Using Google’s Wonder Wheel to build better Content Network targeted campaigns

I’ve written a number of posts on content network optimization and the reoccurring message in all of them is to make sure you are creating themed ad groups.

I recently explained how Google create concepts when analyzing the content network and then group these concepts into categories, so when building out AdGroups for the content network, the goal is to great themes that Google can then easily match to the content categories they have defined.

Easy huh?

Well it’s actually easier than you think…  Meet the ‘Wonder Wheel’ a free tool Google have added as part of their Search Options features.

Essentially, the Wonder Wheel gives us a graphical representation of the search we have performed, in relation to the other related searches. In effect, it actually build out our themes for us.

So let’s go back a step and I’ll first show you where to find the wonder wheel.

- Go to google.com and conduct a search. Let’s search for ‘jackets’

- Just below the search box, above the search results, you will see the link ‘show options’. Click on this.

- Down the left hand column we now have a whole list of options available. Select ‘Wonder Wheel’ below ‘Standard View’ (Fourth group of links down) and the wonder wheel appears to the right.

Now what we have is a graphical representation of the searches or themes that google believe are most relevant to the initial query, in this case ‘jackets’.

Clicking on ‘leather jackets’ on the wheel will then expand that topic to create another set of themed search queries.

…do you see where I’m going with this?

In order to then translate this to your content network ad group creation, follow each branch of the wheel for each search query, and build out your themes.

The most important thing to remember here is to create an ad group for each spoke of the wheel, and not one ad group that includes all the spokes.

Golden rule for the content network is to build tightly themed ad groups (and lot’s of them) with 1-4 key words.

Here’s an eample of how I’d do this with ‘jackets’

Ad Group 1:
-    jacket
-    jackets

Ad Group 2:
-    leather jacket
-    leather jackets
-    leather jackets online
-    leather jacket  sale

Ad Group 3:
-    designer leather jacket
-    designer leather jackets
-    designer leather jackets online
-    designer leather jacket sale

Ad Group 4:
-    mens jackets
-    men’s jackets online
-    mens jackets sale

Ad Group 5:
-    discount jackets
-    discount jackets online
-    discount jacket
-    discount jacket sale

And keep gong. Don’t be surprised if you end up with 100 (or 500).

Next step is to write the ads – Just do 1 ad per ad group initially. Theme will not be an issue as each ad group is pretty tight.

Remember, Headline for impact, and strong call to action.

Once your ads are live and you begin to collect data, you can optimize as per normal.