Any business or website that runs a Google Ads campaign is bound to come across the term “keyword match types.” Now if you’re new to the world of PPC ads, it may be an unfamiliar term. But it’s an extremely important feature of Google Ads that will be crucial in optimizing your ad campaigns and reaching the right audience.
So whether you’re a complete beginner, a budding digital marketer, or just eager to learn about this simple yet powerful feature of Google Ads, this post is for you. Read on to learn about keyword match types and how to use them effectively in your advertising strategy.
What is Keyword Match Type?
Keyword match type is a parameter on Google Ads that help the system or algorithm calculate the proximity of a search query with your target keywords for your ads to appear.
Here’s how Google itself explains match types:
“Keywords are words or phrases that are used to match ads with the terms people are searching for. The keyword match types dictate how closely the keyword needs to match with the user’s search query so that the ad can be considered for the auction.”
If that’s still unclear, let’s step back and simplify things. When you choose a keyword, you’re basically telling Google to show your ads when people search for that word or phrase. But consider the fact that the search engine algorithm is now smart enough to understand language almost as well as a human.
Why is that important?
Because it means that when you pick a keyword, Google isn’t just going to take that keyword for its face value. In other words, the algorithm isn’t just going to match it word for word with a user’s search query. It can also understand the meaning of your keyword and relate it with other similar words and synonyms.
Say you’ve chosen the keyword ‘men’s grooming kit.’ Google knows what a grooming kit is, and that it is closely related to things like shaving kit, men’s face wash, shampoo, etc. So would you want your ads to show up only when users search for the exact words ‘men’s grooming kit’? Or do you also want it to be displayed for the ‘shaving kit’ as well? Would you go even further and have your ads displayed for any word that is even remotely related to grooming kits, such as “men’s anti-dandruff shampoo”?
With its advanced language processing capabilities, Google can make these connections easily. So if you want to connect with the right audience and have your ads triggered by relevant search queries, you need to tell Google how remotely or closely you want your keywords to match with user search queries.
And that is precisely what the keyword match type does. It gives you three options to control how precisely your keywords should match user search queries. Let’s learn about each option in detail.
Broad Match
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This option provides the widest reach for your ads by displaying them for any search query that is even loosely related to your keyword. That means your ads could be triggered by synonyms, phrases with the same meaning and intent, and even words that are contextually related to your chosen keywords. In fact, the search query may not even align with the direct meaning of your keyword.
For example, a broad match for the keyword “gym equipment” can show your ads for searches like:
- Cardio machines
- Fitness equipment
- Workout gear
Benefits of broad match
Using a broad match for your target keywords has the following benefits:
- Wider reach and greater search volume
Broad match allows your ads to reach a larger audience by displaying them for related search queries. By expanding your reach to a wide range of user searches, you also enjoy better search volume and draw more traffic to your ads and website.
- Discover new keywords
Since broad match triggers your ads for various search queries that are related to your keyword, it helps you discover even more keywords. You may find your ads displayed for queries relevant to your business or products you hadn’t considered earlier. It can further refine your keyword strategy.
- Uncover new opportunities
By leveraging broad match, you can discover new niches, market segments, or customer needs that you might not have anticipated. The broader scope of search queries can unveil better insights and open new avenues for your marketing strategy.
Drawbacks of broad match
The downside of a broad match is that it can put your ads in front of irrelevant audiences who are not interested in your products. Like in the previous example, the keyword gym equipment can be matched with searches for workout gear. But if the advertiser only sells gym equipment like weights and machines, but not gears like gloves and wrist wraps, then there’s no point in targeting people searching for such things.
So the possibility of your ads being triggered by irrelevant searches means that you could be wasting money on the wrong audience.
Phrase Match
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With phrase match, your ads will be displayed for search queries that are more closely related to your chosen keyword. This includes synonyms, similar keyword variations, different order of words in your keyphrase, plurals, or other terms added before or after the keyword. Simply put, phrase match tells Google to display your ads for all queries where the meaning or intent matches the chosen keyword.
For example, a phrase match for the keyword “running shoes” can show your ads for searches like:
- Shoes for running
- Running sneakers
- Cheap running shoes for men
As you can see, the exact keyword may or may not be present in the search query, but the meaning of these queries is close to that of your main keyword.
Benefits of phrase match
Here’s how phrase match can benefit your ad campaigns:
- Balance between reach and relevance
Phrase match displays your ads for more relevant search queries than broad matches while also giving you wider reach than exact matches. It is the most balanced of the three matching options, where you don’t have to prioritize reach over relevance or vice versa.
