What is the + for in AdWords Express Search Phrases

[TonyIsSocial]

I helped a local SEO client setup AdWords Express a few weeks back and would like go over the results with them. I've tried Express before for another client and was not a big fan but this time it's for a small local barber shop and thought it would be perfect as their one category defines everything they do.

So as I'm looking over the results, it shows what search phrases produced views and clicks. However, some of the keywords have a "+keyword" format and wondered if anyone knew exactly what that referred to. I'm guessing it shows the results for that one keyword with any mix of other words.

Attached a screenshot to explain.

Thanks, Tony.

 

[Phil Rozek]

The "plus" sign is what Google calls "modified broad-match." It means that whatever specific word that follows the "+" has to be part of the search term in order for your ad to show.

To take an example from your screenshot, if you bid on "+barber +shops +in", your ad will show up for "barber shops in Tampa" or "barber shops in Tampa FL" or "barber shops in Tampa area," but not for "barber shops" or "Tampa barber shops." Why? Because the "in" has a plus sign before it, so the "in" has got to be somewhere in the query, or your ad doesn't show.

But the plus sign doesn't mean those words have to be typed in (by a customer) in any specific order. So just to take a crazy example, your ad would show if someone typed in "barber shops in downtown area" if you bid on "+barber +shops +in".

I've never used modified broad-match in AdWords Express (not a big fan) - only in classic AdWords.

 

[Keenan Glass]

Good answer Phil.

In AWX you don't have any choice on what term is being bid on. Google does this for you.