Finding and Selecting Profitable Keywords

Probably the most significant element in all of Google AdWords is the keywords. A mediocre ad using a killer keyword list will convert far better than an awesome ad to a mediocre keyword list. To succeed in the AdWords game, you need low-cost keywords that convert at strong ROIs.

So how do you obtain these keywords?

==> Start out with a Broad Keyword Base

Begin by brainstorming all the different kinds of base keywords you can actually bid on. One example is, if you are marketing a guide regarding how to improve grades, you might start your brainstorming with:

ACT Scores
Get good grades
Study tips
Read faster
Increase comprehension
Enhance retention
Improve IQ

So on and so forth. Start with as broad a list as you can. This will present you with all the "conventional" keywords that all the competitors will also be putting in a bid on, as well as a fairly large list of unusual keywords that may have less competition than other keywords.

==> Narrowing Down Your List

When you have your big of keywords, the next step is to narrow these down to just a select few to run.

Begin by searching through the traffic stats in the Google Keyword Tool. Ideally, you're looking for keywords that have enough level to make it worth your time to optimize, but not so much traffic that the traffic is untargeted.

To put it differently, you most likely don't wish to bid on "grades" or "reading," even when there's high volume. You also don't want to bid on keywords like "How to get better grades in 4th grade in Arizona" because the volume just isn't there.

In addition take a look at the estimated CPC in Google. Do not really take these numbers at face value, since these numbers are based on what you'd need to bid to get first position.

You usually plan to be between positions three and five, so that your actual bid will be cheaper. But the estimated CPCs provides you with a very good sense of which keywords cost more and have more competition, and which keywords are cheaper to bid on.

==> Completing and Refining Your Keyword List

Compile your final keyword list. Try to begin with a small keyword list of just the keywords you think will likely be most likely to convert. Bid on these keywords with an exact match bid. Target only Google and not the rest of the syndicated search network.

The goal is to strive for the highest possible ROI keywords first, so you can verify that the campaign can certainly be rewarding in the best case scenario.

Then once you have proven profitability, extend your keyword base and experiment with phrase and broad match. Split test the syndicated search network traffic as well as Google traffic.

Track carefully, so you understand what kinds of keywords, match types and syndicated search engines convert and which ones do not.

Those are the essentials of compiling a successful keyword list for Google Adwords. Start broad, then narrow down to your final list. When you bid, start with just the keywords most likely to make money, and then gradually make your way to broader keywords.

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