How Accurate is the AdWords Keyword Tool?

I'm sure by now that everyone who reads here knows the AdWords Keyword Tool is showing numbers instead of the graphs it would show just a few weeks back. I think one of the big questions on everyone's mind is just how accurate is the data being shown? I decided to take a look in a few accounts I have access to and found at least keyword that seems to meet all the criteria I would use for a test. I found one in particular that was live in June, and the AdWords Keyword Tool does reference June data.

Here are a few details:

- The keyword is exact match.
- 100% impression share for June.
- It's opted in Google + Search Network
- US targeting

When logged into the account the keyword tool indicates that the approximate June search volume was 34,830. That estimate is based on exact match and the correct location targeting. Here's what surprised me - the actual number of impressions that keyword received in June was 36,770. Do a little rounding and the estimate provided by the keyword tool comes out within 5% of the real number.

Now of course that's one keyword in one account and in no way am I trying to imply that the keyword tool will be that accurate in all cases. I'm honestly surprised though at just how accurate it is in this case.

Anyone else seeing similar numbers?

edit/add - the Wordtracker estimate of this same keyword is way, way, way off. It's estimate is under 200...

AdWords Keyword Tool - Now With "Real" Numbers

Logging into my MCC this afternoon I was greeted with the following message:

"You can now see statistics on the approximate number of search queries matching your keywords. This data allows you to better plan your budget and pick keywords most likely to return quality leads, which in turn can help improve your ROI."

The link provided took me here.

After reading the help page I jumped over to the AdWords keyword tool and ran a sample query and sure enough, there are now actual numbers next to the graphs. Good stuff...should help, at least somewhat, in terms of forecasting and account structure.

Edit: others noticed this as well:

Google's Keyword Tool Now Showing Search Volume Numbers ~ SER
Google "Leaks" Search Volume ~ Tamar

AdWords Pay-per-action beta is ending

Logged into an AdWords account tonight and noticed a message that says AdWords pay per action is ending;

"The pay-per-action beta will be discontinued the last week of August 2008. After this date, your pay-per-action campaigns and ads will no longer be active. If you wish to retain permanent records of your pay-per-action data, please export it from the Report Center before all pay-per-action campaign data is removed the last week of October."

A link was provided that includes more info: What's happening to the pay-per-action beta? The summary states;

"As part of Google's recent acquisition of DoubleClick, the Performics affiliate network is now a part of Google. To consolidate our offerings, we will be phasing out the AdWords pay-per-action beta, and the product will be retired on during the last week of August. Pay-per-action campaigns and all related data will be removed from all AdWords accounts the last week of October. More specifically, you can expect to see the following changes in your account and campaigns in the coming months:" Read the full announcement.

New AdWords Content Network Feature - Keywords + Placements

I came across a new AdWords content network feature in an account today. I'm a fan of the content network and am always interested in testing new ways to target users with my ads.

Anyway, the message in the account said they are testing a new feature that allows advertisers to use keywords and placements in the same campaign. It's being called an "advanced content network option". Google's offering a simple explanation and example that explains what this option is and how it works.

According to Google;

"Instead of creating separate campaigns for keywords and placements, you can now include both in any campaign. All ad groups now have tabs for both keywords and placements, and the two can work together to target your ads on the content network.

Here's an example: You might target the keyword roses and the placement *www.example.com*. You can let the keyword roses display your ad across the content network, and use placements to raise your bid whenever roses triggers your ad on www.example.com. Or you can choose to have your ad appear only on www.example.com, and only when its content is a match for roses.

Placements are still entirely optional. They affect your ads on the content network only. You can do nothing and your existing campaigns will continue running just as they have. But these new options can give you better control of ad placement and pricing on the content network."

I'm a heavy user of the content network and placements...having them available in the same campaign will definitely, at least for me, bring some efficiency to the table. I'm looking forward to testing this feature out over the next few weeks.

Here's the page with all the information about this new feature.

The In-house vs. Outsourced SEM Debate

"I’ve been doing SEM for more than 10 years, and I’ve never, not once, seen a search campaign created by an in-house team outperform one crafted by a competent SEM agency."

Yep, someone actually wrote that down. If you want to see who it was (I won't bother linking) copy the above sentence and Google it. It's nothing more than a fluffy link bait piece full of opinion presented as fact. Anyone who's been in the search game for any significant length of time knows that in-house vs outsourced has nothing to do with how successful a paid search campaign is.

Want to know what makes a search campaign successful? Here are a few hints. It's not bid management tools, keyword research, ad copy, landing pages, geo targeting, match types or search engines. Success also has nothing to do with whether your paid search is managed by a well known agency or by a team of internal folks. All of those elements, while important, can't make a campaign successful.

People are what makes a campaign successful. It doesn't matter if those people (or just one person) work at an agency, as part of an in house team, or out of their house in their pajamas - people are what make campaigns successful. Over the years I've seen one man shops absolutely obliterate paid search campaigns that were built by agencies...both large and small. I've seen it go the other way (agencies outperform internal teams) just as many times.

Apply that same logic to other areas in your life outside of search and you'll see just how ridiculous of a comparison it is. Are the "big shops" always the best? For years my auto mechanic basically worked out of his garage. Sure, he didn't have access to all the newest tools and didn't give me a fancy brochure and business card every time I came by. You know what he did do? He fixed my car every time I had a problem for less than the dealer quoted using the same quality parts as the dealer would. He did it for less $$$ too. The wrench didn't fix my car, my mechanic (a person) did.

I have two dogs. For years I had them groomed at one of the larger national pet store chains. They should be the best right? They have the newest equipment and a nice looking store in the best part of town. They charge a little more but it must be worth it, no one could as good of a job as they do. Last year a friend recommended a local place down the road from my house. I was in a pinch one day (lots of company coming in town) and the large national chain couldn't get my dogs in for two days. I went to the local place down the road and despite the fact they worked out of a tiny space only had two employees and charged less than the national chain guess what...they did the best job anyone had ever done on either of my dogs.

I could go on and on and I'm sure while you've read this you have likely thought of some time in where your life where the "big" service provider didn't do as well as the little guy and vice versa. In other words, you too realize that the size of the business is in no way an indicator of the level of service you will receive. The same applies to paid search - agency does not equal success any more than in-house does. People make paid search successful, and it doesn't matter where those people sit each day. A paid search pro is a paid search pro - in house, agency, independent or other.

In closing I would just say to the author of the original article...if you've truly never seen an in-house campaign outperform an agency campaign...get out a little more, you're missing a huge part of our industry.