A couple of months ago, Google introduced a new feature for those who advertise with AdWords. Analyze Competition is a feature that allows the user to look at the AdWord’s account activity over the past two weeks and then lists categories which represent what you are advertising. The categories are based on search terms which are matched with your ad text, landing page text, and keywords. Every category that is associated with your account will have a bar graph that highlights your individual performance as compared to that of other advertisers in the same category.

 

At first the new feature was only available for a very small number of AdWords advertisers. Google has announced that it has expanded the Analyze Competition feature for all accounts that are in the English language. You should be able to find the new feature under the opportunities tab when you are logged into your account.

 

With this expansion comes a new function: you will be able to see what Google search terms actually triggered your ad. You will be able to find which search terms triggered what ad for almost all of the most specific sub-categories that you have in your account. In order to find this information, all you have to do is to click on a category name. You will be able to see sub-categories that are more specific. Keep clicking until the category name is no longer a link. This means that you are at the most specific sub-category.

 

Here you will see a link that says “See search terms.” This link will allow you to see what search terms triggered your ad and this could lead you to come up with new and better ideas for keywords. You will also be able to see if your keywords have possibly been categorized wrong by Google. You will be able to see whether search terms that are listed in a category are related to your ad group’s keywords and if they are not, you will be able to add new negative keywords or make your keywords more specific.

 

More features for Analyze Competition are planned for the future, but it should already make it easier for advertisers to target their ads more specifically.