- Cost-effective
With phrase match, you can reach a more focused audience while potentially minimizing the risk of wasted ad spend. By displaying your ads for search queries closely related to your keyword, you can attract users who are more likely to have a genuine interest in your offerings.
- Easy campaign setup
Setting up your ad campaign for phrase match is relatively easy and flexible. You can select relevant keyword phrases without creating an extensive list of variations or synonyms. This makes it easier and quicker to launch your campaigns while still maintaining a level of control over the matching process.
Drawbacks of Phrase Match
Being the most balanced matching option means that phrase match has no significant drawback. Having said that, you must also acknowledge that it’s not as powerful as a broad match for increasing reach and traffic and not as efficient as an exact match for targeting highly relevant users.
Exact Match
Exact match provides precise control over when your ads are triggered, ensuring a direct match between the user’s search query and your chosen keyword. It offers a focused approach to targeting and is highly effective in reaching highly relevant and specific audiences who are interested in your products. With exact match, your ads are only displayed for search queries that have the same meaning or intent as your keyword.
Even though it’s called an ‘exact’ match, this option can still trigger your ads for synonyms, plurals, and close variations of your keyword. It’s not about maintaining the exact words from your keyphrase but more about matching the exact meaning.
For example, an exact match for the keyword “wireless headphone” can show your ads for searches like:
- wireless headphone
- wireless gaming headphones
- Bluetooth headphones
Benefits of Exact Match
Using an exact match for your ad keywords has the following benefits:
- Precise targeting for relevant traffic
With exact match, you can target specific groups of users who are highly interested in your products. You can ensure that your ads are displayed to users specifically looking for products, services, or information related to your specified keywords. This leads to a better user experience and increases the likelihood of attracting qualified leads.
- High CTR and conversions
Since your ads reach out to relevant users, they are more likely to click on the ad and subsequently purchase your products. This increases both the click-through rates and conversions for your website and business.
- Excellent ROI
Building up on the above benefits, exact match has the best chance of increasing conversions from all three matching options through precise and relevant targeting. So it’s obvious that it will give you the best return on investment for your ad spend.
Drawbacks of Exact Match
The main downside of an exact match is that it’s ineffective in increasing your reach. If you want your ads to be displayed to a larger audience and cover more ground within your niche, this isn’t the right choice for you. In simple words, an exact match cannot provide you with greater search volume and traffic.
Negative match
Although we said there are 3 main match types, there is a fourth type called negative match. However, it works differently than broad, phrase, and exact match because it does the exact opposite instead of telling Google what queries to match with your keywords.
As the name implies, negative match lets you control words and phrases for which you don’t want your ads to appear. This is extremely useful in filtering out irrelevant search queries and audiences, even if they are somehow related to your keyword’s meaning and intent.
For example, consider a company that sells expensive, high-end skincare products. They can choose keywords such as “skincare products” for their ad campaign, which means their ads could also appear for users looking for cheap, budget-friendly products. And that would not be relevant to their business. What they can do is specify the word “cheap” as a negative keyword. So if a user searches for “cheap skincare product,” their ads will not be displayed even though it does include the chosen keyword.
You can use negative match in combination with any of the three match types if you don’t want your ads to appear for certain words and phrases.
How to set match types in Google Ads
Now that you’ve learned all about match types, let’s see how you can set them up for your keywords on Google Ads. The best part is that it’s incredibly simple.
For broad match, you just have to type in your keyword as it is in the keyword box. Also, keep in mind that broad match is the default setting in Google Ads, which means all your keywords are automatically set for broad match unless you change it.
For phrase match, you have to type in your keyword with quotation marks (“ “) in the keyword box, such as “men’s leather jacket.”
For exact match, type in your keyword within square brackets, such as [men’s leather jackets].
And that’s it! Learning about match types, their function, and their purpose may be slightly time-consuming, but implementing them for your Google Ads campaign is easy.
Conclusion
Understanding keyword match types is crucial for effectively managing your Google ads and reaching the right audience. By leveraging the different match types available, such as broad match, phrase match, and exact match, you can fine-tune your targeting strategy and optimize your ad campaigns for maximum results.
But also remember that even though match types are powerful tools, they work best when combined with thorough keyword research, compelling ad copy, and ongoing campaign optimization. You can stay ahead of the competition by continually refining your keyword targeting, adapting to user search behaviour, and driving success with your Google ads.
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