Guide to dynamic keyword insertion with Adwords

March 12th, 2007

There isn’t much information about on this in forums or in fact on the AdWords site (In fact i’ve heard it isn’t an officially supported feature!) so I’ve put together this quick guide to DKI and how to use it effectively. Please add your own tips or comments!

What is Dynamic Keyword Insertion? (DKI)

DKI is a feature of AdWords which allows you to dynamically use the keywords that users search for to be displayed as part of your advert. This can be useful for the following reasons:

• Words in your ad copy that match keywords users type in are highlighted in bold, helping your ad stand out from the competition
• Your adverts will appear more relevant to the user as they use the keyterms that triggered the advert, which will usually increase CTR.
• You can use one adgroup to cover a range of slightly different but related keyterms, therefore maximising your ad relevance without having to type an advert for each keyword variation

Where can I use Dynamic Keyword Insertion?

You can use DKI anywhere in your adverts.. in the title, description line 1 or 2, display url and in your destination url (Usually for tracking purposes, be careful not to break your links with this method!)

Ok, how do I use Dynamic Keyword Insertion then?

You specify how you’d like the dynamic keywords displayed, and give a default phrase which will be displayed if your dynamic keywords cannot for whatever reason. The format is below:

{keyword:defaulttext}

You can also use the following capitalization on the work ‘keyword’ to get different effects:

• keyword - no capitalization
• Keyword - First word is capitalized
• KeyWord - Every Word Is Capitalized
• KEYword - EVERY letter in first word is capitalized
• KEYWord - LIKE Above But With Each Word Capitalized
• KEYWORD - EVERY LETTER IS CAPITALIZED

Code:

Example

{KeyWord:Widgets}
Buy your {Keyword:Widgets} here
{KEYword:Widgets} with free delivery!

Keyterm in your adgroup: ‘blue widgets’

Blue Widgets
Buy your Blue widgets here
BLUE widgets with free delivery!

FAQ’s

What if my dynamic keywords are too long?
Maximum character limits still apply, so if the dynamic keywords push your ad text over the line limit, the default text will be used instead. Make your default text short enough to comply with maximum character limit.

Will using dynamic keywords effect my quality score?
I’ve not seen any adverse effects to quality score by using DKI, and neither have other people I’ve spoken to.

Is using dynamic keyword insertion the best solution?
Ideally, no. If you have the time, it’s best to write an individual advert for every keyword/term in your campaign. In practicality though, with a huge range of keywords and/or lack of management time (or budget), dynamic keyword insertion can be a quick way to make your adverts appear more relevant and achieve a higher CTR.

My dynamic keywords aren’t showing up! What’s wrong?
Check that your keywords are short enough to comply with the maximum character limit on the line you’re using them on.
Also remember that dynamic keywords must comply with the same guidelines that normal text must - For example whilst you can bid on copyright words, they cannot appear in your ad text so will not appear as dynamic keywords.

What about dynamic keyword insertion on the content network?
From AdWords Advisor 2 (WMW):

We will insert the most relevant keyword from your Ad Group into the creative, space permitting. The deliver of your ad on the content network is determined by the overall theme of your Ad Group, but the system will select the most relevant term within the Ad Group for insertion. It will also use that keywords maximum CPC and destination URL settings as well.

Can I use dynamic keyword insertion on my display url to increase CTR? (E.g. www.example.com/dynamic-keyword)
Yes, but be aware that if your display url does not actually work as a real url, then your adverts may be disabled after a manual review. Use .htaccess or similar methods to rewrite the display url to your real landing page if you want to try this tactic.

More tips:

Shoemoney claims to be able to increase CTR by making an ‘arrow’ with bolded dynamic keywords. Whilst the experiment is flawed in several key ways, it’s worth a read.

If the quality score of your keyword is low, it will not be used as a dynamic keyword, even when that keyword triggers display of your advert. Make sure your default text is effective, and ideally don’t run low quality keywords/work on improving them.

IMPORTANT:
The dynamic keyword used is what you have bid on, not what the user types into the search box. For example:

Ad Title: {KeyWord:Buy widgets}
In your keywords (broad match): Buy red widgets
User search query: “I want to buy red widgets from an online shop”
Your displayed ad title: Buy Red Widgets