In many instances, I encounter duplicate keywords, whether they exist in two different ad groups within the same campaign or in two separate campaigns targeting the same location. This typically occurs when I run Call Ad Campaigns and Search Responsive Campaigns.
Google Ads has clarified that keywords within the same campaign don’t actually compete against each other. Instead, Google selects the one with the highest ad rank.
However, here’s the catch: Ad rank is determined by a formula, which includes both Quality Score and CPC (Cost Per Click).
So, when the Quality Scores are nearly identical, and you’re setting different cost caps for each campaign, using bid strategies such as manual CPC or maximize clicks, Google will consistently opt for the keyword with the higher ad rank. In practical terms, this means it will always favor the keyword with the higher CPC.
When it comes to the popular bidding strategy “Maximize Conversions” with no CPA (Cost per Acquisition), the situation can be even more challenging because the average CPC may exhibit more significant fluctuations, and Google will always prioritize keywords with higher swings.
Therefore, it’s crucial not to be misled by Google and not to blindly trust its recommendations. So, to avoid issues with keyword duplication, consider splitting them across various ad group levels or campaign levels.
As a practical approach, you can initially maintain duplicate keywords and monitor their impression performance. Then, you can identify the winning keyword and eliminate the underperforming one.
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