AdWords Frequently Asked Questions

Updated January 11, 2023

How To Run An AdWords Account

Recently we’ve been on-boarding a few new AdWords clients and during the process we noticed that a few of their questions were coming up again and again. So here’s our AdWords Frequently Asked Questions summary, explaining some of the main questions we find ourselves being asked about how to create a great AdWords account.

How Many Keywords Should I Have Per AdGroup?

We like to limit the number of keywords to around 10. This makes it easier to manage and keep track of the keyword’s performance. It also means that the purpose of your AdGroup stays focused on one topic. Remember all of these keywords will be triggering one set of ads, so the more thematically similar they are, the better they will match the ads you write.

How Many Ads Should You Have Per AdGroup?

In our tightly focused AdGroup we don’t think you should have any more than four ads. But ideally, only two. You need to have two ads, so you can A/B test them against each other. Remember that if you have an AdGroup with 10 ad variations in it, any ad can trigger for any keyword. So if you think you need to have more than 2 different ads to cover all of your keywords, it’s probably a sign you should split the keywords into another AdGroup.

Can I Use Different Match Types In the Same AdGroup?

Yes, but make sure that the bids are set accordingly. So, for example if you have ‘shoes’ as your keyword as both a exact match and a broad match you need to make sure the bid for broad match is higher, so you don’t end up out bidding your own exact match keyword and paying $5 for a keyword you could have got for $4.

So for example:

How Often Should I Check My Account?

This depends on a few factors. How new is the account or AdGroup you’re running and how much money are you spending on it. We would recommend you’re checking in on a new AdGroup or campaign daily at first. Things you should be paying special attention to:

1. Your search terms report – This will show you if your keywords are matching with the right searches. You can also use the report to exclude any negative matches you see.
2. Your Quality Score – This will show how good Google thinks your ad, landing page and keywords all work together. You can now see your historic Quality Score, so it is easier to track how it has improved (or worsened) for each keyword.
3. Search impression share – This shows you how much of the search for your keyword you are getting. Highlighting how many clicks you’re missing out on. You can also get more detail by checking the Search Lost IS Rank column, which shows you when you’re losing out due to your Ad Rank (which is calculated by your bid x Quality Score.

Is Quality Score Important?

Yes. Quality score is a large part of your Ad Rank. Your Ad Rank determines where your ads show. You can try to fight Ad Rank (if you’re ignoring your quality score) by increasing your bids, but unless you want to waste your money, there isn’t much point. For AdWords to be effective your ads need to closely match your keywords and landing pages. For a good quality score your ads need to closely match your keywords and landing pages. For converting customers your ads need to closely match your keywords and landing pages. You get the point.

AdWords Frequently Asked Questions

Does this Q&A help you with your AdWords account? Are there any other questions you think we should answer about AdWords? Let us know in the comments if you want to hear more.

Photo credit – Top: Joe the Goat Farmer
Photo credit – Bottom: Pexels