---
metadata:
- name: generator
content: Diplodoc Platform v5.52.0
alternate:
- https://yandex.com/support/direct/en/keywords/keywords.md
- https://yandex.com/support/direct/ru/keywords/keywords.md
- https://yandex.com/support/direct/tr/keywords/keywords.md
- https://yandex.com/support/direct/zh/keywords/keywords.md
- href: en/keywords/keywords.md
type: text/markdown
title: Markdown version
- href: ../llms.txt
type: text/markdown
title: llms.txt
---
> **Documentation Index:** Fetch the complete configuration index at https://yandex.com/support/direct/en/llms.txt
# Keywords
**Keywords** are single words or phrases that determine who your ad will be served to.
In Yandex search results, ads are served for queries that:
- Include the whole keyword (word-to-word matching).
- Semantically refine the keyword: include typos, synonyms, more specific words, or convey the same meaning in other words (semantic matching).
## How it works {#how-it-works}
Keywords work differently in search results and in ad networks.
{% list tabs %}
- In search results
The keyword determines which search queries in Yandex search and on search sites in the Yandex Advertising Network will trigger ads from the group.
For example, if you set the keyword _tours to mars_, we will show your ads for the search queries _tours to mars_, _discount tours to mars_, _tours to mars deals_, _reserve tours to mars_ and so on, but we won't show them for _tours to the moon_ or _is there life on mars_.
Use the [Search query report](https://yandex.com/support/direct/en/statistics/library/search-queries.md) to see which queries or matching types triggered your ad. Analyze the statistics and add the high-CTR queries to the keywords. Exclude irrelevant queries by adding them to negative keywords.
- In ad networks
Keywords determine the site content and audience interests to display the ad for in ad networks. For example, an ad about tours to Mars might be displayed on a page about traveling, or shown to a user who is interested in flights to Mars.
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## How to add keywords {#add}
You can use the side menu to add keywords: click **Add** → **Keywords** , select a campaign and ad group and click **Add keywords**. Use the Keyword planner or go to the **Manual input** tab to enter queries manually. Learn more about the [Keyword planner](https://yandex.com/support/direct/en/keywords/prompt-to-keyword-generator.md).
Additions or changes to keywords are implemented within 3 hours. To add keywords for a separate ad, create a new group for the ad.
#### Requirements and restrictions
Keywords may only contain Latin, Turkish, Kazakh, Russian, Ukrainian, or Belarusian letters, quotation marks, the "-", "+", and "!" symbols, spaces, and other [Yandex Direct operators](https://yandex.com/support/direct/en/keywords/symbols-and-operators.md). Decimal points are allowed in decimal numbers. Letter case and word order are not important.
The maximum keyword length is 4096 characters (including [negative keywords](https://yandex.com/support/direct/en/keywords/negative-keywords.md), spaces, and Yandex Direct operators). The number of keywords per group cannot exceed 200. Each keyword can contain a maximum of 7 words.
#### Overlapping and duplicate keywords
If keywords overlap (a keyword contains one of the other keywords), negative keywords are added automatically. This prevents keywords from competing with each other when selecting an ad to show.
Any recurring words in a keyword are reduced to one instance. For example, the keyword _Baden-Baden_ will be shortened to _Baden_. Ads will be served for both the queries _Baden-Baden_ and _Baden_.
#### Stop words {#stopwords}
Stop words are auxiliary parts of speech or pronouns that are automatically excluded from the keyword when selecting which ads to serve. For example, in the query _how and when to travel to mars_, ads with the keyword _travel mars_ will be served. _How_, _and_, _when_, and _to_ are stop words.
However, stop words can sometimes be important, and omitting them can change the meaning of the keyword. For example, for the TV show “In the heat of the night”, the keyword is _in the heat of the night_. The prepositions _in_ and _of_ are stop words, but they are crucial to the keyword's meaning. To ensure stop words are part of the keyword, you can enforce them with [operators](https://yandex.com/support/direct/en/keywords/symbols-and-operators.md) “+” or “!”, but this is optional.
Yandex Direct will consider how stop words affect the meaning of the keyword and exclude impressions for irrelevant queries. The validation of a keyword where stop words are not enforced goes through several stages:
1. **Stop words are enforced.** The ad will be displayed for the keyword, including prepositions, conjunctions, and other stop words. In the statistics, such an impression is attributed to the keyword with the word-by-word match type because all the words of the keyword are used.
2. **Non-enforced stop words are removed.** Semantic matching is applied to the keyword. If the keyword has a different meaning without the stop words, the ad won't be served. If the meaning remains the same, the ad will be displayed for the keyword without stop words. In the statistics, the impression is attributed to the keyword with a semantic match type.
In Yandex Direct, you can set up impressions for keywords that consist entirely of stop words.
#### Examples
- For the keyword _buy an apartment in Moscow_, impressions from queries including _buy an apartment in Moscow_ will be recorded as a word-by-word matching in statistics. On the other hand, impressions for the queries containing _buy apartment Moscow_ will be recorded as a semantic matching.
- For the keyword _In the heat of the night_, impressions for word-by-word matching will be served for the queries containing _in the heat of the night_. No impressions will be served for queries containing only the word _night_.
- For the keyword _+in the heat +of the night_, impressions will be served for the queries including _in the heat of the night_.
#### See also
- [How to select effective keywords](https://yandex.com/support/direct/en/keywords/building-keyword-list.md)
#### Have questions? {#questions}
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Our customer support can only assist you with campaigns linked to the username you are contacting us from. You can check your username by opening [ya.ru](http://ya.ru/) in another browser tab. Our team can access your data only when processing your request.
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Scan the QR code or tap it to follow the link.
If you select Telegram or WhatsApp, keep in mind that Yandex does not control and is not liable for how third-party messengers store your data and chat history.
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You can contact us from 10:00 to 19:00 (UTC+3) by phone:
**Moscow**: [+7 495 139-91-93](tel:+74951399193)
**Russia**: [8 (800) 700-47-45](tel:88007004745) (toll-free within Russia)
To access campaigns, the customer service specialist will need your [PIN](https://yandex.com/support/direct/en/troubleshooting/pin-code.md).
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