AdWords Manual Keyword Tracking

How to forward keyword info through to landing page

[trnelson]

Hey all, I'm somewhat new to Google AdWords and I'm a new member of WebmasterWorld.com. =)

I am looking to track keywords (individual and/or full search string) per search on my AdWords. Can someone point me in a direction where I can find out how to do this.

I would like to forward the full search string to my landing page so I can do with it as I need to (log to database, include in an RFI from the landing page, etc.)

I've come across a few sites that talk a bit about macros which forward this data through the querystring and the like, but was not able to find any good documentation on Google, as I'm not too familiar with AdWords just yet.

Thanks!

[jtara]

There is no good documentation on this on Google.

This is not the best way to do it, anyway, as there's no way to tell if you matched broad, phrase, or exact.

Use "edit CPCs/URLs" and add the match (or some internal reference number) to each keyword.

A PITA, but I think Google wants it to be a PITA.

my keywords ** .20 ** "http://example.com/my_product?kw=my+keywords"

"my keywords" ** .20 ** http://example.com/my_product?kw="my+keywords""

[my keywords] ** 20 ** "http://example.com/my_product?[my keywords]"

Or, you could specify the match type with, say, match=broadŠphraseŠexact.

You could build a database and simplify:

[my keywords] ** .20 ** "http://example.com/my_product?kw=6873"

Or build it into the landing page URL.

"my keywords" ** .20 ** "http://example.com/aw/6872"
[my keywords] ** .20 ** "http://example.com/aw/6873"
more keywords ** .20 ** "http://example.com/aw/6874"

You could use mod_rewrite to translate the numbers to real landing pages. A conventional log stats package could easily give you keyword stats. You have the option of easily breaking-out a keyword-specific page for any product. That is, you could start out sending all the keywords for a product to the same page, but later just change the rewrite rules to send certain keywords to their own landing pages for hot keywords, and gain relevance by having a more targeted landing page.

[Kings on steeds]

you could just use

http://www.example.com/?source=Google Adwords&keyword={keyword}

where {keyword} will be replaced with the keyword in your account that was activated.

[edited by: eWhisper at 1:59 pm (utc) on Jan. 18, 2006]
[edit reason] Please use example.com for sample links. [/edit]

[eWhisper]

This is a common string to use:
www.example.com?src=GAW&seg=AdGroup&kw={keyword}&match={ifsearch:GAWsearch}{ifcontent:GAWcontent}

In the above string, the only variable that needs to be replaced is the adgroup with the actual adgroup.

If you are using Google Analytics, there is an entire help section on building URLs.

[jtara]

you could just use

http://www.example.com/?source=Google Adwords&keyword={keyword}

But that won't tell you the type of match - broad/phrase/exact.

[trnelson]

Thanks guys for all of your advice. I will certainly look into this. Is there a way to test these items without actually clicking on an ad and generating a clickthrough?

Thanks!

[eWhisper]

Once its set up, you can do a search, right click on your ad and select 'properties'. Copy the url into notepad for easier viewing. At the end of the string, the data should be populated.

[trnelson]

d'oh!

I guess that makes sense, I'm a little slow today I think ;)

Thanks all for your help, I will play around with this info and let you know if I have any more questions. My first visit to WebmasterWorld has been a good one!