Ads with Nested Tokens Explained

Note: We’ve updated how nested insertion works:

The following are the new formats:

{seed:first fallback:second fallback:third fallback}

You can also add tokens in each fallback

{seed:expansion1 fallback:expansion2 fallback:expansion3 fallback}

Token insertion has always been one of SpeedPPC’s most powerful “superpowers”.

It allows you to insert keywords into your ad copy. The result is that if someone searches for the keyword phrase “pumpkin pie spice” and you have that keyword in your keyword inventory, then pumpkin pie spice will be inserted into your ad copy.

Depending on how you set up the token insertion you can have any keyword inserted into your headline, your ad copy, and/or the end of your display URL.

If you decide to go the extra mile and build a dynamic landing page, you can also pass the exact keyword phrase to numerous areas on your landing page including titles, copy, and even buttons.

In certain instances, however, this ability has been a bit limiting as one is only able to use one token per ad line. For example, if I have 3 keyword lists (seed, expansion1, expansion2) and want to both combine them and use all three, I would build my ad groups by Final.

This gives me the ability to use either my final token (seed+expansion1+expansion2) or I can insert a seed or one of my expansions. I have to use one token or another, you cannot use more than one and if said token exceeds the ad copy character limit, you need to craft some sort of generic fallback text to take its place.

So if my final token is my ideal token, but doesn’t fit, then my only option is my fallback.

No longer.

For token insertion power users, the Nested Insertion option gives you even greater flexibility in crafting highly targeted, highly relevant ads.

For example, let’s say you are advertising the services of a lawyer who specializes in DWI and DUI cases. You have three keyword lists detailed below:

If we use {Final:Fallback} as our token insertion this will allow us to insert a good number of our keyword variations. Ideally, we would like all of our final keyword combinations to fit into our ad but because some of our final keyword combinations will exceed Google’s ad character limits – a fair number will not be inserted.

Rather than relying on a generic “one size fits all” fallback or going into Adwords Editor to tweak the ad copy of those ads where our final token exceeds character limits, we can use the nested token insertion option which gives us even more flexibility and control over what appears in our ads.

The nested token insertion code looks like this:

{Final:{Expansion1} {Expansion2}:DWI {Expansion2}:DWI Attorney}

Broken down, the insertion string looks like this:

1) Final:2) {Expansion1} {Expansion2}:3) DWI {Expansion2}:4) DWI Attorney

What this means is that:

if token {Final} exceeds character limit, SpeedPPC will try using {Expansion1} {Expansion2}.

If {Expansion1}{Expansion2) exceeds character limits, DWI {Expansion2} will be tried.

If DWI {Expansion2} exceeds, SpeedPPC will use –> DWI Attorney.

You can also use the nested function with only two keywords. So let’s say you wish to advertise electrical services in specific areas.

Your seed keyword list contains the names of the cities you are targeting.

If your city name causes your headline or ad copy to exceed the character limits, you want the ad group name to be used.

To achieve this goal you would use the following code:

1 Hour Electrician in {Seed:{Adgroup}:Fallback}

Where if seed {city} causes the copy to exceed limits SpeedPPC would try to use the ad group name and if the ad group caused the copy to exceed limits, the default text would be used.

As said previously, the Nested Insertion option gives you even greater flexibility in crafting highly targeted, highly relevant ads. The more relevant your ads, the higher your quality scores and the better your click-through rates. Searchers like to see their search terms replicated in the ads that appear. This also tends to draw more qualified traffic which results in clicks that are far more likely to convert.

And bottom line, that’s what this is all about, isn’t it?

Note: If you find that your token insertion is not working properly please double-check to make sure there is a space between each token as shown in the example below:

{Final:{Expansion3} {Expansion1} {Expansion2}:{Expansion3} {Expansion1}:Quick, Natural & Safe Weight Loss}!