Embedded Match: A Novel Way to Reduce Unnecessary Clicks & Costs

Embedded match is an AdWords “match type” which allows you to target variations of a keyword, without advertising against the keyword itself (really, embedded match is a combination of two different AdWords matching options, but we’ll get into more detail on that shortly). In this tutorial, you’ll learn:

• How embedded match works
• Why it’s important to your search campaign
• How to use the option to reduce unnecessary spend

So, What is Embedded Match, Anyway? 

As mentioned above, embedded match uses a combination of matching options and can be considered a hybrid of exact negative match and broad match. Google explains, “[embedded match] allows you to prevent your ad from appearing in relation to certain phrase or exact matches.”

For example, let’s say your business sells Apple iPod accessories, but not actual iPods. You may broad match on “iPod” to capture people looking for these accessories, but you’d want to exclude “Apple iPod” because it’s not relevant to your business. In this case, “Apple iPod” would be an embedded match keyword.

Why are Embedded Match Keywords Important To You?

Embedded Match Keywords are important because they prevent your ad from displaying for less relevant searches, thus reducing unnecessary spend and even improving AdWords click through rate (CTR). Embedded Match Keywords provide you, the search marketer, with more control over your search campaign. With this control, you can let your competitors vie for the popular keywords while you bid instead on more specific, lower priced keyword terms with better conversion rates.

Embedded match keywords allow you to continue advertising on these specific, well performing keywords, while preventing your ads from displaying for similar general queries that tend to have a lower return on investment (ROI).

How to Use AdWords Embedded Match

Despite their benefits, most marketers find themselves unable to capitalize on embedded match because of the work involved to find, examine and apply embedded match to appropriate keywords. Blogger Brad Geddes goes so far as to describe it as “the least used feature of Google AdWords.” It’s tedious to go over your keywords and single out certain general terms in order to apply an embedded match status, and to make things even harder, not all general terms are proper embedded match candidates.

A far better option is to group, bid on, and create ad texts for the keyword variations themselves. Luckily, that’s exactly what WordStream does.

Embedded Keywords and the Long Tail

One of WordStream’s most distinguishing properties is the ability to act as a Long Tail Keyword Tool to find and manage specific keywords with high relevance and better conversion rates. Focusing on and optimizing the long tail serves the same purpose as implementing embedded keywords–you stop bidding on the general, highly competitive and expensive keywords, and direct your time towards keywords that are more appropriate for your business. Popular keywords, great embedded keyword candidates, are easily visualized in WordStream’s keyword explorer, as are long tail queries that make up the majority of search queries.

An Easy Alternative To Embedded Match Keywords

WordStream goes a step beyond embedded match, allowing you to have greater control and specificity in your campaigns which results in better campaign performance at a lower cost. Why bid at all on the general phrases that may or may not produce a qualified lead when you can bid on specific keywords that you know your website is relevant for–all at a lower cost!

If you’re interested in maintaining even more control and specificity in your PPC accounts, learn more about WordStream by trying WordStream free today