A/B testing
Comparing two slightly different versions of the same ad to see which performs better. You can modify an ad’s headline, body copy, call-to-action, or any combination of these to see which resonates best with your target audience. Also known as Split Testing.
Ad Group
Multiple ads that share a common theme and target a shared set of keywords. You can determine the price you are willing to pay when one of the keywords within the ad group triggers an ad. Or, you can set specific prices for individual keywords within the ad group.
Banner Ad
Also known as a Display Ad, a graphic advertisement that can appear on various sites around the web. Users can click on the ad to visit a relevant page on your website.
Budget
The amount of money you allocate for a paid search campaign.
Broad Match
A keyword match type that triggers ads for common variations of your keywords, even if those exact terms aren’t listed in your keyword list. This is often a default match type for your keywords.
Example: A keyword like “new cars” can trigger ads for keyword variations like “cars for sale,” “car dealerships,” or “new cars for sale.”
Campaign
A planned set of ad groups that are strategically laid out and share a budget, location targeting, and more specific settings.
Conversion
When someone clicks on your ad and takes an action valuable to your business, like a purchase, contact, or phone call.
CPC
Stands for cost per click. How much you, the advertiser, pays each time someone clicks on your ad.
CPM
Stands for cost per thousand impressions. The price you pay each time your ad receives 1,000 impressions.
CPA
Stands for cost per acquisition. The advertising cost you pay for a desired conversion, whether it’s a sale, newsletter signup, or something else.
CTR
Stands for clickthrough rate. The percentage of people who clicked on one of your ads. It is determined by dividing the amount of clicks by the number of times your ad is shown.
Destination URL
Google recently changed to Final URL. This is the web address people are sent to after clicking on your ad.
Display URL
The URL that users seen on an ad. Advertisers can alter lengthy, non-descript URLs to concise, informative URLs that let users easily see what the page is about. For example, a URL like “www.website.com/inventory?type=newcars” can display as “website.com/NewCars.” Also known as Vanity URL.
Exact Match
A match type (link to match type) that triggers your ad only when the exact keyword or a close variation (such as a misspelling or singular/plural forms) are searched. In a keyword list, exact match keywords are set by using brackets. For example, [kids sandals].
Impression
Any time your ad is shown.
Keywords
Terms you are bidding on to attract customers to your page. A keyword can be a single word or an entire phrase. How they are indexed can depend on what type of settings you place on your keyword.
Keyword Match Type
Often referred to as just Match Type, this gives you greater control of which keyword variations trigger your ads.
Phrase Match
A keyword match type that triggers your ad when the search term includes your exact keyword phrase, even with multiple words words before or after the phrase. In a keyword list, exact match keywords are set by using quotations, such as “kids sandals.”
Example: A keyword like “new car” can trigger ads for keyword variations like “buy new car” or “2017 new car for sale.”
PPC
Stands for pay per click. When you pay each time your ad is clicked on a certain website to the publisher.
Remarketing
A type of paid advertising that allows you to show ads to visitors who already visited your website. Users can see the ads as they browse other websites, apps, and more. Also known as retargeting.
Text Ad
A standard paid search ad that features text, a link to your website, and other optional features such as a phone number, reviews, and more.
Video Advertising
A type of PPC advertising that allows you to show a brief video advertisement before a user’s desired video plays. Also known as Video Pre-roll.