1 business, 2 websites, 2 AdWords accounts, the same keywords

A problem?

[Gmorgan]

We have a client that uses adwords to bid on a load of keywords.

This client recently set up a 2nd website with a slightly different focus. They also set up a seperate adwords account and many of the keywords being bid upon are the same.

Is it against Google's T&C's for one company to be bidding on the same keyword twice, even if they are in seperate accounts?

Both accounts are listed as being the same company, with the same payment information.

[PayMePerClick]

If it can be described as a "different" product or service, I'm pretty sure it's allowed. An even crazier practice which I think is permitted (at least it was 3 months ago when several big names were doing this), is sending traffic to your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn pages. You could theoretically have different accounts for all of these bidding on the same keywords. Since the landing pages are not similar, it should work. And since you're promoting your "pages", they could be seen as different products.

[netmeg]

At one point Google made me combine a client's three businesses into one account, and while I could bid on the same keywords in each campaign, they wouldn't run simultaneously, even though they were three totally different aspects of the same general niche (products, training, services) So you might run into that.

[LucidSW]

My interpretation of the TOS is that this sort of thing is not allowed and subject to getting banned. However, I know it happens, I've had two clients myself doing it. Even warned one of them and got brushed off. So maybe there's something more to my interpretation.

The different product theory may have validity. Same kind of product, they look exactly the same (say the design dictates there's only one way it can be built and look) but one carries Brandname A and the other Brandname B, that makes them different. Splitting hairs? I think so but maybe not to Google.

[piatkow]

My understanding is that it isn't allowed despite Google encouraging it by sending Adwords vouchers to existing customers earlier this year which they can only use by opening a second account.

[PayMePerClick]

In regards to marketing your brand's social networking sites, I think that if it came down to splitting hairs legally, Google's TOS would allow it. They are in fact all different products. A brand wants to promote their Facebook page to gain fans...yes it may result in more sales in the long run but the primary objective is promoting the Facebook page and to gain Facebook fans who sign up for special Facebook offers. Likewise for any other network.

Stirring the pot.

[Dlocks]

AdWords TOS:

Unless explicitly advised by Google, individuals advertising for themselves or for their own businesses may only have a single AdWords account.