It’s a change that has long been discussed within the industry. Google has now removed the option of opting out of close variant keyword matching within their AdWords campaigns. While the vast majority of Adwords users are already using close variant keyword matching, and thus will be unaffected by the changes, there are some who will find the need to transition to a new form of AdWords campaign management. Here we take a closer look at AdWords close variant keyword matching and what it means for the industry.
What are the Benefits of Close Variant Keywords?
Close variant keyword matching triggers campaign keywords when a user slightly misspells a keyword or uses the keyword in the plural form where the keyword is singular and singular when the keyword is plural. It’s a mechanism that also accounts for acronyms and abbreviations of keywords. While previously users had to include all variations of keywords in their accounts for their ads to rank, now they can cut down their keyword list while expanding campaigns by tapping into searches that wouldn’t have otherwise offered a strong ROI within their campaigns.
What Can Companies do if they don’t Want to Target Misspellings and Plurals?
By using negative exact or negative phrase match, companies can remove variations that they don’t want to see within their campaigns. This allows AdWords users to retain a sense of control within their keyword matching criteria while benefiting from other forms of variation within their keywords.
What Should Companies Focus on for the Future?
This latest Google AdWords change is proof positive that the company is leaning further towards creating a high-value content search environment. It’s important now that companies consider their future search strategies ensure it continues they offer lasting returns within the quickly evolving marketplace. Achieving relevancy and quality within both keyword driven content and other forms of content remains the priority.
It’s time to analyze AdWords performance and review how the latest changes have impacted campaigns. Companies should find that, by tweaking their AdWords options, they will receive a net-benefit when the changes to the system have been finalized.
