Best Practices for AdWordAccelerator and the AdWords API

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1 Best Practices for AdWordAccelerator and the AdWords API Introduction In order to provide AdWords advertisers with the most up to date and accurate keyword data from Google, AdWordAccelerator utilizes the AdWords API system. Since the AdWords API is a quota-based system, meaning that you have to pay for what you use, it is important to read this entire document in order to properly set up and use the AdWords API in the best way possible. This will allow you to tailor AdWordAccelerator to your needs while getting the most accurate data at the most affordable price. Note: The API Quota Usage Examples at the end of this document illustrate what the quota and pricing would be for various keyword analysis scenarios within AdWordAccelerator. 1. Obtaining an AdWords API Token The first step is to obtain an AdWords API token. Start by creating an MCC (My Client Center) account at if you do not already have one. Note: An MCC account will be a Google Account separate from any AdWords account. Many AdWords advertisers will have to first create a new Google account for MCC access. After setting up an MCC account, sign up for an AdWords API token by following these steps: 1. Log into your MCC account 2. Click on My Account > AdWords API Center 3. Click "Apply for API Access" 4. Complete the form. For most users, choose Use Agency/SEM or Advertiser for Company Type. 5. For the "Tell us how you would like to use the Adwords API" part, be as specific as possible. Some things you could mention would be: To manage my campaigns better, faster, more efficiently, etc. To obtain more keyword suggestions from Google to use in my adgroups To discover new placement opportunities for the Display Network

2 To set up and manage MCC alerts To get traffic estimates for keywords It is recommended that you specify the information for #5 in your own words. Also, since Google s terms and conditions are not that clear (and at times change) regarding third-party tools, it is recommended that you do not mention AdWordAccelerator, in order to increase your chances of getting approved. Google states that approval takes from one to two weeks, but from our experience they usually approve applications within 24 hours. Once your API key is approved then you will need to complete three more steps in your MCC account: 1. Specify a monthly API budget (under My Account > AdWords API Center) 2. Provide Google with your billing information 3. Agree to the AdWords Terms of Service (TOS) Note: Data will not be obtainable from within AdWordAccelerator until these three steps have been completed. 2. Configuring AdWordAccelerator to Use the AdWords API After obtaining your API token, agreeing to the AdWords API terms of service, and entering your billing information, the next step is to set up AdWordAccelerator to use the AdWords API. Within AdWordAccelerator, click File > System Settings. This will show the System Settings screen:

3 Enter the following information for each field: 1. Your MCC account address 2. Your MCC account password 3. Your API developer token, found under the My Account > AdWordsAPI Center screen Press OK, and then you are ready to begin. 3. Optimizing AdWordAccelerator for Faster Results and Less API Quota At this time AdWordAccelerator primarily uses the AdWords API for obtaining keyword ideas and search metrics. (The next release will allow a user to fully upload new campaigns and modify existing ones). There are ways to optimize the keyword suggestion process, based on your specific needs. For example, clicking on the Options button within the Keyword Basket will show the following window: This window provides various keyword mining options. First, you can show average targeted searches per month or per day. The max # fields can be adjusted to get more or less keyword ideas, depending on your specific needs. Here are some guidelines for these fields: Max # lateral keywords Set this value to get keywords related to your search term. For example, analyzing the term golf clubs would yield related terms like, golf equipment, callaway, taylor made, golf balls, etc. To get only the most relevant terms, reduce this value to around 20. To get no related terms, use zero.

4 Max # refined keywords Set this value to control how many keyword variations to get for your search term. For example, analyzing the term remove spyware would yield variations like, spyware removal, free spyware removal, free spyware removal software, spyware remover, etc. Increase this field s value to get more variations (or long-tail keywords). Use zero to get no variations. Max # long-tail keywords When right-clicking on a keyword in the top table of the Keyword Basket, a pop-up menu will appear showing the option Get Long-tail Keywords. This feature is provided to allow you to dig deep for long-tail keyword variations for the selected keywords. If you do not want to dig deep by default, then a value of 100 or lower should be used for Max # refined keywords, while a high number (e.g., 300 or greater) should be used for this field. Show Google Instant results One of AdWordAccelerator s newest features is its ability to extract search terms provided by Google Instant/Suggest. Since these terms can often influence a user s search, they are provided with metrics as potential keywords for an AdWords campaign. The Estimates/Competition (Est/Comp) tool also provides an Options button for optimizing AdWordAccelerator during the adgroup generation process. Clicking on this button displays the following window: These are the settings by default. Checking the Scramble & Combine Words will mix up and combine words for more options, requiring more API quota. For example, the phrase dell computers would yield an adgroup with these keywords: dell computers "dell computers" [dell computers] "dellcomputers" [dellcomputers] "dell computer"

5 [dell computer] Actually, more terms were generated, but AdWordAccelerator intelligently pruned away variations estimated to get much less traffic and clicks. However, this intelligence does require more API quota units, though not much. Also, please note the recently added Fetch Ads option. If you do not wish to see ads for competitors, this option can be unchecked, yielding a significant performance boost when building adgroups. 4. API Quota Usage Examples As mentioned previously in this document, the AdWords API is a quota-based system, meaning: you pay for the data obtained from Google. Fortunately, AdWordAccelerator was designed to use the most inexpensive features of the AdWords API, making this option highly affordable for all users. For example, analyzing 50 keyword phrases in the keyword basket with the default options (100 lateral keywords/100 refined keywords), would yield up to 10,000 results, consuming 1,500 quota units. Since AdWords charges $0.25 per 1,000 units, analyzing 50 keywords would cost about $0.38. Another example: analyzing 100 terms in the Estimates/Competition (Est/Comp) tool could yield up to 13 keywords per adgroup. Therefore, the maximum number of possible keywords would be 1,300. Since other calls into the AdWords API are made for this scenario, which would be difficult to explain, let s just say it would cost around $0.06. Note: When using the AdWords API with AdWordAccelerator it is strongly recommended that you monitor your billing statement each day. Please be aware that quota units and billing information lag behind by at least a few hours in your MCC account. Thank you again for being an AdWordAccelerator subscriber. Please send any questions about this information to support@adwordaccelerator.com.