Four query jobs, not 400 keywords

Open a spreadsheet. For each query ask: if this person clicked and booked today, would Dana’s team know what they came to do? Brand (“Northfield Motors Frederick”, “Northfield used cars”) is someone who already knows the lot. Inventory (“used CR-V Frederick”, “used SUVs under 16k near me”) is a shopper who can book this month. Research (“how does a CVT work”, “is 120k miles too many”) is homework. Junk (“used car lot jobs Frederick”, “Northfield parts”, “free car”) will never pay for a closer’s Saturday. One campaign that holds all four jobs cannot get a clean budget or a clean RSA.

Sort these the way a buyer would: (1) “northfield motors frederick hours” → brand. (2) “used honda cr-v 2018 frederick md” → inventory. (3) “what is a certified pre owned warranty” → research. (4) “car salesman jobs frederick” → junk. (5) “used cars near 21701” → inventory if the landing page is the lot inventory, junk if it is a blog. Write the job in column B before you ever pick a match type. Match type is how far Google may wander from a job you already named.

Dana’s live account is the cautionary tale: 400 keywords, one budget, homepage for everything. Brand queries steal impression share from inventory. Junk burns Saturday closer time. Research dilutes the RSA so the ad talks like a Wikipedia page. You cannot write a Search Terms ritual for a pile. Split first: Brand campaign, Inventory campaign (ad groups by job — CUV, truck, price-band — not by VIN), Shared negatives, and a parking list for research/junk you refuse to bid. Foundations already taught the $3,000 job split. This course names the campaigns and match types that split becomes.