

But…


Questions? @john_a_lee [email protected] www.clixmarketing.com


THANK YOU!

SEE YOU @SMX WEST SAN JOSE, CA

MARCH 1-3, 2016