But, as far as I can tell, there is no way to run ONLY on the content network. (Am I wrong?)
So, if a keyword gets 0.51% on search, and 0.01% content, Google is happy?
But if it gets 0.49% on search and 0.49% on content, it's disabled on BOTH?
So a 0.49% ad would be removed from a content site, while a 0.01% is allowed?
Also, I have found content pages/ads about a keyword, with AdWords ads running-- yet if you type in the keyword on search, you can't find the ad. How are they doing this?
Thanks for your help!
David
If you want to run ads on the Content network I suggest that you mirror you existing campaign, and choose to run one campaign on Search Network, and the other on Content Network.
You'll need to bring your max CPC down on your Content ads as otherwise they'll show up on Google.
Don't forget that it takes a few days for your ads to be approved on the Content network so don't panic if you don't see any impressions/clicks for 3-5 days. As soon as you do start getting impressions/clicks on your Content ads you'll want to make sure that there aren't any impressions/clicks being reported at the keyword level as this would mean that your ad was shown on Google or the Search network.
Google + Search Network
Google + Content Network
Google + Search Network + Content Network
it is my understanding that you can also advertise on Google alone but UNchecking both checkboxes (search & content)
The question posed was the REVERSE: Can you advertise on content only?
And the more important question had to do with relative CTR's. Still looking for clarification on that!
DavidB_REE – You can use the work-around I mentioned so that your ads only appear on the Content network. There is no easy way to advertise on the Content network only, unless of course you want to try the new site targeting feature on a CPM basis.
You can’t see the CTR or CPC at the keyword level for Content clicks, so I don’t understand your question with regards to relative CTR.
And if so, are there CTR-constraints?
This is a case for AWA.
There are techniques that can be used to seperate out when keywords will be used for content vs search, but you'll still be shown on at least Google's site if you target the content network.
About keywords and content: I have only one keyword per ad group, so I can compare CTRs directly.
I will start site targeting, as well.
I still don't know why Google prefers 0.01% CTR on content (if you get 0.51% on Google)... but cancels an adgroup doing 0.49% on content (and 0.49%) on Google.
They must have some strategy that requires you to appears on their own page/search in order to drive the content network.
I still don't know why Google prefers 0.01% CTR on content (if you get 0.51% on Google)... but cancels an adgroup doing 0.49% on content (and 0.49%) on Google.
of course your example is the most extreme case, but i think google's reasoning is still ok. the content network is not a controlled environment; a publisher can position ads anywhere on a page. imagine that your ads appear on sites with long flowing articles that have the adblock at the very bottom. these ads would have an extremely low CTR, but that result would have little to do with your ad copy.
by gauging ads based on how they perform on google.com, they have created a level playing field where they can compare the CTRs of different ads against eachother.
although i wish i could turn off ads appearing on google.com, the forced-sell makes at least a little sense.
