In one client’s case, we have a client that sells a brand of case called a “storm case”. It’s a shipping case that is rugged and watertight. However, in using storm case as a keyword on broad match, Google matches the word “hurricane” to “storm” as a synonym. Frankly, a storm is not always a hurricane, but that’s a discussion for another day. This matching serves our ad for searches on “glass hurricane candle holder”.

Now yes, I could do only phrase or exact match. However, I then severely limit my ability to find new keyword combinations. For instance, what if someone searches for “storm shipping case” or “storm waterproof case”? Phrase and exact match would not allow for that — they can severely limit your visibility AND they often cost more per click.

http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=6137

Relevant quote: “Also, your ads’ performance on keyword variations doesn’t influence your keywords’ Quality Scores, minimum cost-per-click (CPC) bids, and ad positions.”

However, since CTR is one of the more important factors in Quality Score (both the QS for min bid and the QS for ad ranking), I’m not sure how their system separates impressions (denominator in CTR) from expanded broad matches (keyword variations) from “regular” impressions. IOW, the CTR they use for QS calculations must not be the same CTR reported via your AdWords interface. There must be an internal CTR that ignores expanded broad match impressions. Either that, or expanded matches do actually impact QS.

http://beyondthepaid.blogspot.com/2007/06/google-adwords-search-query- report-good.html

I asked my Google rep about the foreign characters, and this was the reply:

“Regarding the foreign language queries, individuals are typing these words in foreign languages while his or her language preference for Google is set to English. Your ads are appearing for these queries because our system determines that these queries are relevant based upon expanded broad matching.”

I think that’s, well, errant thinking on the part of Google, to be polite. But that’s their story and they’re sticking to it. Meanwhile, I have to keep adding these foreign-character keywords as negatives. Luckily there aren’t too many of them.

My personal opinion is that Google (and the other engines) should have 4 match types: expanded broad, “classic” broad, phrase, and exact. That would give us the option of showing for tail terms, but not these crazy instances of expanded broad match going way too far.

Melissa

http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=6324

Notice that the explanation of broad match includes: “…as well as some related keywords and phrases via our expanded keyword matching technology.”

Regarding how long expanded matching has been utilized, see this 2003 AdWords news archive:

https://adwords.google.com/select/news/oct03.html#matching

Again, ALL broad matches are actually implemented as expanded broad matches in the Google AdWords system. This is not new. What is new (over the past 12 months or so) is how expansive the expanded matching has become.

One last point – in some cases, expanded matching is actually “contracted” matching. For example, you might have a multi-word keyword in an ad group list like:

charlottesville hotels

and Google’s expanded matching algorithm might display your ad on the single keyword:

hotels

Imagine what that could do to your ad’s performance? Spikes in clicks from untargeted traffic like this can be disastrous for small businesses. IMHO, broad match as expanded match (and contracted match) is broken. There should be a way to do broad match as originally designed.

Caveat emptor.

I first started seeing this back on June 22nd on the front end before the reports became available. This was Q&A I posted out at LinkedIn:

http://www.linkedin.com/answers/marketing-sales/advertising-promotion/ internet-marketing/MAR_ADP_INM/58762-1978920

What I uncovered is that Google is appearing to use referring URL information (i.e. your most recent search request) to represent similar ads even in instances where your subsequent search has no relation to your previous search.

In my example I shared on LinkedIn, I did a search on “gift baskets” and then a search on “auctions”. WIthin the results of the auction search I received “wholesale gift baskets” ads presented. Obviously, completely irrelevant.

Biggest concern I think we have to consider here is the impact on Quality Score. Given the unpredictability of the irrelevant ad serving, you cannot apply this to your negative list.

BTW, since I uncovered this issue on June 22nd, I’ve seen my ROI performance drop precipitously. Anyone else seeing the same?

Also, if this is “expanded match”, why am I not able to opt out of this? I personally think this is a very underhanded approach by Google, and for the most part very hush hush. Seriously — how many general AdWords advertisers would be aware of this and that it is even an issue?

Google needs to STOP THINKING FOR ME and try to do me any favors. If expanded match is the issue here, then it is obviously and seriously flawed.

http://www.apogee-web-consulting.com/blogger/2006/12/be-careful-with-a dwords-expanded.html

One tip that helps when you’re building keyword lists – make sure “Use synonyms” is checked when using Google’s keyword tool. That’ll give you a good idea as to how expansive broad matches will be for a given term.

I bid on beltonen which is ringtones in dutch. When I searched for sonneries (ringtones in french) my ad also appeared although this keyword was not in any campaign I was running.

I asked google and they gave my the expanded match answer but expanding into another language is going a bit too far in my book.