Ad Group Keyword Grouping – Turning Keyword Groups into PPC Profits

Grouping keywords for ad groups is a crucial step on the road to pay-per-click success. But keyword grouping in Microsoft Excel, the tool most search marketers use for the job, leaves much to be desired: It's not built for keyword grouping, and as a PPC tool, it's not actionable. 

WordStream, on the other hand, is a keyword management solution designed specifically for search marketers. It enables simple, efficient keyword grouping and conversion of themed keyword groups into ad groups in Google AdWords. 

Why is grouping keywords for ad groups so important for profitable PPC? 

Strong Keyword Groups Turn into High-Performing Ad Groups 

Segmenting keywords into tight, related keyword groups makes for higher-performing ad groups in AdWords. This is because it's easier to write targeted, relevant text ads and landing pages for small, focused ad groups, leading to compounding PPC benefits including: 

• High click-through rate (CTR): More people click on more compelling and relevant ads, creating more opportunity for conversions.
• Lower ad spend: A high AdWords click through rate lowers your cost per click (CPC).
• Higher Quality Score: Google rewards marketers that offer relevant, valuable ads and resources to search engine users.

This is why it's so important to group keywords for AdWords ad groups if you want to maximize pay-per-click profits (and who doesn't?). 

Using WordStream to Group Keywords for Ad Groups 

Keyword grouping and organization in WordStream is incredibly easy compared to the old spreadsheet system. You can quickly sort your keyword lists into a well-structured hierarchy of ad-group-ready segments using the Keyword Group Segmenter.  

In the below screenshot of a pet supply store's keyword database, the keyword grouping software suggests potential subgroups of the larger keyword group "bird": 

These suggestions are based on size and traffic driven by each potential keyword group. The segments at the top of the list (in this case, "bird cage," "bird food" and "bird house") should be your highest priority, because they have the potential to drive the most traffic and conversions if you convert them into ad groups. 

Creating keyword groups is just a matter of clicking a button. All the appropriate keywords and their visit data will automatically be grouped together and sorted under the "bird" parent group in your keyword hierarchy. No more manual cutting and pasting and fussing with Excel formatting. 

Now you just need to turn all your tight, semantically related keyword groups into ad groups in AdWords, starting with those that have the most profit potential. In a spreadsheet, this would require switching between applications – too often, when analytic tools and PPC workbenches are disconnected, value-creating actions are never taken. Since WordStream is actionable and integrated with AdWords, you can get to work on your ad groups right away and in the same, unified platform. 

Turn Keyword Groups into Ad Groups at the Click of a Button  

With WordStream, grouping keywords into ad groups is literally a click away, since your keyword list is already organized into ad-group-friendly segmentations. 

In WordStream's workflow tab, you can see at a glance which keyword groups need ad groups. 

The orange warning sign in the AdWords column tells you that keyword group isn't yet associated with an ad group in your AdWords account. Just click the "Associate AdWords Ad Group" button to create an ad group with those keywords, and you're ready to start crafting a targeted PPC campaign with relevant, clickable ads and high Quality Scores. 

Want to Learn More? Free White Paper: Four Steps to Better Keyword Grouping