HELP! Why Is Adwords Using Unwanted Keywords?

[Planet13]

Hi everyone,

I don't freaking understand what Adwords is doing. It's apparently showing my ads for keywords that I am not bidding on.

Let me point out that I am using Exact Match for my keyword choices, but when I look at an adgroup, Adwords is apparently showing my ad for keywords that are COMPLETELY unrelated to my ad.

While he keywords ARE related to my website in general, but NOT related to my ads - they are geared toward other products which I am NOT trying to bid on through adwords.

Does this have anything to do with the mysterious "product listing ads" that I see under Campaings -> Ads? What exactly are "product listing ads"?

Thanks in advance. Adwords is kicking my behind...

[RhinoFish]

yep.

see first + sign here:
[adwords.google.com...]

the words in your feed...

Prod Listing Ads show on SERPS, upper right hand corner (usually), essentially in position you'd normally see ad position 4-6.

click 3rd + sign for more on where.

images i found (search g images for 'adwords product listing ads'):
bestrank.com/files/uploads/6/image/product-listing-ads.jpg

[Planet13]

Thank you, RhinoFish.

So basically whenever you create a product listing ad for any of your. Ad groups, then Google will show Any of the products from the Google merchant feed?

So does anyone use product listing ads? It seems like it would be a major waste of resources.

[RhinoFish]

results vary. :-)

often on the bad side, but it is worth testing.

if you've got visual oriented products (rugs, tshirts, wigs), try it for sure!

G knows many have tried and dismissed it, so they're revising it as we speak:
[adwords.blogspot.com...]

i've heard there are more improvements coming.

and with G, that's pretty much a given - relentless pursuit of improved advertising.

if you run these, split them out into a separate bucket - have seen too many cases like yours where "mystery" matching was going on. (not accusing G of hiding it, but more clarity of reporting on this particular issue would help many folks).

[Planet13]

Thank you, RhinoFish:

Apparently there is a way to restrict it to only certain products. Hopefully I can find a tutorial out there on how to do that, because there are a COUPLE of items I would like the photos to be displayed.

thanks again.

[RhinoFish]

suggest you research creating a separate feed, in your G Merchant Center, that you use for just this purpose.