Keyword Optimization

According to a new study by AOL’s advertising.com on keyword performance for paid campaigns, simple, relatively low-cost techniques related to search keywords, titles and descriptions can dramatically improve search performance for advertisers.

"From managing keyword lists to establishing bidding strategies, search management is notoriously complex for marketing professionals," Lauren Weinberg, Advertising.com's research director. "This study reveals several highly effective yet relatively simple ways to generate more clicks or conversions, enabling marketers to obtain greater ROI from both their search budgets and their management efforts."

The study tested three “creative” optimization techniques, each with a different goal, and found that;

Keyword Insertion - resulted in a 38 percent increase in click-through rates, on average. Keyword insertion refers to the incorporation, into the sponsored link, of the exact keywords that the consumer is searching for.

Keyword Expansion - resulted in a 15 percent in click volume. Keyword expansion refers to the expanding of an existing list of keywords by generating additional terms that contain more specific information; the intent is to increase the overall volume of consumers.

Targeted URLs - resulted in a 36 percent increase in conversions. Targeted URLS is an effort to increase conversion - consumers are directed to a specific, subject-relevant page on a website instead of the homepage or a more general page.