Using topics to contextually target your ads offers broad targeting and reach, and is a good way to connect with a large audience quickly and easily to generate awareness or drive sales. When using topic targeting our system looks at all the terms on a page to determine the topic of the page, and is less reliant on particular keywords. On the other hand, using keywords to contextually target allows you to target your ads to a more specific set of pages in the Display Network, since you use individual keywords to develop a theme in your ad groups. However, both targeting options can be used together to effectively reach an audience across the Google Display Network. Let's walk through a use-case.
Let's say you're selling digital cameras. Here's how you might use keyword- and topic- based contextual targeting together to achieve different campaign objectives like raising awareness and driving sales.
- Create an ad group targeting the sub-topic News & Current Events >> Technology News with a display ad to increase awareness of your cameras among technology enthusiasts.
- Then target the sub-topic Photo & Video >> Cameras, using a display or rich media ad format like video to educate people interested in cameras on your products' features and benefits.
- Finally, create a separate ad group using keyword-based contextual targeting with keywords focused on a specific brand or camera model. Then run a text or display ad which includes a special offer or discount on your camera to drive purchases among users reading reviews of that Camera brand or model.
This is just one example of how you can use topic- and keyword-based contextual targeting together to build awareness, increase consideration and drive sales. You can also
exclude topics and sub-topics to refine your targeting.
As with other targeting options on our Display Network, contextual targeting by topic supports all ad formats, such as text, display, video and rich media as well as all our
bidding options, such as cost-per-click (CPC), cost-per-thousand impression (CPM), and cost-per-acquisition (CPA). In addition, you still have access to URL-level reporting and other tools such as the
Conversion Optimizer.
To find out if this targeting option is right for you, you can read our
best practices. Then learn more by watching
this video and reading our
Help Center articles.
Originally
posted on the
Inside AdWords Blog.
Posted by Agency Blog Team
