Best supporting role: Optimization tips

To help bring out your account's true talent, we've asked some of our Entertainment & Media optimization specialists to share their favorite AdWords myths and truths, and provide a few inside tips.

AdWords Myth #1: "I'm a small business. There's no way I can compete for ranking with the big players because I'm not spending as much as they are."

Optimization specialists Nathania & Sarah: Remember that the AdWords ranking system rewards relevant and targeted ads – ads are ranked by both Quality Score and bid, not just the bid alone. Regardless of how much you bid and what your AdWords budget is, there are many things you can do to improve your account performance and increase your Quality Score. Focus on keeping an organized account, tightly themed ad groups, targeted keywords, and specific ad text.

If you're looking for some guidance on improving your account, these comprehensive optimization tips can help you get started. You can also request a free optimization, and an AdWords optimization specialist like us will provide customized suggestions for your campaign based on your advertising goals.

AdWords Myth #2: "If I want more traffic and exposure for my ads, I should add as many keywords as I can to my keyword list so I capture all possible traffic."

Optimization specialists Lauren & Bryan: Creating an expansive keyword list might initially give you a spike in traffic. But why do you want all this traffic? You're probably looking for more people to make a purchase, sign up, fill out a form, etc. To accomplish this, make sure you're targeting interested potential customers.

A great way to do this is to revamp your keyword lists. First, you'll want to determine which of your keywords are truly your top performers – meaning they drive conversions. Next, filter out ineffective keywords that are costly but do not drive conversions. (Keep in mind, you'll need to have conversion tracking set up to receive conversion data.)

To determine which keywords are most effective, use the Search Query Performance report. It shows conversion data for search queries that triggered your ad and resulted in a click. For keywords with the most conversions, consider increasing your maximum cost-per-click (CPC) bid – these are your star keywords, so help them excel. If the report reveals costly keywords that are not driving conversions, consider decreasing your bids or removing these keywords from your list.

To add some new life to your keyword list, use the search queries shown in this report to get ideas for additional relevant keywords and synonyms. You can also find ideas for negative keywords to filter out irrelevant traffic. In addition to the Search Query Performance report, you can use the Keyword Tool for more keyword ideas. Refining your keyword list in this way can help boost your traffic, in both quality and quantity.

Want more advice from the Entertainment & Media optimization specialists? Send your questions to entertainment-newsletter@google.com