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What is keyword match type?
In online advertising platforms like Google Ads, keyword match types define how closely a user’s search query must match your chosen keywords for your ad to be shown. There are several types of match types, each giving you varying levels of control over who sees your ads and when. Here’s an overview of the main match types:
1. Broad Match
- Description: This is the default match type. It allows your ad to show for any search query that is related to your keyword, including variations like synonyms, related searches, or misspellings.
- Example: If your keyword is “women’s shoes,” your ad could appear for searches like “buy shoes for women,” “female footwear,” or “ladies’ shoes.”
- Pros: Reaches a wide audience, can help increase visibility.
- Cons: Less control, as ads may show for irrelevant searches, potentially leading to wasted spend.
2. Broad Match Modifier (BMM) (Deprecated in 2021)
- Description: Previously, this allowed you to specify certain words within a broad match keyword that must appear in the user’s search query. It has been replaced by phrase match (more details below).
- Example: If your keyword was +women’s +shoes, your ad would only appear when both “women’s” and “shoes” were included in the search query, though the order or additional words could vary.
- Pros: More control than broad match while still capturing variations.
- Cons: No longer supported as of 2021.
3. Phrase Match
- Description: Your ad shows when the search query includes the exact phrase of your keyword, with additional words before or after it. The order of the words must remain the same.
- Example: If your keyword is “women’s shoes,” your ad could appear for searches like “buy women’s shoes online” or “best women’s shoes,” but not for “shoes for women.”
- Pros: More control than broad match while still capturing relevant searches.
- Cons: Less reach than broad match.
4. Exact Match
- Description: Your ad shows only when the user’s search exactly matches your keyword or a close variant (such as plural forms or misspellings). This provides the highest level of precision.
- Example: If your keyword is “women’s shoes,” your ad will appear only for searches exactly matching “women’s shoes,” or close variations like “womens shoes.”
- Pros: High control and relevance, ensuring the search query closely matches your target.
- Cons: Less reach, since it only captures the exact search terms.
5. Negative Match
- Description: Negative keywords are used to prevent your ads from showing up for certain search terms. This helps filter out irrelevant traffic.
- Example: If your business sells premium shoes, you could add “cheap” as a negative keyword to avoid showing your ad to people searching for “cheap women’s shoes.”
- Pros: Improves targeting, reduces wasted spend.
- Cons: Requires constant monitoring and refining to ensure you’re excluding the right terms.
Summary of Keyword Match Types:
| Match Type | Example Search Queries | Reach | Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broad Match | “women’s shoes,” “buy women’s footwear” | High | Low |
| Broad Match Modifier (Deprecated) | “women’s +shoes” | High | Medium |
| Phrase Match | “buy women’s shoes,” “women’s shoes sale” | Medium | Medium |
| Exact Match | “women’s shoes” | Low | High |
| Negative Match | “cheap shoes” (for excluding specific terms) | N/A | High |
By selecting the right match types for your keywords, you can fine-tune your ad targeting to either reach a broad audience or focus narrowly on highly relevant searches.
