How should I start with keyword selection for my Google Ads campaign?

Short Answer: Begin your Google Ads campaign by selecting just one keyword that is most relevant to your business, using phrase match. This approach allows Google to automatically include many related keywords, so you don’t need to start with a large list of keywords.

Full Explanation

Starting with a focused approach means picking a single keyword that best reflects what your business offers. By choosing a keyword as a phrase match, Google will take care of capturing a broader set of related search terms for you. This eliminates the need to manually specify many keywords at the beginning and can simplify campaign management while ensuring relevance.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Identify your most relevant keyword: Choose one keyword phrase that directly connects with your business offering.
Set the keyword as phrase match: This tells Google to show your ads for searches containing that phrase, including close variations.
Let Google expand: Google will automatically gather and target closely related keywords under the same phrase match umbrella.

Real Examples

Although not explicitly stated, the idea is clear: instead of starting out with many keywords, pick one key phrase that truly represents your business. For instance, if you sell handmade soap, simply starting with the phrase match keyword “handmade soap” will prompt Google to capture related queries without needing multiple initial keywords.

Common Mistakes

Starting with too many keywords: Adding a large list of keywords from the start can be overwhelming and less efficient.
Choosing unrelated or broad keywords: Failing to pick the most relevant phrase can harm the campaign’s performance and increase costs.
Not using phrase match correctly: Using broad match instead may lead to irrelevant searches, while exact match could limit reach excessively.

FAQs

Q: Why only one keyword? Starting with one keyword simplifies management and allows Google’s algorithms to identify related search terms relevant to your business.

Q: What does phrase match mean? Phrase match means your ad will show for queries that include your chosen keyword phrase in order, along with close variations.

Q: Can I add more keywords later? Yes, after initial data collection, you can expand your keyword list based on performance.

Key Takeaways

Choose the single most relevant keyword to start your campaign.
Use phrase match to allow Google to capture related searches automatically.
Avoid starting with many keywords to keep campaigns effective and manageable.