example: www.yourdomain.com?kw={Keyword} - inserts keyword dynamically into destination url.
Here is what I learned:
There is no longer any need to create custom URLs for each keyword. Only the ad text destination url needs be customized.
Here are the benefits from doing it this way:
reduce setup and management overhead.
ability to track ad text and keyword performance at the same time.
ability to AB test landing pages and track keyword performance at the same time.
Ability to see how changes in ad text effect keyword performance.
CONS:
Does not capture Broad Match, Exact Match or Phrase Match
I also discovered that the visitor's actual search query is recorded in the log file. Comparing the user's query to the keyword gives marketers some deeper insights.
I can see how closely the keywords, ad text and landing page resembles what the visitor was actually looking for.
I can track conversions based on visitor queries in addition to the keyword used.
I can extract negative words from queries that do not convert into leads/sales.
Other Notes:
The keyword returned in the query sting is the keyword that triggered the ad to display. (Not the Vistors's Query).
The actual query is only available in log file format.
One limitation is that the kw={keyword} syntax does not distinguish between broad match, exact match and phrase match. A determination can only be made by looking at the cs(Referer) entry in the log file.
The dash (-) symbol is ignored. (i.e. The keywords Debt settle and Debt-Settle seem to trigger the same ad. The only difference seems to be in how the query string displays. kw=debt%20Test vs. kw=Debt-Test) I might consider replacing all spaces in keyword phrases with dashes.
The plus (+) symbol is noted as %2B in the query string. (i.e. kw=Debt%2bTest). It is not ignored like dashes are.
Outstanding Questions
1.) Does kw={keyword} feature work on syndicated ads? Content Match?
Please let me know your thoughts and comments on this feature. I can not find any Google documentation that discusses dynamic keyword insertion into the destination URL.
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For those intrested, here is the experiment I ran:
Display URL: example.com
Destination URL: www.example.com/bankruptcyquote.aspx?mk=gaw-DS&kw={keyword}
SYNTAX KEY
Domain: example.com
Landing Page: example.com
Channel/AdGroup: mk=gaw-DS (internal tracking code used to track Channel Type and Ad Group - Means Google AdWords Channel/Debt Settlement Adgroup)
Keyword: kw={keyword}
Debt Settlement Adword: debt settle test
Google Adword Searched: +www debt settle test (+ used to Google would not automatically drop + as a common word.)
Query String Results
In user's browser:
example.com/bankruptcyquote.aspx?mk=pcGO-DS&kw=debt%20settle%20test
NOTE: %20 represents space.
Microsoft IIS W3 Log Results
cs-uri-stem: /example.aspx (shows landing pages)
cs-uri-query: mk=pcGO-DS&kw=debt%20settle%20test (shows channel/adgroup/keyword)
cs(Referer): google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=www+example+widgets (shows referring site/ user query)
[edited by: eWhisper at 8:30 pm (utc) on Jan. 4, 2005]
