Set up keyword insertion

Keyword insertion can help improve your ads’ relevance to potential customers by automatically updating your ads with the keywords in your ad group that caused your ads to show.

This article explains the two different ways you can add the keyword insertion code within your ad's headline, description lines, or URL fields.

Instructions

How to use the manual method to set up keyword insertion

1. When you're entering ad text or URLs, insert {keyword:default text} where you want a keyword to appear. Replace "default text" with the word or words you want to appear when the text can't be replaced by a keyword.
2. Capitalize keyword depending on how you want your keyword text to be capitalized. Here’s how to use keyword capitalization in Google Ads campaigns:
   • To keep your keyword lowercase, use keyword. For example, "dark chocolate."
   • For sentence capitalization, use Keyword. For example, "Dark chocolate."
   • For title capitalization, use KeyWord. For example, "Dark Chocolate."
   • For all caps and then title capitalization, use KEYWord. For example, "USA Chocolate."
   • For title capitalization and then all caps, use KeyWORD. For example, "Chocolate Made In USA"
3. Make sure your default text is short enough to keep your ad within the character limits.
4. Avoid special characters (like "é") in the display or landing page URL. 
5. Save your ad as usual.

Note: For information on how to use keyword capitalization on other advertising platforms, refer to the relevant platform’s help center.

How to use the guided method to set up keyword insertion for Google Ads campaigns

1. When you're entering ad text, type a brace ( { ) and select Keyword insertion from the drop-down menu. 
2. In the “Default text” section, type the word or words you want to appear when the text can't be replaced by a keyword.
3. Choose how you want your keywords to be capitalized: 
   • Title case: The first letter of all keywords will be capitalized. For example, “Dark Chocolate.” 
   • Sentence case: Only the first letter of the first keyword will be capitalized. For example, “Dark chocolate.” 
   • Lower case: No letters will be capitalized. For example, “dark chocolate.” 
4. Click Apply. 

Keep in mind

As usual, your ads must meet the editorial standards established by the relevant advertising platform. 

How to fix a problem with keyword insertion

Here are some common reasons why keyword insertion might not be working for you:

• Too many characters: If the inserted keyword text causes your ad to exceed a maximum character limit, the default text will be used instead.
• Nonsense: Inserted keywords need to make sense in context.
• Incorrect grammar: Make sure each of your keywords agrees with your syntax.
• Misspelled words: While you can create misspelled keywords, you can't show ads with misspelled words.
• Landing page doesn't work: Make sure your landing page URL can support dynamic text, or leave keyword insertion out of your landing page URL. 
• Adult content: Keyword insertion shouldn't be used when ads promote sexual content or adult material. 
• Dynamic Search Ads (Google Ads only): Keyword insertion isn’t available for Dynamic Search Ads because they don’t use keyword targeting. If you’ve set up keyword insertion with Dynamic Search Ads, the default keyword insertion text will be included in your ad description.

Related links

• About Microsoft Advertising text ads
• About Google Ads text ads
• About keyword insertion
• Write successful text ads