Advertising skill guide
Keyword research: find searches worth paying for
Start with the customer task
List the problem, solution, product category, alternatives, pricing, location and urgency. Talk to customers and inspect permitted sales/support language. Example seeds for a contractor: roof leak repair, emergency roof repair, roof repair cost and roofer near me.
Expand and qualify
Use available keyword-planning tools and account forecasts for relevant geography and language. Record query, intent, volume range, estimated CPC, offer fit and landing page. Validate numbers in the account: estimates are not promised traffic. Search Console shows existing organic demand, not the full paid market.
Group by intent, not alphabet
Separate branded, competitor, problem, solution, comparison and transactional terms. Keep each ad group coherent enough to write one relevant ad and landing page. Pricing searches may be closer to purchase than broad learning searches, but actual quality must be measured.
Match types and search terms
Exact and phrase matching can include close or meaning-related variants; they are not literal filters. Broad match can explore more searches and needs reliable conversion signals and careful economics. Start narrow when uncertainty or budgets are high, then test expansion deliberately. Check actual search terms, not just the keyword list.
Build negative keywords carefully
Exclude unrelated services, unsupported locations and incompatible intent. Free, jobs, DIY or training may be negatives for some offers and valuable for others. Check negative match behavior separately from positive matching and review conflicts so exclusions do not block good buyers.
Forecast the economics
Expected CPA = CPC ÷ conversion rate expressed as a decimal. At $4 CPC and 4% qualified conversion rate, expected CPA is $100. If only 20% of leads become customers, media-only expected customer acquisition cost is $500. Do not scale a $50 lead until its quality and close rate are known.
Maintain the research
Review search terms frequently during launch, then on a cadence matched to spend and risk. Add relevant winners, exclude verified waste and record changes. Monitor seasonal demand and competitor offers; evaluate conversions after their normal delay.
Platform reference: Microsoft search advertising guidance.
Frameworks, examples and budget recommendations are editorial guidance. Use your verified business data and current account requirements when making a spending decision.