How to set the matching mode of Baidu keywords?

After the bidding account is set up, setting the matching mode and optimizing the matching mode are very critical links.

Especially for CPC bidding, matching is related to the average price, the quantity and quality of traffic, and more importantly, the effect.

Under oCPC/eCPC bidding, the matching mode is effective at the first level and invalid at the second level. Regardless of whether it is CPC bidding or oCPC/eCPC bidding, the first-order matching mode must be set and directly determines the subsequent results.

So, how do we set the keyword matching mode?

1. Early stage: refer to the number of characters

Baidu's bidding matching has gone through different stages. There were five matching modes in the early days: exact match + phrase match + broad match. In phrase match, it is further divided into phrase-exact match, phrase-synonymous match, and phrase-core match.

At the end of 2019, the matching was upgraded and updated to exact matching + phrase matching + smart core matching + smart matching.

This year, the matching mode has been upgraded again, and there are three new matching methods: exact matching + phrase matching + smart matching. Every upgrade is an update of technology and an upgrade of algorithms.

There are three types of matches, and the corresponding traffic ranges are from small to large.

Exact matching can match less traffic, phrase matching is in the middle, and smart matching can match the largest traffic.

This is similar to the number of characters in the keyword. The shorter the keyword, the greater the probability of being matched, so wide matching cannot be set.

Long-tail words have a lower probability of being matched, so precision is generally not set.

Therefore, from the perspective of the matching traffic range and the matching range of keywords, there is a positive correlation.

Usually, netizens search for keywords in Baidu search box mainly using short words, and rarely long words.

Our account can add more short words and fewer long words. Our early matching method can be as follows:

For short words or core words, within 8 characters (4 Chinese characters), we can set the exact or short phrase first;

For long-tail words, the number of characters exceeds 24 (i.e. 12 Chinese characters), we can mainly set intelligence and a small number of phrases.

For other medium-length words, words with 4-12 Chinese characters, we can mainly use phrases and a small amount of intelligence.

The above is just a reference. Setting the matching mode by number of characters is only one dimension.

Some bidders use part of speech to set the match, setting precise/phrase for high-intent words and intelligent for low-intent words.

Some bidders run three households according to three price levels: high, medium and low. The high-priced household is precise, the medium-priced household is short and the low-priced household is smart. etc.

Different dimensions are all fine. This is just how we do it in the early stages. We will need to adjust it later.

The price and match are inversely proportional. The narrower the match, the higher the price needs to be set, and the wider the match, the lower the price needs to be set.

2. Late stage: everything is based on data to optimize the matching mode

After the account has been running for a week or half a month, enough data will be generated. At this time, we need to adjust our matching mode based on the data. Two principles:

Principle 1: Display quantity principle

According to the marketing data funnel, display is the largest part of the account. If there is no display, how can there be consumption and effect?

Therefore, after running for a week or half a month, if the display volume of the words is 0 or does not exceed 30, you can put them in the first-level matching mode. For words with a particularly large display volume, you can use the first-level matching mode to prevent random matching;

Principle 2: Matching principle

If the overall search terms are not very chaotic, and the chaotic matching words account for less than 20% of all the words, the main work is to negate the words;

If the search terms are overall messy, the main work is to optimize the mode. For some words that are randomly matched or unstable over a long period of time, shorten the match.

3. Matching mode optimization under CPC (first-order matching optimization)

The matching mode is not static and can be adjusted flexibly. Fine-tuning a small number of words a week will not have much impact. Avoid adjusting the matching mode in large batches, as it will affect the effect. For mature accounts, the matching mode is generally not adjusted much.

There are many benefits to optimizing the matching model. It not only increases display and brings in accurate traffic, but also reduces the average price and improves conversion effects.

Under CPC bidding, we can adjust the keyword matching mode according to this idea:

1. The matching mode should be broad rather than narrow. Expose first, then optimize negative words and matching;

2. Long-tail words sometimes match randomly. You can use smart + low price to remove words every three days. For long-tail words (words with more than 12 Chinese characters) that have not been displayed for more than three months under smart matching, you can delete them. You can add more short words to your account.

3. Phrase words, words within 1-3 Chinese characters, generally set the precision and phrase. If the word is more accurate, such as "report academic qualifications", this can be given a higher price. If the word is more general, such as "self-examination", this can be given a lower price.

4. If you add new words to your account, you can set the matching mode based on your own experience;

5. The matching modes recommended by the system are for reference only and do not have to be adopted in full;

6. When adjusting the account, first adjust the words that are displayed, then adjust the words that are not displayed, follow the 80/20 rule;

7. Baidu has taken down the matching coefficient. Xiaosou still has this function. Sometimes the deduction fee is higher than the actual bid. Check the coefficient calculator to see if this coefficient is enabled in the coefficient used in your account.

4. Matching mode optimization under oCPC bidding

Under oCPC bidding, matching and bidding are invalid. After turning on the expansion function, the system will automatically break through the original matching.

But there is a small detail here. In the first three days of the second stage, some of the matches are still valid (source: Baidu Marketing University official document). It was not until after the third day that matching and bidding became completely ineffective.

So, after entering the second stage, it is divided into within three days and after three days. Within three days, we can make small adjustments to keyword bids and matches. After three days, adjusting keyword bids and matches will be useless.

What is the standard for a small margin? According to my personal test, in the first three days of the second stage, adjust the bid and match of keywords ≤ 2 times a day, ≤ 10 each time. Personal experience, for reference only.

In oCPC, if you want to expand the volume in the later stage, you can increase the conversion bid or change the expansion mode to active expansion. These two methods replace the bidding and matching in the cpc era.

In addition, in oCPC, the first order is more important than the second order. Once the first-order bidding and matching are adjusted, the second-order model will be more accurate and stable.

If the first order is not adjusted well, the second order is likely to have an unstable model or poor clue quality. It is better to advance to the second stage slowly, but to complete the first stage well first.

The quantity of the first stage has met the requirements, the quality is also good, the accuracy of the background data and consulting tools has reached 90%, the effect is relatively stable, so we can go and check it. After verification, we proceed to the second stage.

The above is the setting and optimization method of matching mode. For reference only.

There are many dimensions for setting matching modes, such as part of speech, keyword character length, bidding strategy, business, conversation volume, etc.

There is no one right way, and there is no one wrong way. But what we must follow is that everything must start from the data of the funnel model.

Author: Mubibai

Source: Mubibai