Contextual targeting is used to match ads that include keyword targeting to sites within the Content Network. Google analyzes each site’s content and theme, considering factors such as text, language, link structure, and page structure. From these factors, Google determines the central themes of each webpage and targets AdWords ads to the page based on the advertiser’s keyword selections and language and location targeting. As a result, contextually targeted ads provide useful information to readers, and attract an audience with an established interest in your message.
For instance, suppose you’ve created an ad group to advertise digital cameras, and it includes keywords like “digital cameras” and “camera cases.” We use contextual targeting to identify and place your ad on Google Content Network sites that share the same themes. That might mean webpages about camera equipment, discussion groups of camera enthusiasts, or a newsletter about digital photography.
Contextual targeting is always used when an ad group has keywords and the Content Network option is selected in the campaign settings page. This type of targeting can work with ad groups that have only keywords as well as ad groups that have both keywords and placements.
You can fine-tune ads for contextual targeting by using the site exclusion function in your AdWords account. With site exclusion, you can choose sites, or types of sites, that you don’t want your ads to appear on – such as competitor sites, low conversion rate sites, or sites that conflict with your interests.You can also combine keyword targeting and placement targeting in the same ad group. This lets you define specific content sites where you want your ads to appear (based on your keywords), and allows you to bid more effectively when a keyword match is found on a targeted site.