What are Google keyword match types
When it comes to running a successful PPC campaign, one of the most critical decisions you’ll need to make is selecting the right keyword match types. These match types dictate how closely a search term needs to match your target keywords for your ad to be shown. In this blog post, we will dive into the different keyword match types, explaining what they are and when to use them to achieve optimal results.
What are keyword match types?
In PPC advertising, keywords are the foundation of your campaigns. They are the search terms or phrases that trigger your ads. However, not all searches are equal. People search in many different ways, so choosing the right match type for your keywords helps you control who sees your ads and when.
Google Ads (and most other PPC platforms) offers several keyword match types to help define the scope of search queries that trigger your ads. These include Broad Match, Phrase Match, Exact Match. Let’s take a dive into it.
Types of keyword match types
Broad match
Broad Match is the default setting in Google Ads. When you use broad match, your ad will appear for searches that are related to your keyword, including misspellings, synonyms, related searches, and variations. This gives you the greatest reach and can help you capture a large audience.
When to use broad match
Broad match is useful when you want to cast a wide net and drive a large amount of traffic to your site. It’s an excellent choice when you’re in the discovery phase and want to explore new potential keywords.
Pros of broad match
- Maximum reach: With broad match, your ad can appear for a wide range of searches, even those you may not have considered.
- Increased impressions: Since your ad is triggered by a wide variety of search queries, you’ll have more opportunities to get your ad in front of potential customers.
Cons of broad match
- Less control: The main drawback of broad match is that it can trigger ads for irrelevant search queries. For example, if you’re advertising a business selling “digital cameras,” your ad might show up for searches like “camera lenses” or “photography accessories.”
- Higher costs: Since your ad is triggered by many different types of searches, you might end up paying for clicks from users who aren’t a good fit for your product or service.
Phrase match
Phrase Match is a more targeted match type. With phrase match, your ad will show up when someone searches for the exact phrase or close variations of your keyword, with additional words before or after the phrase. The order of the words in the phrase must remain the same.
For example, if you bid on the keyword “digital camera,” your ad could appear for search queries like:
- “best digital camera for beginners”
- “digital camera reviews”
- “affordable digital cameras”
When to use phrase match
Phrase match is great when you want to increase relevance while still capturing a broader set of related keywords. It’s ideal for businesses that want to target specific product categories or services but still remain flexible with the exact search terms.
Pros of phrase match
- More control: Phrase match gives you more control over your ad targeting compared to broad match. It ensures that your ad will only appear for searches that are closely related to your target keyword.
- Higher relevance: Ads are triggered for more relevant search terms, which generally results in better click-through rates (CTR) and a higher quality score.
Cons of phrase match
- Reduced reach: While phrase match is more targeted than broad match, it still doesn’t provide the level of precision that exact match does. You may miss out on related searches that could bring in additional traffic.
Exact match
Exact Match is the most precise match type. When you use exact match, your ad will only appear when someone searches for the exact keyword or a close variation of it. Close variations may include plural forms, misspellings, and abbreviations, but the order of the words must remain the same.
For example, if you target the keyword “digital camera,” your ad will only show for search queries like:
- “digital camera”
- “digital cameras”
- “digital cam”
When to use exact match
Exact match is ideal when you have a well-defined target audience and you want to maximize the effectiveness of your PPC campaign. It works best when you know exactly what keywords your customers are using and want to target those specifically.
Pros of exact match
- Highly relevant: Exact match ensures your ad is shown only for very specific search queries, meaning the users who see your ad are highly likely to be interested in what you’re offering.
- Better performance: Because your ad is more targeted, it often leads to higher click-through rates (CTR) and conversion rates, making your ad spend more efficient.
Cons of exact match
- Limited reach: The main downside of exact match is its limited reach. While it allows you to target the most relevant users, it may exclude searches that could also lead to potential customers.
- Requires more research: Exact match requires you to research and select the right keywords carefully. Missing out on important variations could limit your potential audience.
Negative match (aka excluding keywords)
Negative match (or excluding keywords) is an essential tool for refining your campaigns. When you add a keyword as a negative match, your ad will not be shown for search queries that include that keyword. This is useful for excluding irrelevant traffic that would otherwise drain your budget.
When to exclude keywords
Excluding keywords is particularly valuable for filtering out searches that are irrelevant to your product or service. For example, if you sell “digital cameras” but not “camera tripods,” you can use negative match to exclude searches for “camera tripod” from triggering your ads.