SEM Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield SEM facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. In SEM landing page testing, what is a 'control' page? → The original, existing version of the page used as a benchmark in A/B tests
2. Which of the following is NOT a factor Google Keyword Planner uses to estimate search volume? → Advertiser's account Quality Score
3. When can a client anticipate going live? → 8 days after the IWW is received or the goals confirmation call completed
4. In the Google Ads auction, what is the primary impact of a high Quality Score? → It can lead to a lower actual cost-per-click (CPC) and a better ad position.
5. Which segmentation option in Google Ads helps identify performance differences between new and returning users? → Audience segmentation with 'New vs. Returning' lists
6. In terms of information architecture, mean: → The manner in which content is divided into thematic sections within a Web site
7. An advertiser uses attribution model 'Last Click.' Which scenario would make a switch to 'Data-Driven Attribution' most beneficial? → Users frequently research on multiple devices and ad touchpoints before converting
8. An advertisement is displayed 2,000 times and receives 100 clicks. What is the Click-Through Rate (CTR) for this ad? → 5%
9. What is the function of UTM parameters in SEM tracking? → They tag URLs to identify the source, medium, and campaign driving traffic in analytics
10. A campaign has a high average position but a low conversion rate. What is the most likely issue? → Landing page experience or audience-message mismatch
11. Which metric should an e-commerce advertiser prioritize when evaluating campaign profitability at scale? → Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
12. What is the purpose of setting a conversion window in Google Ads? → To define how long after a click a conversion can still be attributed to that click
13. What is 'remarketing' in the context of PPC advertising? → Showing ads to users who previously visited your website or app
14. In web analytics and performance reporting, data is often categorized as either a metric or a dimension. Which of the following is an example of a dimension? → Device Category
15. What is a 'Quality Score' component that directly reflects the relevance of your ad copy to the search query? → Ad relevance
16. IP address translates to: → Internet Protocol
17. What would constitute a suitable minimum radius for geo-targeted ads, as recommended by Google and applied by our IMS team generally? → 20 miles
18. An advertiser notices cost per click has risen 40% over two months with no bid changes. What is the most likely cause? → Increased competition or lower Quality Scores raising the auction clearing price
19. How would you respond to the argument that you wish to dominate Google? → All of the above
20. What is the recommended action when the Search Terms report shows many irrelevant queries triggering your ads? → Add irrelevant terms as negative keywords to block wasteful spend
21. What does 'bid landscape' data in Google Ads show an advertiser? → Estimated changes in clicks or impressions at different bid levels
22. True or False: Customers should be aware that we only sell to leads. → False
23. When should an advertiser switch from Maximize Conversions to Target CPA bidding? → After accumulating enough conversion data to give the algorithm a reliable signal
24. In Google Ads, what is the purpose of 'ad scheduling' (also called dayparting)? → To control which days and hours your ads are eligible to appear
25. A campaign has a $50 daily budget and is using Maximize Clicks. The advertiser wants to ensure clicks never cost more than $1.50 each. What should they do? → Set a Max CPC bid limit within the Maximize Clicks strategy
26. What effect does a high 'search lost IS (budget)' percentage signal to an advertiser? → The daily budget is being exhausted before all eligible auctions are entered
27. What does a Quality Score of 3/10 on a high-spend keyword most likely indicate? → Poor expected CTR, ad relevance, or landing page experience
28. First-price auction models, used by some programmatic platforms, mean the winner pays: → Exactly their submitted bid
29. What happens if we don't use the client's budget for SEM advertisements in a particular month? → Money rolls over to the following month's budget
30. Which of the following would not pass a campaign landing page's editorial review? → All of the above